Dairy-based ingredients

Natural Products Expo West

Animal welfare movement ‘parallels’ the opportunities and challenges of the organic movement

15-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

There is a “tremendous parallel” between the emerging consumer demand for improved animal welfare in the US and the organic food movement, including notable business opportunities and significant challenges, according to Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Certified Transitional helps conventional farms make the switch to organic

10-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite organic’s strong appeal with double-digit year-over-year growth since the early 1990s, and the promise of a significant premium price over that of its conventional counterparts, many American farmers are hesitant to jump on board – creating a...

My/Mo continues Mikawaya’s ice cream mochi legacy with conventional US ice cream flavors

07-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

A common dessert staple at Japanese restaurants in the US, increased familiarity to mochi ice cream hinted that the dessert was ready to enter mainstream grocery retailers. My/Mo seized the opportunity, offering a range of mochi ice cream in conventional...

Chobani appoints Nestlé Waters North America CEO Tim Brown as president and COO

06-Mar-2017 By Elaine Watson

Greek yogurt maker Chobani has hired Nestlé Waters North America CEO Tim Brown as its new president and chief operating officer, reporting to founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya.

General Mills invests in organic to boost sales, ‘do the right thing’

01-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

General Mills’ splashy commitment last year to double the number of organic acres it sources from by 2019 not only is a strategic business move to boost sales, but part of a larger effort to “do the right thing,” according to the company’s organic ambassador. 

Irish study says people with highest dairy consumption have lower BMI

23-Feb-2017 By Jim Cornall

A new study looking at dairy consumption and its relationship with metabolic health has delivered some promising results for the dairy industry.

From moon cheese to crunchy yogurt: REV technology paves way for new-to-the-world snacks, says EnWave

22-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

Moon Cheese – a shelf-stable, clean-label 100% cheese snack developed using 'radiant energy vacuum’ (REV) dehydration technology - is now in 20,000+ stores three years after launch, and will soon be followed by a flurry of other novel snacking concepts...

Is food deflation easing? Food-at-home index flat in January

21-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food-at-home — a proxy for grocery-level inflation — was flat in January, after months of declines, with higher prices in eggs, dairy, meat, fish & poultry offset by lower prices for fruits & vegetables, non-alcoholic...

Standards of identity are designed to protect consumers, not stifle competition, says GFI

Dairy Pride Act is 'anti-competitive' and 'unconstitutional,' says Good Food Institute

21-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

More than 46,000 people have signed a Good Food Institute petition urging Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congressman Peter Welch not to pursue the passage of the Dairy Pride Act, which the GFI argues, is both “anti-competitive” and “unconstitutional.” 

Snacking Innovation Summit trend-watching: Mini-meals, tapas-style eating, and hero SKUs

17-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

The trend towards continuous grazing throughout the day will create new ‘multi-temperature’ snacking opportunities for manufacturers as a ‘tapas-style’ approach to eating gains momentum, predicted panelists at the FoodNavigator-USA/BakeryandSnacks snacking...

Ripple ‘Not Milk?’ campaign brands almond milk a ‘sham’ and tackles dairy over sat fat, sugar and sustainability

16-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

Pea protein-fueled brand Ripple has weighed into plant-based ‘milk’ debate with a provocative new media campaign that challenges the nutritional and environmental credentials of dairy milk, but also brands almond milk a ‘sham,’ and argues that when it...

Yogurt makers cut sugar but add fat and convenience to meet consumer demands

15-Feb-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Yogurt manufacturers continue to expand and evolve their portfolios with healthier and more convenient options that meet consumers’ growing demand for products that are lower in sugar, high in flavor and easy to eat. 

‘Chewy’ ice cream from Lezzetli stretches Americans’ imaginations and palates

15-Feb-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Typically considered smooth and creamy, the idea for most Americans that ice cream also could be chewy might seem like a stretch – and it is. Literally. 

Perfectly Free prepares for 2018 launch of novel refrigerated fruit & veggie snacks with 'grape-like' skin

13-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

Incredible Foods – the firm behind allergy-friendly Perfectly Free frozen coconut bites – is gearing up for the 2018 launch of what it claims is a completely new form of snack: refrigerated bites with a 'grape-like' skin made from fruit and...

Sleepy US $1.1bn cottage cheese category is ripe for disruption, says Muuna

10-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

Forty years ago, the US cottage cheese market was twice the size of the yogurt market. Today, yogurt (at $7.68bn) is seven times bigger in dollar terms than cottage cheese (down 1.7% to $1.1bn in retail sales in 2016 according to Nielsen data). So have...

Coca-Cola’s fairlife launches ‘Superkids’ milk

09-Feb-2017 By Rachel Arthur

Coca-Cola’s ultra-filtered premium milk fairlife has launched a children’s ‘Superkids’ variety, available in white milk and chocolate milk. 

New dressings from Bolthouse Farms target underserved overlap between organic and better-for-you

09-Feb-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Bolthouse Farms expands its footprint in the crowded dressing category with the launch of a new premium line that fills the whitespace in the unexpectedly bare overlap between organic and better-for-you options. 

a2 Milk USA CEO: Plant-based ‘milk’ labeling is misleading, but it’s not what’s killing the dairy milk market

08-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

The dairy lobby is justifiably frustrated about the widespread use of dairy-terms (milk, cheese, yogurt) to describe plant-based products, but it also needs to focus on its own game to understand why sales of fluid dairy milk are declining, argues The...

Daiya Foods VP: The Dairy Pride Act is a solution looking for a problem

08-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

The Dairy Pride Act, which seeks to crack down on the use of dairy-derived labels for plant-based products on the grounds shoppers are being misled, is a “solution looking for a problem,” claims the marketing boss of one of the leading players in the...

In the $28bn ice cream category, ‘free from’ drives growth, says Packaged Facts

07-Feb-2017 By Adi Menayang

According to retail data company Packaged Facts, “food industry marketers are astutely churning out a variety of healthier, yet still decadent, frozen treats to please modern American consumers.”

CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW

Dahlicious moves into new territory with almond milk yogurt and kefir

02-Feb-2017 By Elaine Watson

Dahlicious – a brand best-known for its cultured dairy product, lassi – is moving into new territory this year with the launch of almondmilk-based yogurt and kefir.

US dairy groups ask Canada to ‘hold up its end of the bargain’ in trade agreements

31-Jan-2017 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The US dairy industry is continuing its fight against Canada’s policies, which they say are blocking American dairy imports into the country in violation of international agreements.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW

Califia Farms CEO weighs into plant 'milk' debate: ‘The consumer has never been confused'

27-Jan-2017 By Elaine Watson

Labeling conventions in plant-based ‘dairy’ are a hot topic right now, with two leading players (Almond Breeze and Silk) hit with false advertising lawsuits this week, and a Senate Bill urging the FDA to enforce standards of identity for milk, cheese...

WhiteWave, Blue Diamond Growers, targeted in plant ‘milk’ class actions

27-Jan-2017 By Elaine Watson

To the frustration of the dairy lobby, false advertising lawsuits objecting to terms such as ‘almondmilk’ and ‘soymilk’ have failed to make much headway. However, complaints filed this week vs Blue Diamond Growers and WhiteWave Foods adopt a different...

Dairy Pride Act a ‘waste of government resources’ says Good Food Institute in change.org petition

25-Jan-2017 By Elaine Watson

The Dairy Pride Act – a bill urging the FDA to prohibit the use of ‘almond milk,’ ‘vegan cheese’ and other such labels on plant-based products – is an “absurd” piece of legislation that “wastes government resources,” claims a new petition on change.org. 

Final rule clarifies animal welfare standards under organic seal even as its own fate is uncertain

19-Jan-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even though a final USDA rule strengthening animal welfare standards squeaked into the Federal Register today before the new administration takes control of country, the rule may not be safe from repeal, like so many others finalized under Obama’s leadership. 

A new approach to innovation

Bolthouse Farms’ MAIO is the newest product from C-Fresh’s new innovation model

19-Jan-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

MAIO, an indulgent tasting yet better-for-you alternative to conventional mayonnaise, is the latest test product to come out of C-Fresh's innovation team and its unique approach to incubating products on a small scale before expanding. 

Sonny Perdue must 'expand market opportunities for all types of agriculture,' says NFU

19-Jan-2017 By Elaine Watson

It’s been a long time coming, but President elect Trump has chosen his agriculture secretary - former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue – pleasing some food and farming associations, but alarming Friends of the Earth.

Former USDA Sec. Vilsack will take the reins of US Dairy Export Council next month

17-Jan-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

The rumors are true: Former USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack will take the helm of the US Dairy Export Council Feb. 1 after serving the Obama Administration as one of the longest serving agriculture secretaries in history.

Miyoko’s Kitchen CEO weighs into plant-based dairy labeling debate: It’s time to ditch ‘outdated and arcane’ standards of identity

17-Jan-2017 By Elaine Watson

Consumers have moved on since dairy standards of identity first hit the statute books, says Miyoko's Kitchen founder and CEO Miyoko Schinner, and it's time regulators did too.

Chobani notched up double-digit US growth in 2016, has ‘no plan’ to head back to Europe right now

13-Jan-2017 By Elaine Watson

While growth in the US yogurt category fell into negative territory in 2016, Chobani's US operation notched up double-digit sales and volume growth last year, driven by a strong performances from Flip and the core cups range and a successful move...

Grass-fed is greener, says Maple Hill Creamery: ‘We need to have a more nuanced conversation about dairy and sustainability’

11-Jan-2017 By Elaine Watson

Dairy can get a bad rap in debates on animal welfare and sustainability, but it’s time the conversation became more nuanced, says 100% grass-fed, organic and “unapologetically full-fat” dairy brand Maple Hill Creamery, which is now available in 6,000...

Kite Hill CEO: We just want to be able to use terms that consumers understand

Will the plant-based ‘milk’ debate prompt a wider probe of federal standards of identity?

06-Jan-2017 By Elaine Watson

According to the National Milk Producers Federation – and 34 members of Congress who wrote to the FDA before Christmas - using the term ‘milk’ on plant-based beverages misleads consumers, harms the dairy industry and violates milk’s standard of identity...

Sustainability concerns will color consumers’ food selections in 2017

05-Jan-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

A growing awareness of the environmental impact of food production and a desire to shop sustainably will heavily influence how consumers plan, shop for and prepare meals in the coming year, predicts a leading food influencer and national retailer. 

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: The cultivation and rise of vegan cheese alternatives

16-Dec-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

There is no denying that vegan is on the rise with consumers looking for more plant-based options, and manufacturers eager to meet that demand with a wide variety of new products -- some of which even are aimed at and winning over carnivores and omnivores.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Defining and meeting consumer demand for clean label

09-Dec-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The predictable upcoming onslaught of annual New Year’s resolutions to “eat better” could lead to surge of consumer interest in products with short ingredient decks and “clean labels” that they perceive as healthier.

Is a satiating, decadent dairy dessert for weight management possible? Spanish researchers find out

08-Dec-2016 By Adi Menayang

Food scientists at the Polytechnic University of Valencia found that adding whey protein to a panna cotta with low fat content had the highest satiety effects.

DIY food kits are ‘the future of our society,’ CEO of Cultures for Health says

07-Dec-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Increased awareness of and ongoing battles with diet related chronic health problems are pushing more consumers into the kitchen for the first time -- creating a massive opportunities for do-it-yourself kits that teach consumers how to make their own...

Positive consumer reviews, practitioner recommendations help Kabrita expand goat milk formula sales

06-Dec-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Kabrita USA cuts through the competition in the infant and toddler formula category to earn shelf space and parents' trust by cultivating consumers' positive reviews and healthcare providers' recommendations. 

Malted milk helps startup root cookies in nostalgia & be on cutting edge of current trends

28-Nov-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The founders of startup Malt Shop Cookies are hoping to jumpstart their new ecommerce business by launching on Cyber Monday the online sale of their line of malted milk cookies before expanding into more traditional brick and mortar stores next year.

Another study associating saturated fat with heart disease prompts calls for healthier dietary patterns

28-Nov-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The question of whether butter, as a stand-in for saturated fat, “is back” and safe to eat in large amounts or not is a false and distracting dichotomy in the ongoing debate about how to improve health and prevent heart disease with diet, suggests an...

Dairy from cows fed GM feed is not ‘all-natural’, alleges lawsuit vs Dannon – but will it fly?

28-Nov-2016 By Elaine Watson

Has the FDA’s probe into ‘natural’ claims on food labels put a stop to the tidal wave of false advertising lawsuits engulfing food manufacturers? Not if a new complaint against Dannon is anything to go by, which also delves into the thorny issue of GMOs,...

Sunrise Strategic Partners takes minority stake in grass-fed dairy brand Maple Hill

23-Nov-2016 By Elaine Watson

Sunrise Strategic Partners - a Colorado-based accelerator of emerging brands co-founded by Steve Hughes and Trilantic North America - has made a minority investment in grass-fed organic dairy brand Maple Hill, which makes whole milk yogurts, kefir, cheeses,...

Consumers seek ‘low-sugar’ claims, but remain confused & distrustful of nutrition labeling

23-Nov-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Too much sugar remains a top consumer concern, but confusion about how to read product labels and general distrust of their accuracy means many Americans are at a loss as to how to reduce sugar, a new Healthline survey reveals.

Rabobank says world dairy trade still has issues

23-Nov-2016 By Jim Cornall

Rabobank says that the trade in dairy products has suffered some big blows in the past three years, and that there are still challenges ahead.

Nestlé USA chief procurement officer: 'I am a kind of translator between the corporate world and the farm world'

23-Nov-2016 By Elaine Watson

As part of Nestlé's 150th anniversary celebrations, FoodNavigator-USA editor Elaine Watson caught up with Nestlé USA chief procurement officer Patty Stroup to talk about how relations with dairy farmers are changing.

NOSB debates organic status of carrageenan, tocopherols, marine algae, hydroponics

16-Nov-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Organic industry stakeholders from across the nation are gathered in St. Louis today for what promises to be a highly contentious three-day meeting during which the National Organic Standards Board will debate the role of hydroponic production, carrageenan,...

Levels adds new twist to whey protein category with grass-fed, fruit-infused options

11-Nov-2016 By Elaine Watson

Whey protein is a large, growing category, says Levels founder Blake Niemann. “But there’s actually been surprisingly little innovation."

Dairy alternatives continue to grow with almond milk at the forefront, market research reveals

08-Nov-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

With a projected annual growth rate of more than 13% through 2022, the dairy alternative market – especially beverages – continues to pave the way forward for the overall expansion of plant-based diets, according to research data. 

Tension around presidential election likely will take a toll on holiday food spending, IRI predicts

07-Nov-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

No matter who wins tomorrow’s presidential election, two-thirds of US consumers believe their financial health will deteriorate in 2017 -- a prospect that has many reigning in their holiday dining budgets and looking for deals, according to new research...