Meat, fish and savory ingredients

How can alternative proteins and regenerative agriculture work together?

30-Oct-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Despite both being sustainability-focused, regenerative agriculture and protein diversification have not always got along. How can the two sectors work together?

Brand Alchemy

How F&B brands can boost their ROI with a diversified media strategy

29-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Today’s marketing strategies need flexible adjustments and a blend of channels to keep pace with rapid shifts in media consumption, unlike the fixed annual media plans of yesteryear.

How to identify and engage with your target market

28-Oct-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Creating and building brand awareness, with potential customers, is essential to success. Here’s how to recognise and connect with your target market.

NOVA reform: The flawed UPF classification system requires change

28-Oct-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Some nutritious foods under the current NOVA system could be demonised alongside unhealthy variants. Industry's calling for reform, but what would the next generation look like?

Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

How would eliminating ultra-processed foods and products high in sugar, fat impact diet, health?

25-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Diets that exclude foods high in added sugar and saturated fat, like sugary drinks, snacks and processed meat, still provide sufficient levels of essential nutrients, like vitamins, minerals and fiber, according to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

Startup Spotlight

Fishwife reels in bold flavors, creative branding to revive canned fish category

24-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Tinned fish brand Fishwife launched in response to the lack of innovation and bold branding in the multi-billion-dollar canned fish category, with a strategic focus on culinary-inspired flavors and artistically-driven packaging, CEO and Co-Founder, Becca...

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

DGAC recommends more repeated exposure to healthy foods for kids

23-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) recommended introducing a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains at appropriate ages does not adversely impact growth or increase obesity risk in young children.

Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

Nutrition experts reveal Healthy US-style dietary pattern – but is it flexible enough?

22-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) recommends consolidating various dietary patterns into a single, inclusive Healthy US-Style Dietary Pattern that includes nutrient-dense, plant-based foods and which is accessible for all Americans.

Listeria outbreak impacts deli meat market, grab-and-go options, Circana finds

21-Oct-2024 By Ryan Daily

An outbreak of listeria is hitting the lunchmeat category — driving down dollars and volume sales — as consumers still rely on the deli department for quick meals and globally inspired flavors, as shared in a recent International Dairy Deli Bakery Association...

2024 US presidential election

How Harris' & Trump's trade, tax policies could impact food industry

17-Oct-2024 By Ryan Daily

With the US presidential election weeks away, food and beverage manufacturers are bracing for a potential sea of change in trade and economic policies that could ripple across the food system as global events further stress an already fragile supply chain....

Seafood rides tides of inflation, deflation with some long-awaited signs of demand recovery

16-Oct-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Shellfish sales underwent a sea change in September with lower prices, Labor Day celebrations and stock-ups ahead of back-to-back hurricanes in the Southeast and strikes at major points in early October helping to buoy volumes, according to data from...

Will alternative meats thrive in frozen? Circana shows growth

15-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Meat alternative sales dropped in the last four years, but all is not lost for the segment which has opportunity to thrive in the frozen department with a particular focus on convenience, value, ingredient quality, diverse formats and new flavors, Circana...

Why shoppers are turning towards costly organic food and drink

14-Oct-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

More consumers are buying pricier organic food and drink, despite continuing cost-of-living pressures, with sales expected to rocket as governments push to make organic farming central to future sustainability strategies.

FDA pushes for progress in sodium reduction target, aims to cut average intake to 2,750 mg/day

11-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The FDA's phase two draft guidance on sodium reduction, released on August 15, sets new voluntary targets for food manufacturers to reduce average consumption to 2,750 milligrams per day by 2024, as nearly three-quarters of Americans' sodium...

Why PepsiCo is backing the $2bn Kamala Harris-led effort to empower women in agriculture

11-Oct-2024 By Gill Hyslop

The snacking giant – along with other global giants – has committed to a $2bn initiative aimed at advancing gender equality and sustainability in agricultural supply chains. But can this ambitious collaboration truly reshape the future of agriculture...

DGAC: Diets high in plant-based foods are moderately linked towards reducing illness

10-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Although the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) did not find strong evidence between dietary patterns and disease risk, some age-related cognitive health issues and breast cancer are moderately linked to diet.

UPSIDE Foods & Institute for Justice gain support from industry trade group on Florida lawsuit

09-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The Association of Meat, Poultry & Seafood Innovation (AMPS), a non-profit organization representing the cell-cultured industry, expressed its support for cultivated meat producer UPSIDE Foods and non-profit Institute for Justice on the lawsuit filed...

Novonesis develops ‘cleaner ingredient deck’ for plant-based meat with biosolution technology

08-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Biotech company, Novonesis, addresses core taste, texture and nutritional challenges in plant-based meat and dairy with its biosolution technologies, potentially reducing the ingredient label deck.

Policymakers call on Coca-Cola, General Mills, PepsiCo to address pricing practices

07-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Letters sent by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.) to the CEOs of Coca-Cola, General Mills and PepsiCo express concern over pricing and tax practices that, according to the policy makers, “squeeze profits out...

Funding alt-protein: Investors shift to supply chains, startups eye govt grants

04-Oct-2024 By Ryan Daily

Venture capitalists are focusing further down the alt-protein supply chain when investing, as startups partner up and use government grants to survive and thrive in a challenging funding environment.

Conagra seeks acquisitions, considers divesting low growth businesses amid sales slump

03-Oct-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Conagra Brands executives warned investors earlier this year that its fiscal 2025 would start with “plenty of noise,” and it did – including not just anomalies for which the maker of Slim Jim and Healthy Choice planned, but also unexpected dynamics that...

Unsaturated vs saturated fats, Dietary Guidelines on dairy, meat & plant-based oils

02-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) determined the relationships between saturated fat and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the roles of dairy, red meat and plant-based oils with findings from last week’s meeting indicating benefits of reducing...

Texas district court greenlights plant-based labeling lawsuit

30-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The United States District Court of the Western District of Texas will allow to proceed a lawsuit filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Good Food Institute on behalf of Tofurky that challenges a 2023 Texas law that imposes additional labeling...

From ‘crookies’ to sushi: What Gen Z consumers want out of bakery, deli options

30-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

Deli counters and bakeries boost sales by meeting Gen Z demand for global and convenient cuisine — from sushi to street foods — Circana representatives shared during a recent IDDBA webinar.

Rebellyous Foods deploys Mock 2 system to lower plant-based meat costs with continuous production

25-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

Rebellyous Foods launched its much-anticipated Mock 2 plant-based meat production system with RMS Foods following delays of its launch in Dec. 2023 after plans with an initial co-manufacturer fell through.

USDA concludes final round of funding to boost farmer support, lower grocery prices

25-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The final installment of funding from the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) is expected to give independent US farmers and ranchers in rural communities a competitive advantage and lower grocery costs, according to USDA.

Consumers shop digital channels more amid grocery price concerns, Ibotta reports

24-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

Despite more optimism in the economy, consumers remain vigilant on grocery spending, scrutinizing the price of discretionary foods more and leveraging digital channels for discounts, according to marketing platform company Ibotta’s latest report on consumer...

'Sustainable products have to win the health battle,' Mintel on environmental trends in food, beverage

23-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

As greenwashing leads to "greenhushing," consumers are focusing on sustainable food and beverage claims that tap into their sense of health and self-preservation, with air quality and water conservation attributes set to take off in the US,...

Rising wellness trends: Zero-proof is ‘the next wave of beverages,’ foods for anxiety relief see ‘varied results’

20-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

Zero-proof beverages are gaining market traction as health-conscious consumers moderate their alcohol consumption while many shoppers also seek out functional foods to combat stress and anxiety, market research company Circana shared in a recent webinar...

How climate change is impacting food commodities

13-Sep-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

How is the food and beverage industry responding to the need to make its supply chains more sustainable? Find out at Climate Smart Food 2024.

Startup Spotlight

Ayo Foods’ expansion reflects a growing ‘cultural movement’ among consumers and retail

12-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

West African frozen meal and sauce brand Ayo Foods’ expanded from 200 retail doors to more than 20 retailers nationwide through a combination of cold calling and working with brokers to land shelf space.

Letter from the editor: How is rising demand for global flavors influencing innovation & ingredient sourcing?

12-Sep-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Long gone are the days when salt and pepper were sufficient seasonings for most Americans – now US consumers want bold flavors that will take their tastebuds on a global adventure, giving rise to a new class of frozen meals, sauces, spice blends and even...

USDA certification for meat, poultry flavors from T. Hasegawa helps meet demand for complex, authentic & clean-label options

12-Sep-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers are less willing to settle for basic flavor profiles, such as “beef” or “chicken,” and instead want increasingly complex and authentic options – like braised short rib or barbecued wings, according to flavor giant T. Hasegawa, which now can...

Tyson Foods' ‘multi-protein, multi-channel strategy’ pays off, amid consumers trading down

09-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

Tyson Foods touted the benefits of its multi-pronged protein strategy at the 2024 Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference as the company continues shuffling its manufacturing capacity, closing and opening facilities.

USDA survey underscores critical role of federal program in reducing US food insecurity

06-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Despite a majority (86.5%) of US households reporting they felt food secure for the entirety of 2023, government food assistance programs are critical to ensure the remaining 13.5% (18 million) households have access to healthy foods, according to a USDA...

AI helps companies navigate critical regulatory alerts, policy shifts ahead of 2024 election

04-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Companies must navigate a more fragmented and complex regulatory environment, increasing the need for proactive compliance planning and advanced monitoring tools, like AI, according to Caroline Shleifer, CEO and founder of RegASK.

Business giants pile on pressure to cut antibiotics in global food chain

03-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Food and drink suppliers will face increased scrutiny as 80 of the world’s biggest investors today join forces to pressure global leaders into tackling the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis or risk a worldwide financial meltdown.

USDA encourages third-party certification for animal-raising claims after finding widespread misleading negative antibiotics claims in cattle

30-Aug-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

USDA is strengthening substantiation requirements for animal-raising claims on meat and dairy labels and promises to crackdown on false or misleading negative antibiotic claims after finding antibiotic residues in approximately one in five cattle marketed...

The 'carnivore' diet trend: what is it and can it be profitable?

29-Aug-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The increasingly popular carnivore diet is shaping up to be a powerful new food trend. But what is it, why has it become so popular, and what opportunities does it create for food manufacturers?

Kipster’s ‘carbon-neutral’ eggs at Kroger paves the way for possible US franchise expansion

28-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Kipster’s ongoing partnership with Kroger brings what it calls 'carbon-neutral' eggs—produced through its humane farming system—to the grocery chain from its North Manchester, Ind., farm, while also creating franchise opportunities for its proprietary...

The Better Meat Co. receives $1.4m federal grant to commercialize mycoprotein Rhiza

27-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Bioscience company The Better Meat Co. is scaling up production of its allergen-free mycoprotein Rhiza with the help of a recent US Department of Defense (DoD) grant, as the company prepares its next round of funding.

Will consumers accept mycelium?

22-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Mycelium can be a protein-rich alternative to animal products. But will consumers accept it? The interplay of disgust and naturalness perceptions is the key, a new study suggests.

Dairy, deli, bakery categories see strong unit, dollar growth in July, as recalls slow sliced meats

21-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Dairy, deli and bakery categories were “not just driving dollar sales, [but] are also seeing strong unit volume growth,” amid summer holidays and entertainment occasions, as sliced meat recalls and avian flu could derail gains in the months to come, Joanna...

Harris aims to ban food price gouging, while industry points to supply chain pressures

19-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris proposes a federal ban on price gouging to lower grocery prices as part of her economic platform for her presidential campaign, however food industry advocates maintain that food prices have remained...

‘We're going to work with meat companies, not compete with them’: Meatable on how cultivated meat can help farmers

19-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Cultivated meat has traditionally been posited as an alternative to traditional animal agriculture. Now, Meatable suggests that it could help farmers, not hurt them.

Flavors, authenticity, consumer connection to drive food & beverage

15-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

From indulgent treats to non-alcoholic alternatives, consumers are craving brands that provide nostalgic flavors, better-for-you benefits and authentic brand connections - trends that are set to grow into 2025, according to several reports.

Asentia navigates the road ahead: Challenges & opportunities in the alt protein sector

14-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

⁠The alternative protein industry offers immense opportunities for innovation and market expansion, but successfully navigating this complex landscape requires a balance of advanced R&D, strategic partnerships and a deep understanding of consumer...

Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins 2024

Lever VC’s investment strategy in alternative proteins focuses on cost-reduction, tech gains & partnerships

13-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Lever VC is zeroing in on innovative companies within the alternative protein space, backing those with strong technological potential and the ability to scale, Nick Cooney, founder and managing partner, Lever VC, told FoodNavigator-USA during Future...

APC and Kerry Group explore new gut-brain concepts

12-Aug-2024 By Nikki Hancocks

Leading microbiome researchers at APC Microbiome Ireland (APC), University College Cork, have partnered with global food and drink giant Kerry Group to explore how diet can support cognitive health.

Fresh foods drive sales for retailers, AI’s use continues to shape in-store operations, data analysis

08-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

By adopting AI to improve inventory and production planning, grocery retailers are gaining a competitive edge in the profitable fresh food department, as highlighted by FMI - The Food Industry Association's Fresh Foods report.