Proteins

Danone sees strong sales of plant-based products while small-format bottled water drops 32%

03-Aug-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Despite headwinds from closures of away-from-home channels due the ongoing pandemic, Danone grew sales and household penetration of its US plant-based and premium dairy brands for the first half of 2020.

Tofu's time has come, says Nasoya: 'It's the simplest form of plant-based protein on the market'

03-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of tofu – which for years occupied a solid, but sleepy, niche in a plant-based meat category increasingly propelled by brands seeking to precisely match the taste and texture of conventional meat – have caught fire in recent weeks, says...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Baby food doesn’t have an ‘added sugar problem’ it has a ‘too much sugar’ problem

03-Aug-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s recent recommendations that children under 2 years avoid all added sugar to ensure they consume the nutrients they need without excessive caloric intake may not go far enough to drive a significant change in...

Hubba CEO: 'Alternative retail is our biggest area of growth by far'

31-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Alternative retail – restaurants and cafes to rock climbing gyms and spas – is a channel that should not be overlooked for emerging food and beverage brands looking to establish their retail footing, says Ben Zifkin, CEO of Hubba, a b2b e-commerce platform...

IPO: Pasture-raised egg co Vital Farms goes public, plans moves into new categories

31-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Vital Farms - which launched with 20 hens in Austin, Texas, in 2007 and is now the #1 pasture-raised egg and butter brand in the US and the #2 egg brand in retail dollar sales with products in 13,000 stores – is going public today.

The Impossible Burger hits Walmart stores nationwide: 'We have to be available everywhere people shop for meat'

30-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

The plant-based Impossible Burger is now available at 2,100 Walmart stores in 50 states, says Impossible Foods, which has been aggressively ramping up its retail presence this year, with distribution expanding from just 150 stores in January 2020 to more...

Blue Apron turnaround? The meal kit player posts strong Q2 results

30-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Blue Apron has posted 10% net revenue growth to $131m in Q2 2020 (vs the same period last year), and 29% growth compared to the previous quarter, benefiting from a massive wave of consumers cooking at home more. But will its customer base stick around...

Affordability and health drive consumer food purchases, Signal Analytics finds

30-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Working from home, pantry and freezer stockpiling, and having more time to cook have had a massive impact on consumer shopping and eating behaviors, highlighting a consumer desire for healthy and affordable food, new research from Signal Analytics shows.

Sen. Booker targets corporate consolidation in agriculture for ‘fundamentally broken’ US food system

29-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Decrying the US food system as “fundamentally broken and worsening the challenge of justice in our country,” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., is on an mission to block and dismantle corporate consolidation in agriculture, which he argues places profits over...

‘At first it seemed like science fiction…’ Cell-cultured meat startup Artemys Foods emerges from stealth mode

28-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

San Leandro-based Artemys Foods – one of the latest startups to emerge from stealth mode in the nascent cell-cultured (a.k.a cell-based, cultivated) meat arena – aims to launch its first prototype, a hybrid burger combining cell-based meat and fat with...

SHIFT20: Consumer health perceptions of plant-based meat are evolving, reports IFIC

28-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The buzz around plant-based meat alternatives is strong, but what is the full consumer perception of plant-based protein products in terms of nutrition and healthfulness compared to animal meat, and what motivates consumers to buy plant alternatives?...

Unlocking Innovation webinar Aug. 6: Discover how to reduce your environmental impact & improve sustainability

28-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even as the pandemic continues to strain the food system and pressure manufacturers to balance increased demand with restricted supply, companies must still pursue sustainability goals, including minimizing their environmental impact and improving the...

The Better Meat Co. closes $8.1m seed round as hybrid trend combining animal- and plant-based proteins gathers pace

28-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

The Better Meat Co - a Sacramento-based startup supplying plant-based proteins that “blend seamlessly into ground meat products” at inclusion rates of 30-50% to create a new wave of ‘hybrid’ products - has closed an $8.1m seed round, bringing its total...

Geltor raises $91.3m to expand animal-free collagen platform: ‘Our goal is to make it ridiculously easy for iconic brands to build sustainable products’

27-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Geltor - a startup producing collagen proteins via microbial fermentation (without animals) – has closed a $91.3m Series B round led by CPT Capital with significant commitment from WTT Investment Ltd, and says it plans to launch its first ingestible products...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Mintel consumer survey highlights opportunities and challenges for plant-based meat

27-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Despite growing interest in plant-based foods, the majority of meat eaters believe ‘real meat’ is the best source of protein, while nearly half of consumers who identify as flexitarians, pescatarians, vegetarians and vegans – diets that limit or eliminate...

SHIFT20: Can food alleviate feelings of stress and anxiety for consumers?

27-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Food has become a way for consumers to ease their worries and anxiety in an increasingly stressful world, and they are looking for products that can answer their basic needs for control, community, and purpose, says Eve Turow-Paul, a writer and cultural...

Move over stevia? Joywell Foods raises $6.9m, aims to commercialize sweet proteins in 18-24 months

22-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Foods and beverages sweetened with miraculin, brazzein and curculin - proteins found in exotic fruits that can be produced far more efficiently via microbial fermentation - could hit the US market in less than two years, offering formulators intriguing...

Hybrid products could drive first wave of cell-based meat launches, predicts Higher Steaks as it unveils pork belly, bacon prototypes

22-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Hybrid products combining meat grown from cells in bioreactors with plant-based proteins and fats could drive the first wave of cell-based product launches, predicts the founder of UK-based startup Higher Steaks, which unveiled the ‘world’s first’ cell-based...

Chobani moves into functional beverage category with Chobani Probiotic; unveils new high protein Complete yogurt range

21-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Chobani has moved into new territory with the launch of Chobani Probiotic: a new line of organic, plant-based functional beverages; and Chobani Complete: a new line of protein- and fiber-packed lactose-free Greek yogurt cups and shakes with no added sugar,...

Study finds link between plant-based protein intake and lower mortality and risk of cardiovascular disease

20-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Does an association exist between dietary protein choice (animal or plant-based sources) and long-term overall mortality in the US population? Yes, say researchers who conducted a 16-year observational health study and found that greater intake of plant...

fairlife moves into ice cream

17-Jul-2020 By Jim Cornall

US dairy firm fairlife, LLC, which launched ultra-filtered milk in 2015, has partnered with Boardwalk Frozen Treats, LLC, to enter the ice cream category. It is the Coca-Cola Company owned firm's first venture away from beverage-related products...

Self-care and preventive health in the age of coronavirus, from probiotics to vitamin C

17-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Staying well has never been more important as Americans deal with unprecedented levels of anxiety and economic uncertainty. At the same time, budgets are tightening and consumers are looking for affordable foods and beverages that deliver the nutrition...

JUST Egg to enter Canadian Whole Foods and Walmart stores this fall

16-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Eat JUST Inc. will launch its folded plant-based egg products at Whole Foods Market and select Walmart stores in Canada, where demand and investment in plant-based food is skyrocketing, says CEO and co-founder Josh Tetrick.

Discover fundraising, brand building strategies during upcoming Unlocking Innovation webinar July 30

16-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The food and beverage industry has been a tale of two cities since the coronavirus pandemic was declared with some companies seeing surging sales reinforced by fresh rounds of high-dollar investments and other businesses grinding to a halt with both revenue...

Americans need to more than halve their consumption of added sugars, says Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

15-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Americans need to more than halve their consumption of added sugars, reducing average consumption from 13% of daily energy intake to just 6%, the equivalent of 30g for someone on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, according to the expert committee advising the...

SHIFT20: ‘Cell-based’ could be the best way to describe cell-cultured seafood on labels, suggests large consumer study

15-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

‘Lab-grown’ seafood is a food marketer’s nightmare. ‘Clean’ seafood carries the tacit implication that the regular stuff is dirty. ‘Cultivated’ seafood – a term that performed well in recent research on meat & poultry – could be confused with farmed...

SHIFT20: How are consumers thinking about plant-based eating? Mattson unveils new survey data

14-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Perceived health benefits remain the #1 purchase driver for plant-based foods according to new consumer research from innovation consultancy Mattson, although environmental factors, taste (in the case of plant-based dairy), and the sense that ‘I feel...

MCTco protein keto bars enter beauty-from-within and immunity categories

13-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

MCTco is competing in the highly-competitive snack bar category, addressing major consumer demands around protein and sugar content as well as emerging ‘beauty-from-within’ and immunity trends with its line of products containing collagen protein and...

Mintel: Consumers to adapt ‘less but better’ approach to animal proteins

10-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Animal proteins will become less of a center-of-the-plate staple for many consumers, according to Mintel, which attributes the shift to the ability to meet protein needs from a wider variety of sources, and ongoing concerns about food safety and price...

Plant-based meat sales increase 23% when placed in meat department, study finds

09-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plant-based meat sales increased by an average of 23% when sold in the meat department next to animal proteins, according to new research from Kroger and the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA).

Baze extends personalized nutrition model with tailored meal plans: ‘The issue starts with diet’

09-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Baze, a personalized nutrition startup which provides customers with tailored supplements based on its at-home blood diagnostic test, has broadened its service to include food and meal recommendations addressing the “root cause” of nutrient deficiencies,...

KRAVE creator acquires Chef’s Cut Real Jerky Co under Sonoma Brands as part of ‘roll-up strategy’

09-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

After KRAVE Jerky inspired entrepreneurs to flood the meat snack segment with innovative and premium products in a bid to replicate its breakout success, the company’s founder and recently renewed owner appears ready to roll-up the most promising new...

Report highlights ‘substantial opportunity to harmonize’ development of feeding guidelines for infant and children up to 2-years-old

08-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

“More rigorous methods” are necessary for developing, communicating, and disseminating recommendations for feeding children from birth to 24 months -- arguably the most critical window for nutrition for a child, according to new report by the private,...

Perfect Day expands Series C to $300m; significantly boosts efficiency of animal-free dairy protein production

08-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Perfect Day, a startup producing milk proteins via microbial fermentation (minus the cows), has expanded its Series C round from a previously-announced $140m, up to $300m through a new tranche led by CPP Investments and bolstered by long-time supporters...

Online grocery sales hit $7.2bn in June as month-to-month growth slows, reports Brick Meets Click

07-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The ongoing growth of online grocery delivery and pickup services in June illustrates how the contact-less shopping method is becoming more integral for a broader consumer base, as both order frequency and household penetration continue to increase, reports...

‘The nation is going to need all of our help,’ Chobani president says unveiling new charity SKU

06-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

With today’s launch of a limited-edition peanut butter and jelly low-fat Greek yogurt, Chobani expands its support for food banks nationwide while simultaneously offering a comforting new flavor that the company president says he hopes will recall ‘happy...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Food System 6, Huhtamaki team to launch Circular Economy Startup Program

06-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has exposed many vulnerabilities and inequities in the current food system, ranging from supply chain fragility to worker safety, it also is opening minds – and doors – to promising sustainability solutions brought...

Kalahari Snacks helps usher in ‘next evolution’ of meat snacks with new beef crisps

02-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

After helping to build a category for biltong – jerky’s less-processed, softer and often healthier cousin – the founders of Kalahari Snacks believe the “next evolution” in the meat snack segment is a trio of crunchy beef crisps that it launched online...

Outstanding Foods lands $5m funding round, eyes more of sports and fitness snacking category

01-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plant-based snack brand Outstanding Foods, maker of PigOut Pigless Pork Rinds, has closed a $5m round of financing led by SternAegis Ventures to propel the snack brand into its next phase of growth.

SHIFT20: Florida Food Products offers new clean-label taste, texture enhancers for plant-based & animal protein

30-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Plant-based meat manufacturers can more easily mimic the texture, appearance and flavor of animal products while simultaneously simplifying their ingredient decks with the help of two new ingredients that Florida Food Products will unveil at the Institute...

Conagra Brands posts 90% surge in e-commerce sales in Q4

30-Jun-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

E-commerce sales at Conagra Brands surged by 89.7% in the year ending May 31 compared to same time last year, as more consumers opted for the convenience (and perceived safety) of click-and-collect and at-home grocery delivery services.

SHIFT20: Collagen gains popularity in functional foods, especially bars, sports nutrition & beverage powders

30-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Once primarily restricted to dietary supplements or powders used primarily by the most dedicated fans for at-home DIY smoothies or drink enhancers, collagen is now one of the fastest growing ingredients in the functional food space with countless applications...

SHIFT20: Brands rediscovered during pandemic may need updated, clean labels to keep new shoppers, says DDW

30-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

To keep consumers who discovered center-of-the-store products during the early pantry-stocking days of the pandemic from reverting to their pre-coronavirus shopping preferences, brands that have not already done so should update formulas and labels quickly...

AEB: Eggs are a ‘Swiss Army knife’ to help meet Gen Z desire for convenience, bold flavors, comfort

30-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Often called the “Swiss Army knife of food formulators’ toolbox for their versatility,” eggs can help brands meet Generation Z’s, sometimes contradictory, demand for experimental flavors, elevated eating experiences and, yet, still comforting foods, according...

SHIFT20: American Egg Board reinforces value of real eggs with free online education courses, seal program

30-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Hard boiling an egg may seem basic, but according to the American Egg Board it is one of the most frequent questions asked of the checkoff marketing group – revealing a deep need for education and inspiring the commodity board to launch an online egg...

Giant Food launches single, integrated e-commerce site

29-Jun-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Giant Food is merging its Giantfood.com and Peapod.com sites to create a simplified grocery e-commerce site for customers at Giantfood.com.

SHIFT20: How the virtual IFT show will work…

29-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Confused about navigating the virtual IFT show (Institute of Food Technologists' annual meeting and expo) next month (July 13-15)? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Corrine Calice, senior director, knowledge and learning experiences; and Susan Young,...

Meati Foods gears up for DTC launch of fungi-based steaks: 'We're creating a whole new category'

26-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Meati Foods (formerly Emergy Foods) is gearing up for the direct-to-consumer launch of protein- and fiber-packed fungi-based ‘steaks’ in Q4 after a successful debut in foodservice, carving out new territory in an alternative meat category that remains...

To boldly go…? Daring Foods punches above its weight in plant-based chicken with ultra-short ingredients list

26-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Daring Foods – a startup seeking to punch above its weight in the plant-based chicken category via a lower calorie product with a shorter, cleaner, ingredients list and bold branding – says it’s enjoying an above average sell-through rate in Sprouts,...

FoodNavigator-USA

Resources