Proteins

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Health conscious frozen desserts breathe new life into a stagnant category

16-Aug-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the dog days of summer drag on, people nationwide are reaching for frozen desserts to help stay cool, but unlike in the past when the promise of providing a moment’s respite from the heat in the form of a sweet treat was enough to land a product in...

Dairy milk + plant-based milk: A winning combination? Live Real Farms taps into 'blended' trend

15-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

The ‘blended trend’ is emerging in the meat aisle as leading brands launch burgers and nuggets combining animal- and plant-based protein. But will it work in the dairy aisle?

Conagra Brands talks plant-based meat: 'In 7-10 years we’re talking about a $30bn opportunity in the US'

13-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

Gardein has quadrupled in size over the past four years and is now the second largest brand in the meat-alternative space behind Morningstar with annual retail and foodservice sales topping $170m. And there is still a significant opportunity to grow in...

Parabel USA unveils neutral-tasting, beige-colored protein hydrolysate from water lentils

13-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

Parabel USA – best known for its green-hued ingredients from the ‘water lentil,’ a micro aquatic plant also known as duckweed/Lemna/Lemnaceae – has unveiled a neutral-tasting, beige-colored protein hydrolysate suitable for a wide range of applications...

Smithfield Foods enters plant-based market with Pure Farmland range

13-Aug-2019 By Aidan Fortune

Smithfield Foods has thrown its hat into the US plant-based ring with the launch of a new soy-based portfolio.

News in brief

RXBAR debuts single-serve oatmeal cups

12-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

Protein-fueled brand RXBAR has moved into the hot cereal category with the launch of RX A.M. Oats, single-serve oatmeal cups, which will debut on its website and will hit select grocery retailers in the fall.

Farmwise moves into the appetizer market with better-for-you mozzarella bites and potato skins

12-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

Farmwise – the Boston-based firm best-known for adding stealthy servings of beans and veggies to frozen family staples (fries, tots, nuggets) – has moved into the appetizers category with mozzarella and broccoli bites and microwaveable potato skins.

Brands can ‘win big’ by helping fearful consumers adopt healthier diets, Spoon Guru study suggests

12-Aug-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Many Americans are scared their diets could cause serious illness or even death, and as such want to eat healthier, yet many struggle to do so, according to new research, which the co-founder of Spoon Guru says reveals an opportunity for brands and retailers...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tyson Foods to boost automation and robotics at 'next generation' food production plant

09-Aug-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Tyson Foods has created a new, state-of-the-art facility in Springdale, Arkansas, where the company will develop new food manufacturing solutions leveraging automation and robotic technologies.

The Impossible Burger heads into 1,500 universities, healthcare, and corporate retail outlets

09-Aug-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The Impossible Burger will be entering 1,500 university, healthcare, and corporate retail locations operated by food and facilities service provider Sodexo, and will be featured in several new Sodexo product launches in the coming months.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How Tastewise helps CPGs, restaurants stay ahead of consumer whims

09-Aug-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

To beat of the competition or determine whether a new product idea will succeed, food and beverage companies need to stay ahead of consumers quickly changing whims – a task that has never been easy, but which is becoming more difficult as shoppers take...

Zeek kids’ protein bar founder: 'The first thing moms look for on the label is sugar'

08-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

The inspiration for Zeek – a line of protein bars for children - was less of a Eureka moment than a dawning realization that for sporty kids, pre-game options were basically granola bars “that were not much better than candy,” or adult-oriented nutrition...

Nielsen: What will drive repeat purchase behavior of plant-based meat alternatives?

08-Aug-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Getting consumers to try trendy plant-based meat alternatives is a relatively low hurdle compared to encouraging long-term adoption of these products, which requires more convincing on the part of brands, says Nielsen, noting that the sector is "ripe...

Investing in the Future of Food: Founder of Creation Nation shares tips for finding a co-packer

07-Aug-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

When starting out most entrepreneurs could use a hand, especially when it comes to making their products, but finding the right kind of help isn’t always easy and picking the wrong partner can negatively impact the brand – lessons that the founder of...

Alpha Foods is heading to 8,000 doors by year end as shoppers embrace plant-based convenience food

06-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

The new wave of ‘fresh’ plant-based meats from brands such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods might be grabbing all the headlines, but there is still a “massive opportunity” in the freezer aisle for quick and convenient plant-based products from pizza...

‘Giving consumers the power of choice’: Marfrig and ADM partner for plant-based burger

06-Aug-2019 By Niamh Michail

Brazilian meat giant Marfrig and US ingredient supplier ADM are partnering to bring plant-based products to Brazil, starting with a vegetarian burger.

Tyson Foods' Raised & Rooted nuggets ‘made with plants’ are rolling out to 4,000 stores by the end of September

06-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

Pea-protein fueled nuggets under the new Raised & Rooted brand will roll out to 4,000 stores by the end of September, with blended burgers combining pea protein isolate and Angus beef to follow, Tyson Foods CEO and president Noel White told analysts...

Edible insect pioneer Chapul exits bar category (for now), turns attention to new project raising bugs for aquaculture, poultry feed

06-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

Edible insect pioneer Chapul – which introduced many Americans to the concept of eating bugs by milling them into powder and adding them to protein bars – has pulled out of the bar category for the time being after its co-packer went out of business,...

60-second interview: NSF International updates Non-GMO certification program

05-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

NSF International has just updated its Non-GMO certification scheme and logo. FoodNavigator-USA (FNU) caught up with Sarah Krol (SK), global managing director of food safety product certification to find out what this means... and whether firms are ready...

Humming Hemp heads into conventional retail with superfood bars: 'This is how you get household adoption rates up'

02-Aug-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Humming Hemp is on a mission to increase household penetration of hemp food products and is targeting mainstream consumers through conventional retail channels including a nationwide distribution deal with Kroger later this year.

What are the purchase drivers for plant-based foods and beverages? And what’s the real size of the plant-based meat prize?

02-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

New consumer research from Health Focus International shows that perceived health benefits and taste preferences are more significant purchase drivers for plant-based foods and beverages than sustainability or animal welfare concerns, echoing recent research...

PowerPlant Ventures partner: ‘The plant-based milk market didn’t take off until they solved the taste issue; the same applies to plant-based meat’

02-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

Insect protein remains frustratingly niche, and cell-cultured meat – while groundbreaking - could be a tough sell. But plant-based meat is something mainstream consumers can understand and embrace, provided products truly deliver on taste and price, argues...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What should the 2020 dietary guidelines for children under 2 years include?

02-Aug-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

The US Dietary Guidelines, which are updated every five years, were created more than 40 years ago as a way to help all Americans eat healthier based on current scientific data, but since its inception a large and vulnerable group has been left out –...

Ingredion to expand plant-based protein facilties in Canada as Maple Leaf Foods unveils "aggressive new growth goals" for plant-based brands

01-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

Ingredion is expanding its partnership with Verdient Foods in Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, to produce protein concentrates and flours from lentils and fava beans as well as peas, as it increases investment in plant-based proteins from $140m to $185m by the...

Prime Roots’ “community-driven” approach to product development builds consumer loyalty

01-Aug-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Unlike most companies that develop new products under a veil of secrecy to protect against competitors stealing their idea before they go to market, the co-founders of the startup Prime Roots are taking a unique community-driven approach to co-create...

FOOD FOR KIDS: Study shows how affirming, nutrition-focused 'food talk' can get kids to eat healthier

31-Jul-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

How can you get kids to eat their veggies and whole grains without a battle? According to researchers, clearly communicating a food's nutrition benefits to children through affirming statements will help kids make healthy food decisions on their...

NEW PRODUCTS GALLERY: From oatmilk yogurt to Baby Shark cereal, high-protein organic milk...and CBD everywhere

30-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products hitting US shelves, from Kellogg’s limited edition Baby Shark cereal, to new oatmilk based yogurts from So Delicious, high-protein, ultra-filtered milk from Organic Valley, and CBD… everywhere.

Beyond Meat CEO feeling ‘very good’ as rivals enter market: ‘I'm not sure that we're all selling to the same consumer’

30-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown says he is feeling “very good about our strategy” as some deep-pocketed competitors from Nestlé and Tyson to Impossible Foods enter the retail market with new plant-based meat products, telling analysts on Monday’s Q2 earnings...

Sun Basket expands beyond dinner to better reach 'all people in the US interested in healthy eating', says CMO

29-Jul-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Meal kit company Sun Basket has expanded its offerings from ready-to-make dinners to an online market of breakfast, lunch, and snack options created in collaboration with partner brands including bone broth and noodle company Nona Lim, fresh pasta brand...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Plant-based burger orders up 10% at quick-service restaurants, says The NPD Group

26-Jul-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plant-based burger orders are on the rise at quick-service restaurants (QSR), up 10% (228 million orders) for the year ending in May 2019 compared to same period last year, reports The NPD Group.

Chicago area startup Simplified Superfoods targets busy moms with superfood breakfast solution

26-Jul-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Simplified Superfoods founder Jamie Snydel is making breakfast simpler and healthier for busy adults with 'superfood' packets that can be incorporated into smoothies, oatmeal, banana bread, and other breakfast items.

Nielsen: Meat remains 'formidable opponent' to plant-based alternatives

25-Jul-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Flexitarians -- a concept that generally refers to consumers who are eating a more plant-based diet but still eat meat -- are ushering in a new area of protein consumption that is helping lift instead of hinder meat sales, according to Nielsen research.

OpenTable hops on mobile food ordering wagon

24-Jul-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Online restaurant reservation company OpenTable is expanding into food delivery and pick-up services by partnering with Caviar, Grubhub, and Uber Eats.

Selling plant-based and cell-cultured meat will be about ‘benefits for me’ says Hartman Group

24-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

While ending factory farming and reducing GHG emissions are top priorities for start-ups such as Impossible Foods, most shoppers are primarily motivated by ‘benefits for me’ – be it taste and discovery, or health and wellness, when it comes to plant-based...

Mars’ accelerator’s first cohort focuses on plant-based products & easy-meal solutions

23-Jul-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

The first cohort of Mars’ SEEDS of CHANGE accelerator shines a light on where the food giant predicts consumer preferences are heading with a heavy focus on plant-based, world-flavors and time-saving short-cuts for easy-meal solutions.

Plant-based 'meat' battle heats up in Arkansas as Tofurky challenges 'unconstitutional' law

22-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

A law (Act 501) coming into force in Arkansas on July 24 puts plant-based brands between a rock and a hard place by restricting the use of 'meaty' terms to products derived from slaughtered animals, alleges a new lawsuit filed by Turtle Island...

What's for breakfast? Fewer Americans are eating breakfast

22-Jul-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

A survey polling 2,000 Americans found that the average person eats breakfast just three times a week, while 13% rarely, if ever, eat breakfast.

Blue Apron’s stock pops after partnering with Beyond Meat, but can it salvage the company’s stock?

18-Jul-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Beleaguered meal kit company Blue Apron’s stock price surged 36% overnight after announcing July 16 that upcoming menus would feature the popular plant-based burger from Beyond Meat, which also saw a 3.6% bump in its stock in the same period.

Cargill and Ecolab launch second year of Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator

18-Jul-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Cargill and Ecolab have announced the 2019 class of startups participating in its Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator 13-week program.

A Dozen Cousins’ two-prong approach makes better-for-you food, healthy eating more accessible

18-Jul-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Frustrated that many premium, organic and better-for-you brands are marketed primarily to affluent consumers who already are healthy, rather than “the people who need them the most,” Ibraheem Basir decided to take a different approach when he launched...

Huel sharpens focus on US market: 'We’re thinking America first'

16-Jul-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Huel, a "complete nutrition brand" making nutrient-packed powders and ready-to-drink products, has taken off in the US where founder Julian Hearn expects to hit $27m in revenue by the end 2019.

US retail sales of plant-based meat up 9.6% YoY, but growth has decelerated

16-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of plant-based meat were up 9.6% to $801.1m in the 52 weeks to April 21, 2019, significantly outpacing growth in conventional meat sales (+2%), although the pace of growth has decelerated from the previous year, when plant-based meat sales...

Chobani unveils new nut butter line as US yogurt category edges back into growth

15-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

Chobani has unveiled a new nut-butter-infused line of yogurts it claims will add incremental growth to the sluggish US yogurt category, which edged back into positive territory in the latest four weeks (to June 29) after a dismal few years.

Solar Foods makes protein out of thin air: ‘This is the most environmentally friendly food there is’

15-Jul-2019 By Flora Southey

Finnish start-up Solar Foods has developed a complete protein made from carbon dioxide, air and electricity, CEO Pasi Vainikka tells FoodNavigator.

Initial sales of low-carb cereal Magic Spoon have exceeded expectations, say founders

12-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

Sales of new keto-friendly cereal Magic Spoon have exceeded expectations, say founders Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz, who claim to have sold “far more than we projected even in our most aggressive projections,” in the first three months.

Perfect Day gives fans first taste of animal-free dairy with limited edition ice cream release

11-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

Perfect Day, a start-up producing whey and casein via microbial fermentation (minus the cows) is giving fans a first taste of its animal-free proteins via a limited edition release of ice cream sold directly to consumers via its website.

OHi’s rapid expansion underscores consumer demand for refrigerated bars, ‘perimeter snacking’

10-Jul-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

When the founder of the refrigerated bar brand OHi decided 18 months ago to expand her business from Hawaii to the mainland she thought it might take some time to educate retailers and shoppers about the category she was helping to build, but she was...

Investing in the Future of Food: Successful leaders balance ‘speed, agility, courage & collaboration’

10-Jul-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

When you think of a successful leader, who do you envision? Someone experienced? Someone with a wide support network? Someone whose mettle has been tested and proven?

Avril and DSM tie-up develops rapeseed protein with ‘outstanding’ foaming properties

10-Jul-2019 By Flora Southey & Katy Askew

The collaboration will see agri-food giant Avril Group and Royal DSM produce a complete rapeseed protein with “excellent emulsification” and “outstanding foaming” properties.

News in brief

McCain Foods invests in plant-based nugget start-up NUGGS

09-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

Potato products giant McCain Foods has dipped its toes into the plant-based protein arena via a strategic partnership and lead investment in New York-based start-up NUGGS, which has developed a plant-based nugget using pea protein.