Proteins

GFI: Clean meat will likely enter market as a high-value ingredient in plant-based products

What's the path to commercialization for clean meat?

08-Jun-2017 By Elaine Watson

 ‘Clean’ (a.k.a. cultured/lab-grown) meat will likely come to market in phases, with the first products perhaps hybrids combining clean meat and plant-based meat; followed by ground meat products (nuggets, burgers); and finally those mimicking steaks...

Soylent ticks ‘health, nutrition, sustainability and disruptive innovation’ boxes, says new president Bryan Crowley

01-Jun-2017 By Elaine Watson

Former KeVita exec Bryan Crowley has joined Los Angeles-based Soylent as president as the firm seeks to grow its bricks & mortar retail footprint, develop new products and expand overseas after a rocky few months marred by recalls and a public squabble...

Organic sales growing ‘at a good clip’ thanks partly to consumer interest in animal welfare

01-Jun-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite pressure created by food inflation and price deflation, sales of organic continue to grow “at a good clip,” with protein, dips and seasoning breaking out “to find their stride” in the market, according to the head of the Organic Trade Association.

SPOTLIGHT ON BRAZIL Plant-based foods, beverages: 'We're sensing a tremendous business opportunity,' says GFI

01-Jun-2017 By Elaine Watson

The plant-based trend is gaining traction in North America, but does it have similar appeal in Latin America? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Gustavo Guadagnini, managing director at the Good Food Institute (GFI), Brazil, to find out where the Brazilian...

BC30 probiotic may help with plant protein digestion, according to new Ganeden-backed study

31-May-2017 By Adi Menayang

Plant protein, when digested with a patented probiotic strain, increased bioavailability of amino acids in the upper gastrointestinal tract, leading to a healthier colon environment, according to an in vitro study conducted at Maastricht University.

‘Unprecedented traction’ of Hippeas attracts Leonardo DiCaprio, Strand Equity Partners

25-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

Leonardo DiCaprio – who has already shown quite an interest in the food and beverage sector via investments in guayusa-fueled tea brand RUNA and seafood company Love the Wild – has poured an undisclosed sum into chickpea snack brand Hippeas, along with...

Fishpeople wants to fix the ‘fundamentally broken’ seafood industry with increased transparency

25-May-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

The seafood industry is “fundamentally broken” and crowded with businesses beholden to “old school thinking” that fails both the oceans and the consumers, according to Ken Plasse, the CEO of a Fishpeople, which claims to be a different kind of seafood...

Designers weigh in on Hampton Creek’s new look: ‘It's anti-branding, it's simply food’

22-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

Hampton Creek has unveiled a colorful new look for its plant-based brand. But what do branding experts think of the redesign? 

Plant Based Foods Association: 'I am not sure how this resolution helps'

Plant-based milk debate heats up as state regulators weigh in at NCIMS meeting

17-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

State milk regulators have weighed into the plant-based milk debate in a vote that was hailed by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) as “the strongest statement yet that the abuse of dairy terms has gone too far," but dismissed as unhelpful...

No Cow (D’s Naturals) to unveil new look, new products, in Jan 2018: ‘Our goal is to be a $100m+ brand’

17-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

D’s Naturals – the plant protein-fueled start up that recently caught the eye of investors at General Mills 301 INC and 2X Consumer Partners – will unveil a new brand (No Cow) and new products that take it beyond the bar category in January 2018, says...

Morningstar: 'It would be a mistake for investors to dismiss meal-kit delivery services'

16-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

Meal-kit delivery services account for less than 1% of US food and beverage retail sales, and most are likely to remain stubbornly in the red in the short term. That said, they are already having a “compelling” impact on consumer behavior, and “will play...

Sports Nutrition Special Edition

Vox Pop: 'Protein, and that's pretty much it actually'

11-May-2017 By Adi Menayang

Sports nutrition is a booming industry, with Euromonitor estimating a value of $7.4bn in the US. When we went to the streets and asked a few gym-goers what they buy, to no surprise, it was all protein.

Cellular agriculture advances mean ‘clean meat’ could be commercially available in less than 10 years

08-May-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

The idea of eating a burger grown in a lab rather than from a cow raised on a farm and slaughtered for its meat may sound like something out of a science fiction story set far in the future, but in reality the commercialization of so-called “clean meat”...

PepsiCo seeks novel protein sources with 'easy to pronounce' names and 'a good sustainability story'

05-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

PepsiCo is seeking “new and novel protein sources for snacks and beverages," while Mondelēz International is looking for new technologies to improve the freshness and texture of fruits and veggies in Philadelphia cream cheese.

FlavorHealth CEO: We have to move away from this black and white view of 'natural,' when there are shades of gray… the important thing is complete transparency

04-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

How are the next generation of natural flavors being developed? Elaine Watson caught up with Christian Kopfli, CEO of New Jersey-based FlavorHealth, which is taking high-throughput cell-based screening to the next level to identify novel natural compounds...

BMJ study: If you don’t have celiac disease, there's no evidence that avoiding gluten reduces heart disease risk

02-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

Eliminating gluten from the diet is essential for the estimated 0.7%* of the US population with celiac disease. But consumers avoiding it because they think it reduces their risk of heart disease should think again, according to new research.

Farmer’s Fridge CEO: ‘We won't stop until it’s easier to get a salad than a candy bar’

02-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

Can you make money supplying fresh prepared food via vending machines? Not everyone was convinced when Luke Saunders launched Farmer’s Fridge in October 2013, but the fact he's just persuaded the former bosses of ZICO and McDonald's, among others,...

General Mills seeks to patent high-protein oat variety

02-May-2017 By Elaine Watson

General Mills is seeking to patent a new oat variety with more than double the protein of standard cultivated varieties and a more stable fatty acid profile, making the oats less prone to oxidation. 

NaturalShrimp partners with Fortune 200 company to shake-up shrimp farming

02-May-2017 By Adi Menayang

Publicly traded NaturalShrimp is preparing to expand its facilities to bring more stateside-farmed, high quality shrimp to consumers with the help of a Fortune 200 company, CFO William Delgado told FoodNavigator-USA.

Think clean label just means no artificial ingredients? Think again

CLEAN LABEL 2.0: Natural flavors and preservatives, pesticide residues, and Non-GMO in the spotlight

27-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

Think 'clean label' just means ditching ‘artificial’ ingredients and avoiding anything attracting negative press (warranted or otherwise)? Think again. Today, brands are also questioning whether ‘natural’ flavors, preservatives and sweeteners...

Soylent recalls shipments of Soylent 1.8 powder over undeclared allergen

26-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

Soylent is voluntarily recalling 890 boxes of its Soylent 1.8 powder because it may contain undeclared milk, says the company, which had hoped to stay out of the spotlight after a rocky few months marred by recalls of version 1.6 of its powdered beverage...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Will Moringa knock kale out of the top superfood spot?

21-Apr-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

For years kale has reigned supreme as the go-to superfood for many Americans thanks in part to its relatively low cost, nutrient density, broad accessibility and the plethora of ways to enjoy it from green smoothies to chips to raw salads and stir-fries. 

Nutriati’s chickpea protein is white, odorless, and neutral-tasting

Chickpea protein in the spotlight as high-profile investors pump $8m into Nutriati

21-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

Commercial quantities of highly functional, neutral-tasting chickpea protein concentrates and a high-protein chickpea ‘flour’ will be available by the end of the year, says Richmond-based Nutriati, which has just closed an $8m financing round to help...

Sir Kensington’s joins Unilever: ‘This allows us to expand distribution while holding true to our values’

21-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

Unilever has struck a deal to acquire New York-based condiment maker Sir Kensington’s, under which co-founders Mark Ramadan and Scott Norton will continue to run the business from their offices in Manhattan. 

good culture CEO: ‘We’re looking to scale pretty aggressively over the next 1-2 years’

20-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

Grass-fed cottage cheese brand good culture – which launched in August 2015 with organic ingredients and some edgy savory flavors - is confident it will be in 6,000 stores by the year end after bringing out a lower-priced ‘natural’ range (with more familiar...

Muuna hits 4,000 stores, urges US consumers to rethink cottage cheese

18-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

Cottage cheese brand Muuna has rolled out to 4,000 retail locations nine months after its US launch, and is supporting its rapid growth with a multimedia marketing campaign and influencer program featuring dietitians and fitness professionals.  

Healthy Skoop aims to ride plant based trend

17-Apr-2017 By Hank Schultz

Healthy Skoop, a Boulder-based nutritional product company, is capitalizing on the plant-based nutrition trend with new product launches and an expanded retail footprint.

Beyond Burger goes beyond borders, taking meat-free patty to HK aisles

17-Apr-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Beyond Meat, manufacturer of the “first refrigerated plant-based burger to sit in the meat counter” in America, has chosen Hong Kong as its first international export destination.

Supplement to offer structured introduction of potential food allergens into kids' diets

13-Apr-2017 By Hank Schultz

The increasing prevalence of food allergies is a challenge that has opened a business opportunity for California startup Before Brands.

Crickets aren't the only game in town when it comes to edible insects, says Hargol FoodTech

11-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

While crickets currently lead the edible insect pack, the grasshopper – which has a whopping 72% protein by dry weight with all the essential amino acids – has just as much potential as a protein source, claims Israeli start-up Hargol FoodTech.

Lab burgers, lentils and locusts: is it boom-time for the meat-free protein market?

07-Apr-2017 By David Burrows

What’s next for the €250k lab burger? Can bugs and canola really replace beef and chicken? And why might novel proteins come up short when it comes to shifting consumer behaviour? Five things we learned at last week’s Future Proteins summit.

Sunrise Strategic Partners invests in Vital Farms: 'When consumers understand what cage-free really means, they'll switch to pasture-raised'

06-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

Emerging brands accelerator Sunrise Strategic Partners has made a minority investment in Vital Farms, which launched with 20 hens in Austin, Texas, in 2007 and is now the largest provider of pasture-raised eggs in the country. 

USDA reassures poultry farmers that their organic status is safe if birds moved indoors to avoid flu

06-Apr-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

USDA encourages organic poultry farmers in areas where outbreaks of avian flu have been reported recently to bring their birds inside, and reassures them that doing so will not risk their organic status, according to a memo released this week. 

Move aside peas... chickpea protein has just as much potential, claims Israeli start-up

06-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

Soy, rice and peas still dominate the plant-based protein market, but chickpeas could soon give them all a serious run for their money, predicts Israeli start-up CHiCK.P, which is seeking a strategic partner to commercialize its patent-pending process...

Sea Cuisine seeks to bring new consumers to seafood by offering variety and convenience

05-Apr-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the launch of 10 boldly and authentically flavored, ready-to-cook frozen whole fish fillets, premium seafood company High Liner Foods hopes to tear down several of the barriers that currently hold back many Americans from eating as much seafood as...

WhiteWave blasts ‘plant milk’ lawsuit: ‘This is nothing more than a waste of time and judicial resources’

05-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

A recent wave of lawsuits challenging the use of the term ‘almondmilk’ on food labels amounts to “nothing more than a waste of time and judicial resources,” according to WhiteWave Foods in court documents filed late last month.

The brothers behind Sunniva Super Coffee tap into student demand for more energy

04-Apr-2017 By Adi Menayang

“We’ve always known this is a product for college students and young professionals, and the best way to reach them is foodservice,” Sunniva CEO Jimmy DeCicco told FoodNavigator-USA

Bone broth category offers ‘massive opportunity’ for early movers like Kettle & Fire

03-Apr-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Virtually unheard of by many consumers as recently as just last spring, the bone broth category is “heating up” and there is “massive opportunity” for early movers in the space despite an early and mounting surge of competition, according to one player...

Nielsen: Protein-craze boosts meat snack sales, dampens diminished meat prices for retailers

03-Apr-2017 By Adi Menayang

Meat snacks have graduated from its road trip ‘gas station snack’ image, sales data imply. The $2.8 billion category had a compound annual sales growth of more than 7% over the past four years.

Globally, consumers ‘confused’ about food labels and claims, says study

31-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

A new survey found that there was disconnect between what consumers think labels like organic, antibiotic-free, or ‘no added hormones’ mean, and what the labels actually mean.

Review of government data highlights how food and beverage industry contributes to US economy

29-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

Every year $8 billion is invested in new products or processes in the food and beverage industry each year, according to a new report released earlier this month that looked at how the food and beverage industry impacts the overall US economy.

Meat snack segment shows ‘no signs of stopping,’ says Chops Snacks cofounder

27-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite increasing competition in the meat snacks category, startup and recent graduate of the Chobani incubator Chops Snacks sees significant potential for its soft-chew jerky and future products, according to the co-founder.

NMPF takes on plant-based ‘milk’ at House Ag committee hearing: ‘It’s a battle and we intend to win’

23-Mar-2017 By Elaine Watson

While the FDA’s radio silence on plant ‘milk’ labeling implies to some that it's comfortable with terms such as ‘almondmilk,’ the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) says the agency has a legal duty to enforce federal standards of identity...

Impossible Foods moves to commercial scale production of plant-based burgers

22-Mar-2017 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Foods – which claims to have created a plant-based burger that precisely replicates the taste and texture of meat - will be able to produce one million pounds of Impossible Burgers a month when its first commercial-scale manufacturing facility...

Natural Products Expo West

Hip Chick Farms expands its portfolio of clean, simple poultry & other frozen foods

20-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

McDonalds, Panera and other high profile food service companies took notable steps last year to introduce “healthier” chicken products, but frozen poultry product producer Hip Chick Farms thinks more can done and it is stepping up the plate to push change...

Natural Products Expo West

Rising animal welfare concerns push farmers & manufacturers to rethink humane agriculture

20-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

As animal welfare concerns become increasingly mainstream, farmers and manufacturers, such as the natural and organic meat brand Applegate, are optimistically rethinking the scale of and their approach to humanely raised animal agriculture.

ProYo high protein ice cream rolls out nationwide as retailers expand better-for-you pint set

20-Mar-2017 By Elaine Watson

With frozen yogurt sales still “tanking,” retailers are increasingly turning their attention to ice cream products that offer similar benefits (more protein, less sugar and fat), but truly deliver on taste and texture, says Santa Barbara-based ProYo,...

ConAgra Brands snaps up Duke's and BIGS Seeds: 'We're reshaping our portfolio to be more premium and modern'

16-Mar-2017 By Elaine Watson

ConAgra Brands has struck a deal to buy protein-fueled snacks business Thanasi Foods, maker of Duke's meat snacks and BIGS seeds, for an undisclosed sum.

Whey 2 Be! introduces 'cold-pressed' whey protein cookies

16-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

Bars, beverages, meat snacks—as the conventional protein segments crowd, newcomers are coming up with new delivery formats to stand out from the crowd. Whey 2 B! is bringing cold-pressed protein cookies to the market.

VIDEO dispatches from Expo West 2017

Kite Hill weighs into plant ‘milk’ debate: ‘Do electric cars not get to call themselves cars because they don’t have a combustion engine?’

16-Mar-2017 By Elaine Watson

An electric vehicle uses a very different propulsion system to the internal combustion engine, but it also has four wheels, and gets you from A to B, which to most consumers, makes it a 'car.' So isn't it time to apply the same logic to...