Sweeteners (intense, bulk, polyols)

Layn-Firmenich partnership will expand distribution, boost sweetener formulation expertise

14-Sep-2018 By Stephen Daniells

Layn Natural Ingredients and Firmenich have announced a strategic partnership to significantly increase Layn’s distribution reach.

Health Ade and Humm kombucha lawsuits to proceed (in part); case vs Rowdy Mermaid tossed

14-Sep-2018 By Elaine Watson

Attempts by top kombucha brands to dismiss lawsuits challenging their alcohol and sugar labeling have had mixed success, with two judges in the central district of California allowing false advertising cases filed by a rival to proceed (in part), but...

Investing in the Future of Food: Poppilu balances ambition with fundamentals for long term success

12-Sep-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

For many entrepreneurs who dream of launching the next big national brand, the future can’t get here fast enough; but the founder of the “curiously pink” antioxidant lemonade brand Poppilu, warns growing too quickly without first nailing down the fundamentals...

ALOHA revamps branding, recipes to ensure its protein powders, bars make solid first impression

11-Sep-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

A strong believer that the first impression must be a good one, the new CEO of plant-based protein product maker ALOHA is revamping the brand’s look, reformulating some products and cutting SKUs that aren’t up to the task.

FDA will not require ‘added sugars’ call-out on pure honey, maple syrup

07-Sep-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

After industry slammed FDA for proposing pure maple syrup and jars of honey list ‘added sugars’ on their updated Nutrition Facts panel, the agency has done an about face and will no longer the controversial declaration on the products when ‘packaged as...

Kellogg challenges class certification in sugary cereals lawsuit: ‘This is not a case involving an ingredient like nicotine that is inherently unsafe in any amount’

05-Sep-2018 By Elaine Watson

Kellogg is seeking to appeal an order by California federal Judge Lucy Koh that certifies three classes of consumers in a false advertising lawsuit over the allegedly 'toxic' sugar content in some of its cereals.

Keto Craze: The Vitamin Shoppe highlights ketogenic products in new shop-within-a-shop concept

30-Aug-2018 By Adi Menayang

The Vitamin Shoppe wants to be the ‘premier one-stop-shop for everything Keto’ with the launch of its new concept Keto HQ.

Campbell Soup Company CMO: ‘We continue to see a growth trend with V8’

27-Aug-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The Campbell Soup Company continues to present its V8 vegetable and fruit juice portfolio as a modernized, functional beverage brand, most recently with the launch of V8+Hydrate, made with sweet potato juice.

Some consumers are turning away from packaged products to reduce sugar consumption, Kerry warns

27-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

As more consumers fixate on sugar as a primary source of unnecessary calories and connect it to unwanted weight gain, manufacturers will need to re-engage shoppers with more nutritious options or else risk them opting-out of packaged foods and beverages,...

Soup-to-Nuts Podcast: The rising demand for sophisticated non-alcoholic beverages

24-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

For generations Americans have raised glasses of wine, pints of beer or flutes of champagne to toast to their health and that of their loved ones – only to wake up the next morning to find themselves, and their wallets, in completely the opposite state.

PepsiCo enters the in-home beverage market with $3.2bn deal to buy SodaStream

20-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

PepsiCo’s acquisition of SodaStream – which makes countertop devices enabling consumers to make their own carbonated beverages - will diversify its product and channel mix by giving it a stronger foothold in the in-home beverage market, say analysts at...

Drinkable yogurt, eggs & muffins are the fastest growing breakfast foods, Packaged Facts finds

20-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

As an iconic breakfast staple, cereal remains a morning favorite – but concerns about sugar are dragging down the category, while demand for protein and convenience are driving sales growth for drinkable yogurt, eggs and, somewhat surprisingly, muffins,...

New website aims to offer ‘accurate context for sugar,’ address ‘pinpricks’ that led to its demonization

14-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Sugar Association is fighting back against sugar’s increasingly bad reputation by launching a new consumer-oriented, science-based website that seeks to place the ingredient in a “more accurate context of an overall diet and restore consumers’ sense...

Back to the Roots teams up with Nature's Path: 'There’s this perception that kids will only eat cereal that’s loaded with sugar. It's not true'

13-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

Organic cereal brand Nature’s Path has struck a deal with Back to the Roots (BTTR) – best known for its indoor gardening kits – whereby it will manufacture and distribute BTTR’s organic cereals under license, helping founders Alejandro Velez and Nikhil...

Starbucks enters the kombucha category via Evolution Fresh brand

08-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

Starbucks is entering the fast-growing kombucha category with a new line of organic products under its Evolution Fresh brand.

'Common sense clean label?' In conversation with Otis Spunkmeyer

07-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

To the casual observer, ‘cleaning up’ food labels sounds like an eminently sensible thing to do. After all, who wants to ingest anything ‘dirty?’ But what, precisely, are these grubby imposters apparently lurking in our foods and beverages?

The Dough Jar founder bets combining brick and mortar with CPGs will be a recipe for success

03-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Slightly more than two years after setting out on a mission to make childhood dreams of safely eating raw cookie dough a reality, the founder of The Dough Jar is realizing her own dream come true with the opening of a brick and mortar store in the Washington,...

‘We are often one of the only brands showing any positive growth at top retailers’

Siggi’s launches whole milk Simple Sides, says top line grew 36% in latest 52 weeks

01-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

Icelandic skyr brand siggi’s aims to expand its share of the US yogurt market with a move into the ‘mix-ins’ category via the launch of Simple Sides, a new line of whole milk skyr with a side of dried fruits and nuts containing no added sugar.

DouxMatok & Südzucker bring sugar tech to Europe: 'We want to be like Intel Inside, powering industry's sugar reduction,' says CEO

01-Aug-2018 By Niamh Michail

Israeli start-up DouxMatok has partnered with German sugar giant Südzucker to produce, market and sell its patented sugar-reducing technology to Europe.

Coca-Cola: ‘The turnaround of Diet Coke is not coming at the expense of Coke Zero Sugar’

31-Jul-2018 By Rachel Arthur

As it seeks to respond to today’s sugar-wary consumers, Coca-Cola has been boosting the sugar-free varieties in its trademark Coke portfolio. And while critics might point to the potential confusion between brands (how many people know the difference...

IFT 2018: FlavorHealth aims to commercial new natural sweetener by 2019/2020

27-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

New Jersey-based FlavorHealth is aiming to commercialize a novel natural high-intensity sweetener with a flavor profile it claims is much closer to sugar than stevia by 2019 or 2020.

Chobani gears up for national rollout of low sugar, high protein, Hint Of yogurts

27-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Chobani is rolling out its Hint Of… low sugar, high protein, Greek yogurts nationwide in August following a successful debut in the Pacific, Northeast and Florida markets, with ‘new formats’ of the brand hitting stores in January 2019.

Layn repositions stevia, monkfruit as ‘plant-based’ as part of multi-prong approach to drive use

26-Jul-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

With so many sweeteners of varying intensity and functionality available, reducing sugar in products can be a tedious trial-and-error process, but ingredient supplier Layn hopes to simplify the undertaking with the launch of two sweetener platforms that...

Evolving 'clean label' definition requires more nuanced approach to reformulation

25-Jul-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

The consumer fear of the unknown that spurred the first wave of the ‘clean-label’ movement and the rejection of unfamiliar-sounding ingredients is evolving into a more sophisticated curiosity about what they consume – requiring manufacturers to take a...

Senomyx achieves proof of concept for fermentation strain to produce novel natural high intensity sweetener

20-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Senomyx has “achieved a fermentation strain proof of concept” for the production of siratose, a new zero-calorie, high-potency sweetening compound found in trace levels in monk fruit.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tate & Lyle debuts Reb M stevia sweetener TASTEVA at IFT

18-Jul-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Tate & Lyle has introduced TASTEVA M Stevia Sweetener made from Reb M, which it claims tastes “remarkably like sugar” compared to other steviol glycosides.

PepsiCo grows Gatorade with G Zero: ‘The lapsed Gatorade consumer doesn’t want the calories, but they want the Gatorade brand’

17-Jul-2018 By Rachel Arthur

Gatorade Zero – PepsiCo’s sugar free version of Gatorade – is 'off to a great start', according to PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi; highlighting trademark Gatorade as a stronghold in PepsiCo’s North American Beverages Unit.

Move over millennials, Gen Z is now shaping the food and beverage landscape

17-Jul-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The diverse and tech saavy ways of Generation Z or the iGeneration – referring to those aged 11-22 in 2018 – will have a profound impact on food and beverage formulations over the next several years, Mintel noted during a presentation at IFT 2018.

PureCircle Reb M production climbs with enough supply to sweeten 500 million cases of soft drinks

16-Jul-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

PureCircle has reached a critical mass of its proprietary Reb M Starleaf stevia, with enough supply to to sweeten approximately 500 million cases of zero-calorie carbonated soft drinks, and in three years, the stevia supplier estimates that it will have...

Soup-to-Nuts Podcast: From the blue to elevate butter, 5 trends to watch from the Fancy Food Show

13-Jul-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

One of the best places to spot emerging trends is at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City where earlier this month more than 2,400 manufacturers and suppliers showcased more than 180,000 products ranging from innovative sweets, better-for-you snacks...

Dang Foods taps into keto-friendly trend with the FATBAR: ‘Fat is back. Embrace it’

12-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Dang Foods – best known for its coconut chips and sticky rice snacks – is making its first foray into the notoriously crowded bar segment with the FATBAR – a new high fat, moderate protein, low carb, nut butter-based bar with no added sugar that taps...

Primal Kitchen on track to double sales in 2018 as shoppers spurn refined carbs, embrace healthy fats

11-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Primal Kitchen – a lifestyle brand spearheaded by former endurance athlete Mark Sisson (strapline: ‘Eat like your life depends on it’) - is on course to double sales this year as it adds new lines to its Paleo-fueled food portfolio from unsweetened ketchup...

If shoppers don’t trust bioengineered labels, GMO labeling will be a huge waste of time and money, say CPG brands

06-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Public comments on USDA’s GMO labeling rule have exposed sharp divisions about whether it should include refined ingredients from GM crops, or foods produced via modern gene-editing techniques such as CRISPR. But they have also raised questions about...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What is driving sales of specialty food to outpace all food by 9 times?

06-Jul-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Specialty food used to be reserved for special occasions and accessible only to those who could afford its premium price, but increasingly specialty food is becoming everyday food sold at everyday prices that are accessible to more people.

Consumers are equating ‘clean’ with ‘healthy’, Mintel finds

05-Jul-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The term ‘clean’ is popping up more and more in food branding and in consumer vernacular, but its definition is as foggy as ‘natural’ and ‘healthy,' according to Mintel.

Excluding refined ingredients from GMO labeling rule would confuse consumers and erode trust in brands, warns the GMA

03-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Consumers will lose trust in the food industry if USDA does not mandate that refined ingredients such as oils and sugars derived from bioengineered crops are subject to GMO labeling, says the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

Hershey, Unilever: GMO labeling should apply to highly refined oils, sweeteners

30-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

If consumers are to believe that the food industry is serious about transparency, highly refined ingredients derived from GM crops must be included in the definition of 'bioengineered' enshrined in federal GMO labeling legislation, even if they...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How is the war on sugar impacting chocolate?

29-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the ongoing war on sugar is taking a toll on sales of conventional chocolate in the US, it is creating an opportunity for once-niche, better-for-you options, including sugar-free – as long as the taste and experience are not compromised in the trade-off,...

Paddy Spence: ‘Our brand is on fire!’

Zevia heads to the Hollywood Bowl: ‘We’d love to be a $30bn market cap public company’

29-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

Stevia-sweetened zero-cal beverage brand Zevia – which first hit the market in 2007 - notched up growth of more than 50% year on year in the latest 12 weeks in conventional channels, driven almost entirely through velocity gains as consumers demand beverages...

What is a snack, and how are snacking habits evolving? Hartman Group, SnackNation, weigh in…

27-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

If roughly half of the eating occasions in the US are now snacks, are snacks still ‘treats’ or have they become something else?

BENEO opens North American application center in New Jersey

22-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

BENEO – best known for its chicory root fibers, low glycemic carbs, and rice ingredients – has opened an application center in Parsippany, New Jersey, to help it get closer to customers in the North American market looking to add fiber, reduce sugar and...

UK firm claims to have first commercially viable scale-up process for brazzein

22-Jun-2018 By Niamh Michail

Magellan Life Sciences says its patent-pending fermentation process to scale up the sweet-tasting protein brazzein will make it the first company to market the natural, zero-calorie sweetener.

FDA to seek a 'sensible solution' to labeling sugars on pure honey, maple syrup products

20-Jun-2018 By Stephen Daniells

Following a strong backlash from consumers and industry on a proposal to label sugars on the label of a jar of honey or pure maple syrup as 'added sugars', the US FDA has announced it will “swiftly formulate a revised approach”.

Embrace elasticity over perfection and four other strategies from Coolhaus to build a successful brand

14-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Wanting everything to be perfect when launching a new brand is understandable – but it is also a huge detriment that can delay the initial takeoff or hold back a product or company from reaching its full potential long-term, according to the CEO of ice...

Consumers to FDA: Labeling single ingredient pure honey, maple syrup products, as 'added sugar' is "absolutely ridiculous"

12-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

FDA proposals that the sugars in a jar of honey or pure maple syrup should be listed as 'added sugars' on food labels (albeit with an explanatory note) is “absolutely ridiculous,” according to the vast majority of stakeholders commenting on...

Dr Lustig: 'Despite the food industry's propaganda, people now understand that 'a calorie is not a calorie...'

IFIC Food & Health survey shows significant shift in consumer attitudes towards sugar, carbs

08-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

Dr Robert Lustig’s mantra – that not all calories were created equal - appears to be resonating with more US consumers, with one third (33%) of Americans believing that sugars are the ‘source of calories most likely to cause weight gain’ compared with...

'Clif Bar never affirmatively represented that its products were healthy...'

Clif Bar fires back at ‘absurd’ lawsuit: Consumers expect energy bars to contain sugar

06-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

Clif Bar has hit back at allegations made in a recent lawsuit* that it is duping consumers by presenting bars that are “loaded with sugar” as wholesome and nutritious, and urged the judge to toss the “absurd” and “implausible” case.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Which diets are hot and how do evolving perceptions of ‘health’ influence purchases?

01-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Americans’ obsession with dieting is nothing new, but which diets are in and which ones are out is constantly shifting – creating a marketing nightmare for food and beverage brands that want to link their products to consumers’ desired outcomes.

SweeGen gets the green light to take its Non GMO Project verified Reb M to Colombia

30-May-2018 By Elaine Watson

SweeGen and Ingredion (which distributes SweeGen products in markets outside of China*) have secured the green light** to market the firm’s Reb M stevia in selected food and beverage applications and as a tabletop sweetener in Colombia.

US retail sales of carbonated soft drinks are rebounding, with Coca-Cola leading the charge

30-May-2018 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of carbonated soft drinks – which have been on a downward trajectory in recent years – are rebounding, with the latest Nielsen data* showing a 3% jump in the four weeks to May 19 vs the same period a year ago and a 0.1% increase in the...