Sweeteners (intense, bulk, polyols)

World health leaders push for junk food taxes and ad bans

28-Oct-2016 By David Burrows

The World Medical Association has lent its weight in support of tough new policies to curb obesity, including taxes on junk food and sugary drinks as well as bans on advertising to children.

Pepsi won’t be rolling out Mug Root Beer with Sweetmyx 617 nationwide

Senomyx natural sweetener to move to the development phase

28-Oct-2016 By Elaine Watson

Senomyx is focusing on advancing a new high intensity natural sweetener claimed to more potent than Reb-A into the ‘development phase,’ says its CEO.

Cargill believes it has passed stevia taste test just in time for new nutrition labels

26-Oct-2016 By Hank Schultz

Consumer research leads Cargill to believe that it has finally rounded the stevia taste bend, just in time for the revamp of nutrition labeling phases in over the next several years.

Good Housekeeping creates new seal, incubator to identify & help develop healthier products

18-Oct-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Media outlet and consumer product evaluation laboratory Good Housekeeping is launching a new nutrition seal and first-of-its kind food brand incubator to help companies create food and beverages that “inspire healthier eating habits” and make it easier...

Expo East

Spindrift finds cans better distinguish sparkling water from soda

17-Oct-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Small changes in how Spindrift approached the fast-growing sparkling water category added up to a big opportunity for the brand, sales of which have grown 16 times since 2009, according to the company’s CEO and Founder Bill Creelman. 

Soylent recalls bar, but cause of ‘gastrointestinal issues’ remains a mystery

13-Oct-2016 By Elaine Watson

Soylent has temporarily halted shipments of its new Soylent bar amid reports that “a small number of our customers have experienced gastrointestinal issues” after consuming it, but says the cause of the problem remains a mystery.

Expo East

Zevia expands beyond soda with cocktail mixers, sparkling water & energy drinks

13-Oct-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the launch of a new line of cocktail mixers, Zevia continues its transformation from a leader specializing in only diet, all-natural soda to a multi-service platform that offers beverages for a variety of needs throughout the day and into the evening. 

Expo East

Tickle Water expands the reach of sparkling water’s popularity to the children’s market

11-Oct-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The growing popularity of sparkling water among health-conscious adults who want an alternative to soda and sugar-laden beverages now is bubbling over into the children’s beverage segment with the launch of Tickle Water in May. 

3 strategies buoying soft drink sales in the face of volume declines

10-Oct-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of carbonated soft drinks continue to decline as consumers reach for lower sugar, lower calorie and more natural alternatives, but all hope is not lost for the soda category, according to Euromonitor International. 

5 strategies that fueled PUR’s more than 5,000% growth in five years

06-Oct-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

In a world where most business growth comes from the tech, oil, gas and software industries, gum and mint maker The PÜR Company was “sweetly surprised” recently to secure a spot in PROFIT 500’s top 10 list of fastest growing Canadian companies and the...

Cargill gains Non-GMO Project verification for erythritol, cane sugar, high-oleic sunflower oil

06-Oct-2016 By Elaine Watson

Cargill has joined a flurry of suppliers making non-GMO announcements at the Supply Side West trade show this year, gaining Non-GMO Project verification for erythritol, cane sugar, and high oleic sunflower oil.

Senomyx and PepsiCo extend sweet taste collaboration

04-Oct-2016 By Adi Menayang

The sweet taste modifier Sweetmyx 617 from Senomyx has been used in two PepsiCo brands, Manzanita Sol and Mug Root Beer, for the past year as a test run. The companies recently announced extending their collaboration.

‘It’s a whole new world for us,’ ROAR Beverages CEO on new line of organic hydration

26-Sep-2016 By Mary Ellen Shoup

ROAR Beverages has launched ROAR Organic Electrolyte Infusions, which the company will be “treating like a whole new brand,” CEO Roly Nesi told BeverageDaily.

DFI Corp and Mitr Phol Group to produce erythritol, xylitol, via game-changing ‘green electrochemistry’ process

26-Sep-2016 By Elaine Watson

Chaska, MN-based Dynamic Food Ingredients (DFI) Corporation has struck a deal with the world's fourth largest sugar producer, Thailand-based Mitr Phol Group, to commercialize technology it claims could slash production costs for erythritol and xylitol,...

Kellogg, Post & General Mills hit with wave of lawsuits as plaintiff’s bar turns up the heat on sugar

20-Sep-2016 By Elaine Watson

If a high percentage of the calories in your product are from added sugar, and you are stating or implying that it’s healthy and nutritious, are you at risk of a false advertising lawsuit? A flurry of lawsuits recently filed vs Kellogg, General Mills...

Three trends driving sales of 100% juice even as sugar debate rages

19-Sep-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Rather than viewing the ongoing demonization of sugar as a potential threat to sales of 100% juice, manufacturers in this space could spin the trend as a growth opportunity even though their products are high in naturally occurring sugar, according to...

SPLENDA Naturals takes on Truvia with new stevia-based natural sweetener

16-Sep-2016 By Elaine Watson

As sales of artificial sweeteners continue to slide, SPLENDA (a brand associated with the artificial sweetener sucralose) has moved into the faster-growing natural sweetener space with the launch of SPLENDA Naturals, a zero-calorie blend of the bulk sweetener...

How the sugar lobby paid scientists to point the finger at fat: JAMA

13-Sep-2016 By Niamh Michail

The US sugar lobby paid for influential research in the 1960s to downplay the link between sugar and coronary heart disease and instead point the finger at fat, according to a report published yesterday.

Smash-hit marshmallows? Sonoma Brands will have to battle sugar fears, say experts

09-Sep-2016 By Kacey CULLINEY

Sonoma Brands could have its work cut out entering everyday snacking with marshmallows given the sticky problem of sugar avoidance, but SMASHMALLOW is an innovative new concept that could appeal strongly to women, say two trendwatchers.

FOOD VISION USA: If not health, then what? What motivates the mainstream consumer (and how do you find out)?

08-Sep-2016 By Elaine WATSON

Most consumers are pre-disposed to eating more healthily, but they're not obsessed with the latest health trends, says Mindless Eating author Dr Brian Wansink. So how should food marketers talk to them?

What does health & wellness mean to consumers? Nielsen conducts global survey

02-Sep-2016 By Elaine Watson

US consumers increasingly see non-GMO, natural, organic and clean label claims as a proxy for ‘healthy’ or ‘healthier,’ says Nielsen in a new report* examining how consumers around the globe are thinking about health and wellness.

Parties clash over Welch's 'made with real fruit' fruit snack label claims

31-Aug-2016 By Elaine Watson

Reasonable consumers may well be misled by the packaging of Welch’s fruit snacks, a magistrate judge has concluded, prompting a lengthy rebuttal from the defendants in court documents filed this month. 

ChocZero offers sugar-free chocolate that meets demand for natural, clean labels

30-Aug-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the public health war against sugar consumption in the US continues to build, food and beverage manufacturer Snapfit hopes to keep chocolate out of the crossfire by offering a sugar-free option that also is natural. 

Cargill R&D chief: 'When I started, food science was cool, now it’s viewed with suspicion'

30-Aug-2016 By Elaine Watson

Ironically, perhaps, just as open innovation is fostering a more open and collaborative culture in the notoriously secretive world of food R&D, consumers are becoming increasingly suspicious of scientists ‘meddling’ with their food, says Cargill’s...

Berkeley ‘soda tax’ linked to 21% drop in sugary beverage consumption, study finds

24-Aug-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Within months of enacting Berkeley’s controversial “soda tax” and the corresponding public awareness campaign on the health risks of sugar-sweetened beverages, consumption of the drinks in the California city dropped a sizable 21%, according to new research. 

As sugary beverage sales decline, more consumers drink water to stave off hunger pangs

12-Aug-2016 By Adi Menayang

Consumers are opting to drink water or no calorie beverages when hungry instead of eating food, a recent analysis by Packaged Facts’ says.

Kind publishes added sugar content of entire product range

09-Aug-2016 By Vince Bamford

Kind claims to have become the first US national snack brand to publish details of the added sugar in its products.

Is the food industry working for or against the consumer? Find out at Food Vision USA 2016

San Francisco soda health warnings violate First Amendment by forcing manufacturers to denigrate their own products, says WLF

09-Aug-2016 By Elaine Watson

The Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) has urged the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to stop enforcing a San Francisco ordinance requiring sugary drink ads to include health warnings, on the grounds that they violate manufacturers’ First Amendment...

IFT 2016 In Review

Fiber rises on ability to cut sugar & calories while preserving taste, satiety and clean label

05-Aug-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

While fiber hasn’t quite reached the same superstar status as protein, consumer interest in the ingredient is rising rapidly as they look for ways to manage their weight while still enjoying food and beverages with high quality taste and familiar mouthfeel.

Sloan Trends: 'The move away from fortification is very troubling'

04-Aug-2016 By Elaine Watson

Manufacturers have been ‘cleaning up’ food labels for years, but the pressure to oust 'unpronounceable' ingredients has now become so great that important vitamins and minerals (which often have chemical-sounding names) are also being ditched...

New NGS DNA testing methods will replace PCR, predicts Clear Labs

Are ‘GMO-free’ (as opposed to ‘non-GMO’) claims legally defensible?

03-Aug-2016 By Elaine Watson

As the Non-GMO Project states on its website, ‘GMO-free’ claims are “not legally or scientifically defensible due to limitations of testing methodology" coupled with cross-contamination risks. In future, however, that could change as testing methods...

Allulose – the hottest rare sugar on the block gaining interest in the US

01-Aug-2016 By Stephen Daniells

‘Rare sugars’ are becoming a buzz phrase in Japan, but interest in the US is currently limited to industry insiders, with allulose increasingly an ingredient of interest, say representatives from Matsutani.

Odwalla evaporated cane juice lawsuit back in play

01-Aug-2016 By Elaine Watson

A class action lawsuit accusing Coca-Cola subsidiary Odwalla of misleading consumers by using the term ‘evaporated cane juice’ (ECJ) on labels is now back in play in the wake of the FDA’s finalized guidance – and is likely to be joined by scores of others,...

Erythritol outperforms xylitol in plaque prevention, article concludes

29-Jul-2016 By Hank Schultz

A review article published in a dentistry journal makes the case that erythritol is superior to xylitol or sorbitol in preventing adhesion of harmful bacteria to teeth.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How can manufacturers meet sodium, sugar & calorie reduction demands?

29-Jul-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Finding solutions to reduce sodium, sugar and calories in finished products is essential as regulators and consumers demand healthier products – but the increasing desire for “clean labels” adds a complicating twist to the process of sourcing suitable...

Soylent: 'Proudly Made with GMOs'

28-Jul-2016 By Elaine Watson

It’s a bold move given how highly-charged – and extremely polarized - the debate has become, but Los Angeles-based start-up Soylent has weighed into the conversation over genetically engineered food crops with a blog post entitled: 'Soylent: Proudly...

Are Americans eating more candy?

27-Jul-2016 By Elaine Watson

Are Americans eating more candy?  Well they’re certainly spending a bit more – Nielsen data shows US retail dollar sales rose a modest 2.4% in the 52 weeks to May 28, although unit sales were down 1.6%, suggesting shoppers are trading up to more premium...

Ingredion EVP on HFCS, next gen stevia, non-GMO, and the gut microbiome

26-Jul-2016 By Stephen Daniells

The recent introduction of GMO labeling will bring clarity to the marketplace and create choice for consumers, says the EVP of Global Specialties for Ingredion.

Confectionery Trend-Watching

As consumers become increasingly health conscious, what drives confectionery sales?

25-Jul-2016 By Adi Menayang

US consumers are starting to put more thought into eating healthily. But for confectionery, indulgence still drives the decision to purchase.

Market Insights

Restacking BRICs: Chocolate makers to rethink future growth markets, says Euromonitor

25-Jul-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Euromonitor International has pinpointed several promising chocolate markets that may help manufacturers offset slowdowns in traditional emerging markets such as China and Brazil.

PureCircle invests $100 million in stevia agronomy program

20-Jul-2016 By Adi Menayang

Stevia giant PureCircle is expanding its agronomy program to more than 15 stevia plant growing regions around the world and further developing its farming footprint outside of China.

Summer Fancy Food Show

Unique square shape, rare beans & detectable flavor notes sets award-winning Durci chocolate apart

20-Jul-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

By bucking the emerging trend toward smaller, thinner, portion-controlled snacking chocolate and embracing a distinctively large square format, Durci – a new artisanal line of chocolate from the makers of Crio Bru – quickly secured shelf space in high-end...

Advantame sweetener approved by Mexican health authority

18-Jul-2016 By Adi Menayang

Advantame, a brand-name sweetener from Ajinomoto, has been approved for general use in food and beverage by the Mexican health authority (COFEPRIS).

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How is consumer interest in health reshaping how they choose chocolate?

15-Jul-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers’ increasing demand for healthier options is reshaping the competitive landscape across categories – including indulgent ones such as chocolate, where they increasingly want darker chocolate, nutritious inclusions, and new formats that help them...

Summer Fancy Food Show

Crio Bru offers brewing cocoa as convenient, healthy alternative to confections & coffee

11-Jul-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Accessing the health benefits of chocolate without the unhealthy tradeoff of added sugar and dairy typically used to smooth out the ingredient’s bitter notes in confections just got easier with the expansion of Crio Bru’s brewing cocoa into the wildly...

trimino co-founder: ‘Our aim is to completely dominate the protein water market’

06-Jul-2016 By Elaine Watson

Many protein-packed shakes have a loyal following, but they can also pack a hefty caloric punch if you’re sipping them at your desk rather than after a grueling workout, observes Casey Hoban, who says growing numbers of consumers are seeking beverages...

Aspartame-sweetened Diet Pepsi to return as 'classic' sub-brand

Old Diet Pepsi recipe to return in the fall as 'classic' sub-brand: A savvy move or is Pepsi rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic?

28-Jun-2016 By Elaine Watson

Aspartame, said PepsiCo in April 2015, “is the #1 reason why US consumers say they are drinking less diet cola, so we’re confident that with this change [to sucralose], consumers will come back into the Diet Pepsi franchise.” Today, with sales continuing...

Confectionery to be worst hit UK food sector after Brexit, says Euromonitor

24-Jun-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Confectionery volumes are forecast to decline faster than any other packaged food category after the UK voted to leave the European Union.

Federal GMO labeling bill hailed as 'true compromise,' but critics say it's woefully inadequate

23-Jun-2016 By Elaine Watson

Attempts to reach a federal GMO labeling solution have failed miserably to date. However, a bipartisan deal requiring mandatory GMO labeling (via smartlabels, symbols or as yet undetermined wording) thrashed out in the Senate on Thursday looks like it...

New Monster brands Mutant and Hydro could each generate $200-$400m in retail sales in 2-3 years, predicts Wells Fargo

22-Jun-2016 By Elaine Watson

Mutant and Hydro – two new brands Monster Beverage Co plans to unveil this year - could each generate $200-$400m in retail sales within two to three years, the bulk of which will be incremental business, predicts Wells Fargo.