Sweeteners (intense, bulk, polyols)

Tate & Lyle profits plunge amid restructuring

28-May-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Tate & Lyle has reported a 30% drop in pre-tax profits, as it undergoes a major restructuring project.

“Don’t forget about baby boomers” when marketing foods, IRI analyst cautions

28-May-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Food marketers increasingly are training their crosshairs on millennials whose purchasing power is growing quickly, but they should not overlook baby boomers, who spend the most of any generation on snacks and sweets, according to analysis of sales data...

Jelly Belly will launch organic confections, jelly beans and fruit snacks, CEO says

26-May-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Jelly Belly Candy Company is launching a line of USDA certified-organic candies, including fruit flavored snacks, gourmet jelly beans and other confections, the firm’s CEO and president told FoodNavigator-USA exclusively.

Honeydrop Beverages CEO: 'A tablespoon of raw honey in every bottle is what makes us stand out'

22-May-2015 By Elaine Watson

With an eight-year stint in sales and brand management at PepsiCo on his resume, David Luks knew a fair bit about the beverages market when he launched Honeydrop in 2009. But it quickly became clear that selling Diet Pepsi and selling a product no one...

Experts untangle GMO developments and impact on firms at FoodNavigator-USA’s Going Non-GMO forum May 20

19-May-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Pressure on food manufacturers to label genetically modified food and provide non-GMO alternatives is mounting as consumer concern and confusion about the technology increases in response to a deluge of negative messaging about it. 

Kids are eating junk food before they reach their second birthday, says USDA researcher

18-May-2015 By Elaine Watson

More than four out of 10 (43%) American infants aged 12-23 months eat cookies, cakes or pastries on any given day; almost a third (32%) eat chips, popcorn or pretzels; 19% eat candy; and 31% consume soda, fruit or sports drinks; according to dietary intake...

Culinary trend-spotting: Where retail & food service collide

Reed’s Inc. sees growth at fast casual restaurants ditching undesirable ingredients

13-May-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Craft soda-maker Reed’s Inc. is developing a fountain program to expand its presence in fast casual restaurants following recent announcements by prominent chains to drop undesirable ingredients from their menu offerings, company executives acknowledged. 

Cargill and Evolva prepare for commercial launch of fermentation-derived stevia in 2016

13-May-2015 By Elaine Watson

Swiss fermentation specialist Evolva and sweeteners expert Cargill have agreed to start engineering work so they can produce next-generation stevia sweeteners via fermentation at a Cargill biofuel and corn milling facility in Blair, Nebraska, ready for...

60-second interview: Kyle von Hasseln, creative director food products 3DSYSTEMS

3D printing will 'definitely move into home kitchen', predicts The Sugar Lab co-founder

12-May-2015 By Elaine Watson

Food was already 3D last time we checked, so once you get over the excitement of being able to ‘print’ a multi-dimensional product in layers, are you left with an expensive gimmick, or something that is going to change the culinary world forever? 

Mars supports FDA proposal to list added sugars on Nutrition Facts panel; move is ‘refreshing’ says CSPI

08-May-2015 By Elaine Watson

Confectionery giant Mars says it is in favor of FDA proposals to list added sugar on the Nutrition Facts panel, a move described as ‘refreshing’ by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Forte Gelato repositioned as a decadent dessert in pint-sized packages

05-May-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

The maker of Forte Gelato hopes to expand its consumer base beyond health-conscious shoppers, recovering patients and athletes to reach the mainstream consumer by repackaging its high-protein, low-fat dessert into pints.

"We’re still only just starting to discover all the amazing things mushrooms can do.”

Myceliation: A mushroom-fueled process with game-changing food industry applications?

01-May-2015 By Elaine Watson

From a commercial perspective, it’s still early days for myceliation, a process by which mushrooms (or rather, their filament-like roots or ‘mycelium’) can remove bitter compounds and naturally occurring toxins from some of the world’s most valuable crops...

Attorney: This case could end up in the Supreme Court

What does the ruling in Vermont mean for GMO labeling?

30-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

While opponents of Vermont’s GMO labeling Act 120 suffered a major setback this week after a federal judge rejected many of their arguments, some attorneys predict the case could ultimately end up in the Supreme Court to settle a long-running debate over...

VitaminFIZZ seeks to emulate meteoric success of Sparkling ICE in enhanced waters market

29-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

VitaminFIZZ – a new zero-calorie enhanced sparkling water backed by former Red Bull executives and other beverage industry veterans – is now available in 1,400+ stores in the US nine months after launch, and is about to enter the UK market.

'We’re confident that with this change, consumers will come back into the Diet Pepsi franchise'

Pepsi exec: Aspartame is the #1 reason why US consumers say they are drinking less diet cola

27-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

To those arguing that replacing one artificial sweetener (aspartame) with another (sucralose) won’t arrest flagging sales of Diet Pepsi, PepsiCo SVP Seth Kaufman told FoodNavigator-USA that consumer research had singled out aspartame – rather that artificial...

‘This is one step up the ladder of desperation to remain relevant’

Diet Pepsi reformulation: ‘Does making aspartame the bad guy solve diet soda’s problems? Probably not.’

27-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

While cynics might paraphrase PepsiCo’s move to axe aspartame from Diet Pepsi as ‘Pepsi replaces one very unpopular artificial sweetener with another slightly less unpopular artificial sweetener’, it highlights the challenge facing big soda marketers,...

Aspartame has been deemed safe by all major scientific and regulatory bodies

PepsiCo ditches aspartame from Diet Pepsi in US: ‘While decades of studies show aspartame is safe, we recognize that consumer demand is evolving’

24-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

While aspartame is safe, many US consumers don’t want it in their cola, said PepsiCo this morning, announcing plans to ditch the much-maligned sweetener from Diet Pepsi, Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi and Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi in the U.S from August.

'Tate & Lyle was caught sleeping at the wheel while we captured its market share,' claims Chinese rival

Sucralose demand continues to rise, but profit margins have fallen though the floor, says Tate & Lyle

22-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

For a long time, Tate & Lyle had the sucralose market to itself. It discovered it, patented it to the hilt, and perfected the process of producing it on an industrial scale, generating operating profit margins of almost 50%. But you can only have...

FDA’s list of food priorities include finalizing rules for GRAS & gluten-free labeling for fermented foods

21-Apr-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

FDA is considering adding pre- and post-market enforcement “enhancements” to the final rule for the process of determining food substances are GRAS – or generally recognized as safe, according to a top agency official. 

Tate & Lyle exits European venture and shuts sucralose plant

21-Apr-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Tate & Lyle has announced a restructuring that will see it make changes to its struggling Splenda sucralose business and exit most of its European Bulk Ingredients business.

And now the lawsuits… FDA warning letter to KIND triggers wave of consumer litigation

20-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

As widely predicted, multiple class action lawsuits were filed against KIND on Friday following the publication of a Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter citing a long list of concerns over label claims on its bars and its website.

Dr Pepper invests $15m in minority stake in Bai Brands

17-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

Dr Pepper Snapple Group has invested $15m in a minority stake in Bai Brands, which has generated explosive growth in multiple retail channels with its 'antioxidant infusion' low-calorie Bai5 beverages.

Isomalt protects vitamin C status of baked apple snacks, finds study

15-Apr-2015 By Kacey Culliney

Isomalt can be used to protect the ascorbic acid content of apple snacks during baking, say researchers.

Is ALDI the ‘most underestimated grocery retailer in the US?'

15-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

While Trader Joe’s gets plenty of plaudits, its German parent company ALDI – which operates nearly 1,400 stores in 32 US states - is probably “the most underestimated grocery retailer” in the nation, according to a new report from market researcher Hartman...

Report and industry clash over artificial sweeteners' role in childhood obesity

13-Apr-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

A new research report has said that artificial sweeteners may not help reduce obesity in children – a claim that the industry has dismissed.

60-second interview: Mark Singleton, outgoing chairman of the Snack Food Association; vice president of sales & marketing, Rudolph Foods

SFA outgoing chairman: The lines between meals & snacks are blurring; we’ve seen remarkable changes in consumption patterns

13-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

According to the March 2015 report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, most Americans now consume two or three snacks a day - news that came as no surprise to the outgoing chairman of the Snack Food Association, Mark Singleton. Elaine Watson...

Ajinomoto denies Splenda buyout rumours

10-Apr-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Ajinomoto has denied claims published in the UK’s Telegraph newspaper that it was eyeing Tate & Lyle’s Splenda sucralose business.

Soda should come with a warning label, say public health scientists, researchers

10-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

Legislation requiring warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages alerting shoppers to the risk of diabetes, obesity, and tooth decay has been backed by a group of 34 leading public health scientists and researchers.

Rabobank on top natural food trends at Expo West: Ginger and turmeric are in, kale is so last year

24-Mar-2015 By Elaine Watson

Ginger, turmeric and sprouted grains are hot, while kale and Greek yogurt are cooling off, according to  trend watchers at Rabobank International who walked the floor at the 2015 Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim earlier this month.

Jamba Juice settles ‘all-natural’ lawsuit, but will pay no damages

24-Mar-2015 By Elaine Watson

Jamba Juice has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit filed in California alleging it misled shoppers by labeling its smoothie kits as ‘all-natural’.

Glyphosate ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’, says IARC; conclusion ‘not supported by scientific data’, says Monsanto

23-Mar-2015 By Elaine Watson

Monsanto says the view of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) that the herbicide glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans" is at odds with the conclusion reached by “all regulatory agencies...

From soda bans to nutrient labelling: What really helps reduce obesity?

23-Mar-2015 By Nathan Gray

Trans-fat bans, and limiting the availability of sugary and fatty foods are the best ways to battle obesity, while nutrition information fails to deliver benefits, says a new review of anti-obesity policies.

Judge tosses ‘no refined sugars’ case vs KIND Healthy Snacks, but attorney says it had a lucky escape

23-Mar-2015 By Elaine Watson

A judge in Illinois has thrown out a class action lawsuit against KIND LLC over “no refined sugars” claim on its Healthy Grains products, which contain evaporated cane juice, a form of sugar, and molasses. 

Bars get fresh! Perfect Bar founder on bootstrapping, refusing to quit, and creating a completely new snacking category

20-Mar-2015 By Elaine Watson

While it’s taken a while to convince retail buyers that stocking protein bars next to kombucha in the refrigerator makes sense, the strategy has paid off big time for Perfect Bar, in no small part due to the tenacity of founder Bill Keith, who took ‘bootstrapping’...

Cargill's Viatech platform deconstructs stevia leaf to identify better blends

17-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

Cargill is “all in on stevia,” according to Scott Fabro, global business development director.  At the forefront of this commitment is the company’s Viatech stevia technology, which analyzes the various stevia components separately and reassembles them...

Fiber ... Are you getting enough?

BioNeutra’s VitaFiber offers 3-in-1 benefits of a prebiotic, fiber and low-calorie sweetener

16-Mar-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

BioNeutra’s VitaFiber, a soluble dietary fiber, prebiotic and low-calorie sweetener all rolled into one, is a triple-threat that can help manufacturers meet growing consumer demand for less sugar, more fiber and foods and beverages that promote gut health. 

Candy tax dropped from Connecticut sugar levy bill

12-Mar-2015 By Oliver Nieburg

Connecticut’s proposed sugar tax has been amended to exclude a levy on candy.

How strong is the evidence behind WHO’s sugars advice?

10-Mar-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

The food industry has criticised the WHO’s recommendation to reduce the intake of added sugar for being backed by ‘moderate’ and ‘very low quality’ evidence.

'I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question that we could be a public company'

Zevia CEO: ‘One of the things that has been a key contributor to our success is our independence’

10-Mar-2015 By Elaine Watson

Multinationals are snapping up smaller, more entrepreneurial brands in the natural or organic food and beverage space faster than you can say ‘because that’s where the growth is’. So will Zevia – one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic brands in the...

Academics and industry clash over WHO sugar advice

05-Mar-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

Academics have welcomed the WHO’s recommendation to slash added sugar intake to 5-10% of calories – but the food industry has said it is misleading and based on weak evidence.

Vegan, paleo, grass-fed, pasture-raised, ancient grains, and allergen friendly claims are gaining

From grass-fed to Paleo: What are the hottest trends in the natural food and beverages market?

05-Mar-2015 By Elaine Watson

According to Chicago-based market research firm SPINS, US retail (dollar) sales of foods & beverages rose 1.7% in 2014, while unit sales declined by 0.4%. By contrast, sales of natural and organic brands grew nearly 12%. But where are the opportunities...

Snyder’s-Lance: ‘Industry first gluten-free sandwich cracker is major innovation’

04-Mar-2015 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Snack giant Snyder’s-Lance insists the US sandwich cracker category has a bright future going forward but requires innovation, as the company launches the first gluten-free product in this space.

Member states back national bans for GM crops

03-Mar-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

EU member states have voted to allow national governments to ban or restrict cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops even when approved at EU level, meaning the new rules will be written into law.

Tate & Lyle unveils Dolcia Prima allulose low-calorie-sugar: ‘We believe this will change the food and beverage landscape forever’

25-Feb-2015 By Elaine Watson

Tate & Lyle is launching a new ultra-low-calorie sugar that is found naturally in jackfruit and raisins, but is being made in commercial quantities via the enzymatic conversion of corn using a proprietary process.

'Semi-skimmed soft drinks!' Mid-calorie soda could become the mainstream choice, Zenith International

24-Feb-2015 By Rachel Arthur

Mid-calorie soft drinks have the potential to gain ground on traditional full calorie drinks – and could eventually become the new mainstream choice, according to Zenith International. 

Coconut sugar: The latest sugar alternative

24-Feb-2015 By Niamh Michail

Coconut sugar is increasing in popularity because it is seen as being a healthier, more ethical alternative to sugar - but nutritionists remain sceptical of the health claims.

Clear label pledge

Hershey's Milk Chocolate and Kisses to go non-GM

23-Feb-2015 By Oliver Nieburg

Hershey intends to remove genetically-modified ingredients from Hershey’s Milk Chocolate and Kisses by the end of the year.

PepsiCo on CSDs: How it thinks it can kick the industry’s Achilles’ heel

23-Feb-2015 By Rachel Arthur

PepsiCo’s 2015 launches will see an increased focus on products with health benefits, while it will push smaller packages to make the most of growth in its on-the-go business. 

Sugar can be “powerful tool” to improve children’s diet, AAP

23-Feb-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Added sugar in foods and drinks offers no nutritional benefits and contributes to the obesity epidemic by increasing consumption of empty calories, but it also can help children eat a balanced, nutrient-dense diet, according to the American Academy of...

DGAC’s criticism of high intensity sweeteners is “contradictory", says ABA

DGAC "ignores science", says American Beverage Association; but CSPI welcomes its 'blunt advice' to consume fewer sugary drinks

20-Feb-2015 By Elaine Watson

If the meat lobby isn’t happy with the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s (DGAC’s) recommendations on what constitutes a healthy diet, neither it seems, is the American Beverage Association (ABA), which also issued a statement claiming the expert...