The knee-jerk response by large CPG companies to cut IT costs in response to revenues and market share lost to smaller companies could make them more vulnerable than if they invested more in digital technology to develop, market and sell products, according...
Most food and beverage startups dream of expanding from a local brand serving only a handful of stores to one that is nationally distributed to hundreds or thousands of retailers, but the logistics of getting there can be a nightmare if not carefully...
Nestlé USA has joined a growing number of food manufacturers backing a citizen’s petition from NuTek Food Science asking the FDA to allow ‘potassium salt’ as an alternate name for potassium chloride on food labels.
The US market for low FODMAP foods aimed at helping IBS sufferers is still small and consumer awareness is low, but companies large and small are targeting a category that could be bigger than gluten-free.
A high fat diet may not sound like a logical way to shed extra pounds, but consumers are flocking to the controversial ketogenics diet as a way to manage their weight and in doing so are creating a new market ripe for innovation but not necessarily longevity,...
Nestlé is now working with the first round of start-ups selected through its partnership platform, Henri. We asked its global innovation director how the biggest food company in the world ensures a peer-to-peer relationship between David and Goliath.
What are the emerging flavors and ingredients food and beverage manufacturers should watch in 2018 as they formulate new products, and refresh existing ones? Kerry has put together some charts to help firms explore new possibilities in sweet, savory,...
Lidl’s entrance last summer into the highly competitive US retail market already is placing significant pricing pressure on nearby major retailers, which likely will need to drop prices even further and offer more convenient shopping services in order...
North Carolina-based start-up Glean is appealing to health-conscious shoppers and consumers on specialty diets (Paleo, gluten-free, keto) with a novel range of vegetable flours made from 'ugly' produce that doesn't meet retail specifications....
In an era when consumers prize “buying local,” regional brands looking to expand and national companies seeking a toehold in area markets must carefully craft partnerships that will spur growth without alienating consumers who are attracted to homegrown...
Catering to consumer demand for “experiences,” food and beverage manufacturers in 2018 will make their products more “tactile” in a way that goes beyond Instagramable unicorn colors and unexpected black, predicts Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert.
Food and beverage companies must do more than just follow the money as consumers shift spending away from eating at home and towards eating out – they also must consider the eating occasion and experience on a meal-by-meal basis to excel, new research...
Marshmallow snack brand SMASHMALLOW has raised $10m from Sonoma Brands and VMG Partners and brought in David Lacy – who previously held finance roles at Plum Organics, KRAVE and personalized nutrition service Habit – as its new CEO as it carves out its...
New research from a health, sports and travel specialist insurer casts a shadow over the health halo of protein bars, which consumers increasingly reach for as an easy way to stave off hunger after a workout and because they perceive them as a more nutritious...
Despite US adults spending more than three hours a day online, print is not dead – at least when it comes to advertising fast-moving consumer goods like groceries, according to a recent Nielsen research.
‘This is a breakthrough product that could ultimately make sugar obsolete'
The term ‘game-changer’ is bandied around with wearying regularity by food start-ups, but HEYLO – a patented combination of acacia fiber and stevia promising to blow rivals out of the water in the sugar replacement stakes – may actually warrant this moniker,...
Blockchain technology, which has been in the news of late for its role in secreting cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin around the Internet, is being hyped as the next big thing to revolutionize not just the banking industry – but all business, including...
While the jury is still out on what role, if any, sugar plays in the development of diabetes, recommendations to restrict consumption should be strengthened and research should be redoubled until a clear determination is found, according to an essay in...
Food manufacturers targeted in a recent wave of lawsuits over added sugar have urged the courts to dismiss the ‘absurd’ cases on the grounds that consumers are not being deceived, and that brands’ first amendment rights are being threatened – a new line...
Vegetarian and vegan diets – actively recast in recent years by stakeholders as ‘plant-based’ in a bid to shake off negative baggage – are quickly gaining traction among America’s youngest consumers and are predicted to become a breakout trend in 2018,...
With “Mother Nature’s help,” production of California almonds is expected to rise from an estimated 2.25bn lbs in 2017 to 3bn lbs in 2021, in order to meet growing demand for the tree nuts in everything from plant-based yogurts and cheese to cold-brew...
2017 has been a rollercoaster ride for the food industry, with Amazon coughing up a cool $13.7bn for Whole Foods, a flurry of M&A activity from Nestlé, Hershey, Campbell Soup and Kellogg, and an exodus from the industry’s biggest trade association,...
Hershey’s acquisition of Amplify Snacks has made the chocolate company the second largest popcorn producer in the US market, ‘second to Frito-Lay,’ who owns Smartfood, said Euromonitor analyst Jared Koerten.
Whole Foods’ 365 Everyday Value private label range has already generated an estimated $10m in sales via Amazon in just over three months, reveals a new report from e-commerce data firm One Click Retail, which "can pretty much guarantee that Whole...
National dietary guidelines in the US and the UK to restrict fat intakes, and saturated fat in particular, are not supported by scientific evidence, and should be re-examined, says a new meta-analysis and systematic review that again questions if saturated...
Should oat hull fiber be classified as a dietary fiber? It depends, according to Grain Millers, which claims that its unique, mechanical milling process ensures that its oat hull fiber is the only one on the market that meets the FDA’s definition of ‘intrinsic...
What’s your brand story? And if you don’t have one, how can you find one?
Some foods and beverages are unique. But most are not the culinary equivalent of the iPhone or Tesla, which is why developing a brand story that goes beyond product attributes is essential. But how can start-ups build a narrative that really engages today’s...
From entrepreneurs pioneering new farming methods and food technologies, to big brands adjusting to the changing landscape, FOOD VISION USA 2017 brought together a wide cross-section of industry players to explore how the industry is facing the challenges...
The cycle of high demand, low supply, and therefore surging vanilla prices looks to be coming to an end, but challenges remain and there is unlikely to be a price collapse in the near term.
With hindsight, we can all pretend we saw it coming, but in reality, Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods Market – announced on June 16 – caught most of the industry by surprise, says Rabobank, which polled 200+ food execs from entrepreneurs to CEOs of...
Campbell Soup Company has agreed to acquire Snyder’s-Lance, which distributes snacks including pretzels, sandwich crackers, kettle chips, deli snacks and organic and natural tortilla chips in the US.
Many people know Chicago has a vibrant restaurant culture and is home to some of America’s biggest food companies, but they may not know about the start-up culturing blossoming in the shadow of the city’s skyscrapers, with success stories like RXBar and...
To the “dismay” of the Organic Trade Association and against the vast majority of comments submitted by industry, the USDA proposes to withdraw a final rule outlining new animal welfare standards for organic producers that was passed in the 11th hour...
The industry is evolving – “and so is GMA” says the Grocery Manufacturers Association after two more big names (Unilever and Tyson Foods) told Politico they would not be renewing their membership in 2018, following similar announcements from Campbell...
Ecommerce may account for only a small portion of food and beverage sales for now, but that is changing quickly and manufacturers and retailers need to develop a game plan now for how they will leverage the change to their advantage, suggests an analyst...
Target’s $550m plan to acquire Shipt - which like Instacart, deploys hordes of personal shoppers to pick online orders from stores and deliver them directly to customers in their own vehicles – is a logical move that will help it capture a larger slice...
Increasingly savvy shoppers who are well-versed in food production and nutrition are turning the tables on the farm-to-fork marketing model that once educated them and influenced what they consumed to create a fork-to-farm model that requires producers,...
When Anne Laraway takes the reins of the fastest growing baby food brand in the country in January as the new CEO of Happy Family Organics, she plans to expand its reach into new markets with new products while remaining “laser focused on our mission...
Many of the tried-and-true tactics, contracts, marketing strategies and business decisions that fueled growth for most successful businesses to date, will not take companies to the next level or guarantee their survival in the next ten years, suggests...
Spice giant McCormick and Co. is getting a jump start on New Year’s resolutions with an aggressive line-up of goals for improving the livelihoods of its farmers, advancing environmental sustainability and fostering a more diverse and inclusive workforce....
The search for the best price on food, product variety, quality and convenience are prompting consumers to hop from retailer to retailer and in doing so conventional grocery stores are losing out, according to recent data from Acosta.
The reinvention and rising popularity of cauliflower over the past year illustrates how consumer grocery shopping styles are evolving along with their focus on specific ingredients, and the opportunities this change creates for manufacturers and retailers...
Every 21 seconds someone in the US discovers they have diabetes, setting a breakneck pace that is fueling a 6% annual increase in the number of Americans diagnosed with the chronic disease for which there is no cure, but which can be managed in part through...
Data from a randomized clinical trial using Ingredion’s new slowly digestible carbohydrate provides scientific validation for manufacturers seeking ingredient solutions to help consumers stay active and avoid fatigue, says the company.
It has surged in popularity in recent years thanks to its complex flavor profile, health benefits, versatility in sweet and savory applications, and ‘artisanal’ culinary associations, says flavors giant Firmenich, which has selected fig as its flavor...
On-shelf nutritional rating systems, such as Guiding Stars, not only help consumers make healthier purchases, but they can boost retail sales by encouraging larger baskets with more expensive items, according to new research.
