While ditching ‘artificial’ ingredients may not transform the fortunes of flagging legacy brands, consumer survey data from Instantly suggests it may give consumers a warmer and fuzzier feeling about them, and convey the impression (deservedly or otherwise)...
Consumer purchases of packaged food and beverages in key major categories are down substantially from a year ago due partly to demographic shifts, but mostly because of “self-inflicted wounds” by retailers and manufacturers, according to the third annual...
How are the top 100 CPG brands performing? Not very well, say Catalina, TABS Group
If you needed further proof that bigger does not correlate with better in the CPG market, a new report from digital marketing expert Catalina reveals that the top 100 brands are underperforming in most of the categories in which they operate.
While cynics observe that biodynamic cane sugar is still sugar, and gourmet Himalayan pink salt is still good old sodium chloride, it’s a fact that trends which might seem to have niche appeal are increasingly heading to the mainstream, and that a small,...
Cargill: 'This opens up a new space and helps us address a market we can’t get to today from the leaf'
Cargill and Evolva will introduce their hotly-anticipated ‘next-generation’ Reb D and Reb M sweetener – produced via fermentation rather than from the stevia leaf – at the Supply Side West show next week under the EverSweet brand as they prepare for a...
‘Challenger’ brands – anarchic, agile brands which disrupt established categories – are Davids outmaneuvering industry Goliaths. And Chobani is probably the perfect example, going from zero to a billion dollars in less than a decade. But what happens...
Sales of organic are skyrocketing in the U.S. with demand often outstripping supply, but the Organic Trade Association has a plan to bring into balance by 2030 the market growth, acreage growth and farming profitability of organic.
Infants with allergies to cow’s milk can become tolerant after treatment with hydrolysed casein and a probiotic formula which alters their gut microbiome, according to a new study.
Ancient grains continue to gain traction in the US food retail and foodservice market, with quinoa leading the pack. However, lesser-known grains such as teff, amaranth and freekeh are starting to picking up some steam as well, according to a new report*...
Food manufacturers can feel secure knowing that most consumers eat breakfast at or from home, but fast food chains are a competitive threat that cannot be ignored, new research from Instantly suggests.
All eyes are now on Cargill and Evolva as they prepare for the 2016 launch of fermentation-derived steviol glycosides Reb D+M. However, Vancouver-based GLG Life Tech Corporation says it is confident it will ultimately be capable of breeding stevia plants...
Coca-Cola-backed high-protein milk brand fairlife isn’t sharing any numbers, yet. But if you’re wondering how it’s performing, the answer is very nicely, says communications director Anders Porter, who says the firm is also working on a suite of products...
'Nowadays, a food crisis starts when the Food Babe is on line two'
In an era of shorter consumer attention spans and heightened suspicion about food science, the packaged food and beverage industry can take a page from the world of pop culture and bring food science down to earth with humor and proactive transparency.
While supporters of Rep. Mike Pompeo’s Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (HR1599) welcome its proposal to create a national standard for non-GMO claims, the Non-GMO Project says this would confuse shoppers by creating a competing label underpinned by...
With its gourmet savory yogurts now gracing shelves at 800-900 stores in the US, Blue Hill is now looking to challenge the nation’s palate again, this time with a new range of veggie- and fruit-packed drinkable yogurts that it hopes will bring the brand...
Preserving and strengthening the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which sets school lunch standards and makes free and reduced meals available to children, could lower the healthcare costs in the US and improve the country’s economic competitiveness and...
Unilever is searching for radical new ways to understand what consumers really want, Kraft Heinz is looking for novel sources of sustainable oils, and Mondelez is on a mission to find ‘label friendly’ natural mold inhibitors and low-cost ways to tackle...
Many consumers are cautiously optimistic that their financial situation is improving, but they continue to buy groceries based primarily on price and value – creating friction between manufacturers and retailers, IRI research reveals.
First came Siggi’s, then Smári Organics. But can the husband and wife team behind Saga Dairy (Viking Icelandic Yogurt) – the latest entrants to the niche, but growing ‘Icelandic-style’ yogurt category in the US – emulate their success?
Probiotic specialist Yakult USA has challenged allegations in a class action alleging it is misleading US shoppers about the digestive health benefits of its fermented drinks and says it is confident of "eventual and ultimate vindication at trial,...
Increasingly adventurous consumers may say that they want a wide selection of flavors from which to select, but if manufacturers provide too many options they may actually deter shoppers, warns the CEO of a leading market analytics firm.
Synthetic biology will become a “permanent and growing aspect of the flavors & fragrances landscape” predicts a new report from Lux Research, which says the approach is more sustainable than traditional techniques such as synthesizing flavors from...
Elaine Watson caught up with Anton Angelich, group VP marketing at New York-based flavor house Virginia Dare, to get the lowdown on new flavor trends and product concepts, from rooibos-based tea for kids and vodka that tastes of birthday cake, to banana...
The cliché of pizza lovers as beer-pong playing frat boys or men sharing a slice while watching sports is all wrong – and as a result, so are many manufacturers’ marketing and formulation strategies, according to recent research.
The dog days of summer are here and to help cool off consumers are reaching for ice cream, which a recent Yahoo Food survey found is 41% of American’s favorite dessert.
A new hybrid grocery delivery and meal solution service from food-tech start-up Handpick, Inc., claims to offer a more affordable and sustainable way for consumers to shop and cook than other online grocery shopping or meal kit delivery services.
Americans are tucking into hotter and spicier fare by the day, but how is the trend evolving? And will savory yogurt take off? Elaine Watson caught up with Michael Swenson, director of business development at Sensient Natural Ingredients, to find out...
What's hot and what's not in the world of flavors? Elaine Watson caught up with Greg Kaminski, executive research chef at Synergy Flavors, to get the lowdown on Marcona almonds, rhubarb, ginger, and Shishito peppers.
A key part of Target’s strategy to ‘reinvent’ its food offering will involve offering more local products, from specialty foods to craft beer, chairman and CEO Brian Cornell told analysts yesterday.
Natural and organic food manufacturer Hain Celestial Group continued its five year streak of earning double-digit quarterly sales growth thanks in part to a “channel agnostic go-to-market strategy,” according to the firm’s president and CEO.
A recent FDA warning letter reminds food and beverage manufacturers that whole stevia leaf is not generally recognized as safe for conventional foods, even though many extracts of the plant are.
We’ve all heard of the 80:20 rule, but new research* from digital marketing expert Catalina shows that just 0.7% of shoppers are driving 80% of the volumes of new food and beverage products, while just 11% of shoppers that try a new product are still...
Antioxidant- and fiber-rich baobab is on the verge of stealing the crown from acai, goji berries and pomegranate as the “queen of superfruits,” thanks to awareness raised by recent and upcoming product launches featuring the ingredient, according to a...
New research showing high protein breakfasts can prevent weight gain, curb hunger pangs and stabilize glucose levels reveals unmet needs in the marketplace and opportunities for packaged food manufacturers, according to the lead investigator.
How about a glass of red wine, crackers… and some vegan cheese? If the prospect fills you with horror, says Miyoko’s Kitchen founder and TV chef Miyoko Schinner, you’re not alone. But try some of hers, and you’ll never look back, she insists.
A large consumer study* from market researcher Health Focus International spanning 16 major consumer markets includes this pretty jaw-dropping statistic: 87% of consumers globally think non-GMO foods are ‘somewhat’, or ‘a lot’ healthier.
University of Toronto start-up Nutrigenomix is a pioneer in the personalized nutrition space that is helping consumers understand how variations in their genes influence their bodies’ response to food, beverages and supplements, and in doing so is helping...
Industrial trans fats, which the Grocery Manufacturers Association recently asked FDA to allow in small amounts in certain packaged foods, are associated with greater risk of death and coronary heart disease, according to a meta-analysis published Aug....
American households - and eating habits - are changing, and food marketers need to catch up, says the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) in its 2015 US Grocery Shopper Trends report. Here are 10 things that caught our eye...
New CEO looks to generate 'aggressive, run-rate cost savings of $1.5bn by the end of 2017'
Heinz has slashed just under one quarter (23.8%*) of its workforce since April 2013 as part of a ‘restructuring and productivity’ drive at the ketchup giant, which was acquired by private equity firms 3G and Berkshire Hathaway in June 2013, and tied the...
Proactive marketing strategies, such as cross-promotions and strategic shelving, by food manufacturers and retailers can reduce the risk of lost sales when consumers are faced with an out-of-stock product on their grocery list.
Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya has invested an undisclosed sum in upmarket coffee firm La Colombe Coffee Roasters that will make him the majority owner, but says he will not take on any management responsibilities at the Philadelphia-based firm, and will...
Undeterred by the ongoing “fistfight” in the U.S. yogurt category, WhiteWave Foods Co. expands its presences in the segment with the $125 million cash acquisition of California organic yogurt maker Wallaby Yogurt Company, Inc.
Limiting consumption of certain carbs may not be the panacea once thought for bloating and abdominal pain caused by irritable bowel syndrome, and actually could cause more harm if not overseen by a healthcare provider, a new data review suggests.
