Back in 2013/14, no food innovation conference was complete without at least one session promoting edible insects as the next big thing in ‘alternative protein.’ Since then, the field has become littered with the corpses of bug-fueled startups that ran...
Unilever joins the parade of CPG manufacturers hiking prices “significantly” to offset rising commodity costs and other inputs, with CEO Alan Jope warning, “there is more pricing still to come.”
Beginning at conception and continuing through first bites to afterschool snacks and beyond, nutrition plays a pivotal role in children’s brain development, emotional lives, and long-term health – but all too often they aren’t getting all the nutrients...
BIOMILQ – a North Carolina-based startup culturing human mammary cells that lactate – has closed an oversubscribed $21m series A round to support its ambitions to bring cell-cultured human milk to market.
A recent paper on Bacillus probiotics raises questions that echo the quality concerns of the whole category, stakeholders said. To be considered both safe and effective, probiotics must be verified down to the strain level, the authors said.
After leading the Organic Trade Association as CEO for 13 years, Laura Batcha will step down next spring – leaving a legacy of savvy political acumen and active member engagement that helped the trade group expand the reach, impact, awareness and sales...
Online food marketplace BUBBLE – a fast-growing platform enabling new and emerging natural food brands without the bandwidth to set up DTC operations seek new routes to market – has launched a self-service platform enabling vendors to get approved and...
'Ultra-processed' food comprises the majority of the average US adult diet, according to a new study by researchers at NYU School of Global Public Health, who suspect the pandemic has further fueled the trend.
What will be trending in 2022? According to Whole Foods' annual food trends report, consumers are seeking products that contribute to their personal definition of wellbeing, whether it be less-boozy beverages, leafy greens grown locally, or ice cream...
The tide appears to be turning for direct-to-consumer subscription boxes, including for food and beverage, with consumer interest dropping dramatically in 2021 compared to last year when the pandemic pushed many people to try the services as a safe and...
Bonumose – a Virginia-based startup with patented technology it claims could enable the mass market adoption of rare sugars such as allulose and tagatose – is investing $27.7m in production and R&D facilities in a 36,000 sq ft facility in Pantops,...
Indoor farming pioneer AeroFarms and Spring Valley Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), have mutually agreed to terminate a previously announced agreement to take the company public.
Kraft Heinz reported progress against several of its key ESG (environmental social governance) targets including community support, circular packaging design, and animal welfare while also publicly sharing its 2025 DI&B (diversity, inclusion, and...
AgTech startup Pivot Bio, which is retooling bacteria in soil to more effectively convert nitrogen from the air into food – eliminating the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizer – is taking its sustainability message directly to consumers with the launch...
As Vejii prepares to go public on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) in the coming weeks, co-founder and CEO Kory Zelickson shares how the company is leveraging its data and consumer insights to create the best plant-based shopping experience for...
Sales of online groceries have quadrupled since pre-pandemic levels measured in August 2019, and consumers are indicating a strong preference towards pickup/delivery services (Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and the like) over ship-to-home (grocery items - typically...
The FDA has issued long-awaited final guidance for the food industry outlining voluntary, short-term (2.5 year) sodium reduction targets for 163 categories of packaged, prepared, and restaurant foods.
PURIS - a key supplier of pea protein to Beyond Meat – has opened a new facility in Dawson, Minnesota that more than doubles its production capacity, and cements its position as the leading supplier of pea protein in North America.
Oishii, a vertical farm growing Japanese Omakase berries sought after by Michelin star chefs for their unrivaled sweetness, has opened its second indoor growing facility in Los Angeles.
Like many other CPG companies, Conagra Brands is continuing to take pricing actions across its portfolio spanning snacks, frozen food, and baking products. But the company says these actions have had limited impact on consumer purchasing behavior so far....
Nabati Foods joins the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE) with an eye towards additional platforms after recently debuting its plant-based liquid egg product in the US through its DTC site.
A Bill (AB 45) explicitly legalizing the sale of foods, beverages and supplements containing hemp-derived CBD in California has been signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.
A recent report on sales of botanical supplements was mostly very good news for the industry. But one prominent ingredient — turmeric — saw sales flatten or even decline.
As part of a broad effort to reverse an alarming and profound increase in childhood obesity in the US during the pandemic, FDA is seeking to improve children’s diets, and is also taking steps to limit exposure to toxic elements in baby food and reduce...
Picky eating that extends into school years can take a toll on children and parents alike, but what influences a child's dislike of certain foods in the first place, and what can parents do to help tackle this behavior?
Square Baby, a direct-to-consumer baby food company offering veggie-forward meal solutions, is making the leap from a regional brand serving the West Coast to a full-blown national operation, a milestone that couldn't have been achieved without a...
Kingdom Supercultures – a Brooklyn-based startup specializing in building novel combinations of microbial cultures it claims can improve the flavor, texture and functional properties of everything from plant-based dairy products to kombucha - has raised...
Two-thirds of US adults say the pandemic has caused them to re-evaluate their life priorities and has had the most profound impact on where and how they eat, according to Mintel research.
Sweegen will expand its high-intensity sweeteners portfolio early next year with the addition of brazzein, an ultra-sweet tasting protein found in small quantities in the fruit of a West African plant called oubli, that can be produced on a commercial...
Dutch health ingredients company, NutriLeads, has officially launched its immune health ingredient derived from upcycled carrot pomace for use in supplements and functional food & beverages.
When I began studying organic food consumption in the early 2000s, I remember one of the first problems I encountered was a misperception among prominent public firm executives.
From surging ocean freight costs to sky high corn prices and general supply chain disruptions, the last 12-18 months have been a roller coaster ride, says Nate Yates, VP Global Sugar Reduction Platform at Ingredion. But one thing has remained remarkably...
Interest and demand for products that support the immune system increased since the pandemic began and according to a new survey, the dialogue has ushered in consumer knowledge of the strong interrelationship between digestive and immune function.
Most Americans' idea of Mexican cuisine is limited to cheese quesadillas, greasy nachos, and overstuffed burritos, argue the founders of a new brand called SOMOS ('we are' in Spanish), which is challenging this common consumer perception...
Upton's Naturals has been quietly pioneering the plant-based foods category, first with its seitan products, which were among the first to hit retail fifteen years ago, followed by jackfruit and banana blossom plant-based meat alternatives now sold...
Seven months after releasing a report alleging “dangerous” levels of heavy metals in top baby food brands, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi's subcommittee on economic and consumer policy has released a follow-up report alleging that the industry “consistently...
Beyond Meat is rolling out its Beyond Breakfast Sausage Links in Canadian grocery stores nationwide marking the plant-based brand's entry into the Canadian retail breakfast category.
Fresh food may make most consumers feel happier and capture the lion’s share of retail sales – for now – but rising prices, concerns about perishability and shifting preference are pushing more shoppers to the frozen aisle, suggests new research by Deloitte.
Marking its first acquisition for its new fund, Charlotte, North Carolina-based private equity firm Falfurrias Capital Partners has acquired raw and unfiltered honey brand, Local Hive Honey. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Flour-milling and ingredient company Ardent Mills hopes to expand its already “diverse and extensive” footprint, supply chain and expertise in the fast-growing specialty ingredient segment with the pending acquisition of the gluten-free, specialty grain...
More US shoppers report feeling unhappy with how grocery stores are handling the COVID-19 crisis now, including a prominent concern around the cost and price of their groceries, than earlier this year, according to dunnhumby in its latest Consumer Pulse...
Following its initial foodservice launch earlier this year, Beyond Meat is rolling out Beyond Chicken Tenders at retailers in select markets across the US next month.
Not many companies would be satisfied with or even strive to produce a food or beverage that tastes ‘normal,’ but the founder of the better-for-you frozen dessert company Killer Creamery couldn’t be happier that the taste of brand’s new ice cream sandwich...
Addressing the lack of public investment in the alternative proteins space, the Good Food Institute (GFI) is awarding nearly $5m to 22 research projects that the organization says will get closer to unlocking “the holy grail” of alternative proteins:...
Demand for immunity-boosting products may have driven an initial double-digit surge of natural and organic product sales early in the pandemic, but many category newcomers have stayed – and more have flocked to the segment in 2021 – even as the threat...
Now that fall has officially arrived, immune health is front and center, with 75% of consumers saying they’re relying on some type of supplement. So where do probiotics stand? Danone conducted a survey recently to find out.
Growing plant-based foods company Above Food – which began as an ingredient supplier of specialized plant proteins – is quickly gaining ground in its B2C business, snapping up several brands and launching its own direct-to-consumer site with a growing...
Pea protein-fueled brand Ripple Foods has raised $60m in an oversubscribed Series E round* that takes its cumulative funding to almost $250m, and will help the plant-based firm enter new categories, channels, and overseas markets, and extend its proprietary...
As consumers increasingly seek out sustainable and wellness-focused products, Walmart has created a dedicated online shopping destination to help consumers discover products considered to be better for their personal health and better for the environment.
