From fewer containers and reduced shift work at harbors to delays in planned maintenance in factories, the coronavirus pandemic is impacting global supply chains in myriad ways. FoodNavigator-USA (FNU) caught up with Jon Peters (JP), president at Beneo,...
Over the last month, online food marketplace BUBBLE has seen dollar sales grow 800% (vs the previous month), cart sizes quadruple, and a surge of interest from prospective vendors as new and emerging natural food brands without the bandwidth to set up...
The day any entrepreneur decides to sell his or her business is “always bittersweet” observed Jonathan Sebastiani after selling KRAVE Jerky to Hershey for $218m in January 2015. So how does it feel - five years later - to be back at the helm after buying...
By Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Navigating coronavirus’ uneven impact to chart a path forward for groceries
While some food and beverage brands have enjoyed tremendous growth following the coronavirus outbreak, others have been completely "pummeled" by government and consumer response to the virus – revealing a division that could provide a road map...
In the past two weeks, more than a dozen food and beverage companies – many of which are small and struggling to operate during the pandemic – have teamed with the KIND Foundation’s and Project N95’s recently launched Frontline Impact Project to donate...
Echoing recent comments from the CEOs of Coca-Cola and Mondelēz International, Kraft Heinz CEO Miguel Patricio told analysts Thursday that he is focusing on core SKUs to deliver supply chain efficiencies and delaying new product launches, although it’s...
Baby foods that mask the taste of vegetables may be doing children a disservice in the long run who never learn to like the taste of broccoli, spinach, or brussel sprouts later in childhood and even, adulthood, according to Penn State researchers.
The global market for collagen peptides grew 25%+ in volume in 2019 with continued double-digit growth expected in 2020, says Gelita, which says it’s seeing a steady rise in interest from food and beverage firms looking to make more tailored products...
A San Diego-based startup producing protein concentrates from lemna - a fast-growing aquatic plant that can be harvested all year round – says a $4.6m cash injection from investors,* including Kellogg’s venture arm Eighteen94 Capital, will enable it to...
As Americans spend more time at home and are paying acute attention to health and wellbeing, their demands are shifting towards products with specific functional benefits, options to recreate restaurant experiences at home, and an intensified desire for...
Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is teaming up with baby and kids food manufacturers, early childhood educators, and other key stakeholders under its 'Shaping Early Palates Initiative', which aims to disrupt the marketplace of childhood...
ProBiotix Health – a spinoff of UK-based life sciences firm OptiBiotix Health - is in preliminary talks with food and beverage brands in the US about developing yogurts and other functional foods featuring a probiotic claimed to deliver meaningful reductions...
GNC announced yesterday that is has received a notice from the New York Stock Exchange that is out of compliance with listing requirements because its stock price has been below $1 a share for more than 30 days.
WeWork is helping to level the playing field between emerging and established brands in the competitive food and beverage space with the recent unveiling of its flagship Food Labs in New York City and the graduation of its first food and ag focused accelerator...
Coronavirus is impacting the lead time for natural color and flavor suppliers with some trying to process as much raw material as possible to build up inventory while others are transferring production to other factories.
COVID-19 patients with low vitamin K status tend to have worse outcomes, according to preliminary results of a study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands.
The convenience, practicality and comfort of offering food as tokens of recognition, appreciation and affection could help insulate the US food gifting market during the coronavirus pandemic, but it may not be enough to fully offset losses in 2020 from...
Consumers in Chicago craving restaurant quality meals but without the overhead of delivery fees while staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic can enjoy internationally flavored soup kits created with local restaurants from the startup Soup Explorers....
Vitamin D deficiency may play an important role in the severity of COVID-19 infections so supplementation should be strongly advised at this time, according to researchers who studied mortality rates across the globe.
Just over half of food & beverage professionals surveyed by product innovation firm Mattson this month say projects and launches have been delayed due to coronavirus, but two thirds are still working on new concepts and products and 50% believe COVID-19...
Plant protein suppliers such as Cosucra, Cargill and Roquette are working to keep factories open and customer orders fulfilled - but when it comes to shipping logistics, consumer demand and NPD, uncertainty is still the watchword.
While "banana bread is having a moment" during the lockdown, most consumers that didn't previously have great cooking skills are "not turning into gourmet chefs," and when it comes to dinnertime, they're looking for 'heat-and-eat'...
As the pandemic unfolds, many investors are hitting pause on cash injections into early-stage brands. But for VC funds BFG Partners and BIGR Ventures, the crisis has made investment decisions more clear in terms of what separates an 'OK' brand...
Strong food & beverage brands with world class management teams will continue to attract funding, but valuations are “falling by the minute,” and the days of throwing money at emerging brands and seeing what sticks are over, at least for now, says...
As extensions and new inclusions have been made to many government-mandated social distancing policies, a majority of North American consumers indicate they expect the impact of COVID-19 will persist for up to six months, according to Nielsen.
While the federal government has taken several steps in recent weeks to help feed low-income children during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a leading public health advocate argues more must be done to protect the one in 10 children facing food insecurity...
The way consumers are shopping during the COVID-19 public health pandemic has changed drastically with significantly fewer trips being made to physical grocery stores and a rise in online shopping, according to a new survey of 2,012 US consumers conducted...
As wait times for delivery windows from traditional grocery retail ecommerce sites stretch further into the future, Americans increasingly are buying products directly from manufacturers’ websites during the coronavirus pandemic, creating an opportunity...
Nutrition and health ingredients supplier DSM is experiencing significant spikes in demand for vitamin C and other functional ingredients, reflecting higher overall sales of packaged foods and beverages as consumption switches to the home, coupled with...
Verbiage contained in a revised stay at home order issued by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has led to the closure of some dietary supplement retailers in the state. It’s the second state after Nevada where such actions have been taken.
While it is still too early to predict the long-term economic impact of measures designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the Kroger Co. is bracing for the “high risk” that a recession is on the horizon by investing now in innovation and key partnerships,...
From emergency deliveries of aspartame by airplane to adapting manufacturing plants, sweetener suppliers have been working to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their supply chains.
Ending its Q1 2020, Eat JUST, Inc. – makers of JUST Egg, the plant-based egg alternative made with mung bean protein – reported a +36% increase in unit sales for total US grocery for the four weeks ending March 29, 2020 vs the last four weeks ending...
The tech-forward distribution and logistics platform Pod Foods is offering a lifeline to emerging brands struggling to get on store shelves at a time when many retailers and traditional distributors are prioritizing more established, high-demand brands...
Where and when consumers grocery shop has shifted dramatically since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic on March 11 with consumers increasingly gravitating to dollar stores and limiting trips to club, drug and...
In the space of four weeks, we’ve gone from “pure panic stock-up with a heavy focus on non-foods, to meal prep ingredients, to increased focus on comfort foods,” according to IRI and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). At the same time, spending on ‘self-care’...
As the infection rate and death toll of the novel coronavirus continue to climb, more Americans are re-thinking their diet to help ward off infection, as illustrated by the dramatic increase in sales of immunity products and people buying them in the...
“Coronavirus has us all rethinking how we will do research this year,” says Patricia Manos, VP marketing at consumer insights and product testing specialist Curion, who says there are multiple ways to glean insights from consumers remotely, from video...
While some food & beverage companies have hit the ‘pause’ button on innovation projects as priorities shift during this pandemic, others are finding creative ways to keep projects on track, which in some cases has involving transforming home kitchens...
Public health advocates are lauding a federal court decision that strikes down a final rule published by USDA in late 2018 that they say rolled back nutrition standards for school meals, but which the School Nutrition Association says provided much-needed...
Grocery shoppers’ concern about the health of other customers and store employees has eclipsed fears of running out of food as the death toll from the novel coronavirus continues to climb and high-demand items are restocked more quickly, according to...
Membership-only natural and organic online marketplace Thrive Market has seen a significant increase in demand during the coronavirus pandemic, with members buying more, and more often, putting pressure on the company’s supply chain.
As Americans adjust to home confinement, their confidence in the kitchen has soared with many saying they will carry on with their cooking habits even after the world returns to a new normal, according to a new study by food and beverage communications...
With retailers prioritizing pantry essentials in the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, some deliveries of short-shelf life fresh produce were turned away from distribution centers to make room for toilet paper, pasta sauce and frozen food, causing...
There is currently no cure for coronavirus, however, that hasn’t stopped companies from preying on consumers’ fears, as a new raft of FDA warning letters makes clear.
The rapid shutdown of Indian society to combat the coronavirus crisis has inconvenienced manufacturers of curcumin ingredients, but thus far has not put a critical dent in inventories, suppliers say.
The Specialty Food Association’s (SFA's) Summer Fancy Food Show, scheduled for June 28-30 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York (which has recently been turned into a makeshift hospital), is the latest major food show to be canceled due to the coronavirus...
Rather than hit pause during the ongoing pandemic like many other investors, global venture capital fund SOSV’s Food-X accelerator is moving full steam ahead by welcoming to its 11th cohort eight companies that are directly tackling challenges coronavirus...
While the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger have spawned a wave of soy- and pea-protein fueled copy-cats seeking to precisely mimic the taste and texture of beef, there is room in the plant-based foods market for products made from a broader range of...