With the regulatory path forward for hemp-derived CBD in foods and supplements no clearer a year after the FDA’s May 2019 public meeting, trade association The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has filed a citizen’s petition urging the FDA to regulate...
Dreams of a startup taking off like a rocket ship with broad distribution, strong sales and widespread brand recognition can quickly become a nightmare if entrepreneurs don’t first have in place effective strategies for hiring, financial management and...
Children under the age of 2 years should avoid all added sugars in order to better make “every bite count,” according to the Dietary Guidelines advisory subcommittee tasked with creating the first ever dietary guidelines for children younger than 24 months....
With only 1% of venture capital going to Black led or founded companies last year, investors are being asked to finance more Black entrepreneurs as part of the anti-racism movement sweeping America, but to do so, the founder of TeaSquares advises, they...
Food giants PepsiCo, Mars and Conagra Brands have pledged to review or phase out three high-profile legacy brands amid continued criticism that they enshrine and perpetuate offensive racial stereotypes.
The LIVEKINDLY co., which launched in March with the ambition of becoming one of the largest plant-based food companies, has acquired Swedish plant-based meat brand, Oumph!, known for its soy-based burgers, strips, and pulled meat products.
From growing interest in immune health to a sharp rise in online grocery shopping, how is COVID-19 impacting consumer behavior? Here are a few things that caught our eye in recent reports from The Hartman Group for FMI, the Food Industry Association*;...
Following consultation with stakeholders about the viability of holding a major trade exhibition as coronavirus cases continue to rise in multiple states, New Hope has opted to cancel Natural Products Expo East in Philadelphia (Sept. 23-26) and encourage...
More than 70 brands including Chobani, Oatly, Planet Oat, PURIS, Once Upon a Farm, Foodstirs, Chosen Foods, and Thrive Market have now secured ‘Glyphosate Residue Free’ certification for 1,500+ products, according to The Detox Project, which launched...
Instacart has raised $225 million in new financing following an “unprecedented surge” in demand for online grocery delivery services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
EPG (brand name: Epogee) – a new plant-based oil that has been restructured in such a way that virtually none of it is absorbed by the body – is attracting interest from formulators across the food industry, as firms see an opportunity to make significant...
New research from Unilever highlights the growing importance of health, wellness and immunity for consumers. “Our Foods and Refreshment business is uniquely positioned to lead purposefully in the space of holistic health and immunity,” nutrition R&D...
US plant-based meat specialist Beyond Meat expects to begin European production by the end of 2020 after opening a new plant in Zoeterwoude and acquiring a further site in Enschede.
The mode of grocery shopping has evolved over the last few months with e-commerce experiencing a noticeable spike, but according to consumer insights and data company DISQO, in-store shopping is still the predominant and preferred way for consumers to...
Private equity firm Brynwood Partners VII will acquire refrigerated pasta brand Buitoni’s North American business from Nestlé USA, forming the Buitoni Food Company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.
Miyoko’s has upped the ante in its legal dispute with the State of California over the use of the term ‘butter’ on a plant-based product, urging the court to issue a preliminary injunction against state ag officials, who it claims are violating its First...
Even before the coronavirus pandemic paused face-to-face meetings and tradeshows, startups that couldn’t afford the high entrance fees to some of the food and beverage industry’s most prominent shows struggled to catch and keep investors’ attention –...
Supply chain snags, consumer stockpiling and retailers reprioritizing what to stock during the initial phases of the coronavirus pandemic meant many consumers had to go without their favorite brands and switch to available alternatives, but according...
San Francisco-based startup Hooray Foods – which launched its allergy-friendly vegan bacon (no soy or wheat) in restaurants late last year – is now in talks with retailers looking to expand their plant-based meat set.
As Americans tentatively emerge from lockdown, the industry is likely to face a very different consumer landscape. How might tighter household budgets change consumer priorities and behaviors? Will ‘Big Food’ really stage a comeback? Will habits (stress...
Impossible Foods has launched an e-commerce site to make its plant-based burgers available to all US consumers in the lower 48 states, offering free, two-day shipping of larger, family-sized quantities of the Impossible Burger.
Instore demos - a key tool for many emerging brands to encourage trial and raise awareness – were one of the first things to go when COVID-19 hit, with multiple retailers discontinuing them until further notice. However, Costco is planning a gradual...
Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), the world’s largest private source of funding for food allergy research – has met with the FDA to share its concerns over the agency’s recent move to temporarily allow manufacturers to make minor formulation...
As stay-at-home restrictions ease across the US and Americans attempt to return to a post-pandemic normal way of life, the crisis and nationwide aid initiatives such as the Frontline Impact Project are far from over.
While not everyone is convinced that recent surging sales for some legacy food brands mean ‘Big Food’ is staging a comeback, some habits developed during the pandemic could be sustained, and brands such as Campbell Soup are well-placed to exploit them,...
While many Americans have cooked more than ever in recent weeks, with some picking up new skills, demand for fresh ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook meals that require minimal effort has never been higher, says the founder of FreshRealm, which has teamed...
No longer able to rely on conferences, in-store demos or serendipitous meetings to raise awareness of a new business or product, entrepreneurs increasing are connecting with each other, mentors and consumers through subscription-based online platforms...
New technology could reduce saturated fat and significantly improve the taste and texture of plant-based meat and dairy products, claims Motif FoodWorks, which is working on a variety of ingredients to make these foods more “craveable.”
While many states emerge from several weeks of shelter-in-place mandates and businesses begin to reopen, many consumers feel their usual shopping behaviors won’t return to “normal” for some time, an Acosta report revealed.
Miriam Ueberall recently joined The Kraft Heinz Company to head up research and development for the group’s international zone. FoodNavigator speaks to her about how innovation and product development is at the heart of Kraft Heinz’s turnaround plans.
With last Friday’s launch of the first-of-its-kind, single-material baby food pouch, Gerber is one step closer to its ambitious goal to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 without compromising the convenience and safety that parents...
As the plant-based food sector continues to grow (up 11% in dollar sales in 2019 to $5bn), the category has become an integral part of many grocery retailers’ store assortments, marketing, and promotional strategies, according to The Good Food Institute...
After years of living in the shadow of well-funded and aggressively marketed pistachios, almonds and walnuts, Oregon hazelnuts are now ready to inspire manufacturers and consumers as the star ingredient in new products thanks to a new cultivar and a steady...
The National Advertising Division has ruled that GSK must stop calling some of its Benefiber prebiotic supplements ‘100% natural.’ It’s a ruling that could be viewed as troublesome for other prebiotic ingredients.
“Gut feelings” often form the foundation of startups, but to scale a business successfully, especially in times of crisis, entrepreneurs need more than that – they need data that shows where their brand fits in the competitive landscape and where consumers...
Tokyo-based cell-cultured meat company IntegriCulture has raised JPY 800m (US$ 7.4m) in a Series A round that will help it advance its mission of ‘democratizing cellular agriculture’ and build a production facility to take slaughter-free foie gras to...
Allergen-friendly plant-based cheese brand GOOD PLANeT Foods has raised $12m in a series A round led by Cleveland Avenue, and supported by GreatPoint Ventures, Tasseo Consumer, Stray Dog Capital, and Lever VC.
New data from the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and SPINS shows that US retail sales of plant-based meat, cheese, tofu, and tempeh outpaced total food retail sales for the 16 weeks ending April 19, 2020.
With many food manufacturers experiencing difficulties in sourcing some ingredients during the pandemic, the FDA is allowing temporary flexibility in food labeling requirements enabling them to make minor formulation changes without updating labels, provided...
Rebellyous Foods – a Seattle-based startup that has been targeting high-volume foodservice accounts with plant-based chicken nuggets – has made a dramatic pivot to retail with the launch of family-packs at select retailers in the Pacific Northwest.
Seaweed is well established as a source of thickeners and emulsifiers such as carrageenan and agar and has carved out a small segment of the healthy snacks aisle, but it could also give rivals a serious run for their money as a source of plant-based protein,...
Plant-based dairy brand Miyoko’s Creamery – which built an artisan cheese brand based on cashew nuts but has since introduced new products featuring legumes and oats - is experimenting with a novel ingredient that’s naturally high in protein, and developing...
Nearly a quarter (24%) of consumers have taken their grocery shopping online in the months of March and April 2020 compared to 6% in 2019 highlighting the need for retailers to provide a seamless shopper experience between in-store, pickup, and delivery...
Hormel Foods saw organic net sales increase 20% for its grocery products (SPAM, SKIPPY, Hormel chili, and Hormel Compleats microwave meals) and registered a 12% rise in net sales for Jennie-O Turkey products offsetting a decline in foodservice sales in...
The economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus has pushed many investors into a protective mode that precludes new deals, but raising capital during the pandemic still is possible – it just requires entrepreneurs to more clearly define their value...
As news continues to break about more workers at grocery stores and meat and poultry packing plants contracting coronavirus, consumer concern about employee health and their access to food and beverage during the pandemic is on the rise again after a...
The FDA, USDA and EPA have launched ‘Feed Your Mind’, a new Agricultural Biotechnology Education and Outreach Initiative that aims to increase consumer awareness and understanding of genetically engineered foods (GMOs).
Higher costs associated with serving school meals to needy children during the coronavirus pandemic paired with reduced program participation are generating “crippling financial losses” that could compromise efforts to serve students next year unless...
Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products, from avocado puffs and keto sandwich cookies, to sparkling beverages infused with vitamins and minerals from Talking Rain.
