A controversial USDA proposed rule to “simplify” school meal standards by allowing less fruit, fewer whole grains and less diverse vegetables to be served at breakfast and lunch could negatively impact students’ academic performance and health, according...
Israeli startup Equinom is bringing its non-GMO seed-breeding technology to the US to serve the North American market, where it will connect food and food ingredients companies directly to its plant protein supply chain.
With instore demos and sampling events off the table; consumers not in the mood for trying new things; and retailers more focused on keeping shelves stocked than discovering new brands; this isn’t a great time for food startups to raise awareness – or...
The bare grocery shelves that many consumers have encountered over the last few days due to Covid-19-related stockpiling are not a harbinger of long-term shortages or a precursor to store closures, but they could signal a shift in the types of products...
Coronavirus is creating significant challenges and opportunities for the food and beverage industry, with panic buying prompting mayhem in stores and a surge in online sales, while instore demo companies have seen business fall off a cliff and smaller...
Demand for personalized nutrition is gaining traction quickly, according to Mintel market research, but for companies to fully leverage the trend they must offer more than bespoke products to include also detailed guidance that “connects the dots” between...
In an announcement that will not likely surprise many stakeholders, New Hope has decided to cancel (rather than postpone) the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim and focus its attention on Expo East in Philadelphia (Sept. 23-26).
While the US oatmilk category is still in its infancy, it’s growing at an explosive rate,* says Oatly, the Swedish brand seeking to take the US market by storm. But can it keep up with demand?
Before the threat of COVID-19 prompted Washington, DC, and other US cities to ban large gatherings, nearly 900 school nutritional professionals from across the country converged on the Nation’s capital to brainstorm how vulnerable children can continue...
LIVEKINDLY co., a new plant-based food company which recently acquired LikeMeat, The Fry Family Food Co., and content startup LIVEKINDLY Media, is building an economy of scale for plant-based chicken to eventually become the "most affordable protein...
US retail sales of refrigerated yogurt and kefir were flat (-0.1%) in the 52 weeks to February 23, and down -0.4% in the latest 12 week period, according to SPINS data,* but this doesn’t mean that we’ve hit ‘peak yogurt,’ insists siggi’s, which recently...
After a tumultuous few years marred by a price-fixing scandal, fines and bankruptcy, Bumble Bee Foods is ready to reemerge as a company dedicated to consumers’ and the planet’s health thanks to help from its new owner, a unique partnership with the maker...
Atlast Food Co – a startup using mycelium (the filament-like roots of mushrooms) to create ‘meaty’ textured edible 3D structures – has been working with innovation consultancy Mattson to help commercialize its first product later this year: meatless bacon.
The latest innovation from Beyond Meat – the Beyond Breakfast Sausage - will hit the frozen breakfast meat section at ACME, Albertsons, Key Foods, Kings, Pavilions, Raley’s, ShopRite, Vons, Wegmans and Whole Foods later this month.
Plant-based brand Upton's Naturals has launched bite-size jerky pieces made from wheat protein. We caught up with its CEO to find out more about the clean label formulation process.
Deep Indian Kitchen has expanded its frozen entree lineup with three new products -- chicken korma, chicken vindaloo, and butter chicken -- to answer mainstream consumers' demand for more accessible, global flavors.
With exhibitors canceling en masse 48-hours before the nation's biggest natural products show was set to open, organizer New Hope was forced to pull the plug, promising a new date "before the summer" (although it's unclear how realistic...
As Chobani’s Incubator continues to buck the status quo by welcoming one of its most diverse cohorts yet into its Spring 2020 class, it also continues to reimagine its program’s structure to better meet the needs of a entrepreneurs from different regions...
NutteeBean, which was recently selected for PepsiCo's Greenhouse accelerator, says its high protein and fiber fava bean snacks are making healthy eating easier. "Snacks do not have to be junk food," says its CEO.
Coronavirus will boost consumption of shelf-stable and frozen packaged foods in the near-term as consumers pantry-load ahead of what could be a large-scale outbreak, predicts a new report from analysts at Bernstein.
The Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and the Good Food Institute (GFI) have urged Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to veto a bill that would limit the use of the term ‘milk’ on food labels – even if used with qualifiers such as ‘dairy-free/plant-based’...
Food manufacturers will soon be able to source sorghum, America's home-grown ancient grain, with a higher (13 to 17%) protein content, opening up new applications in plant-based meats, according to the United Sorghum Checkoff Program.
Impossible Foods is expanding its product lineup and dropping prices to foodservice distributors by an average of 15% as it seeks to make plant-based meat "ubiquitous, super mainstream, and super mass market."
Kite Hill – best known for its dairy-free cheeses, yogurts, dips, and filled pastas – is expanding into a new category with a plant-based butter alternative featuring almondmilk as the #2 ingredient, that will launch nationally in Whole Foods this summer....
Meat giant JBS is making a big push into the plant-based meat arena via a new subsidiary – Boulder, CO-based Planterra Foods – which will make its debut in grocery stores across the US in mid-April with refrigerated burgers, grounds, and meatballs under...
The agri-food tech sector raised a total of $19.8bn in 2019, across 1,858 deals and 2,344 unique investors. While that’s a 4.8% drop in funding and 15% decline in deal activity year-over-year, it represents 250% growth in five years, according to AgFunder's...
Frito-Lay hopes to chip away at some of the inequity that female entrepreneurs face with the launch of a live pitch slam at Natural Products Expo West that will give 10 women a chance to win $100,000 in grants to support their companies.
Nurture Life is shaking off its past utilitarian appearance and adopting a bold, vibrant brand identity that speaks directly to kids, said co-founder of the Chicago-based kids meal delivery service, Jennifer Chow.
While its CEO says engaging in an increasingly heated debate over the merits of plant- vs animal-based meat can be a “zero sum” game, Beyond Meat plans to go on the offensive this year with digital and media campaigns that celebrate its ingredients and...
BlueNalu, a startup hoping to make a splash in the cell-based seafood market, has raised $20m in a Series A round that will help fund a pilot production facility in San Diego to produce small quantities of product for commercial launch in late 2021.
With the launch of a trio of Regenerative & Organic baby food products, Happy Family Organics is directly addressing parents’ fear about what the current climate crisis means for their children as well as more broadly delivering on its mission to...
Customer supermarket satisfaction is stable after slipping one year ago, with Trader Joe's, Wegmans, and H-E-B all scoring high points for customer service, quality of food, and easy-to-shop store layouts, according to the 2019-2020 American Customer...
Do plant-based meats and cheeses deliver the texture consumers crave? Food Navigator-USA caught up with Dr. Mike Leonard, CTO at Motif FoodWorks, which is developing ‘high impact’ ingredients that could be added to existing formulations in small quantities...
Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products hitting US shelves, featuring probiotic cultured kefir smoothies, keto ice cream, and grain-free tortillas, and a flurry of plant-based launches in snacks, dairy alternatives, and dressings.
After temporarily pulling back commercial support for cereal last year to offset other investments in the category, Kellogg Co. is going all in on the segment with ramped up advertising and innovative new launches planned across multiple iconic brands....
While Blue Apron lost less money in 2019 (-$61m) than it did in 2018 (-$122m) and some customer metrics are improving, bosses at the meal kit co have conceded that they can’t execute a turnaround strategy without raising more capital, and are looking...
The number of class action filings against food and beverage companies rose 8% to 177 in 2019, with firms vulnerable to legal action on a host of fronts, from animal welfare claims and CBD to vanilla labeling, says law firm Perkins Coie.
California almonds now star in every category of the store, from plant-based dairy and nut butters to protein shakes and gourmet salad oils. So where are the new growth opportunities, and how is the industry dealing with questions about sustainability...
As members of Gen Z enter the workforce in greater numbers, their shopping habits are influencing the retail industry in non-traditional ways including fueling the growth of unattended retail channels such as cashierless checkouts and smart vending machines,...
Drawn to the rapid sales growth and widespread consumer interest in plant-based alternatives to animal products, a team of investors and industry experts has launched the Eat Beyond Global Investment Fund to connect retail investors with potentially fast-growing...
Lavva – which stands out in the burgeoning plant-based yogurt category with a no added sugar product fueled by Pili nuts and plaintains – is testing its wares in Target and several Kroger banners, and gearing up for the launch of Molten Lavva, a ‘decadent’...
When demand for “clean label” first burst on the scene several years ago, it was all about removing “chemical-sounding,” “unnatural” and unnecessary ingredients from products, but as shoppers learn more about food, how it is made and its impact on their...
There’s the audacity of hope, and then there’s the hard data proving that most new food and beverage brands are quickly consigned to the dustbin of history. But some do manage to ride that magical CPG skate curve. So what are they doing differently?
While Kraft Heinz’s 5.1% drop in net sales and 4.2% dip in volumes in Q4 is hardly cause for celebration, analysts at Bernstein say there are good signs that CEO Miguel Patricio "is taking the necessary steps to stabilize the business rather than...
Don Lee Farms has filed a 3rd amended complaint vs Beyond Meat, accusing it of doctoring a food safety consultant’s report and sharing trade secrets with Don Lee's rivals to help them “actively solicit” to replace Don Lee as Beyond Meat’s co-manufacturer...
As the number of food accelerators and incubators has increased in recent years, the barrier for entry into the market has decreased – and while this makes launching a new product or company easier, it has made cutting through the competition and finding...
Blue Apron has added more flexibility to its meal kit plans with the introduction of a meal prep offering, which provides consumers with eight servings of food for an entire week, all made in one prep session.
While a new cell-based meat company emerges from stealth mode almost every month, the amount of money invested in the embryonic sector to date pales in comparison to the megabucks poured into plant-based meat over the past couple of years. So is slaughter-free...
