Plant-based food brand Alpha Foods has raised $28m in a funding round led by VC fund AccelFoods and supported by New Crop Capital, Green Monday and Blue Horizon, bringing its total funding to around $40m.
So far, the health halo surrounding plant-based products has led many consumers to overlook characteristics of newer versions of meatless products that might be a turnoff in other food categories, including longer-ingredient lists and less favorable nutritional...
In a motion to dismiss a lawsuit* filed in California accusing it of selling ‘illegal’ CBD-infused products, PlusCBD Oil maker CV Sciences deploys multiple arguments: no one was harmed; plaintiffs lack standing to seek label changes; the case is pre-empted...
The long-held consumer perception of convenience stores as a last resort for a fast in-and-out trip to grab a six-pack of beer and, if they weren’t too picky, a few staple ingredients, is quickly being replaced by a new class of elevated – and digitally-integrated...
Readers of The Guardian’s recent report on pollinating California’s almond crop (‘Like sending bees to war: the deadly truth behind your almond milk obsession’) were left with a clear message: honey bees are dying en masse, and almond growers luring them...
After more than a decade working in the food industry, Hector Saldivar knew the lay of the land better than most aspiring entrepreneurs when he quit the day job in 2016 to start his own food brand, Tia Lupita, and part of that was knowing the power of...
While 42 out of the top 100 US restaurant chains still don’t offer a plant-based entrée, new data from NPD Group commissioned by the Good Food Institute (GFI) shows US shipments of plant-based meat from major broadline foodservice distributors to restaurant...
Canadian startup Noblegen has unveiled ‘the egg’ - its first consumer product under the eunite brand showcasing the ‘ancient microorganism’ euglena gracilis, which it claims can produce proteins with exciting functional and nutritional characteristics......
Purveyors of acacia gum suffered a setback last week as the FDA concluded that they had not (yet) presented sufficient evidence to prove that the ingredient should be classified as a dietary fiber on food labels.
Beyond Meat has hit back at former co-manufacturer Don Lee Farms after experiencing further setbacks in its legal dispute with the firm, which alleges it wrongfully terminated a supply contract, telling reporters that, “We simply couldn’t get Don Lee...
Nearly anyone would agree that eating fruits and vegetables is crucial to maintaining a healthy diet, but for many, eating healthy is also a source of stress and worry, according to a survey of 1,000 US consumers published by Del Monte Foods.
The FDA has promised to provide more clarity over CBD “in the coming weeks.” But how should brands navigate the regulatory minefield in the meantime, and what options does the agency have?
Stevia supplier PureCircle has unveiled a new management team following a probe into accounting irregularities that has delayed the publication of its full-year results and prompted a suspension of its shares.
The quest to precisely mimic the taste and texture of meat and dairy is driving innovation in the next generation of ‘plant-based’ foods. But there is also growing demand for less ‘processed’ products made from whole foods, says the CEO of Cool Beans.
Consuming one egg a day is not tied to higher blood cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease, even for individuals with a history of such conditions, an analysis of three global studies by researchers at Population Health Research Institute (PHRI)...
Growing demand for dairy and meat alternatives with shorter, cleaner ingredients lists is driving demand for citrus fibers, which can replace everything from carrageenan, gellan gum, mono diglycerides, and lecithin in plant-based milks, to methyl cellulose...
Factor_, a fully-prepared meal delivery service based in the Chicago area, believes the way to get consumers to eat more healthily on a consistent basis is to remove the time and mental barriers around cooking.
PB&J is an all-American classic… but what about CB&J? If you combine roasted chickpeas and sunflower seeds with olive oil and a dash of coconut sugar and sea salt, the net result (‘chickpea butter’) is remarkably similar to peanut butter, minus...
With a portfolio spanning everything from refrigerated plant-based yogurt drinks to shelf-stable cans of cold brew coffee and oatmilk, Califia Farms has raised a jaw-dropping $340m+ over four funding rounds to build its plant-based empire over the past...
KeHE has launched an emerging brands program called KeHE elevate to help emerging brands navigate the competitive and constantly-evolving food and beverage market.
Under a new joint development agreement, Nestlé will help Merit Functional Foods and its technology partner, Burcon NutraScience, scale and commercialize its portfolio of plant proteins with the goal of using the startup's novel ingredients in foods...
The total retail market for plant-based foods in the US was worth nearly $4.5bn* in 2019 with dollar sales growing at 31% over the past two years compared to 4% for US retail total dollar food sales. And according to global ingredients supplier ADM, 2020...
Gardein, the second largest brand in the meat-alternatives space, has upped its plant-based burger game with the launch of the Ultimate Plant-Based Burger, which the brand says provides consumers with a craveworthy burger experience.
The Consumer Brands Association (formerly known as the Grocery Manufacturers Association) has launched an advisory board to provide “thought leadership and strategic oversight for the industry as it moves forward in seeking appropriate regulation of CBD.”
Giving the first clear signal that cell-based meat is moving out of the laboratory and into the market, Memphis Meats has unveiled plans to build a pilot production facility after raising $161m – a sum greater than the amount invested to date in all of...
To better reflect the rapidly evolving grocery retail landscape – and the increasingly complex and interconnected supply chain – FMI is adopting a more inclusive position and rebranding with the new tagline ‘The Food Industry Association.’
Eat JUST, Inc, known for its JUST Egg liquid plant-based egg replacement made from the mung bean, has debuted a folded product that requires novice culinary skills to make, said co-founder and CEO Josh Tetrick, whose preferred method of preparation is...
Retailers across channels hoping to attract affluent shoppers who have a disproportionate impact on their bottom line should promote values and products most closely associated with the natural segment, suggests new research from Packaged Facts.
Organic produce continues to be one of the strongest food product growth segments in the grocery channel, increasing at a much faster rate than conventional produce, according to a new report by the Organic Produce Network (OPN).
Fresh Bowl – a startup supplying fresh salads, breakfasts and snacks from hi-tech vending machines in re-usable glass jars – has raised $2.1m in a seed round co-led by Betaworks Ventures and New Ground Ventures, with participation from Tuesday and Mana...
A new study, analyzing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, found that infant grain consumption was generally associated with higher nutrient intakes across a broader set of food categories.
Two proposals characterized by the US Department of Agriculture as giving schools “additional flexibilities” around the food they serve students and as a solution to food waste in cafeterias are, according to public health advocates, “a step in the wrong...
For many Americans watching the Super Bowl Feb. 2, what food and beverages are served is just as important, if not more so, than who wins the Big Game – making the sporting event a pivotal marketing moment for brands across categories to lift sales and...
Harmless Harvest – which has carved a distinct niche in the coconut water category via its use of micro-filtration (instead of thermal pasteurization) – is promising to bring the same commitment to novel processing methods, organic ingredients, and clean...
The consumer-packaged goods industry is undergoing a “cataclysmic transformation,” according to one branding expert, who explained that a new crop of entrepreneurs who are unfettered by outdated taboos and not intimidated by industry giants are challenging...
Packed lunches from home have typically been considered the healthier alternative to meals provided by the school cafeteria, but a recent study found that bringing lunch from home doesn’t always mean a child is eating a nutritionally-balanced meal.
Ingredients specialist Roquette has extended its pea protein supply agreement with Beyond Meat for three more years. The amount supplied will ‘significantly’ increase compared to 2019 figures, Roquette executive Jean-Philippe Azoulay tells FoodNavigator.
Plant-based food and beverage brand Califia Farms has raised $225m in a Series D funding round led by sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), and says it is "carefully evaluating opportunities to expand beyond beverages and into many...
Gathered Foods, parent company to plant-based seafood brand Good Catch, has closed a series B funding round led by several industry players including Greenleaf Foods and 301 INC, the venture arm of General Mills.
Recognizing that there is a lot of information – and misinformation – about different diets, weight management brand Atkins Nutritionals is launching a new multi-marketing campaign with spokesman Rob Lowe that aims to set the record straight about what...
Health and nutrition experts are urging food manufacturers to create healthier options for schools to serve students after new research shows that strengthened nutrition standards in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 are working and the fears...
TreeHouse Foods is selling two bakery facilities to Rich Products Corporation, following the announcement that its deal to sell the ready-to-eat cereal business to Post has ended after a complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Consumers are moving across online and offline channels more fluidly, leaving retailers needing to create a variety of new customer touchpoints to build engagement and shopper loyalty.
The FDA has granted a citizen petition* requesting that glucomannan (found in the root of the elephant yam, also known as the konjac plant) be added to the list of ingredients classified as dietary fiber on US food and supplement labels.
If a beverage contains 25g of added sugar and describes itself as ‘just a tad sweet,’ is it misleading shoppers? In the absence of a legal definition of terms such as ‘low sugar’ or ‘lightly sweetened,’ the courts have delivered mixed opinions on lawsuits...
As we enter the next decade, consumers will continue to wield the power they took from food and beverage brands during the last ten years to drive increased transparency, sustainability and social responsibility, predicts one leading market analyst and...
As obesity rates continue to rise, more Americans are turning to medical professionals, new technology and science-based approaches to help them meet their weight-loss goals, but new research from Jenny Craig suggests long-term success also requires a...
Campbell Soup executive Carlos Abrams-Rivera will join the senior leadership team at Kraft Heinz as the new U.S. Zone President, leading all US business operations, the company’s largest business, effective February 3.
Millennials and younger members of Gen X have tended to be the biggest consumers of organic and natural foods, but now, the youngest generation of adult consumers – Gen Z (ages 18-24) – is beginning to command the category.
Traditional regional grocers are enjoying a resurgence of consumer preference thanks in part to improved assortment and private brands, but the growing threat of a recession in the US could compromise their rising status unless they can also prove themselves...
