Consumers place significant onus for ensuring the safety of food and beverages on the companies that make them, and yet their trust in manufacturers to deliver this is at rock bottom – creating a dangerous gap that can be closed only with increased transparency,...
Sharply contrasting views over the scope of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have emerged in comments submitted to USDA and HHS this week, with some stakeholders arguing that issues such as sustainability (eg. should we recommend eating less...
In the push to win consumers, woo top talent and, believe it or not, balance budgets, corporate social responsibility programs could be one of the most powerful tools in companies’ arsenals – but determining what to include and how to structure them can...
After two years of radio silence, during which some legal commentators – and several judges dealing with civil litigation on the issue – suspected it might die on the vine, the FDA has given its clearest indication yet that it will attempt to define ‘natural’...
The Whole30 Approved logo has become a shortcut for consumers looking for products made with real, simple and nutritious ingredients, and as such it is giving products that bear the certification a huge market boost, as Applegate recently discovered....
Beech-Nut is hoping to do for the toddler snack space what it did four years ago for the ‘tired and dated’ baby food category by launching new products in revamped packaging for young children that are inspired by what parents make at home, but more convenient.
While increasing numbers of food manufacturers are experimenting with alternatives to animal proteins, enthusiasm for all things plant-based has not dampened overall demand for eggs, with US per capita egg consumption rising again in 2017, according to...
It’s a cruel reality that, even today’s most bold innovators in premium food and beverage may find themselves copied and mimicked with remarkable speed. Whether deliberate copycats or simultaneous innovation, ideas for innovation spread much, much faster...
A recent study shows that pecans, when substituted into a higher-fat diet resembling the average intake of Americans, improved cardiometabolic risk factors in older, overweight subjects.
From leveling the playing field between plant-based and meat and dairy, to increasing investment in plant-based food R&D research and development of plant-based foods and clean meat, leading plant-based advocacy groups are outlining their wish lists...
The omnibus spending bill just passed in the House directs the FDA to strengthen and enforce dairy standards of identity in a bid to crack down on plant-based 'imitators,' claim milk producers. But the Plant Based Foods Association says the...
The future for food and beverage brands is not about market share, it is about mindshare, says Neil Saunders from GlobalData. “If you have a strong brand that is front of mind for consumers, you have a much better chance of being successful.”
Not so long ago, dairy and meat alternatives were niche categories for vegans and vegetarians; today they’re driving a new ‘plant-based’ movement. But does plant-based necessarily mean healthy, and can brands in this space meet demand for cleaner labels?...
‘The traditional direct to consumer subscription model reaches a limited consumer base’
A significant percentage of consumers buy into the meal kit concept, but don’t want to commit to a subscription, and want more flexible options to purchase them on- and off-line, says Chef’d, which is rolling out meal kits to 1,500 grocery stores by the...
Acquisitive large CPG brands now recognize that their best bet is to be leave their sexier bedfellows well alone, but give them the resources they need to expand more rapidly, rather than swallowing them under the corporate umbrella, says Justin’s founder...
Meal kit brand HelloFresh is profitable for the first time internationally and “close to breakeven” in the US, claims the company, which announced a 52% increase in group revenues to 905m euros (c.$1.11bn) in 2017 the day after unveiling a deal to acquire...
Multiple exhibitors at the Natural Products Expo West show were showcasing plant-based yogurts this year, but each with a slightly different slant, says Jody Polishchuk, who claims his product – Yooga – delivers on taste and nutrition, without as much...
'I think you’ll see a mass exodus of CPG companies moving from polyols to allulose...'
Allulose is the sweetener generating the most buzz among food formulators right now, although many are waiting to see if the FDA exempts it from sugar labeling (it’s technically a sugar, but it’s not metabolized like one), before launching products featuring...
There’s a reason why plant-based yogurts haven’t achieved anything close to the category share of plant-based milks – and it’s not simply that they are newer to market – claims Edward Averdieck, CEO at British coconut yogurt and dessert brand The Coconut...
‘All of these people yelling at each other…the vegans vs the Paleos vs the ketogenic people, this is insane…’
A calorie is a calorie, right? Wrong, argues pediatrician, sugar-nemesis and author of best-selling book ‘Fat Chance’, Dr Robert Lustig, who caught up with FoodNavigator-USA at the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim last week.
The Quaker brand – best known for its hot and cold cereals and snack bars – is planning its first foray into the chiller, as brand owner PepsiCo seeks to tap into consumer demand for more convenient nutrition, says Seth Kaufman, head of the company’s...
‘Retailers must get their heads in the clouds’, says Whipstitch Capital, which means brands must think omni-channel and what they can do outside of just offering a ‘product’.
Ancient Nutrition is ready to “grab the proverbial tiger by the tail” with a $103 million investment that will allow it to reach and educate more consumers about its on-trend powdered bone broth, collagen products and a recently launched and already hot...
If the evidence that predominantly plant-based diets are better for human health is growing, the evidence that they are better for the planet is compelling, delegates at the 7th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition (ICVN) were told.
Noodles are one of the hottest restaurant trends, but the retail ramen category has not enjoyed the same explosive growth. Houston-based Naughty Noah’s is hoping to change that with Vietnamese Pho noodle soups inspired by mom.
FDA commissioner: 'We will have more to say on the 'natural' issue soon'
By Charles Sipos, partner; and Lauren Staniar, associate, Perkins Coie
While defining ‘natural’ for the purposes of food labeling has not appeared to be high on the FDA’s priority list since it announced its 2015 probe, things could be about to change, predict Perkins Coie attorneys Charles Sipos and Lauren Staniar.
Analysis of multiple cohorts of consumers around the world featuring large subsets of people on vegan and vegetarian diets – including the Adventist Health Study 2 in the US, the EPIC Oxford study in the UK and the Tzu Chi Health Study 1 and vegetarian...
Attorney: 'I would be surprised if the USDA acts on this petition'
Producing ‘clean’ meat by culturing cells – instead of raising or slaughtering animals - is a new frontier in food production that will require consumer education and transparent labeling. But should regulators prevent pioneers in this space from using...
Conscious consumerism continues to rise in America with more shoppers saying they want to reward companies that “do good,” unfortunately for companies that are embracing this trend a recent survey found many people don’t know how to find socially responsible...
'The shoulders of the Kite Hill brand can hold many product platforms'
Almondmilk-fueled brand Kite Hill could potentially play in multiple categories in the ambient, chilled and frozen aisles of the store, says new CEO Rob Leibowitz , who plans to sit down with co-founder Tal Ronnen in the weeks ahead to explore opportunities...
“So the ketogenic diet, sure, it will cause you to lose weight in the short term. So would cholera, or a cocaine binge, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea,” observed Dr David Katz at the 7th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition (ICVN) this...
The FDA has unveiled guidance on added sugars, serving sizes and dietary fibers to help manufacturers implement the new Nutrition Facts label, and says it’s working on a plan to incentivize manufacturers to make healthier products and “provide consumers...
Deconstructing meat and presenting it in unexpected formats like ice cream, chocolate, and yogurt may help older consumers consume adequate levels of protein and other nutrients, says a new study.
People on a primarily plant-based diet are consistently slimmer and healthier than meat eaters, with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and type 2 diabetes, according to research unveiled at the 7th International Congress on Vegetarian...
Awareness and concern around age-related muscle loss is rapidly increasing, but many older consumers are in need of better education around what their protein needs are, and how best to get there, says Abbott.
Products made from insect protein have been hailed as both sustainable and healthy. For this reason, direct sales to health conscious gym bunnies are a “huge opportunity”, according to the founder of high-growth insect processor Eat Grub.
Preparing delicious healthy home cooked meals every night requires inspiration, time and energy: things most working people are short of, hence, the growth of meal kits. But not everyone can afford them, is comfortable with the amount of packaging they...
Rules governing which foods and beverages are credited under child nutrition programs* need updating to reflect changing eating habits and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, says the Good Food Institute (GFI), which wants schools to have the option...
Jeff Harmening, General Mills’ CEO, told attendants at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) the company could see more acquisitions as part of its ‘reshape the portfolio for growth’ strategy.
New packaging that positions SeaPack Shrimp & Seafood Co.'s frozen seafood products as the “ultimate resource for hassle-free cooking” will make the brand more relatable to modern shoppers who want healthy options and are pressed for time, according...
'No one wants to pay more than they have to for groceries...'
Consumers are tired of cavernous stores with “90 different jars of pasta sauce,” said Tom Cindel, director of operations at ALDI’s Moreno Valley, CA, division, pointing to a shelf at the recently opened store in Monrovia, CA. “We just buy this one, it’s...
Increasing consumer demand for fresh products, including new chilled alternatives to shelf-stable staples such as nutrition bars and baby food, is creating a logistical nightmare for some retailers and manufactures in need of more flexible refrigeration...
Unilever has become the first consumer goods company to publicly disclose all the suppliers and mills it buys palm oil from, both directly and indirectly, it says.
“At the beginning I thought our audience would be mostly vegans, but what I’ve realized is that a lot of people are just looking to try new things, especially high-quality alternative, premium, or gourmet food products,” says the chef behind dairy-free...
With glyphosate in the spotlight again as anti-GMO activist group Moms Across America released test results suggesting trace levels of the herbicide (commonly used with GE crops) in brands from Lipton to Skippy’s, we spoke to Amin Talati Upadhye attorney...
As a relative newcomer to the baby food category, Nosh wants to do more than just feed babies' and toddlers' stomachs, it wants to feed their minds with products that teach foundational skills and knowledge.
US retail sales of culinary coconut oil – a category demonstrating explosive growth in recent years – have continued to decline, according to new data from SPINS, with the strongest reversal of fortunes in the conventional (MULO) channel, where sales...
