With vanilla bean prices skyrocketing in recent months, interest in alternatives with natural and clean label credentials is intensifying in mature markets in Western Europe and North America, although demand for artificial vanillin is still growing in...
Encouraged by positive early compliance rates with the ‘game-changing’ gluten-free labeling standard that went into effect in mid-2014, FDA could now focus its attention on reducing the risk of cross contact with gluten-containing foods and ingredients,...
Plum Organics – which disrupted the baby food aisle in 2009 with its spouted pouches and novel flavor combinations – is aiming to shake up the category again this fall with the launch of Baby Bowls, a new line of products in recyclable BPA-free plastic...
Not so long ago high-protein products and ‘snacks’ were on opposite ends of the health spectrum with one appealing to fitness enthusiasts or people trying to manage their weight or build muscles, and the other aimed at fun-seeking consumers who ate for...
A 'Marlboro Friday' moment* (a huge overnight price cut) is not something most big US food manufacturers will contemplate as they seek to claw back the initiative in a rapidly evolving food retail market, say Bernstein analysts. Instead, we...
New research revealing a dramatic increase in the number of insurance claims related to severe allergic reactions to food reinforces other evidence indicating that food allergies are on the rise, and bolsters the marketing opportunity and potential longevity...
Thanks to its stable nature and absence of a genetically modified variety, sunflower oil is in a good position to replace partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), according to the National Sunflower Association.
Drinkable soup brand Tio Gazpacho has secured listings in 45 Whole Foods stores in California, its first foray into the state and one of several new business wins in recent months as it reaps the benefits of partnerships with General Mills and Michelin-Starred...
“Instead of giving farmers a barn with 50,000 chickens, why not give them a small factory and 10,000 machines?”
While it might be a while before steaks grown in bioreactors (instead of on the farm) become standard fare at your local steakhouse, ‘locally produced’ cultured meat could quickly gain traction in nuggets, burgers, meatballs, and hot dogs if the price...
When it comes to a successful product launch, timing is vital – especially if a company hopes to disrupt a category or substantially change the way consumers think about what is on their plate and how it got there.
Even though ecommerce represents only a small fraction of grocery sales currently, manufacturers and retailers need to embrace digital now or else risk losing out given it influences more than half of all grocery sales somewhere along the path to purchase,...
Chobani has chosen seven startups out of more than 550 applicants for its second annual Food Incubator program based on each company’s commitment to innovation.
Albertsons’ deal to acquire meal kit company plated was a smart move for both parties, and will likely be the first of many strategic partnerships in the food ecommerce space as “brands are seeking out their dance partner before the music stops"...
Valensa International has signed a supply and marketing deal with Kemin in the US for its line of immune-supporting beta-glucans sourced from a proprietary strain of algae.
Plant-based meats account for less than a quarter of 1% of meat sales in the US, while plant-based milks have gobbled up almost 10% of the fluid milk market, says the Good Food Institute (GFI). But why is this? Are they simply not cutting it, or is it...
Meat-free brand Quorn – which has a big presence in the UK chilled food market, but has historically focused on the frozen segment in the US – has developed a new line of meat- and soy-free refrigerated sausages and chicken strips that will roll out across...
Terra's Kitchen CEO: Strategics are eyeing up meal kit players now...
As shockwaves from the Amazon/Whole Foods deal continue to reverberate throughout the food industry, Albertsons has struck while the iron is hot via a deal to acquire Plated – one of the leading brands in the burgeoning meal kit market – for an undisclosed...
Unlike cost-conscious generations that came before, Generation Z cares more about convenience than price – a dramatic reversal that will change not only how brands and retailers catch their attention but also where and how they shop, according to new...
DouxMatok, the Israeli firm behind patented technology that makes sugar taste sweeter, has raised $8.1m in a funding round led by Israel’s largest VC fund, Pitango, with the participation of existing shareholders including Gil Horsky* and FoodLab Capital.
When it comes to meeting consumers’ growing demand for protein, animal-based products continue to reign supreme in the US and Canada for now – but plant-based options are gaining traction and hold significant sales potential, according to the market research...
Natural ingredients giant Naturex has struck a global distribution deal with MycoTechnology, the fungi-fueled start-up behind Pure Taste fermented shiitake vegetable protein: a high-profile new entrant to the ‘alternative’ protein market.
The entrepreneurs behind an app enabling shoppers to earn cash back after purchasing natural, organic and healthy lifestyle products, say they can give brands participating on the platform “unprecedented insight into their customers' shopping habits.”
The deadline for compliance with the new-look Nutrition Facts panel is likely to be early 2020, 18 months after the original July 26, 2018, compliance date, according to FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb.
Boulder-based MycoTechnology has raised $35m in a series B financing round from a flurry of high profile investors* from Kellogg’s Eighteen94 Capital to Bunge Ventures and inked a strategic partnership with a leading player in the natural products industry...
US retail sales of plant-based foods and beverages rose 8.1% to $3.1bn in the 52 weeks to August 12, according to Nielsen data compiled for the Plant Based Foods Association and The Good Food Institute.
An appeal has been filed challenging a federal judge’s recent decision to toss a high-profile lawsuit* over ‘100% natural’ claims on Quaker Oats products containing trace levels of the herbicide glyphosate.
After a month of hints about pursuing an “exciting and terrifying” new opportunity in organic food, former Annie’s CEO John Foraker has finally gone public about his plans to join refrigerated babyfood brand Once Upon a Farm, alongside actress Jennifer...
Amazon can be an “insanely disruptive” platform for challenger brands willing to put in the time and effort to understand how to maximize their prospects on the site, says Pyure Brands, which is giving far larger rivals a run for their money in the stevia-based...
Amazon moved quickly to add Whole Foods private label items to its Prime Now and Prime Pantry platforms post the acquisition, notching up sales of almost $500k in week one, but ran into inventory issues pretty rapidly after underestimating demand, says...
New Frontier Foods has spent four years building a presence in the rapidly-growing seaweed snacks market with its Ocean’s Halo brand, but reckons its latest innovation – organic seaweed-based broths (now rolling out nationwide at Walmart, Safeway/Albertsons,...
Whether it is trying to raise money, build brand awareness or convince a buyer to stock your product on store shelves, knowing how to successfully pitch your company, and yourself, to potential business partners and consumers is essential.
Does selling up mean selling out? Quite the opposite, says the co-founder of plant-based brand Sweet Earth, who says teaming up with the world’s biggest food company is one of the most effective ways of accelerating the kind of change many activists want...
Nestlé has gained an “immediate entry” into the plant-based foods category via the acquisition of fast-growing California-based brand Sweet Earth for an undisclosed sum.
To raise awareness of the risks of food insecurity and the ability of whole grains’ to help fill bellies and nutrient gaps, the Oldways Whole Grains Council is coordinating a massive donation of whole grain foods to a winning charity of its Good Grains...
After a successful beta program in the Bay Area, Habit is going nationwide. Josh Anthony, PhD, Habit’s founding Chief Scientific Officer tells us why the timing was right for the personalized nutrition trailblazer.
Natural food colors: expensive, unstable, muted, and weird-tasting, right? Wrong, says Sensient Food Colors, which caught up with FoodNavigator-USA to address some common concerns about natural colors and highlight growth opportunities, from caramel color...
Kellogg’s is planning to cut 223 jobs in at the ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) plant on Porter Street in Battle Creek, US, in 2018, in a move to streamline and decrease the total cost-per-pound costs, which will improve margins.
If consumers are to believe that the food industry is serious about transparency, highly refined oils and sweeteners derived from GM crops must be included in the new bioengineered food standard (the federal GMO labeling law), even if they are indistinguishable...
In general, talking about how a food or beverage is processed is not a way to win the hearts, minds and money of today’s consumers, who increasingly want products that are fresh, made with clean ingredients and as close to their natural state as possible.
Recognizing most Americas have a love-hate relationship with vegetables, Garden Lites is introducing a series of new products that either celebrate or hide vegetables to help ensure all consumers can hit their recommended five a day.
Dr William Dietz, director, the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness, George Washington University
First, some sobering statistics* from the CDC: Almost one in five (17%) of Americans aged 2-19 are dealing with obesity, which affects 8.9% of 2-5-year-olds, 17.5% of 6-11-year-olds and 20.5% of 12-19-year-olds, and continues to disproportionately impact...
General Mills has been hit with a second putative class action lawsuit alleging that shoppers are being misled by ‘natural’ claims on Annie’s salad dressings containing xanthan gum – a widely used thickener and stabilizer produced via microbial fermentation.
Contrary to suggestions in a federal lawsuit filed against USDA earlier this month, the agency currently is reviewing a feasibility study exploring how electronic or digital disclosure, such as QR codes, might impact consumers’ ability to easily identify...
Umpqua Oats is on course to double revenues this year after expanding beyond oatmeal cups – a category it pioneered in the specialty coffee shop market – into multipacks of oatmeal sachets and organic cups as it ramps up its presence in grocery stores.
Amazon is wasting no time in leveraging Whole Foods Market’s reputation and physical locations to tackle two of the largest barriers for online grocery sales: consumer concerns about product freshness and delivery costs.
The shelf-stable plant-based protein market is ripe for disruption, says Atlantic Natural Foods (ANF), which is hoping to bring incremental growth to the segment with a category-first: fully prepared vegetarian and vegan microwaveable meals in “healthy,...
A federal judge has tossed a high-profile lawsuit accusing Quaker Oats of misleading shoppers with 100% natural claims on products containing trace levels of the herbicide glyphosate, but it may be too early for parent company PepsiCo to crack open the...
