Need money fast to buy new equipment, secure supply for quick expansion or open a new location, but don’t want to give up equity? Funding website Bolstr may be the way to go.
Salt of the Earth’s new Umami-Essence Sea Salt can help food manufacturers reduce sodium up to 50% while preserving a clean label because it does not use MSG or artificial ingredients, the Israeli company claims.
While ‘legacy’ food and beverage brands are laser focused on price, promotion and placement, no amount of financial clout or merchandising wizardry can mask the fact that smaller, sexier, more disruptive, brands are outpacing them. But are CPG’s biggest...
The food industry has criticised the WHO’s recommendation to reduce the intake of added sugar for being backed by ‘moderate’ and ‘very low quality’ evidence.
Pressure to launch new products that meet consumers’ rapidly shifting interest in natural and organic foods and beverages from conventional products is reducing the time manufacturers have to distinguish between short-term fads and long-term trends with...
Atkins Nutritionals enters the competitive frozen pizza category with the launch of a high-protein, low-carb option that it says will expand the sluggish category by bringing in consumers who do not currently shop the segment.
Research showing that 99% of sales growth from packaged food from 2008 to 2012 came from lower calorie foods is inspiring major manufacturers to more aggressively promote and launch healthier options, according to company executives and a health policy...
Insights from the 13th Global Food Technology & Innovation Summit
Food and beverage manufacturers must focus research and development activities on creating more nutritious and sustainable food solutions, says Nestlé’s head of global R&D.
The CEO of the startup The Healthy Pantry hopes Cooksimple, a healthier, modernized take on iconic meal kits will revitalize the center of the grocery store, which he compared to the “ghetto.”
Vegan, paleo, grass-fed, pasture-raised, ancient grains, and allergen friendly claims are gaining
According to Chicago-based market research firm SPINS, US retail (dollar) sales of foods & beverages rose 1.7% in 2014, while unit sales declined by 0.4%. By contrast, sales of natural and organic brands grew nearly 12%. But where are the opportunities...
'We lack a clear positioning; the shopping experience hasn’t matched what our guests expect'
Some details about Target's food 'reinvention' plan emerged during its Q4 earnings call last week, but more flesh was put on the bones this week as bosses outlined plans to completely "redesign" their food strategy.
Childhood obesity rates have “finally” stopped rising and now are falling among America’s youngest children, thanks in part to the food industry’s efforts to cut calories and offer healthier options, but more needs to be done, said First Lady Michelle...
EU member states have voted to allow national governments to ban or restrict cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops even when approved at EU level, meaning the new rules will be written into law.
The food industry may be a low margin business, but that does not mean manufacturers of high quality, nutritious food must sell their products at a premium in the natural channel to succeed, according to executives from Luvo and Hampton Creek, two companies...
We recognize we have to change the in-store experience
Target will double the size of its 'Made to Matter' range of natural, organic, and sustainable products this year as part of a plan to "reinvent" its grocery offering and "deliver more organic, natural, gluten-free items" to...
Banana flour is gluten-free, grain-free and rich in potassium and resistant starch
Banana flour –dried unripe banana milled into powder – is still a novel concept for American consumers, but the Utah-based entrepreneur behind WEDO (which claims to be the only banana flour company in the US) reckons 2015 could be the year it hits the...
Okanagan Specialty Fruits – the company behind the non-browning ‘Arctic Apple’ – is to be acquired by Intrexon Corporation, which also owns a majority stake in GE salmon firm AquaBounty Technologies.
Beyond Meat - the California-based firm that claims to have unlocked the secret to making ‘near-perfect’ replicas of meat from plants – says that in future, meat-free products won’t be confined to a ‘vegetarian’ section, but just part of the broader ‘protein’...
Microalgae specialist Solazyme says it has secured a “clear and complete victory” over its former French business partner Roquette in a legal dispute over intellectual property rights following the 2013 collapse of their joint venture Solazyme Roquette...
Growth in organic, raw, non-GMO and allergy-free products is outpacing rest of business
Sprouts Farmers Market is exploring online delivery options, but hasn’t found a model that works, yet, chief financial officer Amin Maredia said this week.
New research suggesting early introduction of peanuts could significantly reduce children’s risk of developing a potentially fatal allergy to the groundnut could create a marketing opportunity for food manufacturers to develop new products for young children,...
The first products containing Solazyme’s high stability, high-oleic algae oil – which boasts “unprecedented” amounts of healthy monounsaturated fat – will hit shelves later this year, says the firm, which has just received a no objections letter from...
Pharmachem Laboratories is seeking new markets for its Phase 2 carb controller ingredient with the North American release of DietSpice, a line of functional seasonings that can be sprinkled on food to help weight watchers absorb fewer calories from the...
Tate & Lyle is launching a new ultra-low-calorie sugar that is found naturally in jackfruit and raisins, but is being made in commercial quantities via the enzymatic conversion of corn using a proprietary process.
Just weeks after Unilever dropped its false advertising lawsuit against Hampton Creek Foods over its egg-free spread ‘Just Mayo’, a consumer class action making near-identical claims has been filed in Florida - and then abruptly withdrawn again.
Coconut sugar is increasing in popularity because it is seen as being a healthier, more ethical alternative to sugar - but nutritionists remain sceptical of the health claims.
If sales of cold cereal are not setting the world on fire, the hot cereal market is faring much better, say the founders of super-premium oatmeal cup brand Umpqua Oats, who notched up revenues of $10m+ in 2014 and hope to grow by 25% this year on the...
The concept of flavour pairing matches up weird and wonderful combinations – pork liver and jasmine for instance – and there are ways for the food industry to cash in on this niche trend too.
Meat-free brand Lightlife Foods is getting an image overhaul this spring with new packaging, a new logo, new products and a commitment to engaging with a growing number of consumers that are reducing their meat consumption, says CEO Roy Lubetkin.
While sales in much of the US frozen food category are pretty lackluster, sales of frozen fruit have surged in the past three years, with the category now worth more than $1bn vs just $300m a decade ago, says Dole Packaged Foods.
NAMI: Ten pounds of beef provides more complete nutrition than 10 pounds of rice
Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) report on meat consumption are “flawed” and “nonsensical” and fail to recognize the role that nutrient dense lean meats can play in a healthy balanced diet, says the North American Meat...
DGAC: Public and private sectors must work together to achieve a population-wide culture of health
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) – an panel of experts tasked with developing recommendations about what Americans should eat – has submitted its report to the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA),...
Facing tepid earnings growth and changing consumer shopping dynamics, the Campbell Soup Co. will drastically reorganize its portfolio and cut at least $200 million in costs in the next three years, executives said Feb. 18.
US retail sales of ready to eat breakfast cereal continued to fall in 2014, with multi-outlet* data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI revealing a 4% drop in dollar sales and unit sales in the 52 weeks to December 28, 2014.
The J.M. Smucker Co. will roll out a wide variety of new products across categories and platforms under its Jif and Smucker’s in an effort to boost the iconic brands’ worth to $1 billion each, a company executive said.
There have been more than 200 class action lawsuits filed against food and beverage companies over allegedly deceptive labeling since 2012, 60 of which have been dismissed at various stages, and 25 of which have been settled, but none have yet gone to...
Before manufacturers reformulate food and beverages in response to consumers’ increasing claims about avoiding sweeteners, they should double check shoppers’ purchasing habits, which betray a different truth, according to new Nielsen and Mintel Consulting...
What's for breakfast? Reinventing the first meal of the day
When it comes to breakfast, the vast majority of Americans want something quick and easy at home, but surprisingly most people prefer to make their first meal of the day “from scratch” instead of consuming a ready-to-eat or heat-and-serve consumer packaged...
From Filipino flavors to ancient grains, Campbell’s Culinary & Baking Institute (CCBI), a global network of chefs, bakers and culinary professionals, has released its second annual Culinary TrendScape report tracking the top 10 influential food themes...
Protected Geographical Indications (PGIs) for foods and drinks again emerged as a sticking point in the latest round of trade negotiations between the EU and the US.
The founder of Tessemae’s All Natural, the maker of the No. 1 refrigerated salad dressing at Whole Foods and Safeway, originally took the road most traveled, but when that did not work out, he back-tracked and took the one least traveled, and that, he...
US household penetration of plant-based beverages has doubled in five years to more than 30%, with almond milk now accounting for almost 70% of sales and new nut-based milks such as cashew gaining momentum, says WhiteWave Foods.
Kellogg’s 136% profit plunge for the fourth quarter (Q4) is disappointing and can mainly be attributed to continued poor performances in Special K and Kashi, its CEO says.
Beginning in July, five Cheerios products will be going gluten free: Original Cheerios, Honey Nut, Multi-Grain, Apple Cinnamon and Frosted, General Mills has revealed.
What's for breakfast? Re-inventing the first meal of the day
After years of steady decline, the cereal industry could see modest growth in the next five years thanks to consumer interest in healthier, high-end cereals, product process updates, improved commodity prices and innovative partnerships with food service...
Consumers likely will not loosen their purse strings to fill their grocery carts with premium or unnecessary foods any time soon, even though gas prices, unemployment and inflation are down, according to IRI’s MarketPulse survey published Feb. 4
Kellogg Company says it will ‘have no choice’ but to close at least one US cereal plant if union members refuse to reconsider a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) issued on employment terms.
