UPDATED: WhiteWave Foods has struck a deal to buy SO Delicious Dairy Free for $195m in cash in a bid to expand its presence in the fast-growing plant-based foods category.
Are consumers weary of 'all-natural' claims? And if so, what other cues do they look for on pack to see if a brand fits in with their values? We quizzed the bosses of some innovative food brands, ingredients suppliers and branding experts to...
Almost 99% of foods labeled as gluten-free in the US are in compliance, with 1.1% mislabeled/misbranded because of the presence of gluten above an acceptable threshold. But the numbers are far higher for non-labeled ‘gluten-free’ foods, says a new survey...
General Mills has defended the future of Annie’s natural and organic snacks under its ownership, but two experts say the company will have to work hard to beat the critics.
Here’s a look at the latest and greatest in new product launches—from General Mills making the old new to kombucha for all, bean-based chips, eggless eggs, and protein-packed chips and even gummies.
Despite that people in the West typically get more than enough protein in their daily diets, new research may further validate our collective protein obsession.
Food trade associations are seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the state of Vermont from implementing its GMO labeling law (Act 120) until a lawsuit they have filed that challenges the law has “run its course”.
Entrepreneur interview: Sanjiv Kakkar, managing director of Himalaya International
The flavors of Asia have no doubt made their mark on American palates—as Chinese, Japanese and Thai influences have made their way from niche to mainstream retail and foodservice outlets. Even tiny Malaysia appears to be moving up the ranks of popular...
From how to keep control of your trade spending to presenting the perfect pitch to investors (spoiler alert: ‘Let me get back to you on those numbers’ will not inspire confidence), food & beverage industry veterans and financiers took to the podium...
A weekly text message reminder of recommended daily caloric intake may help consumers make healthier food choices, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
As it ramps up flaked and shredded coconut production in anticipation of another holiday season, private label and branded grocery products manufacturer Trailblazer Foods says the growing popularity of coconut has resulted in a 12% increase in the amount...
More than 90% of children aged six to 18 consume on average 3,279 mg of sodium a day—well above the government’s recommendation of 2,300 mg or less per day, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
While 28% (66 million) of American adults are trying to lose weight, and a further 14% (32 million) are trying to maintain their weight, they are losing interest in strict diet plans, calorie-counting and ‘diet’ foods, says a new report from Packaged...
A look at first year of implementing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
From crowded hallways to pop quizzes, cliques and assemblies, the 2014-2015 school year will likely look a lot like previous years—except when it comes to the food served to students.
Pennsylvania-based neat Foods has unveiled its latest innovation: neat egg, a combination of ground chia seeds and garbanzo beans shoppers can mix with water and use to replace egg in everything from cookies to pancakes.
In yet another indication of the shifting US consumer landscape, men are the primary grocery shoppers in four out of 10 households across the country, according to a report by market research firm The NPD Group.
Beyond Meat - the California-based firm that claims to have unlocked the secret to making ‘near-perfect’ replicas of meat from plants - is preparing to launch its latest innovation: The Beast, a pea-protein-based burger for meat-lovers.
While there were some bright spots in Campbell Soup's fourth quarter results, its performance in core categories such as ready-to-serve soup was a bit lackluster, CEO Denise Morrison told analysts Monday.
Just months after Kashi agreed to settle a California class action lawsuit accusing it of deceptively advertising its wares as ‘all-natural’, a judge has allowed most claims in a similar class action brought in Florida to proceed.
Only Coca-Cola knows what really went wrong, but it seems highly unlikely that stevia was to blame for the recent Vitaminwater reformulation debaclé, according to Almendra, an ambitious new entrant to the global stevia manufacturing arena.
More than half of CPG firms say their trade spending programs are 'ineffective'
It will probably not surprise food & beverage CEOs to learn that most CPG firms responded with a resounding ‘NO’ when asked in a recent survey if they were getting a decent bang for their trade spending bucks. But why is there so much frustration?
Eggs are just the beginning; we're also looking at food dyes, trans fats, and even sugar
Plant-based foods trail-blazer Hampton Creek Foods has hired one of its Silicon Valley-based investors - Ali Partovi (founder of LinkExchange and Code.org, and early advisor at Facebook & Dropbox), as its new chief strategy officer, just weeks after...
Record beef prices see FTB volumes increase, albeit slowly: Cargill
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has decided to share its database on how food manufacturers use chemicals that are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) with the US Food and Drug Administration, an initiative the trade group claims will “improve...
US total sales for Special K dropped $56m for the year; a slump that could be rescued with lifestyle-focused NPD, says the head of innovation at Mintel.
Although grocery lags other sectors when it comes to e-commerce, the effects of digital marketing are beginning to show, as a growing number of shoppers seek out coupons before and during store trips. But the majority of food brands have yet to shift...
Kidney disease patients unable to discern phosphorus levels in foods, AND claims
The FDA’s proposed revamp of the Nutrition Facts panel misses a public health opportunity to mandate disclosure of phosphorus content on nutrition labels, despite the micronutrient’s association with adverse outcomes among kidney patients and growing...
Canned soup 'a dramatic example of the current unrealistic serving sizes'
As part of its overhaul of the Nutrition Facts panel, the FDA is proposing to tweak serving sizes to better reflect real-life consumption behavior. But which products should be targeted?
Nebraska Cultures has joined the ranks of probiotics suppliers competing in the functional food realm with spore-forming bacterial ingredients with the announcement of GRAS status on its ProDura Bacillus coagulans ingredient.
Despite market watchers’ predictions that private label will all but take over the world, its share of the packaged food market has remained relatively flat since 2008.
Despite the legal hot water in which many manufacturers and retailers have found themselves in recent months over “natural” and its growing list of synonyms, the term likely won’t disappear from food and beverage product labels any time soon, as consumers...
Given its apparently limitless potential to feed and fuel the world, there is a huge buzz around microalgae. But with some notable exceptions such as DHA and astaxanthin, this has not - yet - translated into much hard cash. But that’s about to change,...
What new gluten-free product launches, market analysis tell us
Aug. 5 marked the deadline for manufacturers making voluntary gluten-free label claims to ensure they meet the FDA’s definition of a gluten-free food (less than 20 parts per million of gluten). And while gluten-free product launches have risen every year...
At the intersection of consumers’ growing interest in bold, spicy flavors, health and a desire to expand their horizons through food, fermented foods have re-entered the spotlight owing to their deep flavors and health halo as a longtime form of food...
How clean is your label, and who decides - plaintiff's attorneys or Whole Foods Market? Are ‘all-natural’ claims still resonating with consumers or are other on-pack cues more important? And do shoppers understand the difference between natural and...
Natural claims on food and beverage products appear to be leveling off, according to recent product launch data from market research firms Datamonitor and Mintel.
Pure Via labels will be amended, but 'natural' claim will stay
10 months after Cargill agreed to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it was misleading shoppers by marketing consumer products under the Truvia brand as ‘natural’, the firms behind rival stevia brand Pure Via have agreed to settle a similar lawsuit.
The FDA has approved a petition from LycoRed seeking the green light to use higher levels of tomato lycopene to restore color to processed meats, giving manufacturers of sausages, deli meats and jerky an alternative to synthetic FD&C Red #40 and bug-derived...
AquaBounty Technologies - which is hoping to become the first company to introduce a genetically engineered (GE) animal to the human food supply - posted net losses of $3.5m in the six months to June 30, up from a loss of $2.1m in the first half of 2013.
Analyst: Top CPG firms not delivering on innovation, falling back into promotional trap
As several CEOs have recently observed, big brands are not getting so much bang for their promotional buck these days. But in the current climate, targeted trade spending is a must to retain market share, although other strategies must be pursued in the...
Survata is 'democratizing' consumer insights, says CEO
Until pretty recently, food marketers looking to test new product ideas, brand names or pack designs could look to friends, family, and colleagues for cheap - though notoriously unreliable - feedback, or expect to spend serious time and money on hiring...
Gourmet salad bowls include kale, beans, nuts, seeds, ancient grains, edamame...
Retailers that offer an attractive packaged salad range are more likely to attract high-spending ‘foodies’ to their stores, says Packaged Facts, citing data showing that bagged salad shoppers are much more likely to pay extra for healthier products, try...
Senoymx says it expects either PepsiCo or flavor house Firmenich to commercialize proprietary sweet taste modifier Sweetmyx S617 in 2014 but is tight-lipped over who will be first to market.
The USDA has said global wheat supplies for 2014/15 will hit record highs, which is good news for stability but quality will be critical for industry, says an analyst.
Selling everything from coffee flour to ‘Chimp Food’, egg white chips, artichoke water and kids’ tea, here's FoodNavigator-USA's latest pick of entrepreneurs to watch in the US food and beverage market.
Vermont AG: 'Natural' labels do not belong on foods made with GMOs
Vermont’s new GMO labeling law (Act 120) does not violate the First Amendment because the disclosures it mandates are “purely factual” and the law “does not require manufacturers to state a particular viewpoint, such as whether GE foods are good or bad”,...
