While the number of lawsuits filed against food and beverage manufacturers over ‘all-natural’ claims appeared to peak in 2012 and drop off again in 2013, it’s too early for the industry to start cracking open the champagne just yet, say legal experts.
The new non-GMO formulations of Original Cheerios and Grape Nuts might be made without ingredients from genetically engineered crops, but they also come with fewer vitamins - although brand owners General Mills and Post Foods won’t say why.
The sales slowdown in the US cereal category has nothing to do with consumers and everything to do with manufacturers, says the chairman and CEO of General Mills.
Ingredients giant Roquette has struck a deal with Iowa-based non-GMO corn and soybean specialist World Food Processing (WFP) under which WFP will manufacture Roquette’s pea protein in the US.
Food accounted for 37% of Wal-Mart’s US sales in 2012 vs 23% in 2002, but its growth has started to decelerate, and we can expect more destocking of major brands, a greater focus on private label, and renewed interest in higher-end health & wellness...
While most start-ups struggle to raise the funds to turn their dreams into reality, Hampton Creek Foods CEO Josh Tetrick has convinced some of the world’s wealthiest people that his plant-based egg replacers are worth a serious punt.
As CPG’s big guns congregate in Florida for the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference, many of them are at a strategic crossroads, says Rabobank.
While market researchers predict continued healthy growth for the US gluten-free market*, not everyone is convinced that it is built on a solid foundation.
DIGGING INTO INNOVATION & NPD WITH DATAMONITOR CONSUMER
Green tea has migrated from hot drinks into other foods over the years but has particular promise in breakfast cereal where manufacturers can pack nutritional punch into weight-loss products, says a Datamonitor researcher.
Tate & Lyle says it predicts a substantial deterioration in sucralose pricing owing to a glut of unsold Chinese sucralose which has forced it to reduce pricing in recently renewed contracts.
Shares in the world's biggest food company were down by around 2% this morning as Nestlé announced its slowest sales growth in four years and missed profit expectations for 2013.
Food product marketers have less than three seconds to grab consumer attention, and need think back to the old days of products in supermarket circulars to connect with consumers in the mobile era, says a leading marketing guru.
Big interview: David Janow, co-founder and CEO, Axiom Foods
Protein is undergoing a renaissance in food marketing, with high-protein claims appearing on everything from snack foods and sports beverages to soups and frozen yogurt. And plant proteins - particularly pea and rice - are gaining momentum.
A major new player in the flour milling industry may not now emerge until the second quarter of this year, as regulators continue to scrutinize the proposed merger of ConAgra Mills and Horizon Milling (a joint venture between Cargill and CHS) to create...
A federal judge has granted preliminary approval to a $3.4m settlement of a class action lawsuit accusing Trader Joe’s of falsely advertising certain products as ‘all natural’.
High pressure processing (HPP) has breathed fresh life into the US juice market. But if beverage firms are excited about the technology, so, it appears, are plaintiffs' attorneys, who are starting to take issue with the way some HPP-treated products...
The Kellogg Company has reported lower-than-expected fourth quarter sales due to continued weakness in cereal but its president and CEO says the company can still win at the breakfast occasion.
First there was the leaked GMA discussion document; now the industry’s biggest players have put their cards on the table via the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, which is seeking federal legislation to create an FDA-administered voluntary program to...
What do genetically engineered soybeans, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and chickens raised with the use of antibiotics all have in common? They are all in products that come with ‘all-natural’ labels.
Sensient Colors has expanded its vegetable juice-derived natural brown colors platform to give customers more options in the wake of a recent report that has reignited the debate over 4-MeI levels in some caramel colors.
Civil litigation over whether GMOs belong in ‘all-natural’ products will continue to clog up US courts owing to the FDA’s refusal to weigh in on this issue, says Mission tortilla chips maker Gruma Corp.
The National Action Network (NAN) has stepped in to try and end a three-month stalemate between Kellogg and more than 200 workers over casual labor contracts.
The fiber and whole grain intakes of many Americans are still falling well short of the recommendations, but food such as ready to eat cereals, yeast bread/rolls, and oatmeal are making significant contributions in the right direction, says a new study...
Vegetarians aren’t necessarily looking for alternative proteins or meat analogues, and makers of meat-free meals are embracing a range of trendy flavours and ingredients, says Classic Cuisine’s new product development manager Paul Hunt.
We know that almost a third of the population has a genetic predisposition to celiac disease, in that they have particular versions (DQ2 or DQ8) of a cellular receptor called the human leukocyte antigen (HLA). But why do only a fraction of those with...
“This isn't meat,” said Phil Lapp’s nine-year-old daughter Morgan after wolfing down some home-made meat-free tacos one evening in 2011. “This is neat”.
Super Bowl parties are communal snacking events where consumers are open to trying new products, giving smaller brands a fighting chance, says Euromonitor.
US consumers are now well-versed in many of the ingredients and flavor combinations of Southeast Asia and India, though Malaysian cuisine is still largely untapped. But a recent survey of 1,200 chefs by the National Restaurant Association listed Malaysian...
US retail sales of meat alternatives - worth $553m in 2012 according to Mintel - could easily break through the $1bn barrier, predicts Garden Protein (Gardein) CEO Yves Potvin.
Meat reduction – or ‘flexitarian’ eating – is on the rise. In this special edition article, FoodNavigator asks why are consumers reducing meat, and how prevalent is the trend?
Many big brands are “playing a waiting game” right now to see whether moves by General Mills and Post Foods to axe GMOs from iconic brands (Cheerios and Grape Nuts) will have a domino effect, say analysts at Euromonitor International.
AquaBounty Technologies - which hopes to become the first company to introduce a genetically engineered (GE) animal to the human food supply - says a legal challenge to Environment Canada’s decision to approve its technology is just the latest attempt...
Flour is typically one of the main ingredients in dough- or batter-based foods and often a major contributor to overall calorie content. In a patent application published Dec. 5, 2013, General Mills outlines the composition of a dough-based food product...
If its ‘sprouted’ form, non-GMO, non-allergenic and vegan credentials give consumers a warm and fuzzy feeling; its low price, amino acid profile and smooth texture are also winning over formulators, claims one firm promoting the latest plant protein on...
Mondelez International reached its 2015 goal of sourcing 100% RSPO-certified palm oil for all its purchases last year – two years ahead of schedule, the company has said.
Stabilized rice bran ingredients specialist RiceBran Technologies has struck a multi-year distribution and supply agreement with Hela Spice Canada Inc. to sell its products in Canada.
THE FOODNAVIGATOR-USA BUSINESS LEADERS ROUND TABLE DEBATE
The market for high intensity sweeteners is growing rapidly, with plant-derived stevia providing the fastest growth, according to a new report from Mintel and Leatherhead Food Research.
Bell Flavors & Fragrances has unveiled its annual list of the top flavor trends to watch in the next 12 months, from a new wave of Asian flavors to aromatic herbs used in traditional Andean dishes.
General Mills’ move to go GMO-free on its flagship Cheerios brand has caused quite a stir. But what motivated this reformulation? And how will it play out?
Olam Spices & Vegetable Ingredients (SVI) - the world’s leading supplier of dehydrated onion, garlic, and capsicums and a leading player in tomatoes - has expanded and upgraded its 85,300sq ft spice processing facility in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The FDA’s proposal to revoke the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to oust artificial trans fats from the US diet “is extreme… and other options should be explored”, says soybean industry collaborative Qualisoy.
Anti-GMO activists have reacted with fury to leaked proposals by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) to develop federal rules governing GMO labeling that would pre-empt state-driven initiatives.
