From gut health to GLP-1: Top 5 NPD trends of 2024
2024 has been a wild ride for the food and beverage industry, with some seriously exciting new trends taking hold. But which ones have proven most popular for NPD?
Snacks
Sojo Industries' mobile manufacturing tech cuts packaging, freight costs
Sojo Flight addresses manufacturing complexities for multi-packs with flexible, mobile lines.
Unilever, Nestlé, EUDR, UPF and commodity hikes. FoodNavigator reviews 2024
Food and beverage was not short of drama or two in 2024, with some of the biggest stories gripping the sector almost from day one.
Hershey rejects Mondelēz’s acquisition bid
The Hershey Trust has rejected Mondelēz International’s second attempt to acquire confectionery giant Hershey, citing the offer as too low.
National Advertising Division Case Reivew
Fruit snack advertising wars: When must manufacturers verify third-party reviews?
The advertising war continues between Welch’s Fruit Snacks’ maker Promotion In Motion (PIM Brands) and Mott’s Fruit Flavored Snacks’ maker General Mills with the BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division weighing in on the second dispute...
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labeling is coming – how should brands prepare?
FDA is under pressure to require standardized science-based, front-of-pack labeling to help consumers interpret nutrition information on food products – but what will the mandate mean for packaged food brands?
Mondelēz International’s share earnings cut as cocoa costs predicted to rise
Hope for a cocoa price slump is dwindling as commodity analysts predict a price-boosting run on the brown stuff.
FDA safety evaluation of Red Dye 3 ‘forthcoming,’ agency official tells Senate
Post-market assessment of chemicals in food is a ‘huge priority’ for FDA’s recently created Human Foods Program, top agency officials told skeptical senators this week.
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
What will it take for the US hummus market to break $1 billion annually?
PepsiCo’s acquisition of the remaining 50% stake in Sabra and Obela dips and spreads brands from Strauss Group late last month underscores the growth potential of the US hummus market, which Persistence Market Research predicts will grow at a compound...
CPG food & beverage volumes up for first time in 3 years
CPG volumes rose for the first time in three years as consumers shifted to value and e-commerce channels amid high food prices.
Will PepsiCo’s acquisition of Sabra, Obela kickstart its slumping North American snack business?
PepsiCo continues its buying spree with the acquisition of hummus brands Sabra and Obela from Israeli food manufacturer Strauss Group, further bolstering its better-for-you portfolio as its traditional snack business continues to face headwinds.
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Where are consumers most interested in sugar reduction?
Eight in 10 consumers globally are limiting sugar in their diets, but where they are cutting back and where they continue to indulge varies as do their reasons for limiting sugar and how they prioritize sugar reduction alongside other values, such as...
Startup Spotlight
Happy Wolf’s Whole Foods expansion is a ‘make or break’ moment for kid’s snack brand
Clean-label children snack brand Happy Wolf is leaning on brand ambassadors to spread awareness of its Whole Foods Market launch and where the product can be located, Jana Goodbaum, co-founder of Happy Wolf, shared in a recent Startup Spotlight interview.
FDA extends comment period for proposed post-market food chemical review
FDA is extending the comment period for its proposed systematic process for post-market assessment of chemicals in foods, which it laid out in late September to mixed reviews from industry stakeholders who lauded its science-based and data-driven...
Mood food for mental wellbeing – How can industry capitalize?
On-the-go functionality: Snack brands like Mood Bars blend brain-boosting benefits, convenience
Consumer demands for on-the-go functionality are fueling growth in the nascent mood-support snack bar, with brands like Mood Bars and others differentiating themselves in a crowded category with the help of brain-boosting ingredients.
Nestlé’s top six 2025 food and drink innovation trends revealed
Nestlé has revealed the top food and drink trends that will drive its research, development and innovation in 2025, with speed, personalisation and fusion taking centre stage.
Hummus for children? Little Sesame addresses lemon supply chain issues to dip into new segment
Little Sesame navigated supply-chain issues — including climate change-related sourcing challenges — to expand its core lineup of products with a child’s version of its hummus, as the brand uses recent government and venture funding to fuel growth in 2025.
FDA’s Human Foods 2025 goals: Microbiological safety, food chemical safety & nutrition
FDA’s fiscal year 2025 priority deliverables for the Human Foods Program emphasize transparency and accountability amid state funding cuts and resource constraints.
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic set to shake the global food industry
Originally intended as a treatment for diabetes, GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic could be set to turn the food and drink industry upside down.
Can plant-based overcome UPF links to avoid future trust issues?
Plant-based diets remain popular, but associations with UPF and low-quality ingredients has shaken consumer trust in alt meat, fish and dairy brands. So, what can the sector do to restore public opinion?
Kraft Heinz snips full-year forecast as demand drags
Kraft Heinz has cut its full-year 2024 forecast following a third-quarter net sales slump, as price hikes worked against the food major by dampening consumer demand.
High chocolate prices are not scaring Halloween revelers this season
Consumers celebrating Halloween are still unwrapping their favorite chocolate candies despite price increases, while gummy candies, popcorn and other treats capitalize on demands from price-conscious consumers, according to several recent reports.
Mondelēz International joins Unilever and Danone with strong Q3
Confectionery and snacking giant Mondelēz International has driven revenues and profits above expectations, through higher volume sales as both Unilever and Danone also showed this month.
Mars' Kellanova buyout the start of hefty snacking M&A
Mega deals within snacking are picking up pace after a quiet start to the year, with Mars’ Kellanova acquisition the tip of the iceberg as strong financial performances provide corporates with healthy cashflows.
Brand Alchemy
How F&B brands can boost their ROI with a diversified media strategy
Today’s marketing strategies need flexible adjustments and a blend of channels to keep pace with rapid shifts in media consumption, unlike the fixed annual media plans of yesteryear.
How to identify and engage with your target market
Creating and building brand awareness, with potential customers, is essential to success. Here’s how to recognise and connect with your target market.
NOVA reform: The flawed UPF classification system requires change
Some nutritious foods under the current NOVA system could be demonised alongside unhealthy variants. Industry's calling for reform, but what would the next generation look like?
Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
How would eliminating ultra-processed foods and products high in sugar, fat impact diet, health?
Diets that exclude foods high in added sugar and saturated fat, like sugary drinks, snacks and processed meat, still provide sufficient levels of essential nutrients, like vitamins, minerals and fiber, according to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
Dairy innovation and trends
Letter from the editor: Innovations, trends & startups reshaping the dairy category
The dairy case is no longer a limited selection of fat-free, low-fat or whole milk in generic white bottles or a bare-bones choice between just “orange” or “white” cheese – rather an explosion of innovation in recent years has dramatically multiplied...
11 startups disrupting dairy across categories from the farm to store shelf
Dairy’s nutrient density and decadent eating experience create a powerful canvas for startups innovating across categories to offer better-for-you moments of permissible indulgence while simultaneously supporting the health of consumers, the planet and...
Hot finds from SIAL Paris: From purple sourdough to immunity bars and beyond
From bread crisps to puffs made from drought-resistant, gluten-free sorghum, along with a sourdough that stood out with its deep purple colour, which of these trendsetting products will be the next big hit?
JM Smucker remains committed to Hostess, sweet baked snacks despite Voortman sale
Peanut butter and jelly maker JM Smucker continues to refine its portfolio with the sale of better-for-you cookie brand Voortman to Brownie Brittle-maker Second Nature in a $305 million deal that follows a slew of divestments across its portfolio in the...
C-stores evolve into ‘convenience food plazas,’ channel is ripe for private-label innovation
Convenience stores (c-stores) are blurring “the line between food retail and food service,” as the channel becomes crucial for consumers seeking quick, convenient and diverse foods and beverages, JP Frossard, analyst of consumer foods at RaboResearch,...
LanzaTech’s partnerships accelerate commercialization for proprietary protein production
Biotech company LanzaTech is making strides in global microbial fermentation protein production with the launch of its proprietary LanzaTech Nutritional Protein (LNP), in collaboration with organizations like the US Navy to accelerate commercialization.
Standard serving size levels the playing field, NAD finds in tortilla advertising case
Size matters – at least when it comes to crafting nutrient content and health claims for food based on servings, according to a recent BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division decision for a challenge brought by Olé Mexican Foods against...
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
4 flavor, color trends for 2025 that focus on simplicity, comfort & rediscovery
After a year of “unapologetically” embracing luxury, indulgence and whimsy through vivid colors and unexpected flavor combinations, consumers will rediscover and recenter themselves in 2025 by choosing taste profiles and hues that more realistically...
Startup Spotlight
Tips to secure deals in writing: ‘A verbal commitment means almost nothing’
Long gone are the days when a deal was sealed with a handshake and verbal commitment, which is why the co-founder of veggie snack startup Theo’s advises entrepreneurs to be persistent – but not annoying – about securing commitments in writing before acting.
US private-label groceries to hit 25-30% market share in next 10 years, RaboResearch projects
The US private-label market is capitalizing on consumer trends on value, as food manufacturers push for quality and innovation to spur category growth in the next decade.
Olfactive Biosolutions harnesses food ingredients for weight loss
Olfactive Biosolutions' Protenx Weight Loss is a patented (US 12,102,664 B2) line of natural food ingredients and additives that target weight loss and blood sugar reduction that could help brands meet the growing demand for functional foods in the GLP-1...
Gut health: What’s next for this major F&B trend?
Consumer demand for ‘gut-friendly’ foods and beverages is growing fast, and industry is innovating just as quickly to meet it. So, what’s next for this seemingly unstoppable trend?
Superguts' Target expansion underscores new retail playbook for addressing Ozempic era demands
Demand for GLP-1 support products helped gut-health brand Supergut triple sales in the last year and opened retail doors, including at Target.
Sustainability victory: PepsiCo eyes thermal energy collaboration with new Greenhouse Accelerator APAC champion
Global food and beverage giant PepsiCo has granted the winner of its 2024 GreenHouse Accelerator APAC programme Alterno US$100,000 to develop its thermal energy solution, with an eye on further collaboration with the firm in this area.
Why shoppers are turning towards costly organic food and drink
More consumers are buying pricier organic food and drink, despite continuing cost-of-living pressures, with sales expected to rocket as governments push to make organic farming central to future sustainability strategies.
FDA pushes for progress in sodium reduction target, aims to cut average intake to 2,750 mg/day
The FDA's phase two draft guidance on sodium reduction, released on August 15, sets new voluntary targets for food manufacturers to reduce average consumption to 2,750 milligrams per day by 2024, as nearly three-quarters of Americans' sodium intake...
Reformulation is rife in F&B but consumers aren't sold yet
Brands are reformulating to improve nutritional value and reduce or remove ‘unhealthy’ ingredient levels. But this is not always a vote winner with customers. Why?
General Mills, Welch’s Fruit Snacks clash over where the line is for humor and truth
Welch’s Fruit Snacks’ maker Promotion In Motion (PIM Brands) went too far in ads it intended to humorously highlight the difference between its fruit snacks and those of competitors, and should discontinue messages that suggest competing products are...
ADM: 83% of GLP-1 users are ‘very interested in products specifically marketed as supportive of their needs on these drugs’
A new platform designed by ADM to help food and beverage manufacturers better understand and meet the needs of weight-loss drug users brings together proprietary consumer research and science, a portfolio of targeted ingredients and more than 25...
UPF linked to type 2 diabetes - what does this mean for industry?
New research has linked ultra-processed foods to type 2 diabetes. How will this latest blow impact the food and beverage industry and is reformulation the only solution?
PepsiCo lowers full-year guidance on Q3 2024 results, North American business continues volume declines
PepsiCo’s North American snack and beverage businesses continue to slow down in its third quarter of 2024, as the company adjusts its forecast from 4% organic revenue growth for the year to low single digits amid continued pressures but beats Wall Street...
Is consumer input shaping the future of snacks?
Colorado-based Myna Snack’s latest launch is a prime example of how consumer input can drive successful product innovation. But just how effective is giving consumers a voice in NPD in staying competitive?