Danone is to acquire WhiteWave Foods – which has been seen as an attractive takeover target since its spin-off from Dean Foods – in a $12.5bn deal that will almost double the size of its US business from 12% to 22% and give it a stronger presence in fast-growing...
Prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics—what do consumers understand about these concepts? Preliminary results from a new survey indicate the word is starting to get out, at least among habitual supplement users.
Many protein-packed shakes have a loyal following, but they can also pack a hefty caloric punch if you’re sipping them at your desk rather than after a grueling workout, observes Casey Hoban, who says growing numbers of consumers are seeking beverages...
The Beyond Burger – the first refrigerated plant-based patty to sit in the meat counter - is set to roll out across Whole Foods in the coming months after wildly exceeding expectations in test markets, says brand owner Beyond Meat.
Chobani says it has been steadily increasing its share of the total US refrigerated spoonable yogurt market over the past 16 months, moving up from 16.5% in February 2015 to 20% in May 2016 according to the latest Nielsen data*, while Yoplait-brand owner...
In declaring 2016 the year of the pulse, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN issued a call to action to increase the consumption and popularity of legumes such as chickpeas, lentils and beans which are under used in the US.
North American pulse growers still export a lot of their wares, but domestic demand has ramped up significantly in recent years as beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils have started to infiltrate every aisle in the grocery store, from hummus, bean dips,...
Aspartame-sweetened Diet Pepsi to return as 'classic' sub-brand
Aspartame, said PepsiCo in April 2015, “is the #1 reason why US consumers say they are drinking less diet cola, so we’re confident that with this change [to sucralose], consumers will come back into the Diet Pepsi franchise.” Today, with sales continuing...
Pure Genius brownies are moist, indulgent and satisfying. They also happen to contain 40% chickpeas (garbanzo beans are the #1 ingredient), flaxseed and oats, and half the calories of a regular brownie, coupled with a meaningful amount of fiber and protein.
Frozen meal delivery service Veestro’s revamped branding that launched this month aims to expand the company’s consumer-base by making vegan-eating easier and more approachable for consumers who follow a variety of diets.
If the next wave of 365 by Whole Foods Market stores performs as strongly as the first one, which opened in Los Angeles on May 25, the new format will be scaled up “very rapidly,” says co-CEO John Mackey.
For the first time the European Union has lost a member after the British people yesterday voted to leave the bloc which began life as the European Economic Community in 1951.
The $8bn US wet soup category is “sleepy and ripe for disruption,” says the founder of Sonoma Brands, which is launching its first incubated brand in July: ZÜPA NOMA, an organic ready-to-drink chilled vegetable soup in a bottle debuting July 1 in around...
Five years ago, all-natural credentials, premium packaging and culinary-inspired flavors were novel territory for jerky. Today, they are simply de-rigueur, and enterprising brands must find new ways to stay ahead of the game, says Field Trip Jerky, which...
Once shunned for their distinct taste and texture, whole grains are gaining acceptance among more Americans for these same attributes thanks in part to innovative restaurateurs and chefs who are using them to round-out increasingly popular plant-forward...
Traditional white dairy milk is becoming more colorful as consumers increasingly demand sustainability, functionality and flavor from a category that for years was dominated by only three choices: whole, low-fat and skim.
Discount shoppers believe a product tastes healthier if it comes in a 'healthy', green packaging - but organic shoppers have a more critical eye and are less affected by packaging, researchers have found.
New research that demonstrates a clear association between eating whole grains and the reduced risk of chronic diseases supports the 2015 dietary guideline’s recommendation that Americans “shift” their diet by making at least half their grains whole grains.
With the acquisition of competitor Send Me Gluten Free, snack subscription company Love With Food continues to build its credibility as a service that not only “surprises and delights” consumers with new natural products but as a trustworthy business...
A double-blind, placebo controlled study on elite athletes found that the dairy-derived Lactobacillus helveticus Lafti L10 by Lallemand Health Soultions can be a beneficial supplement for the reduction of upper respiratory tract infections.
New research supports the controversial but long-held belief that the paleo diet, which encourages the consumption of lean meats, healthy fats and no grains, is a more effective way to lose weight quickly compared to a more typically balanced diet of...
When many mainstream consumers think of plant-based alternatives to animal products they think of non-dairy milks – and for good reason: it is one of the fastest growing sub-categories and a key driver in the growth of the overall plant-based segment.
Iconic low-carb diet brand manufacturer Atkins Nutritionals is expanding beyond its core weight loss and management consumer to reach the growing number of fitness enthusiasts and “protein-seekers” with the launch of Lift protein bars and drinks.
New research from market intelligence company CivicScience suggests changing consumer attitudes about healthy eating could mean manufacturers can shed their years-old “stealth health” approach to product reformulation without fear that sodium-, sugar-...
Soylent will debut this week on Amazon Launchpad as the Los Angeles-based start-up seeks to expand the audience for its ‘neutral-tasting’ but ‘nutritionally complete’ beverages and explore moves into a broader range of products.
The added sugars portion of the newly revamped nutrition facts labels for food products will provide a significant opportunity for purveyors of alternative sweeteners, an industry expert says.
'Creating a little niche called ‘meat-alternatives’ is not helpful and it’s not progressive'
Sweet Earth Natural Foods – a fast-growing plant-based food brand run by former Burger King and PepsiCo execs Brian and Kelly Swette - is on course to generate revenues of $20m in 2016, just five years after the couple acquired the trademark and set about...
It’s very early days, but initial signs suggests that Sparkling ICE could be a hit in the UK and Ireland, says Kevin Klock, president and CEO at brand owner Talking Rain.
Bottled, ready-to-drink teas from Teavana - the upmarket loose leaf tea brand and retail chain acquired by Starbucks in 2012 – will hit grocery stores next year following a tie up between Starbucks and Anheuser Busch.
Sales of plant-based alternatives to animal products are booming, thanks in large part to improved sensory qualities, expanded availability and increased consumer access to information about their health and environmental impacts, according to category...
US retail sales of sugar substitutes are declining 3-4% year on year as artificial sweeteners continue to lose ground, although products with a more ‘natural’ positioning are growing 4-6%. But will the FDA’s move to include ‘added sugars’ on the Nutrition...
The Hemp Industries Association and the Kentucky Hemp Industry Council have filed a petition with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to remove industrial hemp plants from its list of controlled substances.
From purple cereal and jackfruit-based meat analogs to chickpeas in a new guise, Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) selects nine natural food trends it predicts could inspire packaged foods and foodservice menus in 2016 and beyond.
Sustainability and environmentally-friendly claims are becoming increasingly influential among consumers with recent research from The Hartman Group finding almost a third of consumers always buy products based on social well-being and environmental concerns.
The Good Bean – a Berkeley-based snack brand built around the garbanzo bean (chickpea) - more than doubled its sales in 2015 and expects to do so again in 2016 as pulse-based snacking (beans, peas, lentils) gains momentum.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has signed a $100,000 (€89,485) cheque for academics from the University College Cork in Ireland to study the microbiota of infants in developing countries.
To help fight the good fight against the ongoing obesity epidemic in America, Mars Food is teaming with the Partnership for a Healthier America to offer more nutritious foods and increase access to dietary information as part of its aptly named global...
Cold brew coffee is creating quiet the buzz in the US with new brands streaming into the market and retail sales growing exponentially in the past five years.
Nutrition bar and powder specialist Nellson is expanding its production capacity at one of its Canadian plants and its consolidating the management of its Canadian operations.
Angus Murray wanted to create something families would love, with fun flavors he described as “totally selfish.” Launched in March, the product is already gaining traction in the US coasts and across the pacific in China and Hong Kong.
Unlike many start-ups vying for attention in the increasingly crowded meal delivery space, Barley + Oats has a clearly defined target audience of highly motivated consumers at a point in their lives where diet takes on a completely new dimension, says...
As The Dannon Company nears the finish line for fulfilling its promise to improve the nutrition of its products that it made three years ago to the Partnership for a Healthier America, the company also is demonstrating that what is good for Americans’...
Amid the coffee craze, many companies are coming up with different ways to use the often thrown away flesh and pulp from the coffee cherry. Chicago-based Rowida Assalimy is building awareness to a coffee cherry beverage dating a millennium ago with her...
Want to start the day with a nutritious smoothie but got nothing in the fridge except some soggy greens and a couple of bananas? Or perhaps you’d really like one, but not quite enough to get up 30 minutes earlier than usual to grab one on the way to work...
Once considered boring by many Americans, water is becoming a go-to beverage of choice thanks to innovative manufacturers that are adding to it carbonation, fruit flavors and functional ingredients that consumers want, according to market research.
Kite Hill - a San Francisco-based brand on a mission to disrupt the dairy case with its cultured nut milk products – has closed an $18m fundraising round led by 301 INC (General Mills’ business development and venturing unit) and CAVU Venture Partners.
While going from zero to a forecasted $100m in revenues in fiscal 2017 largely under your own steam (it sold a minority stake to VMG Partners in 2013) is no mean feat, tying the knot with Hormel will propel Justin’s nut butter into CPG’s major league,...
US sales of organic food and drink surged 10.6% to $39.8bn in 2015, significantly ahead of the 3% growth in the overall food market, with some segments up more than 30% year-on-year, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA).
