Under the so-called ‘jelly bean rule,’ firms are discouraged from adding vitamins to foods of minimal nutritional value so that marketers cannot present junk foods as healthy options. But the policy should be updated when it comes to carbonated beverages,...
Ad watchdog* the National Advertising Division has referred claims from The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) that its milk is ‘easier on digestion’ and ‘may help some avoid discomfort’ to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for further review.
A model based on regenerative agriculture has been at the heart of the EPIC Provisions company mission since its founding in 2013. Now it has become the first consumer food brand to carry the science-based Land to Market Ecological Outcome Verification...
Bantam Bagels – known for its mini stuffed bagels found at Starbucks locations nationwide and in the frozen foods aisle of 16,000 retail stores – has been growing at such a high velocity that it needed an industry partner to support its explosive growth.
Plant-based 'chef-inspired' food brand Kite Hill has closed a $40m capital raise led by General Mills' venture arm 301 INC. with participation from CAVU Venture Partners, which according to CEO Rob Leibowitz, will be put towards expanding...
Food and agriculture startups focused on reducing waste, using artificial intelligence to deliver higher food, and offering more sustainable and plant-based options, took center stage at Rabobank's FoodBytes! pitch competition and networking event...
New consumer research suggests that targeting so-called ‘foodies’ to leverage their influence for expanded brand awareness may not be as effective as appealing to an emerging, much larger and potentially more powerful segment known as the ‘food connected...
The days of landing a spot on store shelves simply by walking into a retailer without an appointment and wowing an employee with an unbranded, unpackaged product are becoming farther and fewer between as competition in the food and beverage space intensifies....
A report by market research firm Packaged Facts revealed that online groceries more than tripled between 2013 and 2018, though it still accounted for only 2% of total grocery spending.
Unilever has introduced a premium, light, probiotic ice cream brand called Culture Republick containing three billion live cultures per pint from the patented strain GanedenBC30.
The plant-based protein market continues to evolve and diversify with companies cultivating novel sources, such as California-based Plantible Foods that's working with the aquatic plant Lemna (also known as duckweed) that it says offers benefits...
It’s a food and beverage manufacturer’s nightmare: the headline on People Magazine’s website announces you were sued in a class action because your 'always 100% natural' sparkling water allegedly contains an ingredient used in 'cockroach...
Instacart has raised $600m in a financing round led by D1 Capital Partners, bringing its total funding raised – in Iess than one year – to $1.6bn, raising the e-commerce company’s valuation to $7.6bn.
While available year-round, apple sales typically peak around the harvest season running from late August through early October. However, this year, dollar sales have contracted 5% over the last 52 weeks (ending Sept. 15, 2018), according to Nielsen data.
Swedish company Oatly will open its first US production plant in New Jersey next spring to support demand for its dairy-free oat-based products in the US.
As the laws legalizing recreational use of cannabis shift in North America, consumer interest and readiness to try cannabis-infused products is also evolving, recent research by A.T. Kearney revealed.
Free from the constraints of the appellation d'origine contrôlée that dictate how cheese in Europe is made, American cheese makers are able to add innovative twists to traditional methods to create unique products that meet evolving consumer demand,...
Appalled at the amount of produce wasted every year while many people struggle with food insecurity, Kroger will launch a new brand that prizes oddly shaped and discolored fruits and vegetables that previously would have been rejected by the retail chain.
Earlier this week the top scientific body studying climate change issued a dire warning that “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society,” must occur to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and ensure a “more sustainable...
Just Add Cooking (JAC), a meal kit company founded in Boston in 2013, is looking for an extra boost of funding launching a WeFunder campaign with a $300,000 fundraising goal.
Being a picky eater as a child may not have to do just with taste and familiarity, but also the way food is presented and arranged on a plate, recent research from Future Consumers Lab showed.
The value equation on which consumers select food and beverages has become infinitely more complex in recent years – creating a rising demand for ‘radical personalization’ that is forcing retailers and manufacturers to rethink how they make and offer...
For many Americans, canned tomatoes are a commodity that they regularly use in their home kitchens, but rarely think about beyond price and convenience – but Mutti, the number 1 selling tomato brand in Italy, wants to change that through a new multi-media...
'Ignorance is amok... not even the investors are asking the right questions. It’s total anarchy'
If you ask the FDA or the DEA if CBD (cannabidiol) is permitted in foods, beverages and supplements, the answer is a pretty unequivocal NO. If you ask the scores of companies currently selling it in everything from CBD-infused soda to smoothie kits, the...
Following Kroger's acquisition of Home Chef and months spent scaling up production capabilities, Home Chef meal kits have rolled out to 225 Midwest Kroger retail locations.
Once Upon a Farm – a fresh baby, toddler, and kids food brand on a mission to transform the category – has closed a $20m Series B financing round led by CAVU Venture Partners.
Natural Products Expo West in March may seem far in the future, but now is the time for entrepreneurs to start preparing if they want to launch a new businesses, brand or product at the show, according to the co-founders of the condiment startup Kumana.
Demand for meat alternatives continues to be on the rise with a third of US consumers planning to buy more vegetarian/plant-based food products in the next year, according to Mintel's Better-For-You Eating Trends survey from August 2018, polling...
Known as a pricey and somewhat elusive spice, the delicate ruby red saffron threads can be intimidating to many consumers. Socially conscious Rumi Spice is looking to change that perception and drive demand for its single-origin saffron, which will be...
Lamb may be a niche product in the US for now, but an increase of the ingredient on fast-casual menus and the shopping carts of millennials suggests that the protein is at the cusp of a “resurgence,” according to players in the American lamb segment.
Consumer attention to health and wellness when making food and beverage purchases has impacted specific areas of the grocery store, specifically the rise in sales of no sugar added products and items that contain stevia or monk fruit, Nielsen data found.
The old strategies of reaping reliable returns by relying on consumer loyalty, incremental investments in established brands, and large-scale distribution and manufacturing are no longer advantageous – making this one of the most challenging times for...
Kraft Heinz has committed $100m to launch the venture capital fund Evolv Ventures that will be focused on investing in emerging technologies in the food industry.
Transparency into how products are made, what is in them and how they impact society is no longer simply ‘nice to have’ – rather a new report from the Food Marketing Institute made possible with help from Label Insight shows that it is a ‘must-have’ for...
With juice caught in the war on sugar’s crossfire, the Juice Products Association has launched a new educational campaign and website touting science-backed health and nutritional benefits of the category in an effort to salvage sales and regain consumers’...
LaCroix maker National Beverage Corp “categorically denies all allegations” in a lawsuit alleging it falsely markets its flavored sparkling waters as ‘all natural’ in a case attorneys say reflects heightened scrutiny of the components of natural flavors.
In a ruling one attorney has described as an “outlier” and “extreme," a California federal court has certified two classes of consumers in a lawsuit alleging Chipotle falsely advertised its food as non-GMO given that its meat and dairy products are...
While 100% juice does not typically contain added sugar (it’s just juice), that doesn’t automatically make ‘no added sugar’ claims on such products misleading, a CA judge has ruled in a case vs Kroger.
Entrepreneurs launching products that are unfamiliar to consumers or vastly different than previously available versions offered by competitors may struggle to gain initial trial – but partnering with chefs and distributing through foodservice can be...
Sales of kid-friendly school snacks on Amazon grew 40% year-over-year to $350m in the first half of 2018, driven by the e-commerce giant’s heavy online promotion as well as consumers’ growing familiarity and comfort with shopping online for snacks, One...
Over the past five years, 44% of American and British consumers surveyed that they have added more fish to their diets, followed closely by poultry, Cargill’s recent Feed4Thought survey showed.
Food sensory judgements – taste, texture, and aroma perception – can be influenced by the surrounding environment, and virtual reality (VR) technology can be an effective and affordable way of replicating various environments when conducting consumer...
Often overshadowed by flavor and color in marketing, texture plays a pivotal role in how consumers experience food and beverages, and research firm Mintel predicts that it is “the next big thing” companies should focus on as they try to keep up with demand...
Mattson: 'The very existence of what's now known as clean meat is at stake here'
The Good Food Institute (GFI) has enlisted the services of food and beverage innovation firm Mattson to conduct further research into the best way to describe cell-cultured meat following the release of new data suggesting that the industry-backed term...
Despite some fast food chains’ efforts to offer more nutritious food options with kids’ meals, 74% of kids still receive unhealthy drinks and/or side items with their meals when they visit one of the four largest fast food chains, a study by UConn Rudd...
Consumers that say they seek out products they consider ‘clean label’ are more likely to enjoy grocery shopping and are actively engaged in the food shopping process, a Packaged Facts report revealed.
The FDA has upped the ante in the ongoing debate over the use of terms such as ‘almondmilk’ and ‘vegan cheese,’ with a public request for information to help inform the development of draft guidance to “provide greater clarity on appropriate labeling...
From novel approaches to introducing allergens to babies, to HPP babyfood, grab n’ go granola for schools and frozen puree pops for tots, entrants to our 2018 trailblazers challenge are creating innovative new products, brands, and routes to market for...
The Detox Project – which certifies products as ‘Glyphosate Residue Free’ – has been overwhelmed by industry inquiries over the past six months as food brands seek not just to get certified, but more often, to “use us as a consultancy service” to find...
There has been a significant increase in food and beverage Prop 65 actions in the past five years, with particularly strong growth in notices relating to lead, acrylamide and cadmium, according to new data compiled by attorneys at Perkins Coie.