Sales of natural and organic products may be steadily increasing – and even outpacing that of the overall food industry – but three main barriers continue to hold them back from their full potential, suggest new research.
A new ability to don an unqualified “please, recycle” claim on cartons elevates the packaging’s already strong sustainability story and gives brands that use the containers another tool with which to woo environmentally-conscious consumers.
As the concept of clean label continues to evolve and transition from an industry term to one consumers understand and seek, companies should take a more sophisticated approach to the trend by accounting for how different generations prioritize and interpret...
Every year more people wake up to coffee or use it to fuel them day, but according to a comprehensive report recently published by the Climate Institute, this early morning ritual, and everything that goes into making it possible, face significant threats...
Protein shows no sign of petering out in 2017 with many consumers still listing it as an “ideal attribute” for fortification across categories and an ever-growing list of sources from which manufacturers can choose, according to a product development...
Bolthouse Farms expands its footprint in the crowded dressing category with the launch of a new premium line that fills the whitespace in the unexpectedly bare overlap between organic and better-for-you options.
The dairy lobby is justifiably frustrated about the widespread use of dairy-terms (milk, cheese, yogurt) to describe plant-based products, but it also needs to focus on its own game to understand why sales of fluid dairy milk are declining, argues The...
Perhaps not surprising, but disappointing nonetheless to environmental, health and nutrition advocates is new research that ranks the US dead last, or very near the bottom, out of 25 countries on a long list of food sustainability indicators, including...
Food and beverage brands of all sizes and across categories are scrambling to reduce sugar in their products before FDA regulations mandating they indicate added and total sugar on the Nutrition Facts panel goes into effect in July 2018, according to...
The Dairy Pride Act, which seeks to crack down on the use of dairy-derived labels for plant-based products on the grounds shoppers are being misled, is a “solution looking for a problem,” claims the marketing boss of one of the leading players in the...
While most Americans remain unfamiliar with drinking vinegar, the category is gaining traction and could be the next kombucha if manufacturers work together to promote its many benefits and uses, according to one segment player.
With the new administration comes new opportunities for the food and beverage industry, from agriculture and scientists to manufacturers and public health advocates, to make their priorities heard by collectively raising their voices, stakeholders argued...
Trump supporters are calling for a boycott of Budweiser following the beer giant’s Super Bowl ad - which depicts Anheuser-Busch co-founder Adolphus Busch’s arrival in America from Germany - interpreting it as a political statement against the President's...
A quirk of the latest go round in the FDA facility registration process means thousands of foreign firms could find their registrations have lapsed, a leading consultant tells NutraIngredients-USA.
Once restricted to a handful of products, such as yogurt, probiotics are enjoying unprecedented popularity and are popping up in unexpected places with many bold health claims, but not everything consumers or manufacturers hear about probiotics is true.
An astronomical amount of money pours out of food and beverage companies into Super Bowl spots each year. This year, from coin toss till the end of play, there are nine food and beverage companies (excluding the foodservice sector advertisers KFC and...
High levels of added sugar should disqualify foods from being able to make health claims, or nutrient content claims such as ‘healthy’ or ‘high fiber,’ argues a citizen’s petition filed last week by the nonprofit advocacy group the Union of Concerned...
It's been a tough few years for the meat sector, said Meagan Nelson, associate director for fresh growth and strategy at Nielsen. Despite the many new roadblocks for the category (think non-meat protein competition and meal kits), there are strategies...
Declaring that public health professionals are “losing the battle” against food borne illness, a former president of the International Association of Food Protection suggests food safety specialists over-rely on training, inspecting and testing and instead...
Home shopping television easily might be overshadowed by food and beverage companies’ growing interest in online grocery shopping, but industry veterans say the venue offers compelling marketing opportunities – especially for startups or legacy brands...
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Labeling conventions in plant-based ‘dairy’ are a hot topic right now, with two leading players (Almond Breeze and Silk) hit with false advertising lawsuits this week, and a Senate Bill urging the FDA to enforce standards of identity for milk, cheese...
To the frustration of the dairy lobby, false advertising lawsuits objecting to terms such as ‘almondmilk’ and ‘soymilk’ have failed to make much headway. However, complaints filed this week vs Blue Diamond Growers and WhiteWave Foods adopt a different...
Billed as a “product sampling community” and influencer marketing company, Social Nature wants to take the time-honored and go-to strategy of in-store demonstrations into the digital age for a “better, cheaper and more direct way to target and acquire...
The Trump Administration’s regulatory freeze announced last week could significantly impact how the Nutrition Facts Label final rule and regulations related to the Food Safety Modernization Act are interpreted and enforced even though they passed well...
Consumers’ growing familiarity with the health benefits of nuts and seeds paired with their versatility is inspiring manufacturers to seek new varieties, uses and packaging for the ingredient – propelling it into a starring role in the American diet in...
Atkins Nutritionals Inc. might be best known for making low-carb foods and beverages for weight management, but a new marketing campaign that explains how carbs can lead to weight gain could breathe new life into the diet – and product sales – by connecting...
The Dairy Pride Act – a bill urging the FDA to prohibit the use of ‘almond milk,’ ‘vegan cheese’ and other such labels on plant-based products – is an “absurd” piece of legislation that “wastes government resources,” claims a new petition on change.org.
Vegetables will shine as a rising star in the juice industry in 2017 as consumers look for ways to reduce sugar and increase functional benefits, predicts a top executive working with the international juice maker Biotta.
FDA and USDA push forward a strategy to modernize how genetically modified organisms are regulated that was created in part with the Executive Office of the President under the Obama Administration even as President Trump took office with the promise...
In a turbulent 2016 that has seen major political upheaval in Europe and the US no one could’ve failed to notice how trusted voices of reason have given way to a louder, more headline grabbing form of communication.
The US chocolate confectionery market is set for a 1% volume decline between 2016 and 2021 as Americans’ GDP per capita is set to fall while the category is caught in an “anti-sugar crossfire”.
In today’s highly competitive landscape, many food and beverage manufacturers try to set their brands apart by tapping into consumers’ desire for products that not only are better for them but also better for the planet or for society.
'We'll defend ourselves rather than contribute to a toxic environment that encourages more shakedown lawsuits'
UPDATE: This complaint was dismissed with prejudice in December 2017, with the consent of both parties. Hint cannot provide details but did not pay a settlement or change its labels as a result of the lawsuit.
Even though a final USDA rule strengthening animal welfare standards squeaked into the Federal Register today before the new administration takes control of country, the rule may not be safe from repeal, like so many others finalized under Obama’s leadership.
MAIO, an indulgent tasting yet better-for-you alternative to conventional mayonnaise, is the latest test product to come out of C-Fresh's innovation team and its unique approach to incubating products on a small scale before expanding.
Often dominated by candy, soft pretzels, nachos and highly processed meats, concession stands at school events could be fertile ground for better-for-you snack and beverage manufacturers to boost sales and exposure to young consumers who are developing...
Two-thirds of shoppers plan to buy products online more in 2017 than last year, but this uptick may not materialize for companies that fail to offer strong web content beyond a checkout cart, suggests a study recently released by digital marketing provider...
The US Department of Agriculture’s call today for public comment on the Organic Trade Association’s application to create an organic check-off program comes at a time when sales of organic products in the US are soaring but hampered by limited domestic...
Consumers have moved on since dairy standards of identity first hit the statute books, says Miyoko's Kitchen founder and CEO Miyoko Schinner, and it's time regulators did too.
A “striking” increase in the consumption of no- and low-calorie sweeteners over 13 years combined with conflicting data on their connection to obesity, diabetes and other health issues escalates the need for more research on their chronic health effects,...
With an investment of $2.5 million from Aqua-Spark, startup seafood meal kit maker Love The Wild hopes to change the way Americans eat fish and perceive aquaculture farming, which has a notoriously bad reputation.
In recently revised guidance on ‘healthy’ label claims, the FDA changed its stance on total fat, but it should also make other changes in order to allow nutrient-dense foods such as eggs to be marketed as ‘healthy,’ says United Egg Producers.
While Americans are becoming more adventurous in what they eat, they often still need a lot of convincing to try something new – especially if they haven’t heard of it before and don’t know what it will taste like, how it will impact their health, how...
Ambitious sodium reduction targets for the next two and 10 years laid out by FDA in draft voluntary guidance released last summer not only could save lives, but they could generate huge cost savings based on new research published this week in The BMJ.
Farmers transitioning to organic soon could more easily sell their products at a premium even during the transition period before they are fully certified thanks to a new USDA program announced today.
Manufacturers and retailers soon could find themselves between a rock and a hard place as the trend to source slower growing broiler chickens gains momentum with retailers and restaurants.
Healthcare concerns likely are behind the steep drop in Americans’ spending at restaurants in 2016 and the uptick in consumers who say they will cook at home more in the New Year, according to recent research.
The US Department of Agriculture’s recent selection of a diverse group of national and independent retailers to sell online groceries to Americans using food stamps not only potentially expands the retailers’ consumer base, but it could be a “lifeline”...
New best practices guidelines for the labeling, storing, and stability testing for probiotic products will facilitate transparency and consistency in the US probiotics sector.
