Chipotle says it will vigorously defend a “meritless and unfair” lawsuit accusing it of falsely advertising its wares as non-GMO. But attorneys say the case shows that firms are vulnerable to civil litigation over non-GMO claims if genetic engineering...
Many consumers are cautiously optimistic that their financial situation is improving, but they continue to buy groceries based primarily on price and value – creating friction between manufacturers and retailers, IRI research reveals.
FIT CRUNCH - baked protein bars developed by celebrity chef Robert Irvine and FortiFX founder Sean Perich – are sold in “packages nearly identical” to Nestlé’s CRUNCH chocolate bars, alleges Nestlé USA in a lawsuit accusing FIT CRUNCH brand owner Pervine...
Three class-action lawsuits claiming grocers fooled shoppers into believing bread was freshly made in stores were dismissed by a United States District Court judge last week.
J.M. Smucker Co.’s aggressive efforts to wake up its sleepy coffee segment are working, resulting in a 12% increase in the segment’s sales and a 13% increase in its profits in the firm’s first quarter, executives announced Aug. 27.
Synthetic biology will become a “permanent and growing aspect of the flavors & fragrances landscape” predicts a new report from Lux Research, which says the approach is more sustainable than traditional techniques such as synthesizing flavors from...
Letter shows FDA is serious about enforcing standards of identity, says lawyer
While Unilever dropped a false advertising lawsuit over egg-free spread Just Mayo last year amid an avalanche of bad PR, the FDA has picked up where Unilever left off with a warning letter advising brand owner Hampton Creek it is playing fast and loose...
The cliché of pizza lovers as beer-pong playing frat boys or men sharing a slice while watching sports is all wrong – and as a result, so are many manufacturers’ marketing and formulation strategies, according to recent research.
The dog days of summer are here and to help cool off consumers are reaching for ice cream, which a recent Yahoo Food survey found is 41% of American’s favorite dessert.
A new hybrid grocery delivery and meal solution service from food-tech start-up Handpick, Inc., claims to offer a more affordable and sustainable way for consumers to shop and cook than other online grocery shopping or meal kit delivery services.
In a ruling that will be read with interest by food manufacturers worried about being sued for using partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), a judge in California has stayed a PHO-related class action vs General Mills until the FDA decides whether certain...
Natural and organic food manufacturer Hain Celestial Group continued its five year streak of earning double-digit quarterly sales growth thanks in part to a “channel agnostic go-to-market strategy,” according to the firm’s president and CEO.
A recent FDA warning letter reminds food and beverage manufacturers that whole stevia leaf is not generally recognized as safe for conventional foods, even though many extracts of the plant are.
Bolthouse Farms is advancing its on-trend mission to make fresh products more available by expanding its fresh juice and salad dressing offerings under a new president and general manager.
LA-based Soylent says it “stands by the quality and safety” of its meal substitutes, after being threatened with legal action alleging its Soylent 1.5 powders contain risky levels of heavy metals and that the company failed to warn consumers of the risks.
Will Dave's Killer Bread retain its edgy appeal without its co-founder and namesake? FoodNavigator-USA (FNU) caught up with CEO John Tucker after bakery giant Flowers Foods coughed up a cool $275m in cash to buy the organic baker from the founding...
A large consumer study* from market researcher Health Focus International spanning 16 major consumer markets includes this pretty jaw-dropping statistic: 87% of consumers globally think non-GMO foods are ‘somewhat’, or ‘a lot’ healthier.
Beverage industry superstar Bai Brands – which hit the headlines this week with the launch of antioxidant-infused Antiwater – has also attracted the attention of plaintiff’s attorneys in California, which claim it played fast and loose with food labeling...
American households - and eating habits - are changing, and food marketers need to catch up, says the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) in its 2015 US Grocery Shopper Trends report. Here are 10 things that caught our eye...
Proactive marketing strategies, such as cross-promotions and strategic shelving, by food manufacturers and retailers can reduce the risk of lost sales when consumers are faced with an out-of-stock product on their grocery list.
An event in late September will bring natural and organic food brands and thought leaders together with hundreds of bloggers. It’s the first such event of its kind, organizers said.
Kellogg and General Mills’ pledges to remove artificial ingredients from their cereals in the coming years will not be enough to help cereal rebound but could spark an R&D trend, says a Euromonitor analyst.
When creating her DRY line of premium carbonated beverages 10 years ago, founder Sharelle Klaus sought to create a new niche in the beverage world. Which was a fortuitous thing, as the brand has waxed even as the soft drink category as a whole has waned.
Modern ‘Western diets’ can lead to poor immune functioning and increased risk of inflammatory conditions, allergy, and auto-immunity, researchers warn.
The mouth-burning, eye-watering and cough-inducing sensations that come with eating spicy foods might make some people feel like they are dying, but in reality eating spicy food could reduce their risk of death, new research reveals.
Fiscal policies can form a valuable part of efforts to drive changes in dietary behaviours, but such policies must be balanced against each other, say researchers.
Wresting local control of the food supply is an idea that continues to spawn advocacy groups. The latest, called Local Food Shift, has cropped up in Colorado with the goal to launch a magazine as a way to spread the message and influence policy.
Lawsuits have echoes of POM v Coke case, says attorney
WhiteWave Foods has been accused of falsely advertising its Silk almond milk by the same legal firm suing Blue Diamond over the way it markets Almond Breeze, and as the cases are near-identical, the judge handling them has consolidated them into one class...
“Applegate’s mission is to change the meat we eat and we believe we can help them to do that."
When Applegate - the #1 brand in natural and organic prepared meats – got into bed with Hormel Foods, which owns Spam and Stagg, some diehard fans were not happy. But selling up does not mean selling out, insists Hormel.
Meet the people behind a2 milk, Yasso, Smári Organics, Tarte Foods, and good culture
For Hampton Creek CEO Josh Tetrick, food lies at the heart of the debate about what path the country should take in the upcoming presidential election. That’s why he recently published an open letter to the presidential candidates in The New York Times.
ConAgra Foods has urged a California court to throw out a lawsuit* alleging it misled consumers with the '0g trans-fat' claim on its Crunch 'n Munch popcorn, and stressed that the FDA's recent decision to revoke the GRAS status of...
Dave Lefkow: 'You’d be amazed how many people are obsessed with bacon...'
The Eureka moment came on a business trip in 2007 when Dave Lefkow’s co-worker Justin Esch casually observed that bacon flavored salt might taste pretty good. The cash to make it happen came from Lefkow’s three-year old son, who propelled a baseball into...
While celiacs – by necessity – are pretty clued up about gluten, most Americans are less well-informed, with a sizable number erroneously believing rice and potatoes contain gluten, according to a new survey.
UPDATED: The FDA is proposing that manufacturers include a percent daily value (DV) for added sugar on the Nutrition Facts panel – set at 10% of total energy intakes (calories) - in addition to listing the amount of added sugar (in grams).
GMA: 'HR 1599 protects the consumer from a costly and confusing 50 state patchwork of labeling laws'
The US House of Representatives has passed the industry-backed voluntary GMO labeling bill - The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act 2015 - by 275 votes to 150, and rejected all four amendments it was asked to consider.
FoodState, the makers of the MegaFood line of dietary supplements, has entered into a new supply deal that will allow it to cobrand some of its supplements with the name of Lundberg Family Farms, the California rice grower.
Consumers understand that almond milk must contain some water, but they would be surprised to learn that the leading brands contain just 2% almonds, alleges a class action lawsuit vs Blue Diamond Growers.
The FDA says it aims to issue finalized guidance on whether 'evaporated cane juice' (ECJ) is the common or usual name for certain cane-sugar-derived sweeteners before the end of 2016.
There are two bills about GMO labeling floating around Congress, but the momentum appears behind the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015. Here are eight things to know about the Act.
The Sparkling ICE brand notched up sales of more than $500m in 2014, is on course to top $600m in 2015, and has a fighting chance of reaching its well-publicized target of $1bn in 2018, assuming it can secure the shelf space it deserves, says Kevin Klock,...
Earning the NonGMO Project verification for every product in the I Heart Keenwah line was a “frustrating” and “taxing” year-long process, but it was worth it, said the company’s president and co-founder Ravi Jolly.
The makers of NightFood nutrition bars want to create a new subcategory of food that will help late-night snackers choose healthier options that could help them sleep better.
Lindt & Sprüngli has reported strong sales growth in the first half of the year driven by its North American business and recent Russell Stover acquisition as global chocolate markets slow or decline.
The number of new products coming to market every year continues to shrink, but that doesn’t make cutting through the competition any easier, according to Larry Levin, executive VP and practice leader at IRI Worldwide.
