CPG companies at the forefront of digital marketing and e-commerce today are setting themselves up to be overall market leaders in the next few years, according to a report prepared for the Grocery Manufacturers Association by Boston Consulting Group,...
Record beef prices see FTB volumes increase, albeit slowly: Cargill
When Coca-Cola & PepsiCo invested in Zico and O.N.E. in 2009; Vita Coco CEO and co-founder Michael Kirban admits he became a little nervous as pundits predicted he’d get sidelined as the world’s biggest beverage companies slugged it out for supremacy...
Hershey has unveiled a new logo as part of a corporate brand makeover designed to reflect its “evolution from a predominately U.S. chocolate maker to a global confection and snack company”.
When it comes to reporting the position of some of the world’s biggest food companies on genetically engineered foods, Friends of the Earth, it seems, has been engaging in some pretty creative PR ‘engineering’ of its own.
Although grocery lags other sectors when it comes to e-commerce, the effects of digital marketing are beginning to show, as a growing number of shoppers seek out coupons before and during store trips. But the majority of food brands have yet to shift...
Big interview: Dave Asprey, CEO of Bulletproof Exec
For the creator of Bulletproof Coffee, the butter-infused, "low-toxin" coffee that’s created something of a media storm, the epiphany of the Bulletproof lifestyle came (as epiphanies sometimes seem wont to do) thousands of miles from home after...
Almost a quarter of primary grocery shoppers are unable to correctly identify the total amount of sugar in products featuring the FDA’s ‘new-look’ Nutrition Facts labels, which require manufacturers to list ‘sugar’ and ‘added sugar’ separately, according...
Canned soup 'a dramatic example of the current unrealistic serving sizes'
As part of its overhaul of the Nutrition Facts panel, the FDA is proposing to tweak serving sizes to better reflect real-life consumption behavior. But which products should be targeted?
Coke fails to disclose use of artificial flavoring and/or chemical preservatives, claims lawsuit
A class action lawsuit alleging that Coca-Cola misrepresents its flagship product as being free from added preservatives and artificial flavors, has been allowed to proceed by a judge in California.
Despite market watchers’ predictions that private label will all but take over the world, its share of the packaged food market has remained relatively flat since 2008.
Nutrients could precipitate out of solution or cause cloudiness, claim juice firms
FDA proposals to increase the RDI for calcium and vitamin D as part of an overhaul of the Nutrition Facts panel mean that juice makers could face major formulation challenges if they still want to make nutrient content claims about these ingredients,...
US version of Coca-Cola Life has 60 calories per 8-oz glass bottle
Stevia-and-sugar-sweetened Coca-Cola Life is making its US debut this week following successful launches in Latin America and the UK. But will it bring a surge of new - or lapsed - consumers to the cola category and help to reverse the flagging fortunes...
Lindt & Sprüngli's US subsidiary Ghirardelli Chocolate has settled a class action lawsuit over allegations its Premium Baking Chips – Classic White misled consumers by claiming to contain white chocolate.
Despite the legal hot water in which many manufacturers and retailers have found themselves in recent months over “natural” and its growing list of synonyms, the term likely won’t disappear from food and beverage product labels any time soon, as consumers...
What new gluten-free product launches, market analysis tell us
Aug. 5 marked the deadline for manufacturers making voluntary gluten-free label claims to ensure they meet the FDA’s definition of a gluten-free food (less than 20 parts per million of gluten). And while gluten-free product launches have risen every year...
FDA proposals to increase the RDI for certain nutrients as part of an overhaul of the Nutrition Facts panel mean that milk would no longer qualify as an excellent source of vitamin D or a good source of potassium, while some cheeses and yogurts could...
100% juice from concentrate may have to declare its sugar as 'added'
One bizarre consequence of FDA proposals to include ‘added sugars’ on the Nutrition Facts panel would be that not-from-concentrate 100% fruit juice could boast 0g ‘added sugar’ on the new-look labels, whereas 100% juice made from concentrate (containing...
Move could create a wholly unnecessary bureaucratic nightmare, claims Bayer Healthcare
FDA proposals that would require the pre-approval of certain fiber ingredients before the agency will count them as ‘dietary fibers’ on the Nutrition Facts panel are illogical and unfair, claim industry commentators.
How clean is your label, and who decides - plaintiff's attorneys or Whole Foods Market? Are ‘all-natural’ claims still resonating with consumers or are other on-pack cues more important? And do shoppers understand the difference between natural and...
Natural claims on food and beverage products appear to be leveling off, according to recent product launch data from market research firms Datamonitor and Mintel.
Pure Via labels will be amended, but 'natural' claim will stay
10 months after Cargill agreed to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it was misleading shoppers by marketing consumer products under the Truvia brand as ‘natural’, the firms behind rival stevia brand Pure Via have agreed to settle a similar lawsuit.
FDA issued letter of no objection to GRAS notification for Quorn in 2002
UPDATED - Quorn Foods has launched a vigorous defense of its fungus-derived meat substitutes in the wake of a fresh attack from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which says the FDA “should have pulled this dangerous product off shelves...
The FDA has approved a petition from LycoRed seeking the green light to use higher levels of tomato lycopene to restore color to processed meats, giving manufacturers of sausages, deli meats and jerky an alternative to synthetic FD&C Red #40 and bug-derived...
Product was tested by a reputable third party lab, says Whole Foods
Whole Foods has been hit with new class action lawsuits in Pennsylvania and New Jersey accusing it of significantly understating the sugar content in its 365 Everyday Value plain Greek yogurt, just days after a lawsuit making the same allegation was filed...
400 representative products tested for 4-mei levels
UPDATED Aug 22: The FDA has conducted new tests to determine exposure to 4-mei (4-Methylimidazole) via consumption of products containing caramel colors III and IV, and plans more to assess exposure from other sources such as brewed coffee and roasted...
Consumers have more negative views towards sugar-sweetened drinks, and show less preference for them, when they come with concrete images of the amount of sugar they contain, suggest researchers.
Settlement offers injunctive, but not monetary, relief (Coke required to amend labels but consumers won't get any money)
Coca-Cola has agreed to settle a series of 'copycat' lawsuits accusing it of deceptively marketing Vitaminwater. But the lawsuit that inspired them all - filed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest in 2009 - is still pending, as the...
A new trade organization has formed with the mission to define what 'natural' means. The nascent Organic and Natural Health Alliance (ONHA) plans to go about defining that attribute in a way that is unique in the natural products business in...
Vermont AG: 'Natural' labels do not belong on foods made with GMOs
Vermont’s new GMO labeling law (Act 120) does not violate the First Amendment because the disclosures it mandates are “purely factual” and the law “does not require manufacturers to state a particular viewpoint, such as whether GE foods are good or bad”,...
Retailers are going to reduce the space given to legacy brands
Leading CPG companies are like huge ships that cannot change course quickly enough to address evolving consumer trends, claims the boss of Boulder Brands (which owns the Udi’s Gluten-Free, Earth Balance and EVOL brands). But unless they make some bold...
Interview with John Eldridge, 30-year CPG industry vet and Guiding Stars strategy consultant
UPDATED: Significant changes to the Nutrition Facts panel on foods & beverages have been proposed in the US and Canada, with the plan to include ‘added sugars’ tweak rules on dietary fiber labeling, and update the reference values used to calculate...
Bulk coconut importer iTi Tropicals claims that about 15% of the coconut water sold in the US is tainted with unlabeled added sugar, and the firm is calling on retailers and manufacturers to crack down on economically motivated adulteration.
Almond water is made for taste and refreshment, like lemonade or iced tea
Almond water has been a runaway success story for LA-based start-up Victoria’s Kitchen. But not because it's the next big thing in functional beverages. It isn't, says CEO David Meniane, who stresses that his product should not be confused with...
A few weeks ago, it looked like the FDA's decision to look again at evaporated cane juice (ECJ) labeling might halt the tidal wave of lawsuits over the controversial term. But recent court filings suggest this may have been wishful thinking.
The Organic Consumer’s Association (OCA), is calling on the organic dairy industry to cut ties with the IDFA (International Dairy Foods Association) because it is one of several trade associations suing Vermont over its GMO labeling mandate.
Red Bull: 'All future claims will be medically and/or scientifically supported'
Red Bull has agreed to pay $13m to resolve a class action lawsuit accusing it of falsely advertising its energy drinks as providing functional benefits above and beyond what might be obtained from “a simple cup of coffee or a caffeine pill”.
This does not prove that stevia isn't ready for prime time, say experts
There are lessons to be learned from Coca-Cola’s abortive attempt to introduce a new ‘natural’ sweetening system to selected Vitaminwater products, say formulation experts. But they are not necessarily about stevia.
The FDA’s overhaul of the Nutrition Facts panel misses a public health opportunity by prohibiting firms from evening highlighting long chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA on the panel on a voluntary basis, says GOED, the Global Organization for EPA...
Sugar is sugar, say bakers, our bodies don't distinguish between 'naturally occurring' and 'added' varieties
A row is brewing over the merits of including ‘added sugars’ on the Nutrition Facts panel, with critics arguing that our bodies don’t distinguish between ‘naturally occurring’ and ‘added’ sugar - and neither should food labels - and supporters saying...
Whether it’s designated “gluten-free”, “no gluten”, “without gluten”, “free of gluten”, tomorrow (Aug. 5) is the deadline for manufacturers to ensure they meet the Food and Drug Administration’s definition of a gluten-free food.
Added sugars account for 14.1% of total energy intakes for Americans
While we tend to assume that fast food outlets (the bottomless soda cup) contribute a disproportionate amount of added sugar to the US diet compared with store-bought groceries, new data shows that the reverse is actually true.
Voluntary labeling of non-GMO products is a better use of resources, says Safeway
Shareholders at Safeway have rejected a proposal from the Green Century Equity Fund calling for mandatory GMO labeling on its store brands, which company bosses claim would cost $15m+ to implement, while providing zero consumer benefits.
Big Interview: Maggie Radzwiller, Maggie's Conscious Vegan Cuisine
A chef and caterer was motivated by her special diets customers to launch a vegan, gluten-free line of globally inspired meals with no added sodium or oil to provide clean, flavorful meal solutions for everybody.
When 13-year-old acai and coconut water manufacturer Zola decided to revamp its web presence to shift attention toward its growing coconut water line, founder and CEO Chris Cuvelier knew he risked losing some followers in the short term, but the long-term...
Whole Foods' labels are misleading, deceptive, unfair and fraudulent, alleges lawsuit
Whole Foods Market has been targeted in another class action lawsuit alleging that products it labels as ‘all-natural’ are misbranded because they contain “artificial ingredients and flavorings, artificial coloring and chemical preservatives”.
Beyond the focus group? Next generation concept testing
A new mobile app enabling CPG companies to get instant feedback on new product concepts from target consumers while they are grocery shopping will slash the time and money spent on testing new ideas, claims consumer insights expert uSamp.
Odwalla founder: Large companies have to buy innovation
Launching a beverage brand is the easy part. The challenge is growing and sustaining it without running out of cash, steam or patience, delegates were told at the FoodNavigator-USA Beverage Entrepreneurs Forum.
While beverage’s biggest guns have pumped some serious cash into developing ‘mid-calorie’ versions of their iconic brands (Dr Pepper TEN, Pepsi Next, Coca-Cola Life), not everyone is convinced they will deliver the incremental growth to the ailing soda...