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.
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...
Fundraising is a major challenge for entrepreneurs regardless of their gender, but women face unique hurdles that they must proactively address early or else risk not raising sufficient money to succeed, according to the founder of Element Snacks.
No self-respecting food conference would be complete these days without a session on edible insects. But are they a gimmick or a serious source of alternative protein? FoodNavigator-USA editor Elaine Watson headed to the 2015 IFT show in Chicago to find...
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.
Nobody likes to fail, but in most businesses it is inevitable, and when addressed correctly, it can be a critical element to a company’s long term success, according to food and beverage executives.
The founder of Tio Gazpacho, a front runner in the drinkable soup segment, welcomes to the nascent category several newcomers that he hopes will help validate the new food concept and build consumer interest.
Subscription snack boxes can be a cost effective alternative to in-store demonstrations, which often are viewed as a golden standard for driving initial product trial and gathering consumer feedback.
New York-based start-up Simply Gum offers consumers an elegant, all natural alternative to conventional chewing gums, many of which the company founder says include plastic and other synthetic ingredients.
Broccoli is one of the stereo-typically most hated vegetables from childhood, but now it is emerging as one of the hottest trends in snacking with new formats that promise to be kid- and adult-friendly.
A novel source of vegetable protein that promises to give rivals a run for their money in the nutrition and sustainability stakes, will make its debut at the IFT show next week.
A great product, deep pockets, and entrepreneurial zeal are critical to the success of any food start-up, but there’s always an element of luck, says Dang Foods’ founder Vincent Kitirattragarn, who impressed his first major customer with his toasted coconut...
San Francisco-based seed stage biotech accelerator Indie Bio is offering up to $250k in seed funding for scientists and entrepreneurs developing cultured meat, milk, and egg products.
Artizone, an online hybrid of a farmer’s market and an incubator, offers very early stage food and beverage startups a convenient way to market, sell and distribute within their communities, while preserving their independence from the retailer.
What are the hottest new trends in dairy? Grass-fed everything? A whole milk renaissance? High-protein kefir? Quark? And what’s next after Greek yogurt?
If Justin’s made consumers think differently about nut butter with its novel flavor combos and single-serve sachets, YumButter is on a mission to disrupt the category all over again with its YumButter GO pouches, promising an even more convenient way...
The successful online snack subscription delivery service NatureBox wants to build brand awareness and drive more consumers to shop online by moving into the physical retail realm.
Direct-to-consumer marketing through food trucks and fast casual restaurants can efficiently generate brand awareness and consumer trial of new food and beverage products, but to build brand longevity and business stability, the best retail option is...
There have been some hairy moments during Neal Gottlieb’s decade at the helm of Three Twins organic ice cream, from maxed out credit cards to sleepless nights trying to secure capital at the height of the recession. But his tenacity paid off and his quirky...
Winston Lee: 'We're caramelizing milk and sugar together and then culturing it'
When Winston Lee started pitching Tarte Asian Yogurt to retailers three years ago, the market had already hit peak Greek, he says: “Buyers were already looking at what's next after Greek. If you weren't already a brand on the shelf, you had...
According to Nielsen data, 85% of new consumer packaged goods fail within two years, and big firms are no better - and often far worse - at picking winners than smaller ones, despite their deep pockets.
It may not have hit prime time yet, but it’s only a matter of time before hemp is as big as chia in the US food and beverage market, predicts the co-founder of one snacking company determined to put the protein-packed seed on the map.
'We have retained a cult-like following even as we have gone mass market'
When Julie Smolyansky became president and CEO of kefir market leader Lifeway Foods in 2002 after the sudden death of her father (its founder), the stock went into freefall as investors feared the 27-year old wasn’t ready to run a public company. They...
With an eight-year stint in sales and brand management at PepsiCo on his resume, David Luks knew a fair bit about the beverages market when he launched Honeydrop in 2009. But it quickly became clear that selling Diet Pepsi and selling a product no one...
Biena dry roasted chickpea snacks are about to roll out nationally at Target
When Poorvi Patodia first started pitching roasted chickpeas to retail buyers in 2012, not everyone was convinced they could be a mainstream hit. Today, they are gracing shelves in 3,000+ stores from Sprouts to Stop & Shop and are about to go into...
Meet execs from Sparkling ICE, Chobani, Tio Gazpacho, NASA
Imagine a place where you can meet the entrepreneurs behind new food & beverage categories and retail channels; pioneers in the field of nutrigenomics, edible insects, and 3D printing; food law attorneys; investment bankers; and number crunchers who...
While their sophisticated flavor profile and branding might seem a natural fit for Whole Foods Market, Brewla gourmet ice pops – made from brewed tea, coffee and root beer – are also on sale at Walmart, proving that the brand has broad appeal, say co-founders...
While it’s taken a while to convince retail buyers that stocking protein bars next to kombucha in the refrigerator makes sense, the strategy has paid off big time for Perfect Bar, in no small part due to the tenacity of founder Bill Keith, who took ‘bootstrapping’...
The meat snacks market has become considerably more dynamic lately, with new entrants piling in and existing players revamping their offer, but there’s still room for new players that can bring a fresh twist to the category, says the boss of a brand that...
North Carolina-based brand Dick Stevens is looking for a slice of the action in the burgeoning high-protein-snacks market with a novel ‘jerky mix’ product combining meat, nuts and fruits in a paleo-friendly grab & go product that creates a new sub-sector...
While the healthy beverages aisle is littered with the corpses of exciting - but ultimately unsuccessful - products, Genius Juice co-founder & CEO Alex Bayer is confident his HPP-treated organic coconut smoothies bring something fresh and different...
Beyond Meat - the California-based firm that claims to have unlocked the secret to making ‘near-perfect’ replicas of meat from plants – says that in future, meat-free products won’t be confined to a ‘vegetarian’ section, but just part of the broader ‘protein’...
