North Carolina-based Barvecue is significantly scaling up production of its plant-based pulled pork line, tapping into an underserved opportunity in the plant-based meat alternative space, says brand founder and CEO Lee Cooper.
Well-known for its service and compassion, KeHE’s new “Crazy Good” campaign that launched this month seeks to highlight how the food distributor’s other two pillars of “innovation and operational excellence” also can drive growth for its retail partners...
Innovation still drives the food landscape even though “treasure hunting” may look different now than before the pandemic sidelined casual in-store consumer browsing and retailers and brands rationalized SKUs to focus on best-sellers to alleviate supply...
Eat Beyond Global Holdings, a public investment issuer focused on the global plant-based and alternative food sector, has made an investment in CPG life science company SIRE Bioscience.
SweeGen Bestevia Reb B steviol glycoside (stevia sweetener) has received a GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) Letter of No Objection from the FDA for use in food and beverage formulations.
A new line of grain-based flour blends launching today from Ardent Mills promises to deliver the low-carb health benefits consumers want without compromising taste or texture or requiring manufacturers to install new equipment.
Sales of functional beverages are rebounding and have a bright future despite the pandemic shutting down for most of 2020 in-person impulse purchases and food service sales which previously drove the category’s fast growth, according to market research...
Plant-based foods manufacturer Nabati Foods (part of the Eat Beyond Holdings portfolio) has closed over $7.7m in an oversubscribed funding round with plans to pursue a public listing on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE).
Since the pandemic began, food insecurity in America has increased exponentially, and stakeholders across the value chain are stepping up to provide relief, including Simply Organic, which is giving $150,000 to five organizations that not only help put...
Cargill has made new hires to its executive leadership team, effective April 1, to position the company for accelerated growth in sustainable food and agriculture solutions.
It’s milk, but not as we know it, Jim… To be precise, GoodSport is dairy milk, but with the protein and fat removed via ultra-filtration, leaving a clear sugary fluid loaded with electrolytes and vitamins. But does this upcycled elixir (better known as...
With the pandemic’s impact on the economy and food insecurity in America expected to outlast the threat of the current coronavirus, stakeholders are calling on legislators to rethink how food and funds through nutrition programs are disbursed – changes...
Oishii, a vertical farm growing Japanese omakase strawberries with 2-3x the sweetness of conventional US-grown strawberries, has closed $50m in Series A funding led by SPARX Group to scale its business for mass market consumption.
Market projections for meat and dairy alternatives vary wildly, with Impossible Foods’ CEO predicting animal agriculture could hit a ‘death spiral’ by 2035, while Wells Fargo reckons plant-based meat will account for a rather more modest 4% of the US...
USDA’s announcement this week to extend free school meals through the summer – and possibly the end of the next school year – ensures students are fed even if pandemic-related safety measures keep them at home, but it doesn’t alleviate increased financial...
As more local governments mandate “hazard pay” increases for some grocery store employees, more retailers are shuttering “underperforming” stores that can no longer financially sustain increased costs associated with operating during the pandemic.
RightRice has launched its newest innovation in the rice category, RightRice Risotto, a veggie-based product line that is dairy-free using just water while achieving the same level of creaminess the well-known rice dish is known for (in under 15 minutes),...
Clinical data suggests that arabinoxylan – a fiber found in the cell walls of several plants – has a range of benefits from prebiotic effects to blood glucose control and immune health support. But no one has found a cost-effective way to isolate and...
Known for its strong track record of helping emerging brands, like KIND, Bare Snacks and Spindrift, become household names, private equity firm VMG Partners is on the lookout once again for new investment opportunities after securing $850m for its Growth...
The sparkling water category may seem crowded with products made by CPG giants and offerings from smaller, independently-owned brands, but the reality is that sparkling water is still just a small piece of the overall carbonated beverage category, says...
With today’s launch of a line of ready-to-eat frozen Smoothie Bowls, KIND Healthy Snacks promises to shake-up the fast-growing $3.7b frozen breakfast category while also diversifying its portfolio beyond the on-the-go bars with which it made its name...
Santiago-based food tech company NotCo has been granted a first-of-its kind US patent for its AI technology, which it claims gives it a clear edge in the race to reverse engineer animal foods and put them back together - molecule by molecule - with plants,...
To mark International Women’s Day today, March 8, organizers are asking participants to “choose to challenge” and call out gender bias and inequality with the hope that from challenge will come change – something that women entrepreneurs desperately need...
A year after the initial shock of the coronavirus pandemic caused many to hit the brakes on new deals, mergers and acquisitions in the food and beverage space not only have rebounded but exceeded expectations – making 2020 a record year for consumer deals...
Five years after the United Nations celebrated 2016 as the International Year of Pulses to raise awareness of legumes’ nutritional value and sustainability, SPINS data shows sales of dried beans are skyrocketing as consumers look for more nutrient-dense...
Free from added sugar, artificial flavors and with around half the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, Ocean Spray Wave – a caffeinated sparkling water with real fruit juice – is the latest drink meeting a trio of consumer demands of refreshment, energy,...
The first flavors were made from plants, but were gradually replaced by ‘artificial’ alternatives, thanks to advances in synthetic chemistry. By the end of the 20th century, however, natural flavors were back in vogue.
Many consumers are aware of the nutritional value so-called superfoods have, but few can commit to a daily diet packed with turmeric, ashwagandha, and elderberry (and even fewer enjoy the taste). This hangup was the impetus for Grummies, a brand of gummies...
Even as consumers seek ingredients that promise to boost their immunity, reduce their stress and support their well-being, sales of functional foods and beverages were held back in 2020 compared to organic due to shifting shopping preferences away from...
Customer satisfaction with the retail sector has hit a low point across most channels particularly supermarkets and online retail hit where consumer sentiment dipped to a five-year low, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI) Retail...
Earth Island (Follow Your Heart) co-founder and CEO Bob Goldberg has always had an independent streak, telling reporters over the years he’s happy dancing to his own tune despite periodic overtures from big CPG suitors. Last month, however, he inked a...
As the ongoing pandemic accelerates consumer interest in the role of nutrition in wellness and underscores the supply chain’s fragility, the investors at Manna Tree Partners are looking for at least three growth stage companies that are revolutionizing...
Forager Project has entered the burgeoning plant-based cheese category with a new line of organic products made from a base of cashews, starch, and coconut cream and oil, which it claims delivers the “cheesiest vegan cheese with the best melt and stretch.”
A sharp increase in the Consumer Brands Association’s membership in 2020 underscores how the trade group’s “pro-consumer, pro-growth agenda” is helping it regain the trust and support of the CPG industry, including some companies that left the organization...
Plant-based seafood firm Ocean Hugger Foods – which was forced to pause operations last June as COVID-19 ravaged the foodservice industry (its primary market) – will stage a comeback later this year after forging a joint venture (Ocean Hugger Inc) with...
Using funding from its recent $87m Series D capital raise, indoor agriculture company Gotham Greens has expanded operations to Northern California – its first West Coast greenhouse location – opening a 10-acre facility, which will bring its total annual...
Starbucks is adding Oatly oat milk to menus across the US “at a time when customers are seeking more plant-based choices to incorporate into their daily routines."
Formed last year, LIVEKINDLY Collective had made its US retail debut at Sprouts Farmers Market locations nationwide where it has launched several products from its plant-based foods portfolio, including Like Chick'n from LikeMeat and The Fry Family...
In Australia, the practice of introducing peanuts into an infant’s diet early on (before 12 months of age) has increased more than 3x in 2019 compared to 2007-2011 data, according to research led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI)...
Chobani has launched a new national ad campaign with animated stories highlighting its credentials as a “brand with values that stand for more than the food we make.”
Before the pandemic, few Americans prepared lamb and those who did tended to reserve it for special occasions, but shortages of traditional proteins last spring pushed more people to try it for the first time, and now, nearly a year later sales of lamb...
2020 was a breakout year for 'agrifoodtech' companies as the sector attracted over $26.1bn worldwide in investment, a 34.5% increase from 2019, according to global venture capital firm AgFunder's 2021 investment report.
After languishing for years, frozen food is emerging as a powerful growth driver for retailers and CPG brands in part because its long shelf life and convenience fit well with pandemic living, but also because companies like ConAgra have proactively reimagined...
JM Smucker will lose an undisclosed number of North American employees as it continues to reshape its portfolio and corporate organization to better align with evolving consumer demands and ongoing SKU rationalization by retailers, executives confirmed...
On a crusade to make buckwheat "cool" -- which has taken strong digital marketing efforts to educate the consumer in a demo-less landscape -- founder of sprouted buckwheat brand Lil Bucks, Emily Griffith, has made the leap from shared kitchens...
PepsiCo is making its first foray into the non-alcoholic cocktail mixers category with the launch of Neon Zebra, aimed at Gen Z and young Millennials (21-34-year olds) who like making cocktails at home, but are looking for more “fun and practical"...
