As consumers continue to place a higher value on enjoyable shopping experiences, retailers will need to offer more than low prices to drive traffic in 2020, including enticing “sights, sounds and smells” in brick-and-mortar stores, seamless shopping across...
Until the 19th century, chocolate (cocoa) was something you drank, not ate, notes David Burke. “And then we figured out how to turn it into a food. Now we’re on the cusp of exactly the same thing with coffee.”
Food and beverage manufacturers that historically have relied on weight-loss or diet-related messaging to bolster sales in January may need a new game plan if the International Food Information Council Foundation’s prediction comes true that consumers...
As mounting consumer interest in personalized nutrition continues to drive consolidation in the supplement side of the segment, the evidence-based supplement subscription service Baze is expanding into food as a point of differentiation, and in doing...
New York based startup Catalina Crunch – best-known for its ultra-low-carb cereal - is moving into new territory with what it claims is the first keto-friendly, shelf-stable smoothie product made with [freeze-dried] whole fruits and vegetables – not powder....
If Del Monte Foods is still best-known for its canned fruits and veggies, a flurry of recent innovations - from frozen ‘veggieful’ bites to shelf-stable ‘bubble fruit’ cups and ready-to-eat oatmeal & fruit – are changing perceptions of the brand,...
Baby food made using biodynamic and regenerative agriculture practices is becoming increasingly important to US consumers as parents become more aware, and wary, of things that don't make it onto product labels such as glyphosate residue.
The consumer awakening and subsequent loss of faith in big business over the past 10 years caught many established food and beverage companies on their backfoot, but a leading market analyst and communications expert predicts the tide will shift again...
Increased production of key crops from China, Argentina and Brazil may have weakened US agriculture’s competitive position over the last 10 years, but rapid innovation in ag-tech in the new decade could help American farmers regain a pole-position by...
Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products hitting shelves, from chickpea butter and tortilla chips to more plant-based yogurts, new private label lines from Target and ShopRite, and Zevia's new zero sugar soda for kids.
Consumers are demanding simple, wholesome, convenient snacks and mini-meals with cleaner labels, and you can’t get much simpler – or more nutritious - than eggs, says Phoenix-based startup Scramblers, which has developed what it claims is an industry...
Arcadia Biosciences, a publicly-traded biotechnology firm focused on value-added food ingredients, has developed a non-GMO reduced wheat flour that contains 65% less gluten than traditional flour and performs like regular flour in food formulations.
Interest in discovering new flavors is higher than ever with 74% of consumers surveyed agreeing that they love to discover new flavors even bitter or earthy taste profiles, according to Innova Trends Survey 2019.
Chicken is the world's most popular animal-based protein, but when it comes to a plant-based version, the market is due for some innovation, said CEO of Daring Foods, Ross Mackay.
Through the acquisition of a 30,000-square-foot facility in Appleton, Minnesota, Eat JUST, Inc. can now scale up to 24/7 production of its plant-based protein isolate extracted from mung beans, the key ingredient in JUST Egg.
Kroger has started trialing dedicated three-foot plant-based meat sets within its conventional meat department in 60 stores in Denver, Indiana and Illinois in partnership with the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA).
KeHE, distributor of natural, fresh, specialty, and organic foods products, predicts personal and environmental wellness to be top of mind for consumers next year.
Consumers are still seeking a balance of animal and plant-based foods in their diet, says Euromonitor, which says plant-based meats are currently in the 'honeymoon period,' but could evolve over time as consumers demand less processed plant-based...
ShopRite rolls out Bowl & Basket private label: CPG companies led on branding in the past, but ‘that paradigm is shifting’
New private label ranges featuring a more “modern, upscale aesthetic” will help to “redefine how customers see ShopRite,” claims the East Coast retailer, which is consolidating multiple private label lines under its new Bowl & Basket and Paperbird...
The hemp-derived CBD market is growing rapidly, although many CPG brands and retailers are waiting for clarity from the FDA on the regulatory path forward for cannabidiol before piling in, but what will distinguish the winners from the losers in this...
New research from strategic marketing and communications Charleston|Orwig firm suggests that younger consumers are open to the idea of cell-cultured meat, and milk and ice cream made from microbes rather than cows, even when they are described with far-from-neutral...
Xoca (pronounced sho’ka) is hoping to stand out in the notoriously competitive functional beverage set with a new line of sparkling, “slightly fermented” drinks made with 50% juice from cacao fruit, the nutrient-rich pulp surrounding cocoa beans that...
The buzz around fresh, healthy and sustainable eating is so intense it is easy to think that everyone now eats this way – but the reality is the premium prices and extra time often needed to prepare these on-trend items place them out of reach of millions...
PepsiCo’s Pepsi Café – which ‘blends the taste of deep flavorful coffee with the refreshing crisp taste of a Pepsi cola – aims to tap into consumers’ demand for pick-me-up energy in 2020.
The recent closing of $12m in Series A funding led by Evolv Ventures, the venture hub backed by Kraft Heinz, will accelerate new store launches of Zippin’s cashierless checkout technology.
Cargill has entered a joint development agreement with Renmatix to explore new applications and commercial opportunities to scale a proprietary, water-based process which converts unused plant materials into functional food ingredients with the clean...
Lupin or lupini beans, which Italians enjoy pickled as a bar snack, are high in protein, high in fiber, and super low in carbohydrates, but are still a novelty this side of the Atlantic, something New York-based startup Lupii hopes to change by showcasing...
With a pile of FDA warnings letters closely followed by a wave of class action lawsuits, the debate over how the FDA should regulate hemp-derived CBD is heating up, with some arguing that high-dose, high-purity isolated cannabinoids belong in drugs, while...
Agriculture accounts for approximately a quarter of annual greenhouse gas emissions, but rather than scapegoat farmers for climate change Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine wants stakeholders across the supply chain, along with legislators and consumers, to...
Packaging doesn’t need to be the enemy of food and beverage brands striving to meet ambitious self-set goals to reduce plastic by fast-approaching deadlines, argues an associate analyst with the global food and agriculture bank Rabobank.
More shoppers now report using Walmart, rather than Amazon, for their most recent online grocery shopping experience, according to new research from the Retail Feedback Group. However, Amazon delivered the highest customer satisfaction scores.
Perfect Day, a startup producing milk proteins via microbial fermentation (minus the cows), has raised $140m in a Series C round led by Temasek with substantial involvement from past investors including Horizons Ventures, bringing its cumulative funding...
While iconic brands currently are losing the tug-of-war with niche startups for consumer engagement and spending, how they continue to play the game in the next ten years will dictate whether they regain ground or become obsolete, according to senior...
Yumi, an early childhood nutrition and fresh meal delivery company which has grown 10x in the past year, has raised $8m in a funding round led by a who's who of category-disrupting direct-to-consumer brands including Warby Parker, Allbirds, Harry's,...
Deepening political and social fissures in America are increasingly polarizing consumers in every facet of their lives, including their approach to diet and what flavors and experiences they will seek in the coming years in foods and beverages, suggests...
Ongoing concern about the long-term health consequences of too much sugar has many parents turning away from classic children’s beverages, and instead serving lower-calorie options traditionally considered for adults, according to recent research from...
Appealing to a growing audience of flexitarians who are striving to introduce more plant-based foods into their diets requires different brand communication strategies than when engaging with vegetarians and vegans, according to Mintel.
Due to its longstanding association with wellbeing and strong consumer awareness, Firmenich forecasts that 'classic blueberry' will be the flavor of the year for 2020 as consumers rediscover its versatility.
PepsiCo is seeking 10 purpose-driven start-ups to participate in its second North American Greenhouse program and to compete for a shot at $100,000 in funding beyond a guaranteed $20,000 grant and mentorship.
Making your own superfood smoothies with fresh or frozen produce isn’t rocket science, but it can be “cumbersome and daunting,” say the founders of Everipe, a new-to-the world shelf-stable smoothie brand about to hit shelves at Walmart that promises to...
From 'smoothie balls' packed with cacao fruit pulp to chickpea-fueled grain-free cereal, new food products are hitting the market every week. But which emerging trends have real staying power and what really interests VCs and strategic investors?...
We know the plant-based alternatives trend is strong with adult consumers, but what about kids? Linkage Research & Consulting sees an immense untapped opportunity in plant-based food and drink products targeted towards kids.
The National School Lunch Program serves approximately 4.9 billion meals a year to children nationwide, and for many recipients it is their only source of nutrition, and yet, according to a new book by Jennifer Gaddis, the program is chronically underfunded...
The grocery retail landscape is hyper competitive with conventional and discount retailers stocking organic and natural options, yet Whole Foods Market continues to push the envelope in terms of product quality, particularly in the area of sustainability...
GrubHub analyzed tens of millions of orders placed by more than 21 million customers on its app (from January through November 2019) and uncovered a clear move towards plant-based eating and a craving for cauliflower pizza.
Beverage development and innovation company Imbibe predicts 2020 will bring to the beverage market a 'return to basics' in terms of nutrition and flavors as well as 'next-level' functional beverages that answer several needs for consumers...
Syndicated market data’s high price keeps it out of reach for many startups, but it is well worth the investment – even if it is means forgoing other investments that might provide shorter-term returns, according to the co-founder and CEO of the thriving...
Based on research from Canadian neurosurgeon Dr Teresa Purzner - best known for her pioneering work with novel approaches to tackle childhood brain cancer – Cerebelly seeks to give babies the key nutrients their growing brains need, exactly when they...
Foregoing purees that mask rather than highlight their vegetable and fruit content, Tiny Organics wants to help raise a generation of kids who recognize and prefer fresh, whole, and savory ingredients.