America is on the “cusp of a market-revolution” to replace animal products with plant-based alternatives, but consumers need more choices that are convenient, affordable and tasty in order for long-term diet changes to take root, according to an expert...
New research from DuPont Nutrition & Health exploring what drives liking in ready to drink high-protein beverages – a $2.7bn category in the US – revealed that products combining dairy and soy protein performed the best on taste, while 25g of protein...
If the edible insect movement is to meaningfully impact the protein market (and the planet) by displacing less sustainable animal-derived protein sources (beef, poultry, dairy), cricket companies will have to move beyond snacks into the center of the...
Tiny Farms – which has spent the past three years researching feed formulation, habitat engineering, farm automation and management software to drive scale and lower costs in insect production – has finally completed work on its own pilot bug farm in...
While interest in many food trends tends to ebb and flow, consumer demand for ‘local’ food – which taps into many other movements, from organic to specialty – continues to rise. But what does ‘local’ really mean, which consumers are most interested in...
If you spot a hot guy handing out samples in a Whole Foods store that looks kind of familiar (if you’re a fan of Jane the Virgin, Cougar Town or Veronica Mars, that is), it could be a case of wishful thinking. Conversely you might just have stumbled across...
Cactus water is gaining traction in the plant-based water market, and US company Steaz has spotted an opportunity to blend cactus water with ready-to-drink tea in its new beverage line.
Islam was the fastest growing religion in America from 2000 to 2010
By Jeanne Cullen and Furqan Mohammed, Perkins Coie LLP
A growing segment of US consumers is scrutinizing animal treatment and slaughter from an Islamic lens, while halal food consumption among the nation's fast-growing Muslim population has become a ballooning enterprise in the United States and is now...
Retail giant Walmart and baked sweets manufacturer Otis Spunkmeyer join the swelling ranks of companies switching to cage-free eggs, but both are doing so cautiously with long timelines that likely take into account concerns about potential supply shortages...
2015 was a difficult year for some in the embryonic edible insect ingredients business, with Big Cricket Farms suspending activities due to water supply problems and All Things Bugs facing significant challenges. However, Ontario, Canada-based Entomo...
It is only a matter of time before microalgae becomes a mainstream food ingredient, predict the founders of TerraBrands, a new partnership between private equity firm VMG Partners and microalgae specialist TerraVia (formerly known as Solazyme).
As the nascent bone-broth category comes into its own, early pioneers in the space are rebranding with professionally polished packaging that communicates their products’ benefits and points of differentiation to better take advantage of the segment’s...
Though not everyone is convinced that the dietary rot set in once we stopped hunting and gathering and started to grow crops and raise animals for food, there’s no doubt that the ‘Paleo’ diet is gaining traction, and Caveman Foods – the brainchild of...
Lupini beans have a nutritional profile to die for. The problem is, most Americans have never heard of them. But that could change rapidly if the New York based entrepreneur behind BRAMI snacking beans gets his way.
'We want to be clear what we stand for and ‘all-natural’ is not clear'
Good Food Made Simple – one of a new wave of companies on a mission to revitalize the frozen food aisle - is transitioning its burritos and wraps to a 'made with organic ingredients' platform and ditching the much maligned term ‘all-natural’...
As the number of health-conscious consumers increase, so do the number of brands touting a healthier alternative to what’s out there. Here’s an update from brands in this category that we’ve covered before.
Food-X – a bi-annual food accelerator program backed by venture capital firm SOSV – has unveiled its spring cohort of 10 early stage companies spanning everything from Mexican cooking sauces to meal-delivery services for pregnant women.
Drinkable organic soup brand Tio Gazpacho has closed a $1.25m Series A funding round on CircleUp led by 301 Inc, General Mills’ new business development and venturing unit*, and unveiled plans to launch a new, lower-priced line targeting conventional...
The sweet but tart taste of switchel can be polarizing, says Cide Road founder Kevin Duffy. But it meets a growing demand for bolder, more sophisticated, flavors that has helped to drive sales of products such as kombucha, adds Duffy, who has now secured...
Farmwise frozen veggie fries contain 30% vegetables and beans, and 70% potatoes, and have been flying off the shelves in conventional as well as natural channels, says co-founder and CEO Dave Peters, who caught up with FoodNavigator-USA at the 2016 Expo...
Co-founder Ankita Sharma says Saffron Fix is the Blue Apron of Indian Food, giving subscribers access to hard-to-find spices and freedom to adjust measurements and ingredients.
High pressure processing (HPP) gave Harmless Harvest a big point of difference in the coconut water category when it burst onto the scene in 2011 as the first ‘raw’ brand on shelf. However, its new multi-step filtration process - which replaces HPP –...
Whether it’s a mug with your beloved pet’s picture on it, or a bespoke set of placeholders for a party you’ve ordered online, consumers love to design their own products these days. But how can mass customization work in the food industry, where minimum...
Organic and Non-GMO claims are both gaining strong traction on US food and beverage labels, while there has been a slight decline in the percentage of new launches featuring 'natural' claims, according to Mintel.
As 301 Inc’s recent investment in start-up Good Culture demonstrates, large CPG companies are placing bets in promising food companies earlier than ever as the natural & organic food market heats up, says general manager John Haugen, who is looking...
Research showing the repetition of taking multiple bites is more satiating than one piece or bite regardless of the calorie-count is what inspired Enjoy Life Food to develop mini versions of its popular full-sized soft and crunchy cookies and to launch...
Microalgae ingredients pioneer Solazyme has unveiled plans to spin off its industrial products division and focus exclusively on food, feed and personal care, under a new name: TerraVia.
Boston-based start-up Farmwise – the maker of veggie fries - has triumphed at New Hope's pitch slam event at Expo West, which pitted entrepreneurial food and beverage brands against each other in a range of categories from bone broth to HPP babyfood.
True Foods Inc. wants to make everyday foods “healthier, more delicious and better for our world” by packing them with more vegetables and less added sugar – an ambitious mission to which consumers are responding enthusiastically judging by the startup’s...
It remains to be seen whether edible insects can move from the niche to the mainstream of US food culture, but a $4m cash injection into cricket protein bar brand Exo - one of the pioneers in this nascent category – suggests bugs may have broader appeal...
Deal will help Dang expand its presence in club, drug & convenience channels
Dang Foods – a Berkeley-based firm specializing in whole food snacks (coconut chips, onion chips)- is the first company to receive funding from Sonoma Brands, a food incubator run by KRAVE Jerky founder Jon Sebastiani.
The American consumer is changing, but are traditional bricks & mortar grocery retailers adapting to this new reality? It’s on a learning curve, but by exploring a variety of online models and new store formats Kroger is trying to “address where the...
American’s demand for protein shows no sign of slowing in 2016, but it is evolving to focus more on plant-based options, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.
Hatchery – an online marketplace specializing in gourmet foods from small producers – is looking for a strategic partner as it seeks to raise $2m to expand its offer.
Fewer Americans are reaching for sugar sweetened beverages, but consumption remains high – prompting a call for more aggressive measures to further reduce ingestion, according to new research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The retail fresh soup category is now worth “north of $200m,” as more grocery retailers invest in their fresh prepared food offer, says the CEO of Boulder Organic Foods. But there is still a lot of potential for growth as the boundaries between food retail...
We’re just scratching the surface when it comes to unlocking the potential of fermented foods in the US market, says the new CEO of Farmhouse Culture, a Portland-based firm specializing in fresh organic sauerkraut and novel savory fermented beverages.
Austin based World Peas – best known for its coated peas and fava bean snacks, has been acquired by L.A. based Snack it Forward LLC - which makes freeze-dried fruit snacks (Sunkist Fruit Chips) and trail mix.
Boulder Brands co-founder Steve Hughes - who resigned from the firm last summer - has teamed up with private equity firm Trilantic North America to form Sunrise Strategic Partners, which will provide growth capital and expertise to emerging brands in...
Bricks & mortar retailers that don’t embrace online food delivery services such as InstaCart risk being left behind in the new on demand economy, says the CEO of San Francisco-based specialty food retailer Andronico’s.
Normally about this time of year the airwaves and social media begin to buzz with messages about getting ready for bikini season or offers to help consumers shed the last few stubborn holiday pounds with special diet foods – but increasingly these types...
Supporters of the 'Paleo' diet (a hunter/gatherer-style approach to eating) urge us to eschew grains, dairy and legumes - among other things. But any diet that eliminates major food groups should be treated with caution, argue two high-profile...
It’s purple, intriguing from a nutritional perspective owing to its anthocyanin content, and poised to create a completely new category in the US beverage market, says one man on a mission to make Kenyan purple tea a household name in the US.
Vegetarian diets may be gaining traction in general in the US, but when it comes to pizza meat toppings still reign supreme, according to a Harris Poll released Feb. 23.
While functional sports drinks have been used by athletes for decades, a wider range of consumers are now turning to the beverages, according to a report from MyDrink Beverages.
After spending years researching alternative forms of sun protection, dermatologist Bobby Awadalla has launched an orange and peach flavored 'sun protective drink' called UVO.
Cricket bar pioneer Chapul is poised for significant growth in 2016 after securing national distribution agreements with UNFI and Nature’s Best (KeHE) that will see it boost its footprint from 500 stores today to 3-4,000 stores by the year end, CEO Pat...
