‘Clean label’ is a must-have for many shoppers, but it comes at a higher price point that isn’t always easy for manufacturers to re-coup, which is one reason why global ingredient manufacturer Kemin Industries is expanding its range of label-friendly...
From the latest trends in all things spicy from Kalsec and Ajinomoto's take on the 'sixth' taste kokumi, to what Coca-Cola is looking for from startups as part of the IFTNEXT program, check out part 2 of our gallery of highlights from the...
Plant-based meat, dairy and egg alternatives got top billing at the IFT annual meeting and expo in New Orleans this year, while hemp-derived CBD also made its debut, regulatory uncertainty notwithstanding... Check out part 1 of our gallery of highlights...
Raising the threshold above which kombucha would be classified as an alcoholic beverage from 0.5% to 1.25% abv, is not the way to deal with the industry’s alcohol problem, says Vermont-based kombucha brand Aqua ViTea, which utilizes spinning cone technology...
Amano Enzyme has developed new enzymes designed for tea, coffee, and protein beverages that it will showcase at the IFT show in New Orleans next month.
PepsiCo has patented a process to co-ferment oats and dairy milk, creating a drinkable or spoonable product with "unique" metabolites and a versatile taste profile.
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Do all fermented foods contain probiotics? Do consumers understand what prebiotics are? Are shoppers looking for products that deliver a rapid and discernible effect (to tackle bloating/gas/constipation, or improve regularity) or are they focused on long-term...
Kroger has teamed up with private equity firm Lindsay Goldberg to create PearlRock Partners, a new platform that will identify and invest in promising new CPG brands utilizing insights from its consumer data platform 84.51°.
The bulk of Impossible Foods’ $300m series E funding round will go into aggressively scaling up production of its plant-based burgers to meet 'unprecedented' demand, but the company is also working on a suite of other meat products, and has...
Sweety Y-1 – a patented new culture from Chr. Hansen with “superior pH stability” – enables dairy manufacturers to make yogurts and other fermented dairy products with less added sugar, claims the company.
The US Food and Drug Administration has no objections around the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status of BLIS M18, a probiotic strain for oral health.
Trade association Kombucha Brewers International (KBI) wants lawmakers to raise the threshold above which kombucha would be classified as an alcoholic beverage from 0.5% to 1.25% abv, and is gearing up to publish a standard of identity for ‘authentic’...
While several firms are exploring using genetically engineered yeast to biosynthesize cannabinoids using a fermentation process (rather than extracting them from cannabis plants), German company Farmako claims a new approach utilizing bacteria gives it...
Defining what kombucha is – and just as importantly, what it isn’t – is mission critical if industry pioneers are to preserve the integrity of the category as more brands enter the segment, argues GT Dave, founder of market leader GT’s Living Foods.
Laird Superfood has entered the kombucha category -- not just because it's a market with consistently strong sales growth, said co-founder and CEO Paul Hodge -- but because the company wants to offer consumers the same type of products that its founder...
'We're not trying to keep anyone out of the market'
As a wave of lawsuits has brought the debate over what kombucha is and how it is made into sharper focus, trade association Kombucha Brewers International (KBI) is putting the finishing touches on a standard it claims will help preserve the integrity...
US retail sales of refrigerated kombucha and other fermented beverages (including hard kombucha) were up 21% to $728.8m in measured channels* in the year to February 24, 2019 driven by strong distribution gains. However, velocities were down fairly sharply,...
A novel approach to brewing kombucha in stackable rectangular trays could help dramatically speed up the fermentation process and keep alcohol levels consistently below 0.5% abv, solving a major technical challenge for the industry, according to kombucha...
Almost three years after launching - and then rapidly withdrawing - its Food Bar from the market, Soylent has unveiled Soylent Squared, a 100-calorie ‘mini meal bar’ featuring 5g of soy protein, 36 essential nutrients and probiotics.
Chr. Hansen’s latest enzyme for cheesemakers, the CHY-MAX Supreme, is ‘a game changer’ in the production of cheddar, continental and mozzarella cheeses, the Danish bioscience company told FoodNavigator when we caught up last month.
As consumers learn more about digestive health and all the implications that it has for the wellbeing of their bodies and minds, they are looking for products that go beyond probiotics – creating a booming digestive health category that is ripe for innovation....
Despite efforts by the largest food and beverage manufacturers in the United States to tackle obesity and diet-related disease in the market, nearly 40% of adults and 18.5% of children in the US are obese – putting them at risk of Type 2 diabetes, high...
We clocked a number of brands using terms from 'clean candy' to 'clean protein' on the showfloor at Expo West, but what does 'clean eating' mean, is 'clean' a term that brands should use on product labels, and where...
Kite Hill – a leading player in the fast-growing plant-based dairy category utilizing cultured almondmilk to create cream cheeses, yogurts and filled pastas – will be unveiling a new logo, package design and strapline (‘plant based artisans’) at the Natural...
Chr. Hansen is tapping into the growing demand for plant-based dairy products with the launch of nu-trish LGG DA, a version of its Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG strain designed for fermented plant-based dairy.
As recently as a few years ago, the words food and tech were incongruous together, but today they signal a booming industry that is ripe for innovation, and according to the VP of business development at the Israel-based incubator The Kitchen, the combination...
In an effort to find the ‘next big thing’ as early as possible, ingredients firm IFF Frutarom is considering expanding into other markets a version of its unique Israeli-based innovation lab FoodNxt, which launched about one year ago following a tender...
Good Karma – best known for its flaxmilk-based milks and yogurts – is moving into new territory with the launch of plant-based sour cream, ranch dips, and French onion dips, categories currently underserved when it comes to dairy-free options, says CEO...
US retail sales of yogurt fell -3.4% in the 52 weeks to January 26, 2019, but there have been some signs of recovery in recent weeks, with category sales in the 12 weeks to Jan 26 down a more modest -1.9%, according to the latest Nielsen data (all outlets...
Boulder-based organic kombucha brand Rowdy Mermaid – which has carved out a distinct niche in the category with its herb and botanical infused beverages - has raised $3.5m in a Series A round, led by KarpReilly and supported by high profile investors...
The kombucha category continues to chalk up double-digit growth, but not everyone likes the sour, vinegary taste associated with the fermented tea beverage, says the firm behind KÖE organic kombucha, billed as an “easy drinking” brand serving as a “bridge...
Almost half (48%) of Americans have purchased both dairy- and plant-based milks over the past six months, according to an IPSOS survey of 2,006 adults commissioned by Dairy Management Inc.
In its final GMO labeling rule - released this morning - the USDA says it will not mandate the labeling of highly refined ingredients from GM crops if no ‘modified genetic material’ is detectable, but it will allow manufacturers to make voluntary disclosures...
Amazon food and beverage sales topped $4.75bn in 2018 making food/bev the fastest growing segment for the online retailer. Coffee products represented the most popular subcategory with year-to-date sales totaling more than $140m, according to Edge by...
With the opening of a larger manufacturing facility, cashew cheese maker Nuttin Ordinary is ready to expand distribution beyond its home market in New England so that it can continue to ride a wave of consumer interest in non-dairy alternatives that fueled...
Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products hitting US shelves, where healthy fats, high protein claims and pre- and probiotics feature heavily as we head into 2019…
'We’re not marketing Gimmies based on parental claims, we’re marketing it based on what kids want'
Chobani is hoping to unlock an incremental growth opportunity in the sluggish yogurt category with the launch of Gimmies, a dedicated brand supported by a new set of characters designed to appeal to kids aged five to nine, who it says are not well-served...
There is a lot of science supporting both the safety and efficacy of probiotics, and the community should do more to talk about this science, says the new director of scientific affairs at the International Probiotics Association.
Amano Enzyme has developed a new enzyme that improves the solubility of proteins at lower pH levels, helping manufacturers develop fruity protein shakes and other beverages without some of the technical issues that can occur once the pH drops below a...
US retail sales of yogurt have tailed off in the past two years as Greek has lost its luster. But this is just a temporary blip, predicts the president of General Mills’ US yogurt business, who is confident the overall category will return to growth.
US retail sales of yogurt have continued to fall over the past year, although there have been pockets of growth in Icelandic style and full fat products, according to data from Nielsen and SPINS.
Entrepreneurs launching products that are unfamiliar to consumers or vastly different than previously available versions offered by competitors may struggle to gain initial trial – but partnering with chefs and distributing through foodservice can be...
The FDA has upped the ante in the ongoing debate over the use of terms such as ‘almondmilk’ and ‘vegan cheese,’ with a public request for information to help inform the development of draft guidance to “provide greater clarity on appropriate labeling...
Supplement critic Dr Pieter Cohen has trained his sights on probiotics for a new opinion paper, stating that the sector has spun hundreds of small studies favorably and also practices creative advertising.
Attempts by top kombucha brands to dismiss lawsuits challenging their alcohol and sugar labeling have had mixed success, with two judges in the central district of California allowing false advertising cases filed by a rival to proceed (in part), but...
Califia Farms’ dairy-free probiotic yogurt drinks line (launched in February 2018) has entered nearly 7,000 stores in 47 states sold in 42 retail chains making it the company’s most broadly accepted product line by retail channel as consumers continue...
The Not Company is using an artificial intelligence algorithm to identify suitable ingredients and blends to replace animal-origin products and will soon launch a plant-based milk in Chile.
Confused about ‘autolyzed’ yeast extract? You’re not alone, say the suppliers behind a new website designed to demystify an ingredient that has made its way – they say unfairly – onto multiple retailers’ unacceptable ingredients lists.
Hälsa Oatgurt – an organic fermented oat-based drinkable yogurt featuring prebiotics and probiotics – is rolling out to Wegmans as more consumers seek out plant-based options in the dairy set.
Do consumers expect products labeled as ‘kombucha’ to contain live organisms, even if they don’t make any claims to this effect? Maybe, according to a court filing in a case that could have broader ramifications for the burgeoning category going forward,...