Sweeteners (intense, bulk, polyols)

Quest Nutrition CMO: ‘Higher protein, lower sugar, lower carb snacking, is not a fad, it’s here to stay’

27-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

While Quest Nutrition may not have achieved its founders’ somewhat lofty goal of ‘ending metabolic disease’ just yet, the high-protein, low-carb, low-sugar positioning of the company – one of the runaway CPG success stories of the past decade – is continuing...

Koia cracks the mainstream code with ambitions to be the next $400m+ refrigerated beverage brand

25-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Koia, which launched with plant-based protein shakes in 2016 sold at Whole Foods stores, has unlocked exponential growth in the mass channel with its low-sugar smoothie line that founder and CEO Chris Hunter says is the company's "best performing...

Bhoomi positions sugarcane water as healthy for people, the planet & Black farmers economically

24-Aug-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sugar and healthy usually occupy opposite ends of the spectrum, but startup Bhoomi wants to bring them together in a line of cold-pressed cane water elixirs featuring traditional Ayurvedic ingredients and a compelling mission to “balance health, equitable...

Euromonitor: How are consumers thinking about sugar reduction and sweeteners?

23-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Sugar reduction has become a macro health trend among consumers who believe the dietary shift leads to general wellness and health, according to Euromonitor research.

Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging ‘slightly sweet’ claims on Coca-Cola’s Gold Peak tea

13-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Is it misleading to call iced tea containing 24g of added sugar per serving (48% of the daily value) ‘slightly sweet’? Not according to a New York judge, who has just dismissed a putative class action lawsuit vs Coca-Cola over Gold Peak Tea.

Sugary drink consumption remains stubbornly high among Black & Hispanic students and those in “high exposure zones,” research suggests

13-Aug-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

While children’s consumption of sugary beverages has fallen in recent years, it still exceeds recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans with rates remaining stubbornly higher among Black and Hispanic adolescents than white students, according...

‘No brand to date has really nailed Greek in plant-based yogurt, until now….’ Danone unveils Silk Greek-style

10-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Danone is hoping to make a splash in the small but rapidly growing plant-based yogurt segment with a Greek-style product under its Silk brand boasting 10g of protein from peas and a thick, creamy texture from coconut cream it claims will be a game changer...

Performs like sugar, metabolized like a fiber? The Supplant Company unveils upcycled ‘sugars from fiber’

05-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

UK-based startup The Supplant Company is targeting the US market with an intriguing new addition to the sugar-reduction toolbox in the form of ‘sugars from fiber,’ a new low-glycemic blend of sugars extracted from upcycled feedstocks that performs like...

‘Some carbs are better than others…’ Unilever, Hershey, General Mills urge FDA to look again at labeling of sugars metabolized differently than traditional sugars

04-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Leading CPG companies including Unilever, Hershey, and General Mills have urged the FDA to look again at the way some sugars such as tagatose and isomaltulose are labeled on the Nutrition Facts panel in the wake of recent changes to the way allulose is...

Hershey: Sales of chocolate and snack brands track above 2019 levels while once-struggling nutrition bars rebound

02-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Continuing to benefit from elevated at-home consumption of its core chocolate brands and growing snacks business, The Hershey Company reported $1.99bn net sales for Q2 2021 (12 weeks ending July 4, 2021) an increase of 16.5% compared to Q2 2020.

GALLERY: Food ingredients startups to watch, from rare sugars and prebiotic fibers to 'cell-free' biomanufacturing

31-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

From San Diego-based Debut Biotech, which is developing a range of high-value ingredients via a novel ‘cell-free’ biomanufacturing platform, to Virginia-based Bonumose, which has patented technology it claims could enable the “mass market adoption” of...

Soylent now profitable, firing on all cylinders, says CEO after rollercoaster year: ‘We had to make dramatic changes or we would have run out of cash…’

28-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

A brand described as “only slightly more appealing than an IV bag” by one uncharitable observer when it first gained a cult following among Silicon Valley programmers as a powdered meal replacement, Soylent has steadily evolved its format, product line...

Zevia CEO on the IPO, stevia, and margins: ‘Our business model offers attractive profitability…’

23-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

While a recent probe into Oatly’s accounting practices and a flood of tech money going into food has raised questions about valuations in the space, zero-sugar soda brand Zevia has a solid track record of growth, a clear consumer proposition (great taste,...

Zevia starts trading on NYSE: 'Consumers are increasingly averse to added sugars...'

22-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Shares in stevia-sweetened zero-calorie beverage brand Zevia – which first hit the market in 2007 – started trading on the New York Stock Exchange this morning (ticker symbol ZVIA).

‘Intake of added and free sugars should be as low as possible’: EFSA confirms sugar consumption a risk factor in chronic diseases

22-Jul-2021 By Katy Askew

The European Food Safety Authority was asked to review the link between sugar consumption and various diseases. The results are in: “Based on the risk of developing chronic metabolic diseases and dental caries, the intake of added and free sugars should...

Coca-Cola Co. leverages ‘disciplined’ innovation, increases marketing to build on strong Q2 results

22-Jul-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Coca-Cola Co. plans to build on the strong momentum in its second quarter that allowed it to raise its full-year guidance by intensifying the amount and efficacy of promotions going forward and continuing to innovate with a ‘disciplined approach to...

‘Amazing taste and texture, and unmatched nutritionals…’ Keto-friendly Nick’s Ice Cream on course to triple US revenues this year, expand into new categories

19-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Swedish keto-friendly brand Nick’s – which entered the US in late 2019 with low carb light ice cream pints – is on course to triple its US sales in 2021 (vs 2020) with continued growth in bricks & mortar retail, sharp growth in its fledgling direct...

Comet Bio closes $22m Series C to ramp up production of upcycled sweeteners, and prebiotic arabinoxylan, the ‘Cadillac of fibers’

15-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Comet Bio – a startup developing functional fibers and sweeteners from upcycled ingredients – has closed a $22m Series C round led by private equity firm Open Prairie, with support from Louis Dreyfus Company, BDC Capital, and existing investor Sofinnova...

Coca-Cola launches reformulated Coca-Cola Zero Sugar in the US

13-Jul-2021 By Rachel Arthur

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is rolling out with a new recipe and packaging in the US, with the product promising ‘an even more iconic Coke taste’.

Tate & Lyle spins off industrial sweeteners, starches division to focus on specialty food and beverage solutions

12-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Tate & Lyle has struck a $1.3bn deal to sell a controlling stake in its 'Primary Products' industrial sweeteners and starches business in the Americas to private equity firm KPS Capital Partners, as it focuses on specialty sweeteners, fibers,...

NuSkool Snacks finds growth in recovering snack and nutrition bar category: 'Our retail numbers are off the charts'

12-Jul-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Despite overall declines of the snack and nutrition bar category over the past year, NuSkool Snacks (formerly MCTco) saw demand for its brand – and other low-sugar bar products like it increase – reports founder and CEO Joe Christensen.

Aussie brand Remedy Drinks brings zero-sugar kombucha stateside

09-Jul-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

As the #1 selling brand in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, and the fourth largest kombucha company globally, producing more than 90 million cans per year, Remedy Drinks is seeking to replicate its success in the US market where it says consumers are...

ROAR Organic repositions from sports drink to all-day hydration solution: 'We changed the entire identity of our product,' says CEO

08-Jul-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

If you took the best of Bai, the best of Vitaminwater, and the best of Gatorade, and made it organic, you would have ROAR, says CEO Alex Galindez, who is applying a new distribution and marketing playbook to the five-year-old brand.

‘If we can control the light, we can control the DNA…’ Provectus Algae unlocks algae’s potential as an industrial platform for high-value ingredients

06-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Algae is potentially a hugely exciting food source. But with a couple of notable exceptions, it has yet to set the food industry on fire, says Provectus Algae, a startup developing an automated growing platform it claims can unlock algae’s potential as...

Better Juice ramps up plans for US market entry of enzymatic sugar reduction technology

01-Jul-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

With a recent $8m cash infusion raised in a seed investment round led by several Israeli investors, Better Juice is scaling up the production capacity of its sugar reduction technology and focusing on deploying the technology in the US market, says Eran...

‘It’s a dumpster fire…’ Firms report ‘unprecedented shortage and increased costs and lead times’ for erythritol, allulose

28-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

A combination of supply chain disruptions and surging demand for sugar alternatives has created a very tight market for selected specialty sweeteners - notably erythritol and crystalline allulose – with some firms reporting shortages, longer lead times,...

Zevia files for IPO: 'Our passionate consumer base over-indexes to Millennials'

26-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

Stevia-sweetened zero-calorie beverage brand Zevia – which first hit the market in 2007 – enjoyed a stellar year in 2020, increasing net sales by 29% YoY to $110m, while increasing gross margins from 43% to 45%, according to a prospectus released ahead...

Sweets & Snacks Expo 2021

Hershey reveals product innovation and growth strategies for the ‘new normal’ at Sweets & Snacks Expo

24-Jun-2021 By Anthony Myers

The premier trade show for the candy and snack categories is back after a 12-month break and offers visitors to the Indiana Convention Center the opportunity to discover new confectionery and snack products, actionable insights and unparalleled access...

Unilever global ice cream leader talks plant-based formulation: First get the protein right…

24-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

Unilever experienced an “explosion” in the growth of non-dairy ice cream when it introduced products through mainstream brands such as Ben & Jerry's and Magnum, according to global ice cream EVP Matt Close. But getting plant-based proteins to...

Ocean Spray taps former Coca-Cola exec to lead international expansion

17-Jun-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Ocean Spray has hired former Coca-Cola Company vice president & general manager of its multi-billion-dollar water portfolio, Celina Li, to lead the cranberry cooperative's international expansion efforts and global business-to-business ingredients...

Roquette Ventures eyes protein sweeteners from fermentation to meet demand for healthier alternatives to sugar

14-Jun-2021 By Oliver Morrison

French investment firm Roquette Ventures (part of ingredients company Roquette Group), which supports start-ups in the food, nutrition, and health markets, is looking to scale up production of plant protein sweeteners made using precision fermentation.

‘We’ve done something truly disruptive...’ Chobani launches zero sugar yogurts, an industry first

14-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

Chobani has launched an industry first – a nationally-distributed line of dairy yogurts with zero grams of sugar – to meet growing demand from consumers that want to reduce sugar without feeling like they’re eating ‘diet’ products or compromising on taste...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What do consumers consider ‘healthy’ and how does that stack up to the truth?

14-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the pandemic shined a light on the role of diet and nutrition in health and wellness, it also revealed that most consumers don’t have a firm – or even loose – idea of what constitutes healthy – underscoring a need for more research and better education...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Juice sales rise during pandemic, but how long will the category’s growth last?

07-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

After years of slow but steady declines, juice sales in the US are rebounding in a trend that may have originated with consumers seeking wellness-enhancing products and moments of intentional indulgence during the pandemic, but which industry insiders,...

Coca-Cola: Brands with heavy or perishable items can still leverage e-commerce

04-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Brands with heavy, bulky and perishable products that are difficult or expensive to ship direct-to-consumer need not write-off e-commerce as cost prohibitive or lag behind competitors in other consumer categories when it comes to online sales penetration,...

Where next for ice cream? 'Frozen treat brands will need to speak to indulgences differently'

02-Jun-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The US ice cream and frozen novelties category experienced a significant rise in sales in 2020 (+16.3% vs. 2019) as consumers sought out comfort eating while confined to their homes. However, in 2021 and into 2022, the category will be challenged as consumers...

Virtual Expo West

‘Diet’ is no longer about preparing for swimsuit season, it is ‘a tool for well-being … to achieve broader goals of feeling healthy and high-functioning’

27-May-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

As consumers adopt a more flexible and holistic approach to ‘dieting,’ brands have more room to innovate at the ingredient-level through “mindful omissions and swaps” to create products that appeal to shoppers’ lifestyles, according to new research from...

'Protect the liver, feed the gut…’ Dr. Robert Lustig takes fresh aim at processed food industry: ‘We’ve literally turned ourselves into foie gras’

25-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

One cigarette won’t kill you, observes pediatric neuroendocrinologist and sugar’s arch-nemesis Dr. Robert Lustig, but 10,000 cigarettes over 10 years just might. Processed food is also poisoning us, it’s just doing it much more slowly, contends Lustig,...

Chobani targeted by 'vanilla vigilante' Spencer Sheehan in "particularly weak and implausible" lawsuit

20-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Spencer Sheehan – a plaintiff’s attorney best-known for filing a tsunami of lawsuits over vanilla labeling – has targeted Chobani for the second time in six months, this time taking issue with claims on the yogurt maker’s high protein, no added sugar...

Healthy Height targets growing kids snack bar market with functional, ‘picky-eater approved’ bars

19-May-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Nutritional Growth Solutions (NGS) and its Healthy Height brand is entering the kids snack bar category with a bar line that balances research-based, “growth-boosting” nutrients with a kid-approved flavor profile.

No sugar added: Hershey signals commitment to low sugar confectionery with acquisition of Lily’s

18-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Hershey - which recently outlined a strategy to expand its reduced sugar offerings via in-house R&D, acquisitions, and licensing or partnership deals - has struck a deal to acquire fast-growing ‘no sugar added’ chocolate brand Lily's Sweets for...

Mondelēz SnackFutures' CoLab startup engagement program announces first class of snack entrepreneurs

10-May-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

SnackFutures, Mondelēz International's innovation and venture hub, has selected nine well-being snack brands to participate in its inaugural CoLab startup engagement program.

Tate & Lyle: 'The huge increase in allulose demand currently exceeds supply…’

09-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

With demand for rare sugar allulose currently exceeding supply, Tate & Lyle has informed some partners that it is withholding supplies of the sweetener until further notice, FoodNavigator-USA understands.

DSM teams up with Debut Biotech on next generation ‘cell-free’ biomanufacturing

06-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Ingredients giant DSM has teamed up with San Diego-based startup Debut Biotech to explore the potential of its ‘cell-free’ biomanufacturing platform, a next-generation manufacturing process it claims could unlock new opportunities to biosynthesize a far...

PepsiCo pushes further in functional water category with launch of Soulboost

05-May-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

PepsiCo has launched Soulboost, a new functional sparkling water brand infused with ingredients L-theanine and panax ginseng, targeting wellness-focused consumers and the $11.3bn global enhanced water category.

Stevia sweeteners: Ingredion acquires exclusive license to sell and market Amyris’s Reb M, produced via fermentation

04-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Ingredion – already a key player in the stevia sweeteners market through its 2020 deal to acquire PureCircle – has teamed up with synthetic biology specialist Amyris to expand into a new segment of the market: steviol glycosides produced via fermentation.

Pots & Co accelerates US expansion plans with General Mills 301 INC backing: ‘We’re on a mission to rescue people from bland, uninspiring food’

30-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

“There's no way we could have launched 10 years ago in America,” observes Julian Dyer, stockbroker-turned chef, turned-founder of London-based Pots & Co, which is looking to make a splash this side of the Atlantic with his upmarket desserts.

Hershey rides dual waves of at-home and on-the-go consumption as vaccines roll out to hit sales gains

30-Apr-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

The pandemic’s uneven recovery is creating a “unique window of dual strength” for The Hershey Co., which saw sales gains across all three segments of its evenly divided portfolio of at-home, on-the-go and seasonal products during the company’s first quarter,...

'Some suppliers don't seem to understand the rule...' Bioengineered labeling law ‘proving to be confusing as well as onerous,’ says FoodChain ID

26-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) is “proving to be confusing as well as onerous for food manufacturers,” says FoodChain ID, which has just launched a compliance service* to help firms get their ducks in a row ahead of the January...

WEBINAR HIGHLIGHTS

Snack bar trends: What's next for the category?

22-Apr-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

With so many emerging bar brands vying for space in a crowded market dominated by large CPG -- Clif Bar, KIND (Mars), RXBAR (Kellogg's) -- and retail sales still down in 2021, what's the future of the bar set, and how can brands punch above...