London-based brand UGLY Drinks is gearing up for a US launch in spring 2018… Elaine Watson caught up with CEO and co-founder Hugh Thomas at the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Food Show to get the lowdown on what the brand is all about…
Moringa, turmeric, mushrooms, coconuts, pulses, ‘alternative’ flours (cassava, nuts) and sweeteners (maguey sap, yacon syrup), were given top billing in a flurry of new products at the 2018 Winter Fancy Food Show, where trend-spotters also got to taste...
Drinkable soup brand Tio Gazpacho has made its first executive hire with the appointment of beverage industry veteran Matt Merson as VP general manager. FoodNavigator-USA caught up with founder Austin Allan at the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy...
Faba Butter uses aquafaba – the viscous liquid left over from cooking chickpeas – to bind water, coconut oil and a plant-based liquid oil to create a vegan buttery spread claimed to blow rivals out of the water. Elaine Watson caught up with brand owner...
Bored of popcorn, but looking for something equally light on the snacking front? Lotus Pops – a popped lotus seed snack on show at the Winter Fancy Food Show – meets consumer demand for guilt-free snacks that still deliver on taste and texture, claims...
The nut butter aisle has expanded well beyond the humble peanut in recent years, with almond, cashew and hazelnut options in many retailers. But walnuts present more of a challenge, says new market entrant Wellnut Farms.
With its “chameleon-like” versatility, nutrient-density and strong structural integrity, the ancient grain freekeh is a triple threat to many modern day eating woes that plague time-crunched consumers seeking something healthy and fast, according to the...
As recently as two years ago, bone broth was virtually unheard of by the masses, but now it is seemingly everywhere with newcomers crowding the category and pushing early players such as Bonafide Provisions to innovate to stay ahead of the competition.
As the summer days heat up, so is the market for frozen desserts, including dairy- and nut-free options, high-protein ice creams, ice cream sandwiches, ice pops and indulgent flavors specially designed for adults – all of which showcased at the Summer...
Entrepreneurs whose families immigrated to the US increasingly are bottling the flavors of their culture in marinades, sauces and spreads to satisfy not only their cravings for foods from their heritage, but to make international cooking at home more...
Despite recent innovations and strong sales in the plant-based milk category, many products are low in desirable nutrients and high in unwanted “superfluous ingredients,” such as gums and starches, which leave the category vulnerable to an exodus but...
Competition in the roasted chickpea snack segment is heating up as more players enter the field, including newcomer Lebby Snacks, which stands apart from the others by offering a soft and chewy – but still roasted – version of the legume rather than the...
When Salem, North Carolina-based bakery Dewey’s decided two years ago to create a line of clean ingredient crackers and cookies – including a soft-baked variety that also had a long shelf life of at least six months, some experts told CEO Scott Livengood...
As the nascent drinkable soup category starts to take shape, newcomer ZÜPA NOMA is looking to carve out its own niche with refreshed packaging that will help its bottles pop on store shelves and better showcase on-trend call-outs such as organic and Whole30...
After years of steady growth in the high single-digits, consumption of water in the US has finally surpassed carbonated soft drinks to become the largest beverage category by volume in the United States, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation....
When industry vet and trained sports nutritionist and food scientist Juan Salinas created P-nuff Crunch baked peanut snacks he wanted to make a product that wasn’t just “better-for-you” but actually good for you without compromising on taste.
Founded during the recession by two “ultimate underdogs” who needed to pay their mortgage to save their farm, the gourmet food and lifestyle brand Beekman 1802 epitomizes the American dream and US value of giving a helping hand to those in need who are...
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
If pulse-based snacks (made with beans, peas, chickpeas, or lentils) were seen as niche, ‘natural,’ products a few years ago, they are firmly in the mainstream in 2017, says the CEO of one firm on a mission to make beans “accessible, delicious and affordable.”
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Cauliflower rice is now available in the frozen and chilled sections of some retailers, but British brand Cauli-Rice is hoping to carve out new territory in the emerging category with a shelf-stable, microwaveable product with a more ‘al dente’ texture...
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Dahlicious – a brand best-known for its cultured dairy product, lassi – is moving into new territory this year with the launch of almondmilk-based yogurt and kefir.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
That’s It fruit bars were an immediate hit, but will the brand’s new veggie bars – which combine black beans with veggies such as peas, carrots, kale, and corn – be a tougher sell?
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
In regular water, hydrogen is bound to oxygen (H2O) making it "difficult for our bodies to enjoy the [antioxidant/anti-inflammatory] benefits of hydrogen," claims the company behind Hfactor, which contends that dissolving hydrogen gas into water...
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Rhythm Superfoods has just closed a $6m financing round led by Gen Mills' 301 INC arm. But what will it spend the money on? FoodNavigator-USA editor Elaine Watson caught up with CEO Scott Jensen at the Winter Fancy Food Show to find out.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Cold soup in a bottle is still a novelty for many Americans, but the concept of ‘souping’ (as opposed to ‘juicing’) is gaining traction, particularly for consumers watching their sugar intake, claims Sonoma Brands founder Jon Sebastiani.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Labeling conventions in plant-based ‘dairy’ are a hot topic right now, with two leading players (Almond Breeze and Silk) hit with false advertising lawsuits this week, and a Senate Bill urging the FDA to enforce standards of identity for milk, cheese...
Matcha, seaweed (paired with chocolate and coconut), veggie snacks, grass-fed meat and dairy, coconuts, hemp, and pulses (beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils) featured heavily at the 2017 Winter Fancy Food Show, where trend-spotters also got to taste Brazilian...
Co-founder of Try The World David Foult was surprised about how well his company’s product, a subscription box and online marketplace with goods from all around the world, is doing in the US.
For most manufacturers, an inability to keep product on the shelf consistently would be considered bad for business, but for Hoboken Farms, the maker of three marinara sauces with a cult-like following, it is a point of pride – and a major selling feature.
Mocktails Beverages now offers its all-natural, ready-to-drink, non-alcoholic cocktails in individual sized bottles to better serve millennials who the company’s president, Bill Gamelli, says are changing their approach to alcohol.
Consumers walking down the dairy aisle at a typical grocery store see a wide variety of cheese formats – from blocks to bricks to strings to shakers – but now there is a new format that could revolutionize the way consumers use cheese.
America’s long love-affair with whiskey and bourbon in classic cocktails made popular again by Mad Men and the craft-movement is now spilling over into food, with products across categories featuring the spirit as a primary ingredient at the Summer Fancy...
As the primal or paleo trend continues to mature, subscribers are no longer restricted to fitness enthusiasts and CrossFitters who served as ground-zero for the diet, according to Jason Burke, co-owner and founder of meat snack company The New Primal.
Matcha and turmeric continue to rise in popularity as consumers and manufacturers embrace the ancient ingredients for their health benefits, unique flavor profiles and brilliant colors.
Manufacturers have long-embraced quinoa for its many nutritional benefits, but at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City in late June it became apparent that increasingly they also are incorporating the ingredient into their products for other reasons,...
A walk across the Summer Fancy Food Show floor in late July in New York City reveals that America’s love affair with pumpkin spice is continuing but also evolving to include pumpkin seeds and pumpkin flesh in sweet and savory products across categories.
US specialty food sales* topped $120bn in 2015, are growing four times faster than the rest of the food market, and now account for 14.1% of all food sales (retail & foodservice), according to a new report from the Specialty Food Association (SFA).
From Cabernayzyns (dried Cabernet grapes) to bakkwa, a meat snack sold in street markets in Singapore and Malaysia that's just hit the West Coast of the US, the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco was jam-packed with unusual new products. FoodNavigator-USA...
Does bone broth have mass market appeal, and if so, what’s the best format to package it in, and where is the best place to put it in store? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with EPIC Provisions co-founder Taylor Collins to get his take on this emerging category...
From bone broth, birch water and yaupon tea to macadamia milk, the Winter Fancy Food Show is a great place to go beverage trendspotting. FoodNavigator-USA hit the showfloor at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, where we also spotted a lot of chai spice...
KRAVE Jerky founder Jon Sebastiani - who sold his business to Hershey last year – has already identified some entrepreneurs he hopes to mentor – and fund – as part of his new incubator, Sonoma Brands.
Gluten-free Cheerios, Soylent, trendspotting, the rise of veganism, and lawsuits: All of these made the top 10 most read articles on FoodNavigator-USA, but what was #1?
Earning the NonGMO Project verification for every product in the I Heart Keenwah line was a “frustrating” and “taxing” year-long process, but it was worth it, said the company’s president and co-founder Ravi Jolly.
Nobody likes to fail, but in most businesses it is inevitable, and when addressed correctly, it can be a critical element to a company’s long term success, according to food and beverage executives.
The founder of Tio Gazpacho, a front runner in the drinkable soup segment, welcomes to the nascent category several newcomers that he hopes will help validate the new food concept and build consumer interest.
As craft cocktails grow in popularity, so too are bars’ and consumers’ shopping lists to include a laundry list of necessary specialty ingredients. To help simplify professional and home mixologists’ experience and minimize shopping costs, high-end mixers...
Subscription snack boxes can be a cost effective alternative to in-store demonstrations, which often are viewed as a golden standard for driving initial product trial and gathering consumer feedback.
New York-based start-up Simply Gum offers consumers an elegant, all natural alternative to conventional chewing gums, many of which the company founder says include plastic and other synthetic ingredients.
Sales of tea in the U.S. are growing quickly as more Americans are drawn to the beverage for its health benefits, rich history and artisanal qualities, according to industry stakeholders.
