When PepsiCo replaced the word ‘Simply Natural’ with ‘Simply’ on some Frito-Lay lines recently, some commentators wondered if this signaled the beginning of the end of the industry’s love affair with all-natural claims. However, new data suggests otherwise.
While the number of lawsuits filed against food and beverage manufacturers over ‘all-natural’ claims appeared to peak in 2012 and drop off again in 2013, it’s too early for the industry to start cracking open the champagne just yet, say legal experts.
The new non-GMO formulations of Original Cheerios and Grape Nuts might be made without ingredients from genetically engineered crops, but they also come with fewer vitamins - although brand owners General Mills and Post Foods won’t say why.
While most start-ups struggle to raise the funds to turn their dreams into reality, Hampton Creek Foods CEO Josh Tetrick has convinced some of the world’s wealthiest people that his plant-based egg replacers are worth a serious punt.
While market researchers predict continued healthy growth for the US gluten-free market*, not everyone is convinced that it is built on a solid foundation.
Could coffee fruit be the next pomegranate? One firm on a mission to turn the one part of the coffee plant most growers aren’t interested in into the next big thing in beverages, has just struck a series of deals it hopes will turn it into a household...
Hurdles in food safety, taste and consumer acceptance await on the London South Bank University’s quest to join two big food innovations: 3D printing and insect-based ingredients.
High pressure processing (HPP) has breathed fresh life into the US juice market. But if beverage firms are excited about the technology, so, it appears, are plaintiffs' attorneys, who are starting to take issue with the way some HPP-treated products...
Brazzein - a protein from the berry of the West African plant Oubli claimed to be 2,500+ times sweeter than sucrose - could play a key role in the natural sweeteners market in future as formulators look beyond stevia, says one entrepreneur intent on commercializing...
As the US breakfast food segment flirts with $13 billion in total sales, the most important meal of the day is proving to be equally significant for food and beverage manufacturers.
Packaged goods companies will make their products greener, healthier, tastier, and faster in the New Year, says market researcher Datamonitor Consumer.
Bakery manufacturers can drive growth of packaged sweet baked goods by downsizing to smaller and single-serve packs for higher per unit profits, says the research director of Packaged Facts.
Hershey’s chief executive John Bilbrey says he is “very excited” about a mystery new product that will unveiled later this year, and believes fruit and choc snack brand Brookside could become a $500m global brand.
More than half (56%) of US shoppers say they are cutting back on white bread - but not necessarily because wheat or gluten are the enemy, says Packaged Facts.
From savory yogurt and seaweed chips to healthy vending and protein-packed frozen yogurt, here's FoodNavigator-USA's pick of 10 entrepreneurs and CEOs to watch in food and beverage in 2014.
Super Bowl parties are communal snacking events where consumers are open to trying new products, giving smaller brands a fighting chance, says Euromonitor.
With every man and his dog bringing out a Greek yogurt to cash in on the sector’s meteoric growth, Blue Hill president David Barber wanted to do something a bit different, and three months after launching his savory yogurts on an unsuspecting market,...
THE FOODNAVIGATOR-USA BUSINESS LEADERS ROUND TABLE DEBATE
Some people are repulsed by the idea of eating insects – but those aren’t the people to target when trying to introduce insect consumption to the mainstream, says edible insect expert Professor Arnold van Huis.
Smart Balance, best known for its heart-healthier buttery spreads, sticks and other products, has made a move into the snacks category with the launch of Smart Balance Peanut Butter Popcorn Nuggets.
The FDA’s proposal to revoke the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to oust artificial trans fats from the US diet “is extreme… and other options should be explored”, says soybean industry collaborative Qualisoy.
The entrepreneur who proved that vending machines can dispense more than candy and soda and still make a decent return has taken the H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending concept to the next level with the launch of a new breed of self-service ‘micro markets’.
What are food manufacturers looking for? Plentiful supplies of water, great transport links, a skilled workforce, low-taxes, easy access to raw materials?
What are the hottest trends in food and beverage? And are the big bucks really in blue-sky innovation, or have the most successful firms played with an existing concept and just done a better job at executing, marketing and selling it?
Chobani is going head-to-head with Yoplait Greek 100 with the launch of Chobani Simply 100 Greek Yogurt, a 100-calorie authentic strained Greek Yogurt sweetened with monk fruit, stevia leaf and evaporated cane juice.
From maple water to ‘brogurt’, posh jerky, seaweed chips, purple corn, gourmet popcorn and non-GMO labels; what were the hottest trends of 2013, and what’s on the menu for 2014?
Jatropha protein concentrate can be used to fortify bread without adverse textural impact and bakers should consider using the ingredient more, researchers say.
While private label penetration rates in the US “pale in comparison” to those in Europe, the way US retailers regard their store brands has changed dramatically in recent years, according to the CEO of one leading manufacturer.
The much-anticipated ‘Keurig 2.0’ single-cup brewing system with ‘interactive readability’ (that doesn’t work with unlicensed/copycat pods) will offer such “game-changing functionality” that consumers - and unlicensed players - will want to switch, claims...
The percentage of new US food product launches featuring ancient grains or seeds has almost tripled since 2008, according to Datamonitor. But the bulk of activity is focused around just two ingredients: Chia and quinoa.
60-second interview: Matt Fifer, co-founder, 8th & Walton Group
Want to get on the shelf at Walmart? Prepare to put in some serious work, says Matt Fifer, who spent nearly 13 years in senior roles in store & club operations, people development, marketing, and international marketing at Wal-Mart before co-founding...
While Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for family meals (and arguments), it’s also a time for, well, ordering takeout; especially if you’re spending the week in Vegas…
While quinoa and chia have stolen much of the limelight, one of the most interesting ‘ancient grains’ to watch is freekeh - wheat that has been harvested early while it is still green and then roasted and cracked - according to one leading supplier of...
Monster continues to outperform rivals in the energy drink sector; while recent launches Muscle Monster energy shakes, zero calorie Monster Ultra Blue, and the latest variant of 10-calorie line Monster Rehab (tea + pink lemonade + energy), have “exceeded...
Looking for a healthy snack that is low in fat and calories, high in protein and a bit more tantalizing for the taste buds than your average nutrition bar? Try jerky, says the entrepreneur behind one of the most successful recent entrants to the US food...
Milk is a great source of calcium, protein, vitamin D and potassium. But kids’ consumption levels have been falling steadily for three decades. So how can food marketers make milk fun again?
While many grocery brands are struggling to generate any growth right now, top gluten-free brands Udi's and Glutino notched up combined net sales growth of 53% in the latest quarter, bosses at brand owner Boulder Brands have revealed.
Private label specialist TreeHouse Foods is cashing in as more consumers hooked on single serve coffee opt for premium private label alternatives to national brands, say bosses.
