A tsunami of lawsuits was filed vs food manufacturers last year following a Congressional report alleging ‘dangerous’ levels of heavy metals in leading baby food brands. So how have judges determined if these complaints have legs, and whether the FDA,...
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s presidential election win in Brazil will make it easier for food and beverage companies to comply with their zero-deforestation commitments, it has been claimed.
How much sugar is too much, and do pouches for babies and young kids containing pureed fruits and vegetables present long-term health risks, even if they don’t contain any added sugars?
San Diego-based cell-cultured seafood company BlueNalu has set up a scientific advisory board bringing together experts in consumer research, sensory science, product development, bio-engineering, and systems biology to accelerate its commercialization...
While the industry waits to see if the $24.6bn mega merger of Kroger and Albertsons will hold up against scrutiny from regulators, brands and suppliers are also standing by to see what the consolidation of the second-largest and fourth-largest US supermarket...
Six days after settling their lengthy legal dispute over the early termination of a supply contact, Don Lee Farms and Beyond Meat have resolved their differences over a separate lawsuit* in which Don Lee accused Beyond Meat of over-stating the protein...
Motif FoodWorks has suffered a setback in its dispute with Impossible Foods over meaty-tasting heme proteins in meat alternatives after the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rejected its request for an inter partes review of the patent at the center...
Sustainability has rapidly evolved from a check box exercise for many food companies to something that impacts decision making throughout the supply chain. But how are firms measuring sustainability, how reliable is industry data in this respect, and...
Suja Life's recent acquisition of cold-pressed juices shots brand Vive Organic brings together the No. 1 and No. 2 brands in the category to accelerate and scale the still-niche wellness shots segment.
Beverage giants champion the circular model of recycling plastic bottles and using recycled content in new bottles as a way to reduce plastic waste and use of virgin plastic. But a new report from Greenpeace USA criticizes this model: calling for an industry-wide...
Scientists have found that lactase derived from lactic acid bacterium can be used to produce naturally sweet yogurt, paving the way for the production of flavored yogurt without added sugars.
Will a large percentage of flavors, colors and sweeteners be made in bioreactors by 2050 or are the costs and challenges associated with precision fermentation technology such that it only makes sense to produce a handful of high-value ingredients in...
European industrial biotechnology specialist BRAIN Biotech has teamed up with Bonumose to bring the rare sugars expert’s sweetener tagatose to market globally.
Mondelēz International is investing an additional $600m by 2030 in its cocoa sustainability program, Cocoa Life, for a total investment of $1bn since the start of the program 10 years ago.
Still battling a challenging global economic environment, Coca-Cola said it is laser-focused on delivering increased value to its consumers by introducing products at more affordable price points, said chairman and CEO James Quincey on the company's...
Solein, Solar Foods’ protein grown with CO2 and electricity, has received regulatory approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). Commercial launch is planned for 2024, CEO and co-founder Pasi Vainikka tells FoodNavigator.
Biotech company Brightseed has launched Brightseed Bio 01 – a novel bioactive-enriched, A.I.-powered dietary fiber sourced from hemp hulls that promotes gut health in food and beverage applications.
As regular readers of FoodNavigator-USA have likely noticed, we're making changes to the way our readers access some of our news content. After reading two articles, all users will be asked to register with the site for free to keep track of important...
The 45 startups selected to participate in the FoodBytes! By Rabobank food and ag innovation program in 2022 provide a neat snapshot into trending topics in food and agriculture, from personalized nutrition and upcycling to robotics and farm biologics.
David Chavern – currently CEO of publishing trade association News Media Alliance - is moving into new territory in January 2023 when he will join the Consumer Brands Association (CBA) as president and CEO. He will replace Geoff Freeman, who has been...
Terviva – a California-based firm commercializing ingredients from low-input, high-yielding pongamia trees – has teamed up with food ingredient supplier Ciranda to launch the first commercial supplies of ‘Ponova’ oil by mid-2023.
Monk fruit, a high-intensity sweetener, is gaining popularity across premium applications as a clean-label alternative that blends well with others. While it costs more than stevia, tech innovations may bring prices down.
Three years after its “no deal” television appearance on Shark Tank, Slate Milk has raised over $5m in seed money and continues to expand its shelf-stable ultra-filtered, high-protein, lactose-free chocolate milk footprint.
Beyond Meat is rolling out its latest innovation - Beyond Steak - at Kroger and Walmart stores nationwide, as well as at select Albertsons and Ahold divisions and other retailers across the country.
Indoor farming company Local Bounti has secured a $23.3m private investment in public equity (PIPE) investment to scale up its proprietary Stack & Flow Technology, which the company argues leads to improved superior unit economics.
SPINS data shared with FoodNavigator-USA ahead of our Futureproofing the Food System virtual summit (Nov 15-17) shows a mixed picture for US retail sales of plant-based cheese, with overall dollar sales down -2.3% to $218.94m and unit sales down -3.6%...
Between the supply chain challenges and product shortages that marked the beginning of the pandemic and rising food prices due to inflation continuing to push some products out of consumers’ financial reach, many Americans are being forced to try new...
Researchers are calling on clinicians and the healthcare system to screen for food insecurity and better promote food access programs after discovering that Americans with limited or uncertain access to adequate food is on the rise and they are more likely...
The long-term imperative behind reducing our reliance on animal agriculture seems fairly compelling: The planet can’t sustain it. But with less engaged consumers dipping in and then out of the meat alternatives category as budgets tighten, and a subsegment...
The Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA) has launched a new consortium of industry and nonprofit members to support research and development in the burgeoning field of cellular agriculture.
Nestlé is continuing to fine tune its portfolio through ongoing SKU rationalization paired with an increased focus on high-growth segments of coffee and its Nestlé Health Sciences division with plans to introduce additional pricing actions to keep up...
To keep pantries stocked and food on the table – especially during the upcoming holidays – more Americans are cutting back on spending in other areas and modifying how they buy groceries as well as the types and amount of products they place in their...
Starbucks plans to sell the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand to Nestlé to allow both companies to focus on their core strengths within their respective coffee portfolios.
While US retail sales of fluid milk have been stubbornly declining despite a brief covid-fueled boost in 2020, we’re still just scratching the surface of the grass-fed dairy opportunity, says Jim Hau, the new president at 100% grass-fed organic dairy...
The 100+ Accelerator wants to help sustainably-focused start-ups make a real difference in the supply chain. Representatives from AB InBev and Coca-Cola explain how in this Rabobank Liquid Assets Podcast.
From avocado oil “going mainstream” in packaged foods, to date sweeteners and Yaupon tea, Whole Foods has just unveiled its annual list of 10 trends to watch in the year ahead.
Seen as the economical and convenient option for preparing meals at home during the height of the pandemic, the affordability of frozen food has slipped with the average per unit price up 17% vs. one year ago. But consumers still believe it provides good...
Nourish Ingredients – one of a new breed of startups deploying synthetic biology to program microbes to produce more animal-like fats - has raised $28.6m in a series A round led by Horizons Ventures and supported by Main Sequence Ventures and Hostplus...
Beyond Meat and former co-packer Don Lee Farms have agreed to settle an ugly five-year legal dispute prompted by the early termination of a supply contract in spring 2017.
Willow Biosciences – one of a clutch of biotech firms producing cannabinoids via biosynthesis rather than extraction – has started strain optimization and process development for commercial production of astaxanthin from yeast using a downstream processing...
Kraft Heinz is making progress towards several of its environmental and sustainability goals including cutting the amount of waste sent to landfill by 15% in 2021 and converting 84% of its global packaging portfolio to fully recyclable materials.
Plant-based seafood brand unMeat is rolling out its fish-free canned tuna products to 250 Harris Teeter stores capitalizing on the consumers' search for more affordable protein options.
Could ‘carbon neutral’ claims land food & beverage brands in legal hot water, even where they are certified by a third party such as the Carbon Trust? FoodNavigator-USA asked attorneys to weigh in after Danone Waters America found itself at the receiving...
As part of an effort to expand its ‘beyond-the-beverage’ Gx System product portfolio, Gatorade recently entered the dietary supplement space by unleashing two functional gummy products, an updated app, and a smart bottle that lights up and connects to...
The baby food landscape has changed drastically in recent years with an emphasis on fresh products and a flurry of DTC brands coming to market. So which trends present the biggest growth opportunities for brands and manufacturers?
Organic sales continue to reach unprecedented highs as consumers gravitate to options they perceive as healthier for them and the planet, but the segment faces significant headwinds that are slowing growth and will demand ongoing flexibility, innovation...
Sustainability may be a rising priority influencing consumer purchases, but optimistic projections that 2022 would be the year of the ‘climatarian’ appear to be a bit premature – giving brands and retailers more time to improve and finetune their positioning...
PURIS - which recently opened a facility in Dawson, Minnesota that more than doubled its production capacity, cementing its position as the leading supplier of pea protein in North America - has moved into new territory with its first consumer brand dedicated...
Supermarket giant Kroger is merging with Albertsons Companies Inc. (Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco), bolstering its position as the second largest food retailer in the US with an estimated 11.8% market share behind Walmart at 17.1%.
After filing for protection under the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Code earlier this week, Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc (VPX Sports), the parent company of Bang Energy, has a challenging road ahead. But its most recent financial misfortune isn't the final...
