As part of a “moonshot” to end hunger and eliminate food waste, The Kroger Co.’s Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation and seed stage funder Village Capital are offering $2.5 million in collective grants and development programming to 10 innovative startups...
Known for its strong track record of helping emerging brands, like KIND, Bare Snacks and Spindrift, become household names, private equity firm VMG Partners is on the lookout once again for new investment opportunities after securing $850m for its Growth...
As the ongoing pandemic accelerates consumer interest in the role of nutrition in wellness and underscores the supply chain’s fragility, the investors at Manna Tree Partners are looking for at least three growth stage companies that are revolutionizing...
Most startups have more questions than funding, which means when they come across something they don’t know they lose time, resources and occasionally their businesses finding the answer the hard way – but a new program from the food brand builders at...
Selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) online has emerged as a favorite go-to-market strategy for emerging brands launching during the pandemic, and while it can offer better margins, a more intimate connection with shoppers and flexibility around pricing and...
Mondelēz SnackFutures – the company's innovation and venture hub – has launched CoLab, a "startup engagement" program, targeting snack brands in the wellness space as the global snacking giant digs deeper into the startup community.
A new business model developed by Milwaukee-based startup Agricycle that combines a vertically-integrated supply chain with a portfolio of upcycled brands is proving that with a little imagination and basic resources small growers can have an outsized...
Rising consumer concern about the long-term detrimental impact on children’s health and palate development from baby food overly-sweetened or predominately packed with fruit is opening the door for a new cohort of entrepreneurs promoting vegetable- and...
PepsiCo is driving incremental growth for two of its hottest brands by bringing together flavored sparkling water bubly and at home water carbonation platform SodaStream to launch a line of bubly drops that will hit store shelves and ecommerce this month.
When launching a business, founders often are asked to rely on friends, family and their community for financial support and guidance until they have proof of concept – but not all networks are created equally and entrepreneurs without affluent or influential...
Pandemic-fueled consumer demand for food that is healthier, more sustainable, ethically produced and easier to access has fueled a “burst of investment” in food-tech in 2020 that Finistere Ventures predicts will have a lasting impact on the industry long...
While the pandemic may have slowed the flow of venture capital funding in some segments of the packaged food and beverage industry earlier this year, analysis from Finistere Ventures shows it threw open the tap for the food- and ag-tech sectors, which...
Nature’s Fynd - a Chicago-based startup growing protein-packed food from microbes with a fraction of the environmental footprint of meat or dairy – has raised a further $45m and hired a clutch of food industry veterans as it gears up to launch its first...
Early allergen introduction brand and 2020 FOOD FOR KIDS Trailblazer, Mission MightyMe, is helping parents become proactive in preventing peanut allergies by introducing the common allergen into their infants' diets via accessible and easy-to-eat...
Research revealing how the starch structure of potato flakes impacts oil uptake during deep frying could enable snack makers to slash the fat content of Pringles-style potato chips by up to a third, say the authors of a new study.
While all entrepreneurs face an uphill battle, Black, Indigenous and People of Color often face more challenges and have fewer resources than their white counterparts in America – contributing to a racial wealth gap that McKinsey & Company projects...
After initially hitting pause on new deals during the early days of the coronavirus outbreak, investors have steadily returned to the bargaining table, but the CEO of one venture capital firm warns the pandemic has raised the bar for and slowed the pace...
CHUM Fruit Snacks founder Benjamin Bartley says parents "want cleaner ingredient lists, a sustainable story, breakthrough benefits not yet seen and above all, originality."
As America continues to struggle with the fallout from widespread, prolonged systemic racism, including its impact on the food system, intentionally designed co-ops could provide a path forward for traditionally disenfranchised groups to improve access...
When the pandemic prompted some retailers to delay category resets or close their doors temporarily to new brands, the emerging wellness shot brand So Good So You didn’t dwell on delayed distribution opportunities – rather it doubled down support for...
Limited access to processing facilities is a top contributor to food waste, and a major hurdle that blocks mid-sized food and beverage businesses from scaling to the next level – two challenges that startup Matriark Foods is hoping to bypass with a unique...
While companies of all sizes understandably want a guarantee that a new product or innovation will succeed before investing heavily in large-scale production and marketing, the CEO of Pilot Lite Ventures warns that this way lies the valley of death.
While the ongoing pandemic has caused many venture capitalists to hit pause or slowdown, other investors and even consumers increasingly are interested in supporting growing businesses and diversifying their portfolios as illustrated by a surge in crowdfunding.
Tweens... aged between nine and 12, they're not young kids anymore, but they're not teens either, so how food and beverage brands reach them (and their parents/guardians), and what's the best way to engage with this age cohort via influencers...
How are parents coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in their households when it comes to feeding their kids? Has the extra time spent at home given families more opportunity to cook and experiment with new recipes, or has the anxiety left parents scrambling...
While successfully scaling a business may give entrepreneurs a sense of pride and accomplishment, it also can trigger feelings of loss and skepticism along with other growing pains that if left unchecked could stunt or cripple a company.
While many Americans embraced the creativity of cooking at home as a welcome distraction during the early days of the pandemic, six months of prepping multiple meals a day, seven days a week is taking a toll – prompting some consumers to look for more...
School closures – and tentative re-openings – have compounded stress levels for families, while COVID-19-induced economic anxiety is also straining household budgets. So how can food and beverage brands come up with enticing – but affordable – recipes,...
While hiring an experienced executive can help scaling companies avoid common pitfalls, a master career coach with Shields Meneley Partners warns that they aren’t a panacea, and founders should be prepared for ongoing and significant challenges – especially...
While most entrepreneurs expect to carry a heavy load the first few years after a company or brand launches, many underestimate the difficulty of eventually letting go of responsibility as the business scales – no matter how exhausted or desperate for...
Cash-strapped startups may hold-off on establishing a board to save money, but according to one career coach a solid line-up of advisors can generate returns several-fold higher than their fees or salaries and can reassure potential investors, making...
Entering a new region, retailer or category is a high-risk, high-reward proposition that requires more than a stable supply chain, solid delivery strategy and significant market potential – a lesson that the CEO of the food delivery service Hungry Harvest...
All entrepreneurs are destined to fail, but that doesn’t mean they also must lose, according to the CEO of the startup ingredient company Rambuhealth, who explained that companies can overcome almost any obstacle as long as leaders are creative, decisive...
As the initial chaos of the early days of the pandemic and pantry loading settle into a more predictable flow, entrepreneurs may be tempted to pause and catch their breath, but according to the CEO of the emerging e-commerce retailer Living Food Co.,...
Berkeley-based startup Mission Barns – which is carving a niche in the nascent cell-cultured meat industry by focusing on animal fat – is in talks with leading food companies about incorporating animal fat grown in bioreactors into a range of hybrid meats...
The US Food and Drug Administration may be willing to sit down with a company about a possible NDI submission for full-spectrum hemp extracts, says Steve Mister, president and CEO of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).
Beverage industry veteran Bryan Crowley has taken the helm at ZenWTR, a high pH, distilled bottled water brand seeking to stand out in the category with 100% recycled PET bottles made with certified ‘ocean bound’ plastic, a first for the industry.
With 1.6 billion tons of food worth $1.2 trillion lost or wasted every year, the Danish startup Nature Preserve sees massive market potential for its miniaturized food processing plant to convert surplus produce into nutrient-dense powders across the...
Founders who wear multiple hats during the lean early years of a startup may struggle to pass responsibilities to others as their companies grow, but, according to the founder of Sweet Loren’s, to fully maximize companies’ potential entrepreneurs need...
A firm believer that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, the founder of Holmes Made Foods not only seized every chance he was offered to build his all-natural applesauce company, but he also unabashedly created his own opportunities through persistence...
From growing interest in immune health to a sharp rise in online grocery shopping, how is COVID-19 impacting consumer behavior? Here are a few things that caught our eye in recent reports from The Hartman Group for FMI, the Food Industry Association*;...
The high cost and opaque process of securing patents can be daunting for cash-strapped startups, but the CEO of the home hydroponic growing system GroPod advises entrepreneurs not give into the temptation to skip or delay this step until after fundraising.
No longer able to rely on conferences, in-store demos or serendipitous meetings to raise awareness of a new business or product, entrepreneurs increasing are connecting with each other, mentors and consumers through subscription-based online platforms...
“Gut feelings” often form the foundation of startups, but to scale a business successfully, especially in times of crisis, entrepreneurs need more than that – they need data that shows where their brand fits in the competitive landscape and where consumers...
Apeel Sciences – the Santa Barbara-based firm behind an invisible plant-based edible skin that can dramatically extend the shelf-life of fresh produce – has raised $250m in a funding round led by GIC that gives it a valuation north of a billion dollars.
The middle of a global pandemic when many consumers are filling their grocery carts virtually may seem like a strange time to expand distribution in brick-and-mortar stores, but for the vitamin enhanced water brand KidsLuv the timing of its current rollout...
Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products, from avocado puffs and keto sandwich cookies, to sparkling beverages infused with vitamins and minerals from Talking Rain.
The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride for many small businesses. FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Diana Levy, founder and CEO at Undercover Snacks, which makes chocolate covered quinoa snacks at its own SQF-3 manufacturing facility in New...
After weeks of working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic, some companies are rethinking the value of central offices, but for the founder of Seed + Mill sharing space with other entrepreneurs at WeWork’s Food Labs in New York City before the outbreak...
Waiting for a response from cold calls to retail buyers about placing a product on store shelves can feel demoralizing to emerging brands, but Brad Charron, the CEO of the plant-based bar and beverage brand Aloha, advises entrepreneurs not to take it...
