While modern wisdom may favor launching fast and iterating quickly based on consumer feedback, the director of innovation at Endangered Species Chocolate says when it comes to packaging and branding it is better to slow down and invest in consumer research...
Are we approaching ‘peak plant milk’? Will ‘designer proteins’ created via synthetic biology catch on? And should dairy milk serve as the nutritional benchmark for plant-based ‘milk’? Elaine Watson caught up with Ripple Foods cofounder Adam Lowry at the...
Mondelēz International is already a powerhouse in snacking (parent company to Ritz, Wheat Thins, Triscuit, and allergen-friendly brand, Enjoy Life Foods). In November 2018, however, the company decided to pour more efforts into its snack business strategy...
'People want to reflect their values in everything they do'
While the ‘buy one give one’ business model underpinning This Saves Lives presents obvious (margin-crushing) challenges for start-ups, its ‘go big or go home’ approach to conscious consumerism has been instrumental to its success, says co-founder Ryan...
Frustrated that 8 million metric tons of plastic go into the ocean every year, the founder of the sustainable seafood company LoveTheWild is ditching the plastic in her packaging and downsizing her carton as part of a relaunch of her meal kits and to...
Following the lead of many other established food & beverage players, Mars, Incorporated is launching a new accelerator to help early stage food-focused companies fast-track growth in exchange for access to the energy and ground-level market insights...
In recent years the idea of doing well by doing good has grown beyond a few niche brands with pet projects to become a must-have for startups and established companies alike as consumers increasingly shop based on their values.
The frequency with which food and beverage startups in the US secure multi-million dollar investments in early fundraising rounds might lead some entrepreneurs to believe earning capital is easy – but the founder of the moringa company Kuli Kuli says...
As recently as a few years ago, the words food and tech were incongruous together, but today they signal a booming industry that is ripe for innovation, and according to the VP of business development at the Israel-based incubator The Kitchen, the combination...
When seeking investor support or trying to woo customers, companies not only need to describe their product, but they also need to explain the problem that the product or brand solves, according to the CEO of SmartCatch.
Coffee smells amazing, says Atomo CEO Andy Kleitsch. But it can be bitter, and two thirds of Americans add sugar or creamer to make it taste as great as it smells. So what if you could reverse engineer your morning joe, and make an awesome cup of coffee...
Fundraising is different for every company, every time they do it, but according to Luke Saunders, the CEO and founder of Farmer’s Fridge, which recently closed a series C round, there are two common denominators that entrepreneurs must understand in...
The latest innovation from LiveKuna – which works directly with Ecuadorian farmers to produce chia- and quinoa-packed products – is a line of ready-to-eat cereals that reflect the brand’s mission to create more convenient ways to consume superfoods.
Nothing’s as healthy as fresh fruit, but novel ‘grape-like’ refrigerated fruit bites made from fruit and veggie purees held together with fibers make for a healthier alternative to fruit leathers and gummies for kids’ lunchboxes, claims Incredible Foods,...
Forget the backstop - what about the supplements?!
With Brexit looming ever closer, our latest video diary takes a look at how experts at our European Sports Nutrition Congress think the process might go - and where the category, and wider industry, may end up in a post-Brexit world.
Many entrepreneurs describe their startup as their baby, but just like parents they need to learn to say no sometimes and to let go – lessons that the founders of I Heart Keenwah learned early.
Nitro Pepsi – a nitrogen-infused cola from PepsiCo promising to deliver an ‘entirely reimagined cola experience’ – reflects an industry-wide push to create soda that’s “more interesting, more premium and consumed a little slower by the consumer,” says...
Chicago incubator The Hatchery will open the doors to its new 67,000-square-foot facility next month where CEO Natalie Shmulik wants to provide entrepreneurs with the tools to launch a thriving food or beverage business.
As the bar category becomes increasingly ‘engineered’ and functional, with brands touting keto or paleo credentials, high protein, high fat, low carb, collagen, and adaptogens, the success of Bobo’s – an oat bar that above all, just tastes really good...
While Califia Farms’ barista blend oatmilk was designed to deliver exceptional performance for the specialty coffee trade, oatmilk also has the potential to make waves in grocery retail, because it delivers the taste and texture consumers want, without...
With new players entering the food and beverage space daily, entrepreneurs at startups may feel pressured to stake out their shelf space in as many stores as they can as quickly as possible – but this can be a recipe for disaster.
Tempting though it can be to jump on every culinary or nutritional trend, from adding collagen or CBD to embracing keto or Paleo diets, successful snack brands tend to have a longer-range strategy, says the founder and CEO of Folsom, CA-based chips brand...
Demand for plant-based proteins and oils is increasing steadily, while the arable land available to grow them is constrained. But what if you could grow something like soy – but with a far higher yield - on trees?
Miyoko’s Kitchen – which has built a rapidly growing brand of plant-based cheeses and butters around cultured cashew nuts and coconut oil – is expanding into new territory via a new line of nut-free cheeses made with legumes, seeds, and potatoes with...
While some of the luster has worn off the subscription-based meal kit market, Yumble's proposition – prepared meal delivery for kids - is inherently ‘stickier’ with busy parents, says Sonoma Brands, the lead investor in its Series A funding round.*...
Launching online and in Erewhon and Lazy Acres stores in Los Angeles this month, Lumen hemp elixir is a HPP (high pressure processed) superfood shot with a 60-day shelf life featuring cold pressed hemp juice and on-trend ingredients such as ashwagandha...
Entrepreneurs looking for relief from being pulled in multiple directions may be tempted to rely on their broker or distributor to craft a strategic growth plan for their business, but industry veteran and the founder of Premium Growth Solutions James...
First time entrepreneurs often lament that if they had known how much work it would take to launch a startup they might not have done it, but the husband and wife duo and long-time industry veterans behind the plant-based protein brand Sweet Earth Natural...
While the Farm Bill has removed industrial hemp from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the use of CBD as an ingredient has many more hurdles to overcome especially with the FDA, according to attorney Todd A. Harrison.
While many big food companies are outsourcing innovation through venture capital arms and accelerators focused on external startups, Nestlé is innovating from within through an internal incubator that fosters the entrepreneurial spirit of its existing...
Earlier this week, Chobani put out an open call for “big-hearted food and beverage startups” that make delicious, nutritious, natural and affordable food to help it “take on the broken food system” by participating in the fifth cohort of its highly competitive...
Hope & Sesame organic sesamemilk has a “subtle, nutty” taste, a creamy texture, and a comparable amount of protein to dairy milk, with added calcium and vitamin D, says brand owner Spinning Wheel Brands, which says consumers are starting to demand...
Given the importance placed on making a good first impression, many entrepreneurs and innovators may think they need to perfect a product before they introduce it to the market – but according a co-founder of the cold brew nitro-infused coffee company...
HopTea - winner of the BevNET Live Winter 2018 New Beverage Showdown competition - is a lightly carbonated unsweetened tea flavored with hops, a new beverage concept designed to appeal to tea drinkers and beer lovers.
Children's dietary patterns are strongly established by age two once the child is introduced to solid foods, so how can parents make the most of that crucial and brief time period to make sure their children are introduced to the right foods?
There is a lot of science supporting both the safety and efficacy of probiotics, and the community should do more to talk about this science, says the new director of scientific affairs at the International Probiotics Association.
For startups, balancing inventory to meet supply while minimizing waste is a make-or-break challenge that could prompt some entrepreneurs to project conservatively, but the founder of dried fruit startup Rind Snacks cautions this strategy could back fire...
Little Dish, a fresh baby food company (targeting toddlers) founded in the UK, is set to launch in the US market where fresh baby food is still a developing but promising concept for retailers, founder Hillary Graves shared at FoodNavigator-USA's...
Marketers of children’s products have a difficult task of balancing the different wants and needs of parents and their kids, but for Nom Noms World Food this challenge doubled as an opportunity to set itself apart with globally-inspired recipes and innovative...
Contrary to the popular belief that infants are “perfectly cooked buns coming out the oven,” newborns are far from fully formed, and as a result continue to grow at an “unprecedented rate” for the first few years of life – making what and how they eat...
There is no doubt that healthy snacking is trending, with emphasis on clean label, protein and vegan launches. According to Innova Market Insights, as snacks become healthier, more wholesome and satisfying, they are increasingly fulfilling the role of...
Under rules that came into force in 2014, schools have had to ensure that all grain foods they serve are ‘whole grain-rich’ (at least 50% of the grain is whole grain). But how challenging has this been to implement? Elaine Watson caught up with Brian...
While they feel pressure to make home cooked meals for their kids, many working parents don’t have the time or energy to do this night after night, says Santiago Merea, cofounder and CEO at direct-to-consumer baby and kids’ ‘ready-to-make’ food brand...
While the kids’ beverages market is dominated by some industry heavyweights, from Capri Sun to Minute Maid, there is room in the category for a new wave of brands that resonate with Millennial Moms, says Ashi Jelinek, founder and CEO at KidsLuv, one of...
As parents become more aware of the importance of the developing gut microbiome in their infants and children there will be opportunities for prebiotics, says ingredients supplier Beneo.
The Natural Products Association’s stance on CBD is to take FDA’s word on the controversial ingredient, until someone takes the front door with the Agency and files an NDI or a GRAS notification with the FDA for CBD.
While the food and beverage industry is inherently competitive that doesn’t mean companies need to operate as islands – rather, at Rabobank’s FoodBytes! pitch slam in New York City the founder of whipped vegetable spread brand Frescious explains collaborating...
Launching a new product or company comes with seemingly endless potential that the director of marketing with the startup Ocean Hugger Foods acknowledges is exciting, but she also warns can become overwhelming unless entrepreneurs craft a strict strategy...
Products made and marketed for children are undergoing a renaissance as parents look for options that deliver convenience and taste but don’t compromise on nutrition, and while industry has made substantial progress in the past decade, there is still...
For entrepreneurs and startups willing to go the extra mile, the benefits of competing in pitch slam, such as Rabobank’s FoodBytes!, can go far beyond the immediate exposure they gain when presenting their products or the possibility of winning a prize.
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