A whopping nine out of 10 consumers prefer to eat at home, but the size and make-up of those households are changing and so are consumers’ needs from food and beverage companies, according to research firm Acosta Sales & Marketing.
One out of 13 children in North America has food allergies today compared with one in 50 in 1990, and in the next couple of years, it’s going to be about one in 10, according to allergen-friendly foods brand Enjoy Life Foods.
General Mills is being sued by a group of Minneapolis residents over its poor waste disposal of toxic cleaning solvents at an old R&D center more than 50 years ago.
The appeal and potential for vegan products is expanding beyond the small group of people who avoid animal products for ethical reasons to include the much larger base of consumers seeking healthier, cleaner foods, according to an industry expert.
Earth’s Best and Ella’s Kitchen’s partnership with the No Kid Hungry campaign is helping to end childhood hunger in the U.S., while also expanding the organic children’s food brands’ consumer base and relationship with Walmart.
Beyond Meat - the California-based firm that claims to have unlocked the secret to making ‘near-perfect’ replicas of meat from plants – says its latest innovation, the ‘Beast Burger’, has been a hit straight out of the blocks.
While retail sales of packaged bread have been pretty sluggish in recent years, one company that’s bucking the trend is Oregon-based Dave’s Killer Bread.
BioNeutra’s VitaFiber, a soluble dietary fiber, prebiotic and low-calorie sweetener all rolled into one, is a triple-threat that can help manufacturers meet growing consumer demand for less sugar, more fiber and foods and beverages that promote gut health.
Digestive issues after drinking milk are often attributed to milk protein allergy (which can be severe) or intolerance to lactose (milk sugars). But what if both of these have been ruled out and you are still experiencing mild digestive discomfort?
FoodNavigator-USA headed to the 2015 Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim looking for innovation in the dairy case, and found everything from gourmet organic cottage cheese, to oats + fruit + yogurt combos, tummy-friendly milk and quark. Here are...
From watermelon juice with a dash of lemon; to artichoke water with ginger; maple water; coconut smoothies; caffeine water; protein-packed dairy and non-dairy beverages; and a new wave of turmeric-laced drinks, there was a wealth of beverage innovation...
FoodNavigator-USA editor Elaine Watson talked to three players in the emerging 'plant waters' category at the 2015 Natural Products Expo West trade show to find out whether they have what it takes to claw back some shelf space from coconut water...
Known for its baby carrots and premium juices, Bolthouse Farms is making healthy snacks more fun for children and easier for parents with creative packaging and flavor combinations.
Need money fast to buy new equipment, secure supply for quick expansion or open a new location, but don’t want to give up equity? Funding website Bolstr may be the way to go.
While cricket flour is still something of a novelty, it’s creeping (and crawling) into more snacks as awareness – and the infrastructure to support its commercial-scale production – ramps up. Meanwhile, chia, fruit, peas, beans, ancient grains and protein...
Salt of the Earth’s new Umami-Essence Sea Salt can help food manufacturers reduce sodium up to 50% while preserving a clean label because it does not use MSG or artificial ingredients, the Israeli company claims.
While ‘legacy’ food and beverage brands are laser focused on price, promotion and placement, no amount of financial clout or merchandising wizardry can mask the fact that smaller, sexier, more disruptive, brands are outpacing them. But are CPG’s biggest...
Mark Rampolla: ‘The best time to raise money is when you don’t need it’
What are investors really looking for when they assess a food and beverage business? When it comes to gross margins, is there a magic number? And can you really be in decline when your sales are growing strongly?
Pressure to launch new products that meet consumers’ rapidly shifting interest in natural and organic foods and beverages from conventional products is reducing the time manufacturers have to distinguish between short-term fads and long-term trends with...
'I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question that we could be a public company'
Multinationals are snapping up smaller, more entrepreneurial brands in the natural or organic food and beverage space faster than you can say ‘because that’s where the growth is’. So will Zevia – one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic brands in the...
Sugar, meat and potatoes – common staples in the American diet – are “demonized” by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, according to several former committee members.
Lisa Rowland Brasher will become the fifth generation of the Goeltiz Rowland family to lead Jelly Belly as president Bob Simpson announces his retirement.
Atkins Nutritionals enters the competitive frozen pizza category with the launch of a high-protein, low-carb option that it says will expand the sluggish category by bringing in consumers who do not currently shop the segment.
Research showing that 99% of sales growth from packaged food from 2008 to 2012 came from lower calorie foods is inspiring major manufacturers to more aggressively promote and launch healthier options, according to company executives and a health policy...
The meat snacks market has become considerably more dynamic lately, with new entrants piling in and existing players revamping their offer, but there’s still room for new players that can bring a fresh twist to the category, says the boss of a brand that...
Insights from the 13th Global Food Technology & Innovation Summit
Food and beverage manufacturers must focus research and development activities on creating more nutritious and sustainable food solutions, says Nestlé’s head of global R&D.
What is not in TK Hibiscus’ ready-to-drink teas is just as important as what is when it comes to setting the beverage apart in an increasingly crowded category, according to the start-up’s co-founder and CEO.
North Carolina-based brand Dick Stevens is looking for a slice of the action in the burgeoning high-protein-snacks market with a novel ‘jerky mix’ product combining meat, nuts and fruits in a paleo-friendly grab & go product that creates a new sub-sector...
While the healthy beverages aisle is littered with the corpses of exciting - but ultimately unsuccessful - products, Genius Juice co-founder & CEO Alex Bayer is confident his HPP-treated organic coconut smoothies bring something fresh and different...
The CEO of the startup The Healthy Pantry hopes Cooksimple, a healthier, modernized take on iconic meal kits will revitalize the center of the grocery store, which he compared to the “ghetto.”
Vegan, paleo, grass-fed, pasture-raised, ancient grains, and allergen friendly claims are gaining
According to Chicago-based market research firm SPINS, US retail (dollar) sales of foods & beverages rose 1.7% in 2014, while unit sales declined by 0.4%. By contrast, sales of natural and organic brands grew nearly 12%. But where are the opportunities...
Firms need to move away from one-way marketing strategies in traditional media channels and embrace open engagement in new media outlets to capture the attention of millennials, who increasingly wield purchasing power and influence but continue to elude...
Snack giant Snyder’s-Lance insists the US sandwich cracker category has a bright future going forward but requires innovation, as the company launches the first gluten-free product in this space.
'We lack a clear positioning; the shopping experience hasn’t matched what our guests expect'
Some details about Target's food 'reinvention' plan emerged during its Q4 earnings call last week, but more flesh was put on the bones this week as bosses outlined plans to completely "redesign" their food strategy.
Childhood obesity rates have “finally” stopped rising and now are falling among America’s youngest children, thanks in part to the food industry’s efforts to cut calories and offer healthier options, but more needs to be done, said First Lady Michelle...
From Post Foods' new breakfast biscuits to Häagen-Dazs's new Artisan Collection, this month’s gallery is packed with innovative new food and beverage products, many of which are making their debut at the Natural Products Expo West trade show...
The food industry may be a low margin business, but that does not mean manufacturers of high quality, nutritious food must sell their products at a premium in the natural channel to succeed, according to executives from Luvo and Hampton Creek, two companies...
We recognize we have to change the in-store experience
Target will double the size of its 'Made to Matter' range of natural, organic, and sustainable products this year as part of a plan to "reinvent" its grocery offering and "deliver more organic, natural, gluten-free items" to...
Monster Beverage Corporation CEO Rodney Sacks hopes the company's recent deal with Coke will fire further international growth in markets including Japan, after its international arm returned to year-on-year earnings growth in Q4 2014.
Okanagan Specialty Fruits – the company behind the non-browning ‘Arctic Apple’ – is to be acquired by Intrexon Corporation, which also owns a majority stake in GE salmon firm AquaBounty Technologies.
3D chocolate printing is not yet quick enough for industrial production, but chocolate molds created using the technology can produce surfaces with intricate detail, says Lehrmitt Design Studios.
The threat posed by fresh foods and produce to sales of packaged foods is about to increase exponentially with the launch of a star-studded, national marketing campaign to encourage teenagers to eat more fruits and veggies.
Beyond Meat - the California-based firm that claims to have unlocked the secret to making ‘near-perfect’ replicas of meat from plants – says that in future, meat-free products won’t be confined to a ‘vegetarian’ section, but just part of the broader ‘protein’...
