Markets

While sales of frozen yogurts are in decline, dairy-free brands such as So Delicious and Almond Dream grew strongly in 2014

Dairy free frozen desserts bright spot in category

Who is winning in the US retail frozen desserts market?

By Elaine Watson

While frozen yogurt franchises might be appearing on every street corner, US retail sales of frozen yogurt/tofu have slumped over the past year, with multi-outlet* data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI revealing an 8.23% drop in dollar sales...

Whether yogurt is a health food or junk food depends on who is talking

Whether yogurt is a health food or junk food depends on who is talking

By Elizabeth Crawford

An organization supporting “family-scale” farming accuses the makers of Dannon, Yoplait and other yogurt manufacturers of misleading parents to believe their yogurts are healthy, even though some products include sugar and “myriad questionably safe artificial...

Cocoa surplus grows and Côte d’Ivoire to surpass the Netherlands as world's largest cocoa grinder

ICCO extends cocoa surplus for 2013/14

By Oliver Nieburg

The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) has estimated a larger surplus for the cocoa year just past and has noted an increase in origin grindings.

Menu labeling rules: A quick guide, plus industry reaction

Professor: 'Congratulations to the FDA for putting public health first'

Menu labeling rules: A quick guide, plus industry reaction

By Elaine Watson

The FDA released its much-anticipated final rules on calorie information on menus and vending machines today as part of the Affordable Care Act.

Sodium reduction: has all the low-hanging fruit been plucked?

60-second interview: Mel Mann, Director of Flavor Innovation, Wixon

Sodium reduction: Has all the low-hanging fruit been plucked?

By Elaine Watson

Food manufacturers are under increasing pressure to reduce sodium, but surveys suggest many shoppers are, well, not that bothered. So where does this leave firms plugging sodium reduction solutions? 

Brett Carver, Regents Professor at Oklahoma State University. Source: Whole Grains Council

Oldways Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers

5 myths about wheat and whole grains dispelled

By Elizabeth Crawford

The ideas that wheat is genetically modified, bred to have more gluten, is addictive and causes inflammation are “myths” that the Whole Grains Council wants to bust.

AHA education campaign pressures food manufacturers to reduce sodium

Sodium reduction

AHA education campaign pressures food manufacturers to reduce sodium

By Elizabeth Crawford

The American Heart Association says its recently launched consumer education campaign encouraging Americans to “break up with excess salt” seeks to “build an army of passionate and willing supporters” to pressure food manufacturers to reduce sodium in...

Sprouted flours are ‘the next big thing” Baker Peter Reinhart predicts

Oldways Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers conference

Sprouted flours are ‘the next big thing,” baker Peter Reinhart predicts

By Elizabeth Crawford

Sprouted grain flour is gaining traction with food manufacturers and consumers alike thanks to its sweeter taste, longer shelf life, increased nutrient bioavailability and overall better baking experience, claims Peter Reinhart, a chef and cookbook author. 

The Pope said food was susceptible to manipulation by complaints of the economic crisis

Pope Francis: Food has been reduced to a commodity

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Market pre-eminence has reduced food to a commodity subject to financial speculation, Pope Francis told attendees at a major nutrition conference in Rome this morning.

Special edition: functional foods

Functional Foods: The end of the processed foods era?

By Peter Wennstrom

To understand Functional Foods you must see it as a strategy to add value to processed foods, says the president and founder of the HealthyMarketingTeam, Peter Wennstrom, in this guest article.

Mellentin:

Special edition: Functional foods

Phood booed: Why big pharma fails at functional food

By Julian Mellentin

Faced with mounting difficulties in their drug businesses, many pharmaceutical manufacturers are looking at getting into functional foods and beverages, notes food marketing expert, Julian Mellentin in this guest article.

Reed's Q3 mainstream retailers are embracing kombucha now

Reed's CEO: Mainstream supermarkets are embracing kombucha now

By Elaine Watson

While mainstream food retailers discovered kombucha later than their counterparts in the ‘natural’ channel, they are playing catch-up now, says natural soda maker Reed’s, which entered the market in 2012 with its Culture Club kombucha range and now claims...

Schools need manufacturers’ help to meet new whole grain requirements

Oldways Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers conference

Schools need manufacturers’ help to meet new whole grain requirements

By Elizabeth Crawford

The higher cost and lack of familiarity with whole grains are complicating some schools’ efforts to comply with requirements to serve 100% whole grains that went into effect last July, according to school dietitians.

Alessio Fasano, founder and director of the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment. Source: Oldways Whole Grains Council

Oldways Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers Conference

Pseudoscience, taste & cost hinder sales of whole grain products

By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers’ perception of whole grains have come a long way, but with most Americans consuming only 15% of the recommended daily intake of them, whole grains still have several barriers to overcome before they are fully integrated into the average person’s...

Is sodium reduction falling down the food policy agenda?

Special edition: Sodium reduction

Is sodium reduction falling down the food policy agenda?

By Elaine Watson

Four years ago sodium was public enemy #1. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) was calling for the FDA to modify the GRAS status of salt and slash the daily value for sodium to 1,500mg, and the food industry was on high alert. Today, sugar is the new bogeyman,...

Source: Whole Grains Council

The gluten-free diet “fad” may be unsustainable

By Elizabeth Crawford

The increasing number of U.S. adults reducing or eliminating gluten from their diet who are not diagnosed with celiac disease likely is an unsustainable fad, clinical researchers argued at the Whole Grains Council Oldways Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers...

WHO: “Ending malnutrition throughout the world requires action on many fronts.

"When we put all this data together, there isn't a country that doesn't experience significant malnutrition"

Malnutrition costs 11% of world's GDP: Global Nutrition Report

By Shane STARLING

Malnutrition is costing the global economy $3.5 trillion (€2.8trn) a year in both the developing and developed worlds, the biggest ever global survey of nutrition has concluded.

Source: Whole Grains Council

Whole Grains Council's Oldways Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers Conference

Sampling and positive messages in ads boost sales of whole grain products

By Elizabeth Crawford

The “best” way to change consumers’ long-held perception that whole grain products taste “like cardboard” and to spur sales is to give consumers a risk-free chance to try the products and use positive, educational marketing, food manufacturers said. 

Trade spending, the elephant in the boardroom?

Trade spending: The elephant in the boardroom?

By Elaine Watson

Tune into an earnings call from a big consumer packaged goods (CPG) company, and you’ll likely hear a lot of frustration over the ineffectiveness of trade spending. But is weary resignation (‘it’s just a cost of doing business') a constructive response?

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