Looking ahead to the coming year, the biggest trends in R&D for the food and beverage industry will be clean label, natural ingredients and industry regulations, though there are several, more fragmented “micro” trends from sodium reduction and fiber...
Winemakers could seize the opportunity to create affordable global brands – along the lines of Heineken in beer – without using native grapes, as mainstream US consumers at least don’t seem too bothered by provenance.
GUINNESS BLACK LAGER IN US 'NOT THE SCALE OF SUCCESS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED'
Diageo’s beer innovation head insists the firm needs to strengthen Guinness’s premium credentials and 'reframe' the drink for a new generation of drinkers to reignite growth.
A proposed bill introduced last week by Sens. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Angus King (I-ME) is calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to amend the calorie disclosure requirements enacted under the Affordable Care Act to exclude grocery stores and...
Just a third (36.4%) of US adults read calorie information when it is available at fast-food and chain restaurants, but 95.4% of those that do read it use this information at least sometimes when making their food choices, according to a new study.
US milk consumption has been steadily declining since the mid 1970s. But why? DairyReporter.com's US dairy commodities expert and MilkPrice blogger, John Geuss, examines the factors driving the decrease and the industry efforts to reverse the trend.
People who ate a daily handful of nuts were 20% less likely to die from any cause over a 30-year period than those who didn’t, according to the largest study of its kind by scientists from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Bringham & Women’s Hospital...
New York City’s Health Department has unveiled a new anti-obesity campaign highlighting the potential health risks of excessive sugary drink consumption.
While the FDA has raised concerns about the recent proliferation of caffeine-containing products on the market, particularly those marketed at young people, new data suggests energy drinks and shots contribute “minimally” to total caffeine intakes, say...
Frozen produce is statistically equal to fresh when it comes to vitamin and mineral content, and retains vitamins equally so or better than produce stored in the refrigerator for a few days, according to a recent study from the University of Georgia in...
Nestlé may have canned Jenny Craig, and regulators clamped down on the sector's claim-making, but weight management products are booming globally, especially in increasingly image driven emerging economies like India and Brazil. It has pushed beyond...
Mobile devices continue to fuel consumer demand for increased transparency; more convenience; and quick, easy opportunities to be social. Expect continued emphasis on technology and social media as trend-savvy, authenticity-minded Millennials start having...
Big Interview: Greg Steltenpohl, CEO of Califia Farms and founder of Odwalla
“The slowdown of soft drinks is not going to be catastrophic for the beverage industry,” said Greg Steltenphol, CEO of beverage manufacturer Califia Farms and founder of Odwalla, discussing the recent slump in carbonated soft drink sales—particularly...
Special Edition: Super grains! From chia to quinoa
A new study showing a correlation between high dietary phosphorus intakes and increased all-cause mortality has reignited the debate over the extensive use of phosphorus additives in packaged foods.
HSBC has said that despite challenges market tides deciding the sustainability of the palm oil industry are changing - although an environmental group has published a damning report of the bank’s investment practices.
PepsiCo holds six slots in the top 10 global snack brands and fighting for a space is a huge challenge for other snack makers but not impossible, an analyst says.
Many confectioners are sidestepping responsibilities on sustainable palm oil by only ensuring products meet ‘inadequate’ RSPO standards, according to Greenpeace.
The percentage of new US food product launches featuring ancient grains or seeds has almost tripled since 2008, according to Datamonitor. But the bulk of activity is focused around just two ingredients: Chia and quinoa.
BRAND CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF COKE INVESTMENT
The CEO of Core Power – the first US dairy brand Coke invested in directly – says his firm is selling the ‘sex appeal of vitality’ with its high protein shakes, and plans further product launches.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) has rejected claims in a new report that corporate sponsors such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola exert such a “vice grip” over its annual Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) that its integrity could be...
While Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for family meals (and arguments), it’s also a time for, well, ordering takeout; especially if you’re spending the week in Vegas…
True Source Honey, formed by a group of US honey companies to prevent illegally sourced honey from entering the US market, has focused its efforts over the past five years primarily on retailers, because they sell direct to consumers. But as consumer...
While quinoa and chia have stolen much of the limelight, one of the most interesting ‘ancient grains’ to watch is freekeh - wheat that has been harvested early while it is still green and then roasted and cracked - according to one leading supplier of...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a draft guidance for the food industry to help growers, manufacturers and operators work toward reducing levels of acrylamide in certain foods.
Long the victim of an outdated image problem—canned beef and barley soup anyone?—barley has the nutritional profile, cost and versatility that should catapult into the realm of super grains like quinoa and kamut. And yet, barley often ends up buried on...
Wheat may be a staple in many diets worldwide, but there’s a whole host of super grains—some well-known and others still under the radar—each with their own unique set of benefits. From spelt to farro, teff, kamut, chia (actually a seed!) and quinoa,...
Unilever and Ferrero both said they would strengthen their commitments to sustainable palm oil this week – a sign of an industry in transformation, according to Catapult, an organisation working to end trade in commodities linked to deforestation.
Annies Inc. has announced the $6 million acquisition of a cracker and cookie plant in Joplin, MO that will more than triple the company’s volume in the important snacks segment.
DIGITAL DISPATCHES FROM E-BEV 2013, OCTOBER 23-25, DENVER
Anheuser-Busch says Facebook now beats any US broadcast network in terms of consumer reach when marketing brands such as Budweiser and Bud Light, with one key driver rapid smartphone uptake.
Rich in protein, fiber, antioxidants and vitamins, gluten-free, allergen-averse, low in fat, price competitive and sustainably grown, it’s no surprise that pulses are working their way beyond soups and dips and into mainstream food production in the US.
While many grocery brands are struggling to generate any growth right now, top gluten-free brands Udi's and Glutino notched up combined net sales growth of 53% in the latest quarter, bosses at brand owner Boulder Brands have revealed.
Demonization of ingredients and a lack of consumer understanding has fueled clean label, but it remains niche among a small group of consumers, DuPont Nutrition & Health says.
By 2020, well over a quarter of US households will be single-person households, those aged 65+ will account for 17% of the population (vs 13% in 2010), and almost one in five Americans will be Hispanic, according to a new report.
The global market for non-GMO food and beverage products shows great promise in the coming years, but its success is far from guaranteed, as global consumer support for mandatory GMO labeling is mixed, and there is little indication of a surge toward...
The proponents of Washington State’s I-522 initiative mandating the labeling of foods containing GMO ingredients claim they have a slight lead hours before tomorrow's election deadline.
A vast majority of food and beverage executives (90%) expect revenues to increase during the next year, with a third of them believing that growth will be in double digits, according to a global survey of 250 F&B companies by Grant Thornton LLP.
Despite a growing pile of research linking lycopene to benefits ranging from heart, cardiovascular, prostate and bone health to prevention of certain cancers, the market share for this carotenoid remains relatively small.
Food ingredient giant Ingredion reported a steep drop in year-over-year earnings in the third quarter of 2013, mostly from problems in South American markets. In addition, the company foresees a complicated impact from a newly-passed tax in Mexico on...
DSM Food Specialties has launched an all-natural preservation system for still beverages in Mexico and has high global hopes for an ingredient that significantly improves both shelf life and taste.
The wires are ablaze with talk today about the long-awaited entry by Burger King to the Indian fast food market – as much for the chain’s late arrival in the country as for the business model it is said it will adopt.
Never mind that insects have protein levels comparable chicken or beef, are low in cholesterol, high in omega-3s and essential minerals like iron; or that they require a fraction of the land, water and emissions to produce compared to traditional livestock:...
Special edition: Tackling diabetes: Formulating for healthy blood sugar
The need for dietary interventions to help diabetes sufferers is clear. But communicating how individual ingredients and foods might meet that need is fraught with regulatory peril, observers say.
Infant formula is the fastest growing healthy and functional food and drink category – adding almost $5bn (€3.63bn) in global sales in 2013 according to Euromonitor International.
Increasing numbers of products with superfoods like chia will see this favorite of the Aztecs joining the mainstream functional food/beverage ranks, says a leading marketing expert.
Big Interview: Matt McLean, CEO of Uncle Matt's Organic
From one pulp-free organic orange juice SKU in a regional Florida grocery store chain in 1999, Uncle Matt’s Organic is the oldest US organic juice company with 11 organic juice products and national distribution in such chains as Whole Foods, Publix and...
Gay rights campaigners have surrounded Coca-Cola’s HQ in Atlanta in a bid to force the company into speaking out against Russia’s ‘anti-gay’ laws ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
