Supermarket giant Kroger is merging with Albertsons Companies Inc. (Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco), bolstering its position as the second largest food retailer in the US with an estimated 11.8% market share behind Walmart at 17.1%.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is indirectly pressuring children’s food manufacturers to elevate the healthfulness of their products sold at retail by incentivizing schools to improve the quality of the food they serve and prioritizing the reinstatement...
The EU’s recent approval of its controversial deforestation regulation is expected to drive up the cost of palm oil and other affected commodities, and thus food and beverage prices, amid ongoing inflationary pressures that have already affected a majority...
The FDA will host a stakeholder webinar on October 21 (1pm ET) to provide an overview of its proposed rule to update the definition of the nutrient content claim ‘healthy,' which for the first time restricts the amount of added sugar firms can include...
San Diego-based BlueNalu has outlined plans for a large-scale cell-cultured seafood plant it anticipates will be operational in 2027. This will deploys technology it claims can “unlock the path to significant profitability” and enable a projected 75%...
The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) has issued a new Industry Advisory which aims to improve the accuracy of EPA and DHA quantification across the industry.
The western diet – and the food system that underpins it – is becoming increasingly unsustainable, for the health of humans and the planet. So how do we futureproof the food system to deliver healthier, more sustainable products that nourish our bodies...
California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed AB3141, California's age restriction bill to prohibit retailers from selling certain dietary supplements for weight loss without a prescription or ID to those under 18.
Record-high levels of food inflation are impacting different segments of the population differently, with those over the age of 50 who rate their physical or mental health as 'fair' or 'poor' struggling the most, a recent poll conducted...
The FDA has issued a proposed rule updating the criteria for the ‘healthy’ nutrient content claim on food labels that for the first time restricts the amount of added sugar firms can include in products bearing the claim.
The Biden administration is exploring steps the federal government could take to reduce intake of added sugars “such as developing targets for categories of foods, similar to the voluntary targets FDA developed for sodium,” as part of a National Strategy...
Food prices at near forty-year highs now overshadow most other consumer concerns about grocery shopping – including fears of contracting COVID-19 or experiencing violence in stores – prompting many to rethink where they shop, what they buy and what product...
A US district court in Delaware has thwarted attempts by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to block a sugar industry mega-deal it argued would create a "cozy duopoly": US Sugar’s proposed acquisition of rival Imperial Sugar.
Advocates arguing for greater transparency about the use of GMOs in food scored a minor victory this month after a district court told USDA to re-work the digital disclosure portions of the bioengineered food labeling law, which came into effect in January....
Curbing consumption of sugary beverages and sweet baked goods could take center-stage in future obesity-fighting campaigns while chocolate and confections move to the wings after new research from Georgetown University reveals the former are more likely...
Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with higher mortality from certain cancers, partially mediated through obesity, according to a study by researchers at the American Cancer Society.
Nestlé is dipping a toe into the increasingly crowded but still highly fragmented and nascent animal-free dairy category by teaming with startup Perfect Day to use synthetic biology to create a milk-like beverage from genetically engineered microflora...
As children nationwide return to the classroom this week, many caregivers are worried about providing them nutritious food amid rising inflation and the expiration of pandemic-era waivers for universal free school meals – prompting General Mills, Orgain...
“I see all these emails going around saying once the [2018] Farm Bill passes, CBD is legal in all 50 states… and that’s just not true,” observed one attorney in December 2018. Four years later, while a lot has changed, the FDA maintains that CBD is not...
The American Herbal Products Association has released a new guidance document that seeks to bring clarity to hemp nomenclature, in particular what ought to be meant by the terms ‘broad spectrum’ and ‘full spectrum’ extracts.
A new multi-million initiative by the US Department of Agriculture aims to reverse a downward trend in the number of farms transitioning to organic – a process that can put producers on their back foot financially as yields often drop during the three-year...
Farmers markets are more than a popular summer destination for Americans who want to learn where their food comes from – they also play a key role in Federal nutrition programs and the government’s plan to transform the food system to better support small...
So-called ‘ultra-processed foods,’ which include a significant portion of CPGs, are often demonized as calorie-dense, nutrient-poor and a major contributor to diet-related chronic diseases, but is this characterization an oversimplification that is just...
A row is brewing in the multimillion-dollar natural preservatives arena as Kerry Group and Florida Food Products square off in the courts over label-friendly alternatives to synthetic nitrites for use in cured meats, with Kerry accusing FFP of infringing...
In another sign that inflation may be peaking, wholesale prices fell month-over-month for the first time in July since April 2020, but commodities remain significantly higher than last year, suggesting it may be well into next year before food manufacturers...
While overall inflation in the US cooled slightly in July, giving hope to some economists that financial pressures may be peaking, food prices continue to climb at their fastest rate in more than 40 years – suggesting the economic recovery still has a...
Legislation currently in the Senate could burden the hemp industry by setting an unrealistically low level of allowable THC, an industry group has said.
A lawsuit* recently filed by former co-packer Don Lee Farms accusing Beyond Meat of “grossly” overstating the protein in its products is motivated by “personal vendetta" and should be seen as a “transparent attempt to gain leverage” on the eve of...
CPG and waste and recycling industry leaders are urging the House of Representatives to follow the US Senate’s lead and quickly pass “critical” legislation needed to “fix America’s broken recycling system” which, according to the Consumer Brands Association,...
Beyond Meat – which has just posted another grim set of quarterly figures driving its share price down to new lows – is gearing up for a showdown with former co-packer Don Lee Farms at a court in Los Angeles with a trial date scheduled for September 26.
Health Canada has published new labeling standards for supplemented foods such as snacks and beverages fortified with vitamins and minerals or caffeinated energy drinks; and introduced new nutrition labelling regulations for packaged foods requiring a...
On Capitol Hill last week, hemp industry stakeholders and Congressional leaders frustrated by FDA’s lack of regulations for CBD and other hemp-derived compounds since the 2018 Farm Bill authorized commercial production of the crop, explored how the 2023...
Facing sharp criticism in the media that FDA’s approach to food safety is “broken,” “Byzantine” and a “ridiculous joke,” the agency is undertaking a “top to bottom” review of the “structure, function, funding and leadership” of its food program, agency...
Frustrated with FDA’s “inefficient decision making,” reliance on “inexperienced and undertrained” inspectors and “split and siloed” approach to food safety and oversight, the Consumer Brands Association this morning reiterated its call for the agency...
Non-nutritive sweeteners such as stevia and sucralose are not a panacea, but new recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) questioning their value do a “disservice to public health” by failing to recognize their role in sugar/energy reduction...
Bonumose – a Virginia-based startup with patented technology it claims could enable the mass market adoption of rare sugars which have exciting benefits but currently come with a hefty price tag – is gearing up to start commercial production of tagatose...
The FDA has acknowledged that people are frustrated it isn’t moving more quickly to set action levels for heavy metals in baby foods, but says proposals from states' attorneys general to expedite the process and immediately set thresholds for heavy...
As Geoff Freeman prepares to step down from his role as president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association next month to pursue a new opportunity, he offers the CPG industry the same advice that he gave when he joined the trade group four years ago:...
Clif Bar – one of a series of CPG brands accused of adding ‘excessive’ amounts of sugar to products marketed as wholesome and nutritious – has agreed to remove the terms ‘nutritious’ and 'nourishing' from selected product labels, and set aside...
As rising gas and food prices cause US consumers’ confidence and short-term outlook for the economy to plunge, some are shifting their spending habits and the blame from the pandemic to ongoing supply chain costs, constraints and related government policies,...
Children’s health advocates and the School Nutrition Association lauded President Joe Biden signing this weekend a bipartisan bill to increase funding for school meals and ease requirements for institutions struggling with ongoing supply chain challenges,...
Two closely watched food labeling documents from the FDA – a proposed rule defining ‘healthy’ nutrient content claims, and draft guidance on the labeling of plant-based milks - are both being reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and...
Two years after securing a preliminary injunction to stop Nestlé from marketing its plant-based ‘Incredible Burger’ in the EU, Impossible Foods has filed a lawsuit in a bid to stop Toronto-based Zoglo's Incredible Food using the ‘Incredible’ mark...
New Census data showing consumer spending on food slowing in recent months as inflation and the threat of a recession rise suggests retailers and brands need to rethink their inventory and promotional strategies to attract and maintain shoppers, analysts...
‘Animal-free dairy’ startups have hit back at what they claim are attempts by the Non GMO Project and others to discredit the emerging technology by mischaracterizing it as dangerous, unregulated and bad for the environment.
With protein content claims in the spotlight after Beyond Meat was hit with two lawsuits filed in the space of one week alleging it overstates the protein in its plant-based burgers and other products, FoodNavigator-USA caught up with labeling experts...
A new report from the Centers of Disease Control has found that annual number of pediatric ingestions of melatonin reported to poison control centers increased 530% from 2012 to 2021.
US adults are advised to consume no more than 2,300mg of salt per day (the equivalent of 1 teaspoon), according to 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines, an amount that is easy to surpass thanks to the high levels of sodium in many processed and packaged food,...