7,000-plus truckers blocked by English requirement add to supply chain stress
Executive order places non-English speaking commercial drivers out of service
Suppliers
The Every Company closed $55 million in Series D to make alt proteins ‘accessible to everyone’
The producer of animal-free egg whites and egg white proteins plans to scale to the mass market, starting with Walmart
Alt Protein Watch: Updates from Bel, Tetra Pak, PepsiCo and more
Updates from Bel, Tetra Pak, PepsiCo and more feature in this edition of Alt Protein Watch
Inside discount retailer Lidl US’ recipe for success: Fresh, value and focus
From SKU rationalization to supplier partnerships and front-line empowerment, CEO Joel Rampoldt is reshaping Lidl US’ playbook for sustainable growth and earning consumer loyalty along the way
Sweeteners in focus
Sugar isn’t the only sweet solution: How modern sweeteners are changing the game
Kerry Group and NotCo show how advanced sweetening systems can overcome many of the technical, sustainability and cost barriers with sugar reduction
Bettani Farms bets on its star ingredient to scale allergen- and animal-free cheese
The company’s proprietary ingredient Caseed mimics dairy casein without the allergenic effects of dairy, nuts and soy for B2B partners
Mondelēz-backed Celleste Bio debuts cell-cultured chocolate-grade cocoa butter
The new ingredient is positioned as an ‘insurance policy’ against cocoa supply chain volatility and says the bio-identical ingredient could stabilize supply as climate change strains traditional crops
Kerry turns consumer insights into sustainable food solutions
Kerry’s sustainable nutrition spectrum guides CPG brands in reformulating foods that meet evolving consumer expectations for health, sustainability and taste.
FDA ‘no questions’ letter for Verley’s whey proteins unlocks new functionality for high-protein foods
The French startup’s FermWhey Native and FermWhey MicroStab expands formulation options for RTD beverages, shots and plant-based hybrids to better meet demands for consumers using GLP-1s and seeking support for active lifestyles and healthy aging
Danone takes lead on dairy methane reduction through new partnership
Environmental and economic headwinds make stewardship crucial for dairy industry
Why Kerry exited hybrid dairy and pivoted Smug to snacking
Once heralded as a category disruptor, Kerry’s hybrid dairy brand Smug is being reinvented into a 100% dairy affair. Here’s why
Oobli builds out sweet protein platform with third FDA ‘no questions’ letter
FDA acknowledges brazzein-54, advancing Oobli’s nature-identical sweet protein toolkit to reduce sugar
Natural color demand drives Capol’s deal for Blue Pacific Flavors
Capol’s acquisition of Blue Pacific underscores how quickly the natural color market is evolving - from a nice-to-have to a core differentiator
From research to market: How generative AI can speed product development
Practical strategies from industry voices show how generative AI can enhance ideation, protect intellectual property and create “first-time right” product launches
In struggling alt-protein scene, The Better Meat Co. raises $31 million in series A, plans to beat beef on price by 2026
Better Meat Co. raises $31 million series A to scale mycoprotein ingredient
IFT FIRST 2025
Upcycled carob offers prebiotic fiber tailored to glp-1 and gut health
Dietary fiber, like carob, is gaining traction as a star macronutrient in food and beverage formulations as consumer interest in metabolic health, gut support and clean-label products accelerates
IFT FIRST 2025
Methylcellulose’s match? ICL’s Rovitaris offers clean-label binding alternative in plant-based meat and seafood
Powered by Plantible Foods’ Rubi Protein, ICL’s binder system outperforms methylcellulose’s gelling capabilities in plant-based meat and seafood and delivers better nutritionals
IFT FIRST 2025
Fermentation x flavor: Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition’s new tomato flavor tackles cost, supply and clean label challenges
Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition is betting that fermentation – and a more transparent, science-forward narrative around natural flavor technologies – will help close the gap between consumer perception, cost feasibility and functional performance
IFT FIRST 2025
How are ingredient suppliers defining clean label?
The subjective term goes beyond health and safety to include customizable options for CPG brands
IFT FIRST
The natural color boom is here – can suppliers keep up?
As brands ditch synthetic dyes like Red 40, it is not enough to go natural – the colors need to work across formulation, supply chain and stability demands
IFT FIRST
Cocoa is out and fats, flavors and powders are in as companies rein in costs and secure supply
Volatile cocoa prices have manufacturers scrambling for ways to stretch limited supply by replacing or reducing how much cocoa powder and butter they use
Future Food Tech-Chicago
Designer fats fast: Startup Smey’s ‘neobank of yeasts’ speeds creation of cultivated fats
Smey’s AI-powered digital library of more than 1,000 yeast strains can speed innovation of sustainable cultivated alternatives to popular fats and oils, including cocoa, shea and palm butter
Sensient’s flavor mod portfolio addresses taste complexity and cost challenges
If taste is king for consumers then nuanced flavor solutions may be next in line for the throne
Joyn Foods joins blended meat category on retail shelves
The blended meat - or balanced protein - category continues to grow as players invest in ingredient technology to align with consumer preferences for healthy, clean-label protein
Tariffs reshape food & drink M&A: Key trends in 2025
Food and beverage M&A activity is being reshaped by global tariff changes and shifting buyer strategies
Future Food Tech Chicago
TMI? How much is too much when it comes to food-tech transparency
Food-tech pioneers and established brands weigh the risks and rewards of disclosing the science and processing behind new ingredients and products versus leading with consumer benefits
dsm-firmenich taps Meala to elevate texturized pea protein with clean-label functionality
The partnership leverages Meala’s patented technology to simplify formulation while meeting the technical demands of plant-based and hybrid food applications
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
From microalgae to macro impact: Arborea harnesses sunlight to create ‘food without the footprint’
Climate-tech food startup Arborea’s proprietary BioSolar Leaf system promises to produce nutrient-dense proteins and superfoods by “industrializing photosynthesis” and using a fraction of the land, water and carbon footprint of conventional agriculture
Future Food-Tech Chicago
Exclusive: New high intensity sweetener that rivals monk fruit moves closer to launch
Elo Life Sciences begins field trials to produce monk fruit molecule in watermelons with a goal to launch a new high intensity sweetener juice and powder in 2026
From online to grocery carts: Nuts.com launches Pop & Sol brand in retail
Nut brand Pop & Sol launches with a blend of savory and sweet snacks
Natural color startup shines light on upcycled solution for replacing synthetic dyes
CPG companies are rushing to remove synthetic dyes, stressing supply chains and creating opportunities for new natural colors, like Sparxell’s plant-based ingredients
Marketing to Gen Z and Alpha
Inside Instacart’s app for Gen Z: Fizz joins the party
Gen Zers’ preference for occasion-based snacking and drinking inspired Instacart to create the Fizz app
T. Hasegawa USA turns to tech to solve plant-based flavor challenges
Taste challenges remain a barrier for the plant-based meat and dairy market, requiring innovative flavor solutions
Plant-based meat manufacturer freezes prices for year in tariff response
Plant-based meat’s march to price parity hits a tariff wrinkle, as private label provides a growth opportunity for the slumping category
Future Food-Tech
3 food tech companies creating a more sustainable and healthier LATAM
Upcycling Solutions, Future Biome and Kresko RNAtech will share their stories at an upcoming Future-Food Tech and FoodNavigator event in São Paulo
‘Regenerative is a long-term commitment,’ Westrock Coffee shares strategy for a greener supply chain
Westrock Coffee’s 2024 sustainability report demonstrates the length the supplier is going to imbue regenerative agriculture and greener manufacturing practices into its supply chain
Brazzein sweetener gets FDA green light as sugar-reduction momentum grows in confectionery
Bestzyme’s next-gen sweet protein secures GRAS status, unlocking new potential for sugar-reduced chocolate and confectionery innovation as brands meet demand for healthier indulgence
Food tech company achieves natural dye breakthrough with Ginkgo Bioworks’ help
The rush to replace synthetic food dyes will require innovative ingredients and investment in product development, with food technologies offering a solution to supply chain constraints
Brand Alchemy
Walmart Unlimited’s gamified shopping brings products to consumer IRL
The partnership between Walmart and gaming platform Spatial meets gamers in the digital world while shortening the distance between concept and commerce
Salmon from spirulina? Israeli food tech company commercializes seafood alternative
SimpliiGood by AlgaeCore Technologies recreates the taste and texture of salmon using algae and innovative decolorization and texturizing processes
AI food tech company moves protein and fat into commercial production
California-based ingredient discovery company Shiru is commercializing its first ingredients, as the food tech company tees up future sweetener partnerships
Scope 3 emissions reporting: HowGood and Watershed team on solution
US tech companies HowGood and Watershed are empowering food and beverage companies’ carbon reduction strategies with Scope 3 emissions reporting
Reaching Net Zero
Cocoa complicated: Luker Chocolate addresses volatility with sustainability
Disease and climate change drove cocoa volatility in 2024, as trade tensions and tariffs complicate the commodity’s price in 2025
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Sweet protein producer Oobli ramps up B2B strategy with partnerships
The company aims to normalize sweet proteins in sweetener and nutrition systems
NutraCast: Axiom Foods tackles heavy metal contamination in plant proteins
Los Angeles-based Axiom Foods recently debuted Oryzatein 2.0, the first patented plant protein with no detectable levels of lead, according to independent lab tests.
Natural Products Expo West
Kerry’s new strategic direction focuses on sustainable nutrition and functional benefits
Consumers are demanding lower sugar and sodium products with functional benefits, inspiring CPG and ingredient innovation
Ingredient shortages drive demand for citrus replacers
Flavor suppliers expand citrus alternatives as costs rise and shortages persist
Food-tech startup CellX uproots to US, self-affirms GRAS status and launches mushroom jerky brand Mourish
CellX is using an asset-light model to cost-efficiently scale production and launch a CPG brand, demonstrating the potential of its morel mushroom mycelium
Natural Products Expo West
‘Revolutionary’ high-protein oats ‘supercharge’ Bob’s Red Mill breakfast options
‘Hull-less’ oats from Bay State Milling also meet rising demand for more fiber and clean label, nutrient-dense options to complement GLP-1 medications
Rethinking bioreactors: Ever After Foods and Bühler aim to lower cultivated meat costs
Redesigning bioreactors for food production could solve scaling and cost challenges in cultivated meat