As tensions – and lawsuits – mount in the meat industry as plants balance the need to protect workers with pressure to maintain the nation’s food supplies, food trade associations have urged Congress to move to protect essential businesses from ‘unfounded’...
The global market for collagen peptides grew 25%+ in volume in 2019 with continued double-digit growth expected in 2020, says Gelita, which says it’s seeing a steady rise in interest from food and beverage firms looking to make more tailored products...
COVID-19 patients with low vitamin K status tend to have worse outcomes, according to preliminary results of a study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands.
Just over half of food & beverage professionals surveyed by product innovation firm Mattson this month say projects and launches have been delayed due to coronavirus, but two thirds are still working on new concepts and products and 50% believe COVID-19...
While "banana bread is having a moment" during the lockdown, most consumers that didn't previously have great cooking skills are "not turning into gourmet chefs," and when it comes to dinnertime, they're looking for 'heat-and-eat'...
Strong food & beverage brands with world class management teams will continue to attract funding, but valuations are “falling by the minute,” and the days of throwing money at emerging brands and seeing what sticks are over, at least for now, says...
Nutrition and health ingredients supplier DSM is experiencing significant spikes in demand for vitamin C and other functional ingredients, reflecting higher overall sales of packaged foods and beverages as consumption switches to the home, coupled with...
Like many CPG companies trying to maximize efficiency and streamline supply chains during this pandemic, Coca-Cola has been “ruthlessly prioritizing to deliver on core SKUs,” in recent weeks. But it’s also signaled plans to streamline the innovation pipeline...
Organic ice cream brand Three Twins has ceased operations after a 15-year rollercoaster ride, with founder Neal Gottlieb thanking staff and ice cream fans for their support but explaining that he had been unable to get to the scale “where we could have...
In the space of four weeks, we’ve gone from “pure panic stock-up with a heavy focus on non-foods, to meal prep ingredients, to increased focus on comfort foods,” according to IRI and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). At the same time, spending on ‘self-care’...
“Coronavirus has us all rethinking how we will do research this year,” says Patricia Manos, VP marketing at consumer insights and product testing specialist Curion, who says there are multiple ways to glean insights from consumers remotely, from video...
While some food & beverage companies have hit the ‘pause’ button on innovation projects as priorities shift during this pandemic, others are finding creative ways to keep projects on track, which in some cases has involving transforming home kitchens...
Membership-only natural and organic online marketplace Thrive Market has seen a significant increase in demand during the coronavirus pandemic, with members buying more, and more often, putting pressure on the company’s supply chain.
As Americans adjust to home confinement, their confidence in the kitchen has soared with many saying they will carry on with their cooking habits even after the world returns to a new normal, according to a new study by food and beverage communications...
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has vetoed a bill that would have limited the use of the term ‘milk’ on food labels to the lacteal secretions of hooved animals.
“Three months ago, everyone was focused on the next wave of CBD users, people that haven’t tried CBD yet, but I really think it’s those heavy users, those core users, that are going to be driving this market over the next few months,” predicts the managing...
Rather than hit pause during the ongoing pandemic like many other investors, global venture capital fund SOSV’s Food-X accelerator is moving full steam ahead by welcoming to its 11th cohort eight companies that are directly tackling challenges coronavirus...
Now the initial grocery shopping ‘surge’ has calmed down somewhat, what can CPG companies expect in the next three to four weeks as consumers navigate the ‘new normal’?
Onboarding new brands is not top of the priority list right now at most food retailers, many of which are more focused on rationalizing SKUs than adding new ones. Meanwhile, R&D under lockdown isn't easy. So is innovation on pause, or are companies...
The food industry has moved remarkably quickly to adjust to a sudden and spectacular shift in food consumption towards the home as America goes into lockdown. But there could be significant challenges ahead if more countries block food exports, while...
While some shoppers have shared photos of empty meat cases next to fully-stocked shelves of plant-based meat on social media, the latest Nielsen data suggests that retail sales of meat alternatives increased significantly in March alongside their animal-based...
CEO of snacking company That's How We Roll, the parent company to national brands ParmCrisps and Thinsters cookie thins, feels cautiously optimistic about how the CPG industry will fare during and post COVID-19.
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2020 annual meeting & expo - scheduled to take place in Chicago July 12-15 - will transition to a virtual event, the organizers confirmed Monday, citing the need to "prioritize the health and safety of...
Regulatory uncertainty coupled with the fact that retailers are not focused on onboarding new brands right now make this a tough time for new CBD brands. However, e-commerce sales of hemp-derived CBD have spiked, while a new survey from Brightfield Group...
Clearly, now is not a great time to raise money. But founders shouldn’t despair, said investors in a webinar hosted by FoodBytes! by Rabobank on Wednesday. Raising capital will take longer and investors are being more circumspect, but there is money available...
Businesses across the country are adapting with lightning speed to adjust business plans, and in some cases, change their business model overnight, in order to adapt and survive as large swathes of the population go into lockdown.
Last week, FoodNavigator-USA held its Beverage Trends webinar where we quizzed a panel of beverage industry insiders on what the future holds for the beverage market, especially amid a public health crisis such as coronavirus, which has no firm end date...
Meat giants Cargill Protein and Tyson Foods are flexing their supply chain muscles to adjust to a sudden shift in demand away from foodservice and towards retail as consumers stay at home.
While many packaged food firms have enjoyed soaring sales this month, startups that had planned to launch new brands, ramp up bricks & mortar distribution, and raise money this year are adjusting plans rapidly, while access to capital will get more...
Inventory planning is the name of the game right now in packaged staples as brands dealing with sudden surges in demand owing to COVID-19 try to predict how long current buying patterns might last.
Should prolonged social distancing measures generate mass unemployment, premium priced natural and organic products will likely not be top of most people’s shopping lists, while private label sales will likely rise, although packaged foods will continue...
While many packaged food brands are enjoying surging sales as shoppers stock up and hunker down as COVID-19 control measures kick in, emerging brands are having to rewrite business plans, modify marketing messaging, and reconsider go-to-market strategies...
‘In some cases, retailers have simply canceled the meetings and not rescheduled them as phone calls’
Coronavirus is creating significant challenges and opportunities for the food and beverage industry, with panic buying prompting mayhem in stores and a surge in online sales, while instore demo companies have seen business fall off a cliff and smaller...
In an announcement that will not likely surprise many stakeholders, New Hope has decided to cancel (rather than postpone) the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim and focus its attention on Expo East in Philadelphia (Sept. 23-26).
Startups looking for capital to fuel their next phase of growth may find there's a gap in the market for investors who are willing to write smaller checks, says Jason Starr, founder and managing director of Chicago-based investment firm CompanyFirst....
Before the threat of COVID-19 prompted Washington, DC, and other US cities to ban large gatherings, nearly 900 school nutritional professionals from across the country converged on the Nation’s capital to brainstorm how vulnerable children can continue...
Coronavirus will boost consumption of shelf-stable and frozen packaged foods in the near-term as consumers pantry-load ahead of what could be a large-scale outbreak, predicts a new report from analysts at Bernstein.
The Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and the Good Food Institute (GFI) have urged Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to veto a bill that would limit the use of the term ‘milk’ on food labels – even if used with qualifiers such as ‘dairy-free/plant-based’...
According to the NPD Group’s Future of Snacking report, Americans ate more than 386 billion snacks last year, and IRI reports the category brought in a whopping $89 billion dollars by the end of 2017 with an addition $16 billion in sales predicted over...
While Blue Apron lost less money in 2019 (-$61m) than it did in 2018 (-$122m) and some customer metrics are improving, bosses at the meal kit co have conceded that they can’t execute a turnaround strategy without raising more capital, and are looking...
From plant-based dairy alternatives and the rise of oatmilk, to CBD-infused beverages and clean energy sources… what are the most bankable, and drinkable, beverage trends impacting the market?
The number of class action filings against food and beverage companies rose 8% to 177 in 2019, with firms vulnerable to legal action on a host of fronts, from animal welfare claims and CBD to vanilla labeling, says law firm Perkins Coie.
A high-profile lawsuit* accusing LaCroix of falsely advertising its wares as 100% natural has been dropped with both parties agreeing to cover their own costs after the plaintiff retracted her allegations. A second lawsuit** vs LaCroix over the same issue...
Can 60% of current meat consumption be replaced by novel vegan meat replacements and cultured meat in the next 20 years? That is what AT Kearney has recently projected, but the analysis does not outline a path for achieving the forecast. Is reaching...
When demand for “clean label” first burst on the scene several years ago, it was all about removing “chemical-sounding,” “unnatural” and unnecessary ingredients from products, but as shoppers learn more about food, how it is made and its impact on their...
While Kraft Heinz’s 5.1% drop in net sales and 4.2% dip in volumes in Q4 is hardly cause for celebration, analysts at Bernstein say there are good signs that CEO Miguel Patricio "is taking the necessary steps to stabilize the business rather than...
Unilever has pledged to stop marketing and advertising foods and beverages to children under 12 in traditional media, and below 13 via social media channels.
After an explosive start in late 2019 (it sold 200,000 cans in 36 hours on Black Friday via its website) LIFEAID has secured listings in 350 Vitamin Shoppe stores (in CBD-friendly states), Lucky’s Market in Colorado, and New Seasons for its new CBD-infused...
Don Lee Farms has filed a 3rd amended complaint vs Beyond Meat, accusing it of doctoring a food safety consultant’s report and sharing trade secrets with Don Lee's rivals to help them “actively solicit” to replace Don Lee as Beyond Meat’s co-manufacturer...
As the number of food accelerators and incubators has increased in recent years, the barrier for entry into the market has decreased – and while this makes launching a new product or company easier, it has made cutting through the competition and finding...
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