Pea protein-fueled brand Ripple has weighed into plant-based ‘milk’ debate with a provocative new media campaign that challenges the nutritional and environmental credentials of dairy milk, but also brands almond milk a ‘sham,’ and argues that when it...
Kevin Klock: ‘Now we have created a real brand identity’
Talking Rain Beverage Co has unveiled a $37m national ad campaign that president Kevin Klock says will give Sparkling ICE a stronger brand identity – something it has historically lacked, despite its meteoric growth (estimated retail sales have surged...
Product recall insurance: Are you to speed? Lessons from Heinz v Starr
Snack brands that want to break through the $2-3m revenue barrier have to appeal to mainstream shoppers as well as trend-setters in New York or L.A. says serial snacking entrepreneur and CPG veteran Jerry Bello, who says his latest innovations – Pasta...
The dairy lobby is justifiably frustrated about the widespread use of dairy-terms (milk, cheese, yogurt) to describe plant-based products, but it also needs to focus on its own game to understand why sales of fluid dairy milk are declining, argues The...
The Dairy Pride Act, which seeks to crack down on the use of dairy-derived labels for plant-based products on the grounds shoppers are being misled, is a “solution looking for a problem,” claims the marketing boss of one of the leading players in the...
'Is your packaging visible, visceral, and memorable? If not, you don’t have a brand'
Whether you’re an established brand hiring a top agency to revamp your packaging, or a penniless entrepreneur with a blank canvas and a Photoshop license, you should always ask yourself three questions, says design guru Simon Thorneycroft.
You’ve got a great product, you’re bursting with entrepreneurial zeal, you’ve outgrown the space you’re renting in a commercial kitchen and you’re ready to look for a contract manufacturer/co-packer. Well steel yourself, says PartnerSlate founder and...
High levels of added sugar should disqualify foods from being able to make health claims, or nutrient content claims such as ‘healthy’ or ‘high fiber,’ argues a citizen’s petition filed last week by the nonprofit advocacy group the Union of Concerned...
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
In regular water, hydrogen is bound to oxygen (H2O) making it "difficult for our bodies to enjoy the [antioxidant/anti-inflammatory] benefits of hydrogen," claims the company behind Hfactor, which contends that dissolving hydrogen gas into water...
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Rhythm Superfoods has just closed a $6m financing round led by Gen Mills' 301 INC arm. But what will it spend the money on? FoodNavigator-USA editor Elaine Watson caught up with CEO Scott Jensen at the Winter Fancy Food Show to find out.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Cold soup in a bottle is still a novelty for many Americans, but the concept of ‘souping’ (as opposed to ‘juicing’) is gaining traction, particularly for consumers watching their sugar intake, claims Sonoma Brands founder Jon Sebastiani.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Labeling conventions in plant-based ‘dairy’ are a hot topic right now, with two leading players (Almond Breeze and Silk) hit with false advertising lawsuits this week, and a Senate Bill urging the FDA to enforce standards of identity for milk, cheese...
To the frustration of the dairy lobby, false advertising lawsuits objecting to terms such as ‘almondmilk’ and ‘soymilk’ have failed to make much headway. However, complaints filed this week vs Blue Diamond Growers and WhiteWave Foods adopt a different...
The Dairy Pride Act – a bill urging the FDA to prohibit the use of ‘almond milk,’ ‘vegan cheese’ and other such labels on plant-based products – is an “absurd” piece of legislation that “wastes government resources,” claims a new petition on change.org.
Consumers have moved on since dairy standards of identity first hit the statute books, says Miyoko's Kitchen founder and CEO Miyoko Schinner, and it's time regulators did too.
Campbell Soup has joined a growing number of food manufacturers backing a citizen’s petition from NuTek Food Science asking the FDA to allow ‘potassium salt’ as an alternate name for potassium chloride on food labels.
Personalized nutrition? Plant-based foods? Paleo diets? FoodNavigator-USA quizzed food & beverage entrepreneurs and CEOs to find out what trends they will be monitoring in 2017 and why…
Donald Trump? GMO labeling? Raising money? FoodNavigator-USA quizzed food & beverage entrepreneurs and CEOs to find out what is keeping them awake at night as they head into the New Year…
Shifting 10% of promotional spending to media advertising would boost firms’ ROI on marketing spend by 10-25%, according to Chicago-based market research firm IRI and global media company Turner.
TerraVia CEO ‘surprised and disappointed’ by Soylent’s reaction to recall
Soylent’s decision to drop TerraVia’s algal flour from its new food bar and version 1.6 of its powder was made without a rigorous investigation into whether it was actually to blame for digestive issues a small number of customers experienced after consuming...
What keeps food & beverage industry CEOs awake at night? Declining returns on promotional spending? Lackluster topline growth? An uninspiring innovation pipeline? Anxiety about how to tap into the e-commerce revolution?
From customizable granola and meals based on your DNA and blood markers, to seamless new shopping experiences and kitchen robots, and shifting definitions of 'healthy' and 'natural,' we’ve highlighted 15 trends to watch in 2017.
Nestlé USA is the latest in a series of food companies to be targeted by New York-based law firm Lee Litigation Group over its use of the label claim ‘no preservatives’ on products containing citric acid.
Interest in lifestyle medicine is exploding, but personalized nutrition and health companies need to keep the science ahead of the marketing, and customization needs to be within the context of strong evidence, says Dr David Katz.
From fruit- and herb-infused apple cider vinegar to bitter melon & green tea combos, and collagen-laced waters, new beverage concepts are hitting the market every week. But which emerging trends have real staying power and what really interests VCs...
Demographics don't provide easy answers to GMO debate, says Pew Research Center
Think anti-GMO sentiment is primarily the preserve of white college educated liberals? Think again, says Pew Research Center, which has just conducted a consumer survey suggesting that attitudes on GMOs, organics, and other food issues are “conspicuously...
The Beyond Burger – the first refrigerated plant-based patty to sit in the meat counter – will move into all Whole Foods regions by the end of the year, while brand owner Beyond Meat is also in talks with foodservice chains interested in testing or launching...
There have been hundreds of class action lawsuits directed against food and beverage companies in recent years over everything from evaporated cane juice to Non-GMO claims. But has the false advertising litigation trend peaked, and if not, what are the...
Has the FDA’s probe into ‘natural’ claims on food labels put a stop to the tidal wave of false advertising lawsuits engulfing food manufacturers? Not if a new complaint against Dannon is anything to go by, which also delves into the thorny issue of GMOs,...
The food industry’s biggest guns have recently been engaged in some serious retail therapy, investing in a flurry of smaller, sexier brands and setting up venture arms to nurture them. And they’re not the only ones out shopping. Leonardo DiCaprio and...
NAMI: ‘Failure to act on TPP will be potentially devastating’
A Trump administration could herald more business-friendly tax policies, but it could also stymie food labeling, health and nutrition-related initiatives set in motion under the Obama administration, and create uncertainty for businesses with operations...
If you didn't make it to Chicago last week for Food Vision USA 2016, you missed a truly awesome ensemble of industry experts covering everything from personalized nutrition, savory oats and plant-based foods to the existential angst of big food brands...
Many ‘legacy’ food and beverage brands are losing market share because they have “lost touch with where the consumer is going,” delegates at Food Vision USA were told.
From ‘disastrous’ to ‘better trade deals.’ The prospect of a Trump presidency has provoked alarm and delight in equal measure. But substantial numbers of respondents to a FoodNavigator-USA survey also say that the President Elect has said so little about...
Social Nature harnesses social media to drive consumer engagement
Demos are expensive and time consuming, shows and events can be hit and miss, and redemption rates for coupons handed out at events can be frustratingly low. So how can you reach more target consumers, generate more buzz about your products, and use it...
Donald Trump’s stunning upset victory has dumbfounded pundits both at home and abroad. But it is of less importance for the dietary supplement industry than the result of the down ticket races, trade group executives said this morning.
Donald Trump’s historic victory leaves dietary supplement industry observers wrestling with the question of what will be the character of his administration, when the candidate himself has taken so many positions, some of which match standard conservative...
Any advances in systems biology must incorporate study of the microbiome, says Rob Knight from the University of California in San Diego, because if we don’t we’re ignoring 99% of ourselves.
'The fundamentals of good nutrition actually haven’t changed for decades'
“I don’t know what to eat anymore because the ‘experts’ keep changing their minds about what’s good for me…” It’s a common refrain, and a convenient one if you’re trying to justify a lousy diet, says one leading nutrition researcher. But it’s also plain...
DRINKmelon - the latest innovation from maple water brand DRINKmaple - is a new 100% juice made from one ingredient: organic watermelons. But did it impress members of Carpe Diem, an award-winning Santa Barbara-based a cappella singing group?
Most researchers agree that the prevalence of food allergies is increasing in the US. Yet the amount of money spent on finding out why is surprisingly low, says one food allergy expert.
Theo Chocolate says one of the greatest challenges it faces as a company committed to a responsible and transparent supply chain is “greenwashing” in the premium chocolate category.
Is ConAgra’s strategy of cutting back on deep discounts on brands such as Banquet, Chef Boyardee, and Snack Pack – a move that has improved margins but dented revenues – a savvy one, or is it a dangerous gamble that could see it losing distribution in...
Most consumers are pre-disposed to eating more healthily, but they're not obsessed with the latest health trends, says Mindless Eating author Dr Brian Wansink. So how should food marketers talk to them?
While buying or investing in a flurry of smaller, sexier brands may not have a meaningful impact on their P&L for 5-10 years, it's the only way many big food companies can position themselves for long-term growth, says one corporate finance expert,...
US consumers increasingly see non-GMO, natural, organic and clean label claims as a proxy for ‘healthy’ or ‘healthier,’ says Nielsen in a new report* examining how consumers around the globe are thinking about health and wellness.
Reasonable consumers may well be misled by the packaging of Welch’s fruit snacks, a magistrate judge has concluded, prompting a lengthy rebuttal from the defendants in court documents filed this month.
The rise in home-delivered groceries, meals and meal kits satisfies the growing demand for mass personalization and convenience, says a new report from Rabobank. But are the business models viable, and what will determine the winners from the losers?
Brooklyn-based pea protein chip pioneer Proformance Foods has closed a $1.2m financing round led by a leading CPG company, and changed its brand name from ProTings to Protes following a trademark dispute with B&G Foods, which owns the Original Tings...
