The US Department of Agriculture’s decision this summer to increase the benefits allotted under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program well beyond inflation is under fire after a government watchdog found the agency did not follow best-practices...
Within the $1.7 trillion spending bill signed by President Joe Biden late last week is a substantial increase in funding to boost food safety activities and “infrastructure investments” at FDA, including directions to “strongly consider” the Reagan-Udall...
While economists predict inflation will ease slightly in the coming quarters, this year could easily become a “groundhog day version of 2022” if the weather takes a turn for the worse and triggers a domino effect that strains transportation, commodity...
No longer a lumbering giant when it comes to R&D, Nestlé significantly increased its number of new product launches and number of patents in priority areas by simplifying its innovation process, fostering an entrepreneurial culture and collaborating...
Nutrient-rich foods including peanut butter and dried tart cherries with low levels of added sugars would not meet new criteria proposed by the FDA governing 'healthy' claims on food labels, according to industry stakeholders submitting the...
New data from IRI and SPINS shows continued steep declines in sales of refrigerated meat alternatives but pockets of growth in frozen products and some plant-based milk, cheese, and yogurt subcategories, which do not all behave in the same way (spoiler...
Recognizing more Americans increasingly weigh products’ environmental impact when shopping, but that it is “impossible” for them to verify related marketing claims, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted unanimously this week to review formally its...
American candy lovers can now discover what Christmas tradition is most popular in their state with Hershey’s holiday tradition heat map and then use the candy pairing guide to make sure they’re stocking up on the right iconic sweets to help make holiday...
The “three-headed monster” of rising inflation, product shortages and labor challenges continues to wreak havoc across the food industry with little sign of relief on the horizon – prompting many consumers to shift their shopping habits and forcing manufacturers...
Higher than expected increases in wholesale prices in November announced Friday – driven primarily by surging food prices – suggest CPG players may face tough choices in the months ahead as they try to offset extra costs either through additional price...
Frustrated by “stubborn” double-digit inflation driving up prices of shelf stable groceries, Walmart is rethinking its approach to stocking the center of the store – potentially asking existing suppliers to creatively cut costs or risk reducing their...
In part two of our gallery of highlights from FoodNavigator-USA's recent trip to Israel, we profile startups exploring everything from upcycled yeast proteins and carob to antimicrobial proteins. Best viewed on a laptop!
Motif FoodWorks has filed a suite of new petitions with the US Patent and Trademark Office challenging US patents held by Impossible Foods over the use of heme proteins in meat alternatives as it defends itself against accusations of IP infringement....
Industry leaders are lauding proposed changes to FDA’s food program outlined in a highly-anticipated external review by the Reagan-Udall Foundation published yesterday that includes calls for a “single clearly identified” leader with direct lines of authority...
As Americans start to plan their winter holidays, chocolate and candy companies are set to meet the demand for special treats with news that half of consumers plan to celebrate the season by gifting confectionery products.
PepsiCo this week joins the ranks of food manufacturers, retailers and delivery companies laying off employees or offering buyouts to reduce their workforce and offset inflationary pressures even as the consumer packaged goods industry overall struggles...
What’s the most efficient way to make meat, outside of an animal, at scale? Startups in the nascent cultivated meat space are deploying multiple approaches from hybrid strategies combining cell biomass and plant-based protein, to tissue engineering and...
Sales of private label products have grown this year, although not as robustly as might have expected given the economic uncertainty. But almost all of the growth has been in the food and beverage aisles, according to a new IRI report.
Undeterred by a slowdown in e-commerce over the past year compared to earlier in the pandemic, Nestlé remains committed to its goal of capturing 25% of sales online and becoming a “data-powered, fully digitized experience-brands company” by 2025, executives...
While Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider touted the company’s “consistent financial results” over the past few years despite “living in a very volatile and turbulent environment” thanks partly to an aggressive portfolio reshaping, he also acknowledged not all...
Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle promise to push forward this week legislation to divert a looming national freight rail strike that threatens significant job and financial losses and which could snarl still fragile supply chains, including...
The stressful one-two punch of pandemic lockdowns followed by runaway inflation has many consumers looking for comfort and escapism from their food and beverages, which industry leaders say is driving demand for new flavor combinations that are nostalgic,...
While claims about Listeria and contaminants in a food production facility should be taken seriously, the allegations made in a Bloomberg article alleging “dirty conditions” at Beyond Meat’s production facility in Pennsylvania lack vital context, says...
JM Smucker Co. remains bullish on its coffee portfolio, including iconic brands such as Folgers, Café Bustelo and Dunkin, despite volume declines and greater elasticities in the category in the company’s second quarter, which executives attributed primarily...
Is there such a thing as ‘climate positive’ food, and can we compare products at a glance and determine which is the more environmentally-friendly choice based on claims made on pack?
The FDA has sent out a raft of warning letters to brands selling CBD-infused foods and beverages, adopting an “aggressive position” that one industry source told us made him “concerned for our entire industry.”
Consumers feeling pinched by rising inflation are shifting where they shop for food, what they buy and how many items they place in their carts – prompting retailers to rethink and often reduce their product mix, reveals IRI sales data crunched by 210...
Despite “overwhelming evidence” demonstrating dietary health impacts, and growing consumer interest in nutrition as a wellness tool, widespread adoption of food as medicine in the West faces significant structural challenges that will require stakeholders...
As temperatures drop across the country and consumers allocate a larger portion of their budget to heating and fuel, experts predict spending will cool across other categories, including food, which has been relatively resilient despite double-digit inflation.
The CEO of Tyson Foods defended the meat-packing company’s recent leadership shakeup, which included appointments that one investment analyst suggested were not as experienced as their predecessors, including that of a 32-year-old member of the Tyson...
Shoppers at Sprouts Farmers Market may be putting fewer items in their cart per visit to manage their budgets as inflation drives up prices but what they are buying tends to be higher margin grab-and-go items illustrating the need for convenience as on-the-go...
While consumer spending on groceries has yet to dramatically slow in the face of rising prices to offset inflation, some CPG companies – including Hershey – are bracing for an eventual pushback, even as they continue to pass additional costs through to...
Despite efforts to brand fruit ‘as nature’s candy,’ celebrity endorsements by the likes of Jessica Alba designed to make vegetables ‘sexy,’ and many retailers selling fresh produce at a loss to improve access and drive foot traffic – the vast majority...
Kellogg’s plant-based business “remains in good condition with excellent prospects” despite plummeting sales and ongoing supply chain struggles that represent the only “softness” in the company’s otherwise strong third-quarter earnings report released...
At a time when American voters seem more divided than ever on key political issues, they are coming together around the need for a simpler, more effective recycling system to reduce their environmental footprint – a sentiment that supports regulatory...
A tsunami of lawsuits was filed vs food manufacturers last year following a Congressional report alleging ‘dangerous’ levels of heavy metals in leading baby food brands. So how have judges determined if these complaints have legs, and whether the FDA,...
While the industry waits to see if the $24.6bn mega merger of Kroger and Albertsons will hold up against scrutiny from regulators, brands and suppliers are also standing by to see what the consolidation of the second-largest and fourth-largest US supermarket...
As regular readers of FoodNavigator-USA have likely noticed, we're making changes to the way our readers access some of our news content. After reading two articles, all users will be asked to register with the site for free to keep track of important...
SPINS data shared with FoodNavigator-USA ahead of our Futureproofing the Food System virtual summit (Nov 15-17) shows a mixed picture for US retail sales of plant-based cheese, with overall dollar sales down -2.3% to $218.94m and unit sales down -3.6%...
Researchers are calling on clinicians and the healthcare system to screen for food insecurity and better promote food access programs after discovering that Americans with limited or uncertain access to adequate food is on the rise and they are more likely...
The long-term imperative behind reducing our reliance on animal agriculture seems fairly compelling: The planet can’t sustain it. But with less engaged consumers dipping in and then out of the meat alternatives category as budgets tighten, and a subsegment...
To keep pantries stocked and food on the table – especially during the upcoming holidays – more Americans are cutting back on spending in other areas and modifying how they buy groceries as well as the types and amount of products they place in their...
Organic sales continue to reach unprecedented highs as consumers gravitate to options they perceive as healthier for them and the planet, but the segment faces significant headwinds that are slowing growth and will demand ongoing flexibility, innovation...
Sustainability may be a rising priority influencing consumer purchases, but optimistic projections that 2022 would be the year of the ‘climatarian’ appear to be a bit premature – giving brands and retailers more time to improve and finetune their positioning...
Childhood hunger is a serious problem in the US, so at first blush it may appear flippant that General Mills created a full-sized slide that extends from a giant cereal box into a bowl of heart-shaped Cheerio pillows to raise awareness and funds for the...
PepsiCo continues to raise the prices of its snacks and beverages with confidence despite some handwringing by analysts about whether elasticities, which remain at historic lows, soon will begin to give as inflation continues to squeeze consumers across...
While consumers today are exploring more money-saving strategies such as choosing lower-cost items and cooking from scratch, their personal values around health and well-being and the planet have not wavered, according to research from Innova Market Insights.
Natural Products Expo East may not be as big as its West Coast counterpart, but the 18,500 registered attendees and more than 1,200 exhibitors who convened in Philadelphia earlier this month for the annual conference were just as enthusiastic and the...
The lower barrier for entry to market for startups and emerging brands created by the surge in online grocery shopping early in the pandemic is creeping back up as consumers increasingly return to brick-and-mortar stores for the bulk of their shopping...
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...