Food ingredients produced using ‘synthetic biology’ techniques – such as Evolva's vanillin, which is made from genetically engineered baker’s yeast - do not qualify for the Non-GMO Project Verified stamp, says the Non GMO Project.
Diet-health inferences that rely on memory-based dietary intake surveys such as USDA’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) are “essentially meaningless”, argues a new study highlighting consistent disparities between what - and how...
Grain companies are working with Denver-based MycoTechnology to explore how mushrooms’ filament-like roots or ‘mycelium’ could help create new value-added opportunities in the cereals market by transforming the nutritional profile of wheat and other grains.
Tens of thousands of kombucha bottles were pulled from US shelves in 2010 after it emerged they exceeded the 0.5% legal alcohol limit, so you’d assume products on shelf today are all fully compliant, right? Wrong, claims KeVita, which is proposing an...
Heinz is urging a Pennsylvania court to reverse a decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) allowing Boulder Brands to register ‘Smart Balance’ as a trademark for frozen foods and snacks – a name Heinz claims is “confusingly similar” to...
Hartman Group: Pleasure & distinction bigger drivers than health for premium products
While more premium brands from KRAVE to Noosa are being snapped up by big food companies and private equity firms, not every CPG category has the potential to be driven – or revitalized - by premium brands, according to a new analysis by Hartman Group....
The latest outbreak of avian flu has, predictably, prompted a surge in demand for egg replacers. But some industrial egg users are now considering making permanent changes to recipes and menus rather than just making tactical substitutions whenever egg...
Snack makers can boost sales and secure stronger retail relations with data-driven product pairing rather than guesswork, says Nielsen Perishables Group.
Bakers and other big users of eggs could face major supply shortages if the government does not act quickly to allow temporary imports from more egg-producing countries, claims the American Bakers Association (ABA), which says “25% of industrial egg product...
Compared to previous generations Millennials are far more likely to make spur-of-the-moment food decisions and have less well-stocked pantries, say market researchers. But many food retailers are not geared up to meet their changing needs.
It’s not just the high fat, salt or sugar content of processed foods that is driving obesity and diet-related illnesses – the lack of food diversity is killing our gut flora, claims one researcher.
Dispatches from Canadean International Beer Strategies, Amsterdam
Social media strategies need to refrain from insistently pushing brands; but instead add value for consumers, explains Ashley Vinson, head of brand strategy Benelux, Twitter.
Just scaling up alone without fundamental changes to farming practices could decrease costs by 25-50%
While cost is a barrier – and regulatory issues need ironing out – mainstream food manufacturers “have been way more open to this [using edible insects in their products] than you would probably think”, says the founder of the world’s largest insect-based...
Consumer feedback on Solazyme’s new high-oleic algae oil reveals high acceptance levels, with 98% of healthy oil purchasers sent samples for at-home testing reporting it had a ‘pleasant or no aftertaste’, 87% agreeing it had a ‘cleaner taste than other...
Meet execs from Sparkling ICE, Chobani, Tio Gazpacho, NASA
Imagine a place where you can meet the entrepreneurs behind new food & beverage categories and retail channels; pioneers in the field of nutrigenomics, edible insects, and 3D printing; food law attorneys; investment bankers; and number crunchers who...
Zevia – a zero-calorie carbonated beverage line sweetened with stevia, monk-fruit and erythritol – has removed colors from its entire product range, including colas, and put every SKU through the non-GMO Project verification process.
60-second interview: Kyle von Hasseln, creative director food products 3DSYSTEMS
Food was already 3D last time we checked, so once you get over the excitement of being able to ‘print’ a multi-dimensional product in layers, are you left with an expensive gimmick, or something that is going to change the culinary world forever?
Canadian brand SEVA has weighed into the debate over maple water standards ahead of a meeting in New York on Friday (May 15) where key stakeholders from across the industry will gather to discuss labeling conventions in the rapidly-growing industry.
Confectionery giant Mars says it is in favor of FDA proposals to list added sugar on the Nutrition Facts panel, a move described as ‘refreshing’ by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
'Millennials are increasingly health conscious...'
As widely predicted, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is appealing a federal court ruling denying its bid to halt implementation of Vermont’s GMO labeling law (Act 120) until a lawsuit over the Act is resolved.
Attacking biotech companies and spurning ‘artificial’ ingredients will usually generate some positive PR for your business, even if food scientists wearily point out that there are greater threats to our health - and the planet - than GMOs and dough conditioners...
The row over the health and sustainability of meat consumption prompted by the recent Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) report has intensified this week as stakeholders rushed to submit comments on the report ahead of a May 8 deadline.
A clear standard of identity for maple water would provide clarity for the industry and consumers in this new – but rapidly growing - category, say stakeholders, although there are different opinions as to what the standard should cover.
Attorney: This case could end up in the Supreme Court
While opponents of Vermont’s GMO labeling Act 120 suffered a major setback this week after a federal judge rejected many of their arguments, some attorneys predict the case could ultimately end up in the Supreme Court to settle a long-running debate over...
How do you market plant protein? Until recently, it was all about ‘vegetarian’ options, ‘meat analogs’ or ‘meat-alternatives’, says Lightlife Foods, but today, marketers are presenting their plant-based wares as the first – and best - choice for what...
A federal court has rejected an attempt by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and other trade associations to prevent the state of Vermont from implementing its controversial GMO labeling law until litigation over the legislation has been resolved.
Chipotle Mexican Grill has “achieved its goal of moving to only non-GMO ingredients to make all of the food in its US restaurants”, and is now embarking on a quest to eliminate additives such as dough conditioners from its foods.
‘This is one step up the ladder of desperation to remain relevant’
While cynics might paraphrase PepsiCo’s move to axe aspartame from Diet Pepsi as ‘Pepsi replaces one very unpopular artificial sweetener with another slightly less unpopular artificial sweetener’, it highlights the challenge facing big soda marketers,...
Europe needs to talk about moving down the food chain to feed people more efficiently and beat climate change, says renowned US economist and social theorist Jeremy Rifkin.
Aspartame has been deemed safe by all major scientific and regulatory bodies
While aspartame is safe, many US consumers don’t want it in their cola, said PepsiCo this morning, announcing plans to ditch the much-maligned sweetener from Diet Pepsi, Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi and Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi in the U.S from August.
From a standing start in late 2013 – when it hit shelves in Whole Foods - Hampton Creek’s egg-free spread Just Mayo is now in 21,000 retail locations. But its progress in foodservice has been even more meteoric, says CEO Josh Tetrick, who says a deal...
As widely predicted, multiple class action lawsuits were filed against KIND on Friday following the publication of a Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter citing a long list of concerns over label claims on its bars and its website.
Millennials have a general distrust of big companies and a different set of priorities than baby boomers
While working at sexy new food & beverage companies such as Hampton Creek or Suja Juice sounds like a pretty exciting way to earn a living, the most talented people coming out of business school today are still more likely to pick technology or investment...
It’s no secret that smaller, emerging brands are winning the battle for consumers’ hearts, minds and wallets from larger, established players in the US food and beverage industry, but which ‘challenger’ brands really stand out in the crowd? And what are...
There are plenty of billion-dollar brands in the CPG market, but just 8% of 213 ‘legacy’ US food and beverage brands analyzed by market researcher Hartman Group are outpacing inflation and category growth rates.
Americans are falling out of love with many big legacy ‘processed food’ brands and the “financial markets have closely observed what is happening in our industry and acted quickly and decisively”, according to the chairman of the world’s biggest food...
FDA: KIND bars do not meet the requirements for use of the nutrient content claim ‘healthy'
KIND LLC says it is working closely with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address a long list of concerns raised by the agency in a warning letter over label claims on its bars and its website.
While Trader Joe’s gets plenty of plaudits, its German parent company ALDI – which operates nearly 1,400 stores in 32 US states - is probably “the most underestimated grocery retailer” in the nation, according to a new report from market researcher Hartman...
According to the March 2015 report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, most Americans now consume two or three snacks a day - news that came as no surprise to the outgoing chairman of the Snack Food Association, Mark Singleton. Elaine Watson...
Legislation requiring warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages alerting shoppers to the risk of diabetes, obesity, and tooth decay has been backed by a group of 34 leading public health scientists and researchers.
A California federal judge has given the green light to a false advertising lawsuit filed against Hain Celestial accusing it of misleading shoppers by describing its Sunflower Dream beverage and related products as ‘all-natural’ when they contained “artificial,...
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has launched a social media campaign and online petition calling on food manufacturers to stop using the preservative propyl paraben.
Big CPG firms are not nimble enough to innovate and align with changing consumer tastes, says TABS Group founder
The impending marriage of Heinz and Kraft Foods Group will create a $29bn consumer packaged goods powerhouse. But is bigger always better, or are megadeals like this more about making money for lawyers and shareholders than delighting consumers and driving...
Nutrigenomics – the idea of optimising nutrition via individualised and/or pooled genetic data – is one that has long promised to revolutionise how we eat – not to mention keeping us healthy and out of hospitals. Are converging technologies about to deliver...
Ginger, turmeric and sprouted grains are hot, while kale and Greek yogurt are cooling off, according to trend watchers at Rabobank International who walked the floor at the 2015 Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim earlier this month.
