Food industry ‘tinkering’ with sugar content while foods and drinks remain relatively high in sugar may detract from more basic sugar reduction strategies, warns a public health expert.
If you’ve got enough money - and clout - it’s not hard to make a big splash with a new product launch in year one. The real test comes in years two, three and four. And PepsiCo is proving that its innovations are still delivering after the initial hype...
GOLDEN STATE ROW ESCALATES AS NOVEMBER 4 BALLOTS APPROACH
PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi has attacked November ballots in San Francisco and Berkeley that will ask city residents to approve increased taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and sweeteners used to sweeten such drinks.
It’s well-known that many CPG firms feel that they are not getting enough bang for their trade spending bucks. But a recent analysis by Nielsen reveals that most of them are not getting any bang for these bucks, with almost three quarters of promotions...
Is it harder to start a beverage business today than it was 25 years ago when he started distributing ‘ginger brew’ from his Volkswagen Bug in a tie-dyed tee-shirt? Probably, says Reed’s Inc founder & CEO Chris Reed. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t...
The IFT's FutureFood 2050 initiative has started a fascinating conversation about what we might be eating in the future. But what will food shopping be like? Will supermarkets as we know them today still exist or will we get all of our groceries...
Bakers cannot sit back and be bombarded by negative messaging around bread anymore because there’s actually a huge consumer group who wants it, says the VP of Panera Bread bakery development.
Chobani is working with Green America (formerly Co-op America) to “discuss realistic and viable” ways to secure more milk from cows fed non-GMO animal feed.
'The feedback we received appears to be merely satisfactory or mixed'
Initial feedback suggests the US debut of Coca-Cola Life has been “lackluster”, with staff in some of the first stores to feature the product reporting “satisfactory” sales, but nothing to set the world on fire, says Ali Dibadj, senior analyst at Sanford...
What will we be eating in 2050? Insect bars, 3D printed food, lab meat and personalized nutrition bars? No one knows for sure. But with a growing population and a changing climate, food systems - and diets - will have to adapt to survive, say 11 thought-leaders...
The "traditionally domestic focused" dairy industry must adopt a "world view" to ensure increasing global consumer demand does not outstrip milk supply, says Tetra Pak.
The notion that defining ‘natural’ is just too hard - either for the FDA or for the food industry - and that we therefore shouldn’t even bother to attempt it, is defeatist and “disingenuous”, says the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
In part one of our coverage of FoodNavigator-USA’s natural & clean label panel debate we looked at whether the FDA - or industry stakeholders - should define ‘natural’. In part two, we look at all-natural lawsuits, and whether consumers understand...
Dispatches from Euro Fed Lipid Congress, Montpellier
Certified Sustainable Palm Oil could remain a niche product unless it gains importance in India and China, according to former RSPO director Jan Kees Vis.
While the jaw-dropping amount that General Mills paid for Annie’s ($820m) raised some eyebrows, it was “worth it”, says one corporate finance expert who says big CPG firms are increasingly eyeing up acquisition targets in the natural and organic foods...
Sales of packaged bakery products have been sluggish for years as shoppers have shifted their focus from the center of the store to the perimeter, but there are pockets of opportunity in industrially-produced 'artisanal' goods; ancient grains;...
What’s more sustainable? Using acres of land, water and energy to grow plants that produce minuscule quantities of natural flavors, sweeteners or phytonutrients; or making them via a fermentation process using baker’s yeast that’s been engineered to produce...
90 scientists have written to President Obama urging him to press the FDA into making a decision, one way or another, on whether AquaBounty Technologies should be allowed to introduce the first genetically engineered (GE) animal to the human food supply.
While new class action lawsuits over ‘all-natural’ claims on food labels are still filed in the ‘food court’ in California on a weekly basis, some recent orders from judges handling these cases present a glimmer of hope for beleaguered food & beverage...
While sales of vitaminwater and SoBe Lifewater have been pretty lackluster of late, US consumers are still looking for functionality along with hydration and refreshment in the enhanced waters category, and energy is the one trend that refuses to go away,...
General Mills will help newly acquired natural & organic brand Annie’s expand into new categories, channels and markets; and will use its clout to drive procurement and operational/logistical efficiencies, CEO Ken Powell told analysts this week. But...
Are consumers weary of 'all-natural' claims? And if so, what other cues do they look for on pack to see if a brand fits in with their values? We quizzed the bosses of some innovative food brands, ingredients suppliers and branding experts to...
Food trade associations are seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the state of Vermont from implementing its GMO labeling law (Act 120) until a lawsuit they have filed that challenges the law has “run its course”.
From how to keep control of your trade spending to presenting the perfect pitch to investors (spoiler alert: ‘Let me get back to you on those numbers’ will not inspire confidence), food & beverage industry veterans and financiers took to the podium...
While 28% (66 million) of American adults are trying to lose weight, and a further 14% (32 million) are trying to maintain their weight, they are losing interest in strict diet plans, calorie-counting and ‘diet’ foods, says a new report from Packaged...
While there were some bright spots in Campbell Soup's fourth quarter results, its performance in core categories such as ready-to-serve soup was a bit lackluster, CEO Denise Morrison told analysts Monday.
Only Coca-Cola knows what really went wrong, but it seems highly unlikely that stevia was to blame for the recent Vitaminwater reformulation debaclé, according to Almendra, an ambitious new entrant to the global stevia manufacturing arena.
More than half of CPG firms say their trade spending programs are 'ineffective'
It will probably not surprise food & beverage CEOs to learn that most CPG firms responded with a resounding ‘NO’ when asked in a recent survey if they were getting a decent bang for their trade spending bucks. But why is there so much frustration?
When it comes to reporting the position of some of the world’s biggest food companies on genetically engineered foods, Friends of the Earth, it seems, has been engaging in some pretty creative PR ‘engineering’ of its own.
Almost a quarter of primary grocery shoppers are unable to correctly identify the total amount of sugar in products featuring the FDA’s ‘new-look’ Nutrition Facts labels, which require manufacturers to list ‘sugar’ and ‘added sugar’ separately, according...
Canned soup 'a dramatic example of the current unrealistic serving sizes'
As part of its overhaul of the Nutrition Facts panel, the FDA is proposing to tweak serving sizes to better reflect real-life consumption behavior. But which products should be targeted?
While there is no shortage of high-protein shakes gracing shelves at mainstream as well as specialty retailers these days, there is a gap in the market for more refreshing beverages that pack in a meaningful amount of protein, without the calories, says...
Nutrients could precipitate out of solution or cause cloudiness, claim juice firms
FDA proposals to increase the RDI for calcium and vitamin D as part of an overhaul of the Nutrition Facts panel mean that juice makers could face major formulation challenges if they still want to make nutrient content claims about these ingredients,...
US version of Coca-Cola Life has 60 calories per 8-oz glass bottle
Stevia-and-sugar-sweetened Coca-Cola Life is making its US debut this week following successful launches in Latin America and the UK. But will it bring a surge of new - or lapsed - consumers to the cola category and help to reverse the flagging fortunes...
FDA proposals to increase the RDI for certain nutrients as part of an overhaul of the Nutrition Facts panel mean that milk would no longer qualify as an excellent source of vitamin D or a good source of potassium, while some cheeses and yogurts could...
Nestlé Waters North America engaged in “deceptive, fraudulent and predatory behavior” in a bid to drive a small competitor out of business, alleges New York-based Nirvana Inc in a lawsuit accusing the world’s biggest bottled water company of illegal anti-competitive...
100% juice from concentrate may have to declare its sugar as 'added'
One bizarre consequence of FDA proposals to include ‘added sugars’ on the Nutrition Facts panel would be that not-from-concentrate 100% fruit juice could boast 0g ‘added sugar’ on the new-look labels, whereas 100% juice made from concentrate (containing...
Move could create a wholly unnecessary bureaucratic nightmare, claims Bayer Healthcare
FDA proposals that would require the pre-approval of certain fiber ingredients before the agency will count them as ‘dietary fibers’ on the Nutrition Facts panel are illogical and unfair, claim industry commentators.
How clean is your label, and who decides - plaintiff's attorneys or Whole Foods Market? Are ‘all-natural’ claims still resonating with consumers or are other on-pack cues more important? And do shoppers understand the difference between natural and...
UPDATED - Quorn Foods has launched a vigorous defense of its fungus-derived meat substitutes in the wake of a fresh attack from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which says the FDA “should have pulled this dangerous product off shelves...
Analyst: Top CPG firms not delivering on innovation, falling back into promotional trap
As several CEOs have recently observed, big brands are not getting so much bang for their promotional buck these days. But in the current climate, targeted trade spending is a must to retain market share, although other strategies must be pursued in the...
Survata is 'democratizing' consumer insights, says CEO
Until pretty recently, food marketers looking to test new product ideas, brand names or pack designs could look to friends, family, and colleagues for cheap - though notoriously unreliable - feedback, or expect to spend serious time and money on hiring...
Vermont AG: 'Natural' labels do not belong on foods made with GMOs
Vermont’s new GMO labeling law (Act 120) does not violate the First Amendment because the disclosures it mandates are “purely factual” and the law “does not require manufacturers to state a particular viewpoint, such as whether GE foods are good or bad”,...
Retailers are going to reduce the space given to legacy brands
Leading CPG companies are like huge ships that cannot change course quickly enough to address evolving consumer trends, claims the boss of Boulder Brands (which owns the Udi’s Gluten-Free, Earth Balance and EVOL brands). But unless they make some bold...
New labels would highlights calories, include 'added sugars'
UPDATED: Significant changes to the Nutrition Facts panel on foods & beverages have been proposed in the US and Canada, with the plan to include ‘added sugars’ tweak rules on dietary fiber labeling, and update the reference values used to calculate...
Ice cream co engaged in ‘David & Goliath’ lawsuit vs Nestlé alleging unfair competition
As Kraft’s CEO recently observed, smaller, more agile players seem to be better at coming up with exciting new products than many CPG giants, for whom innovation is often more about trade management than addressing genuine consumer needs. But if this...
This does not prove that stevia isn't ready for prime time, say experts
There are lessons to be learned from Coca-Cola’s abortive attempt to introduce a new ‘natural’ sweetening system to selected Vitaminwater products, say formulation experts. But they are not necessarily about stevia.
The FDA’s overhaul of the Nutrition Facts panel misses a public health opportunity by prohibiting firms from evening highlighting long chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA on the panel on a voluntary basis, says GOED, the Global Organization for EPA...
Sugar is sugar, say bakers, our bodies don't distinguish between 'naturally occurring' and 'added' varieties
A row is brewing over the merits of including ‘added sugars’ on the Nutrition Facts panel, with critics arguing that our bodies don’t distinguish between ‘naturally occurring’ and ‘added’ sugar - and neither should food labels - and supporters saying...
