Carbohydrates and fibers (sugar, starches)

Natural Products Expo West

Simple Mills is creating market demand for biodiverse crops, pushing for equity

28-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Better for you snack brand Simple Mills is taking is mission and products beyond its initial “free from” roots to embrace a “for more” approach that not only skips artificial ingredients that consumers are avoiding but gives them more of what they want...

WhatIF targets ‘climate anxious Gen Z’ with bambara groundnut plant-based milk, noodles

17-Mar-2023 By Lauren Nardella

Singapore-based WhatIF Foods looks to bring its line of products derived from the bambara groundnut to a wider audience in the coming year, focusing on educating consumers about the legume’s benefits and appealing to the “climate anxious GenZ consumer,”...

Mondelez sees payoff from focus on chocolate, biscuits and baked snacks categories

14-Mar-2023 By Lauren Nardella

Consumer demand for snacks continues to increase, and Mondelez International sees itself as well-positioned to not only meet those needs but increase its market share in the process.

Soup-To-Nut Podcast: Regenerative organic certification helps Lundberg Family Farms tap into rising demand for sustainability, clarify difference from organic

06-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Organic rice grower Lundberg Family Farms is on a mission to certify all of its organic rice as regenerative organic by 2027 to better meet growing consumer demand for sustainable food and to “leave the land better.”

Study links sweetener erythritol to increased risk of heart issues; industry group questions methodology

02-Mar-2023 By Lauren Nardella

Artificial sweeteners have gained in popularity as consumers seek out products without sugar, but a new study suggests a potential link between keto-friendly sweetener erythritol and an elevated risk of heart attack or stroke.

Happy Viking superfood by Venus Williams packs plant-protein power

23-Feb-2023 By Asia Sherman

The story behind the creation of the Happy Viking superfood nutrition company starts with tennis champion Venus Williams.

Ingredion: 78% of consumers will pay more for clean label, natural claims despite inflation

21-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite inflation pressuring some consumers to trade down or pull back on spending, more than three-quarters of shoppers globally still are willing to pay more for products making natural claims, according to the latest wave of Ingredion’s proprietary...

Wheat germ concentrate gives bakery and snacks the power to fight ageing

21-Feb-2023 By Gill Hyslop

SpermidineEvo from GoodMills Innovation promotes cell health and wellbeing into later life and can be added to granola and protein bars, breakfast cereals and bread.

Europe’s first gene-edited wheat trial produces up to 45% less acrylamide

14-Feb-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The results of Europe’s first ever field trial of a gene edited (GE) variety of wheat have shown a significant reduction of the potential carcinogen acrylamide when the flour is baked.

OTA’s Farm Bill wish list focuses on creating responsive organic standards, reinforcing organic supply chains and enhancing conservation

13-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Organic Trade Association is calling for Congress in the next Farm Bill to further strengthen the supply chain and integrity of the organic program and support research and adoption of conservation and climate-smart programs, which it says will help...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Step One Foods directs consumers, healthcare professionals down food as medicine path

06-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Most Americans think about food in terms of servings, but Johns Hopkins-trained cardiologist Elizabeth Klodas talks about the snack bars, pancake mix, granola-like sprinkles and packets of oatmeal she offers under her brand Step One Foods’ in terms of...

Study: Prebiotic fiber shows promise for Type 2 diabetes support

02-Feb-2023 By Danielle Masterson

New research suggests that consistent consumption of Supergut shakes led to improvements in metabolic health, digestion, a health-related quality of life score that included sleep, mood, and energy levels, as well as a validated quality of life measure...

NutraCast: The power of resistant starch—beyond gut health

27-Jan-2023 By Danielle Masterson

Resistant starch has received a lot of attention for its potential to exert a healthy impact on the gut and Supergut is adding to that by offering insights through its research.

Schwan’s embraces omnichannel ‘in a retail everywhere world,’ launches DTC frozen pizza offering

27-Jan-2023 By Ryan Daily

Following a successful direct-to-consumer (DTC) pilot program, Schwan’s Company is officially launching two DTC pizza offerings, which will allow consumers to order gluten-free Fresechetta or artisanal Hearth & Fire pizzas from the comfort of their...

AB-Biotics targets food and beverage market with microbiome solutions: ‘Every moment of consumption will be an opportunity’

27-Jan-2023 By Katy Askew

Spanish biotech company AB-Biotics suggests that spiking interest in fermented foods and microbiome health represents a significant opportunity for the food and beverage industry. We caught up with Executive Director Sergi Audivert to learn more about...

What the cost-of-living crisis is doing to the sweet bakery category

24-Jan-2023 By Gill Hyslop

The latest report from Baker & Baker indicates it can no longer be business as usual for bakeries, food service operators and retailers.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Emerging demand for positive nutrition must balance functional benefits, taste, sustainability and convenience

23-Jan-2023 By Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Emerging demand for positive nutrition must balance functional benefits, taste, sustainability and convenience

Born out of the pandemic when product availability was unpredictable or limited and when a premium was placed on immunity-boosting, consumers in 2023 increasingly are seeking positive nutrition – both for themselves but also for the planet and workers...

Unilever drives market share up 10pp by pruning innovation pipeline, product portfolio to do more with less

13-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Unilever is steadily gaining market share, boosting sales in fast-growing categories, lowering the cost of experimentation and improving its consumer engagement by doing more with less, CEO Alan Jope touted during the company’s investor day last month....

Corn prices to stay elevated as global supplies ‘remain tight’

12-Jan-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Procurement intelligence and analytics provider Beroe predicts that corn prices will remain high due to supply chain disruptions and increasing production costs.

Unilever rethinks formulation strategy, noting: ‘Just taste is no longer enough’ to win

11-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Taste may be considered king by most food and beverage makers, but at Unilever it no longer reigns supreme after the CPG giant adopted a new ‘holistically superior’ product testing framework and ‘boldly healthier’ food commitments for 2025 – a move that...

KraftHeinz, Wyss Institute develop new approach to make sugar healthier: ‘We thought we’d come to the Wyss with an impossible problem, and they turned it on its head to present an even crazier idea to solve it’

22-Dec-2022 By Katy Askew

In 2018, the KraftHeinz Company approached the Wyss Institute to develop a solution to sugar reduction that is workable in a food production setting. After four years of collaboration, the research team has developed an answer: enzymes that convert sugar...

Nestlé’s budget-friendly innovation strategy: ‘We are faster now than many of the startups”

21-Dec-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

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...

CSPI: More transparency needed on school milk nutrition

19-Dec-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

An analysis of the nutritional content of milks served in US schools shows many do not adhere to school nutrition standards or the Dietary Guidelines for Americans on added sugar or sodium, says nonprofit the Center for Science in the Public Interest...

Dietary intake of sulfites ‘could be a safety concern’: EFSA

16-Dec-2022 By Katy Askew

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said that dietary intakes of sulfites ‘could be a safety concern’ for people with a ‘high’ consumption of foodstuffs containing the additives.

STARTUP NATION PART THREE: Israeli food startups to watch, from animal-free dairy to designer sweet proteins

14-Dec-2022 By Elaine Watson

In part three of our gallery of highlights from FoodNavigator-USA's recent trip to Israel, we profile startups exploring everything from high-tech indoor vanilla cultivation to the manufacture of no-sugar-added snack bars using compression and ultrasonic...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Can bite-sized indulgences and twists on nostalgia help bakeries tame the ‘three-headed monster’ of inflation, supply shortages and labor challenges?

12-Dec-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

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...

STARTUP NATION PART TWO: Israeli food startups to watch, from antimicrobial proteins for food protection to upcycled yeast protein

08-Dec-2022 By Elaine Watson

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!

Amai Proteins finalizing initial closing of $100m round as it gears up for launch of ‘designer’ sweet protein in 2023

02-Dec-2022 By Elaine Watson

Israeli food tech startup Amai Proteins is finalizing the initial closing of a $100m funding round as it gears up to launch its first product next year: a designer sweet protein up to 3,000 times sweeter than sugar with a clean taste and excellent heat...

Can a rail strike – and by extension food shortages on shelves – be avoided?

29-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

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...

Reinventing Oreos… with no added sugar: Sundays enters low-carb sandwich cookie space

29-Nov-2022 By Elaine Watson

British Columbia-based startup Sundays is on a mission to reinvent iconic chocolate sandwich cookie brand Oreos with a zero sugar positioning.

‘We want to move snacks from candy to food…’ Torr FoodTech raises $12m to form snack bars using compression and ultrasonic waves instead of sugary binders

21-Nov-2022 By Elaine Watson

Torr FoodTech - an Israeli startup deploying an intriguing new approach to creating snack bars by deploying pressure and ultrasonic energy instead of sugary binders to ‘weld’ natural ingredients together - has raised $12m in a series A round as it expands...

Nutrition: Plant-based drinks ‘not real alternatives’ to dairy milk – study

14-Nov-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Nutrient quality in plant-based beverages should be considered on a par with sustainability credentials, researchers say as they assessed the quality as well as quantity of micronutrients in common plant-based drinks.

Natural Products Expo East

Strong Roots expands into frozen meals – one of the few bright spots in plant-based

01-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

While sales of plant-based products across the board continue to slide, consumer data from Evergi shows at least one segment is bucking the trend – frozen meals and bowls – an area into which the fast-growing vegan brand Strong Roots is eagerly expanding...

Is baby food with pureed fruits & veggies too sugary? Judge tosses ‘mushy’ and ‘speculative’ lawsuit vs Sprout Foods

31-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

How much sugar is too much, and do pouches for babies and young kids containing pureed fruits and vegetables present long-term health risks, even if they don’t contain any added sugars?

Measuring and communicating sustainability: ‘The biggest challenge right now is the pace of change,’ says Ingredion VP

27-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

Sustainability has rapidly evolved from a check box exercise for many food companies to something that impacts decision making throughout the supply chain. But how are firms measuring sustainability, how reliable is industry data in this respect, and...

Sugar reduction: Lactase grown directly in milk can create naturally sweet yogurt

27-Oct-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Scientists have found that lactase derived from lactic acid bacterium can be used to produce naturally sweet yogurt, paving the way for the production of flavored yogurt without added sugars.

Rare sugars expert announces sweetener breakthrough

26-Oct-2022 By Oliver Morrison

European industrial biotechnology specialist BRAIN Biotech has teamed up with Bonumose to bring the rare sugars expert’s sweetener tagatose to market globally.

Brightseed to debut dietary fiber with bioactives for gut health in protein crisp

26-Oct-2022 By Asia Sherman

Biotech company Brightseed has launched Brightseed Bio 01 – a novel bioactive-enriched, A.I.-powered dietary fiber sourced from hemp hulls that promotes gut health in food and beverage applications.

ENTREPRENEURS TO WATCH: From high-protein fermented grains to packaging from agri-residues, meet the 45 startups handpicked by FoodBytes! by Rabobank in 2022

25-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

The 45 startups selected to participate in the FoodBytes! By Rabobank food and ag innovation program in 2022 provide a neat snapshot into trending topics in food and agriculture, from personalized nutrition and upcycling to robotics and farm biologics.

IRVINS salted egg chips gains steam in US: 'Asian snack aisles are one of the highest-growing segments'

11-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Singaporean snack brand IRVINS is broadening its reach into the US snacking category with its salted egg chips and salted egg salmon skins, which have become some of the most popular snacks across Southeast Asia.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: From food as medicine to sustainable packaging – trendspotting at Expo East

10-Oct-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

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...

SlimFast unveils new packaging, ads, intermittent fasting line, to ‘position the brand for a return to growth in 2023’

05-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

As the brand name suggests, none too subtly, SlimFast is a brand you tend to think of when you want to lose weight, fast. But in a food culture where ‘wellness’ is in, ‘dieting’ is out, and even the word ‘slimming’ can make you sound like an ‘80s throwback,...

Introducing the FoodNavigator-USA digital summit: Futureproofing the Food System Nov 15-17

01-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

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...

What is ‘healthy’? FDA proposes new definition as added sugar, not fat, becomes nutritional bogeyman

28-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

The FDA has issued a proposed rule updating the criteria for the ‘healthy’ nutrient content claim on food labels that for the first time restricts the amount of added sugar firms can include in products bearing the claim.

myAir blends technology with food as medicine to tackle growing stress pandemic

28-Sep-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

By using a patent-pending algorithm to pair and assess physiological responses to stress and diet tracked by smart watches with psychological data gathered through an online quiz, food-tech start-up myAir has found a way to overcome one of the biggest...

Biden administration to explore voluntary targets for added sugar, develop front-of-pack nutrition labeling system

27-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

The Biden administration is exploring steps the federal government could take to reduce intake of added sugars “such as developing targets for categories of foods, similar to the voluntary targets FDA developed for sodium,” as part of a National Strategy...

Court thwarts attempts by DOJ to block US Sugar mega-deal: 'Ruling will allow our acquisition of Imperial Sugar to proceed as planned'

26-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

A US district court in Delaware has thwarted attempts by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to block a sugar industry mega-deal it argued would create a "cozy duopoly": US Sugar’s proposed acquisition of rival Imperial Sugar.

Costco sees uptick in store traffic and membership renewals as shoppers realize value of mass & club channel

26-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

With many consumers fixated on the price of their grocery bill amid ongoing inflation, mass and club channel retailers such as Costco are seeing increased foot traffic and higher shopper spending at its stores.

SPECIAL REPORT: Bioengineered food labeling: ‘They kind of shot in the middle and missed every constituency’

23-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

Advocates arguing for greater transparency about the use of GMOs in food scored a minor victory this month after a district court told USDA to re-work the digital disclosure portions of the bioengineered food labeling law, which came into effect in January....

General Mills’ new digital rewards program, marketing drive sales, consumer loyalty

21-Sep-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

General Mills is gaining market share and driving higher sales despite ongoing supply chain challenges and price hikes thanks in part to strategic investments in brand building and digital consumer engagement, including through a new rewards program,...