Carbohydrates and fibers (sugar, starches)

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Navigating coronavirus’ uneven impact to chart a path forward for groceries

04-May-2020 By Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Navigating coronavirus’ uneven impact to chart a path forward for groceries

While some food and beverage brands have enjoyed tremendous growth following the coronavirus outbreak, others have been completely "pummeled" by government and consumer response to the virus – revealing a division that could provide a road map...

Mars patents heat-resistant chocolate that maintains taste and shape in hot climates

30-Apr-2020 By Flora Southey

Mars, Inc. has developed a packaged heat-resistant chocolate it says maintains taste, mouthfeel, and shape during transportation and handling in hot climates.

USDA eases eligibility for retailers, foods to comply with WIC requirements as shortages hinder access

27-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The US Department of Agriculture is making it easier for low-income participants in the Women, Infant and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program to fill their grocery carts despite lingering shortages of program-eligible food staples due to panicked...

Financial results

Hershey withdraws its 2020 financial outlook due to coronavirus uncertainty

24-Apr-2020 By Anthony Myers

Hershey Co has announced it has withdrawn its full year financial outlook for fiscal year 2020 and has warned of weak sales in certain categories as households worried about their financial futures cut spending on snacks and chocolates.

Magic Spoon celebrates its first anniversary: ‘We’ve exceeded our wildest expectations’

23-Apr-2020 By Elaine Watson

Unlike many emerging brands, which have had to ramp up - on in some cases create from scratch - e-commerce capabilities during this pandemic, Magic Spoon has been a direct-to-consumer business from the outset, and sales are going through the roof, say...

Investing in the Future of Food: DTC online sales help brands meet consumer demand, build loyalty

22-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As wait times for delivery windows from traditional grocery retail ecommerce sites stretch further into the future, Americans increasingly are buying products directly from manufacturers’ websites during the coronavirus pandemic, creating an opportunity...

Court strikes down Final Rule that eliminated and delayed stricter nutrition standards for school meals

16-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Public health advocates are lauding a federal court decision that strikes down a final rule published by USDA in late 2018 that they say rolled back nutrition standards for school meals, but which the School Nutrition Association says provided much-needed...

Investing in the Future of Food: Mason Dixie drives ‘explosive’ growth with data-driven decisions

15-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

While there is something to be said about following your gut as an entrepreneur, the founder and CEO of Mason Dixie Biscuit Co. advises that following the data often is a more reliable strategy for sparking retailer interest and launching products that...

Startups in Food-X’s 11th cohort offer solutions to weaknesses in the food system revealed by COVID-19

14-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Rather than hit pause during the ongoing pandemic like many other investors, global venture capital fund SOSV’s Food-X accelerator is moving full steam ahead by welcoming to its 11th cohort eight companies that are directly tackling challenges coronavirus...

Food For Kids: This Saves Lives expands in children’s snacks, shares tips to launch during the pandemic

13-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

When it comes to creating snacks that are irresistible to children and parents alike, the mission-based brand This Saves Lives says its recipe for success combines equal parts indulgent flavors and whimsical packaging for kids, plus for parents a pinch...

Ingredion acquires controlling stake in stevia supplier PureCircle

09-Apr-2020 By Elaine Watson

Global ingredients giant Ingredion has struck a deal to acquire a controlling (75%) stake in stevia supplier PureCircle, which has been going through a period of extreme turbulence in recent months, prompting the suspension of its shares and the installation...

Nutritional snacking will survive during and after a crisis, predicts Simply Good Foods

08-Apr-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Simply Good Foods – parent company to Quest Nutrition and Atkins Nutritionals – entered FY2020 feeling confident about its performance of its core brands exceeding sales expectations through the first half of the year.

Monk fruit... a new source of dietary fiber that doubles as a sweetener?

08-Apr-2020 By Elaine Watson

Monk fruit (Luo Han Guo) is best known as a source of high intensity natural sweeteners, but it could also emerge as an intriguing new source of fiber, claims Ingredients by Nature, which has developed a ‘sweet fiber’ from the pomace of monk fruit called...

FOOD FOR KIDS: Mikey’s allergen-friendly pockets balance children’s nutritional, emotional needs

06-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The challenges of feeding healthy food to children who are notoriously picky eaters often are compounded when an allergy is added into the mix – which is why when the founder of the gluten-free baked goods brand Mikey’s introduced a line of stuffed pockets...

To survive this crisis, prioritize relationships and employee health & safety, says CEO of That's How We Roll

03-Apr-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

CEO of snacking company That's How We Roll, the parent company to national brands ParmCrisps and Thinsters cookie thins, feels cautiously optimistic about how the CPG industry will fare during and post COVID-19.

IRI and FMI: What can past crises teach us about grocery shopping behavior during the coronavirus pandemic?

01-Apr-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Looking at shopping behavior during previous recessions and natural disasters may provide some insight into how consumer purchasing habits could change during a global health pandemic, although there are several factors that make the coronavirus situation...

PureCircle posts substantial FY loss, apologizes to shareholders: 'The company's systems and governance have been found wanting’

01-Apr-2020 By Elaine Watson

Stevia supplier PureCircle has delayed the publication of its results for the first half of 2020 “in view of the current difficult COVID-19 situation, which has caused some disruption to our working practices,” but belatedly published results for the...

IFT 2020 annual meeting & expo to transition to virtual event

31-Mar-2020 By Elaine Watson

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2020 annual meeting & expo - scheduled to take place in Chicago July 12-15 - will transition to a virtual event, the organizers confirmed Monday, citing the need to "prioritize the health and safety of...

Coronavirus: FDA temporarily eases nutrition labeling on some packaged food

27-Mar-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The FDA is providing some temporary flexibility to food manufacturers and restaurants in regards to nutrition labeling so that they can sell certain packaged food products directly to consumers and retailers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consumers pick up back to basics cooking skills and 'stress baking' during coronavirus quarantine

25-Mar-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Consumers are getting back to basics with their online grocery shopping as they use their extended periods of time at home to learn basic cooking skills and recipes such as how to bake a potato, make homemade bread, and how to cook rice, according to...

Proposal to simplify school meals could ‘put children’s health and education at risk,’ research finds

18-Mar-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

A controversial USDA proposed rule to “simplify” school meal standards by allowing less fruit, fewer whole grains and less diverse vegetables to be served at breakfast and lunch could negatively impact students’ academic performance and health, according...

Teens, junk food, and brain health: ‘Adolescence represents a key period of brain development’

11-Mar-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Adolescence is a key window of brain development, and it also happens to be one of the most vulnerable times when it comes to nutrition as teens exercise increased social autonomy and are more prone to making poor food choices, according to new study.

Investing in the Future of Food: Refusing to accept ‘no’ & constantly networking helps Hidden Gems find new uses for avocado seeds

04-Mar-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Creating an entirely new product or launching a business may feel impossible at times, especially when so-called experts say something can’t be done, but according to the co-founders of Hidden Gems Beverage Co. anything is possible with the right network...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Strategies from 34 Degrees CEO on succeeding in snacking over the long haul

28-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

According to the NPD Group’s Future of Snacking report, Americans ate more than 386 billion snacks last year, and IRI reports the category brought in a whopping $89 billion dollars by the end of 2017 with an addition $16 billion in sales predicted over...

WATCH: Bright Foods moves into refrigerated protein bar category

27-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Bright Foods – best known for its fruit- and veggie-packed whole food bars - is moving into new territory with the launch of ‘clean protein’ bars.

Poppilu to debut low sugar kids’ lemonade nationwide at Walmart: 'We're catering the taste to kids and the nutritionals to moms'

27-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Poppilu – which has added a fresh twist to the lemonade category with the addition of antioxidant-packed aronia berries – is moving into the kids’ beverage aisle with the launch of what it claims is the first lemonade brand for kids in 1,295 Walmart stores...

Humm breaks new ground in the kombucha category with zero sugar, shelf-stable line

26-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Humm Kombucha is tapping into consumer demand for low and no sugar options in the beverage aisle with the launch of an industry first: shelf-stable, zero sugar kombucha that it hopes will attract new consumers into the category.

Study: Kids are eating more whole grains at school than at home

21-Feb-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Whole grain consumption among kids (aged 5-19 years) has been steadily increasing over the past 15 years, surpassing whole grain consumption at home, according to research from USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) and the University of Georgia.

General Mills is banking on a new box of $13 cereal & other innovations in yogurt, bars to buoy sales

19-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

General Mills’ strategy to accelerate top line growth by investing heavily in categories that have been declining, slowing or becoming increasingly crowded may seem counter-intuitive, but according to CEO Jeff Harmening, it is working.

Dang Foods rebrands as ‘Asian-American’ snack brand, posts 54% surge in revenues in 2019

18-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Dang Foods – the snack brand behind the #1 selling nutrition bar in Whole Foods in 2019 – has unveiled new packaging, a new logo and marketing initiatives positioning itself as an ‘Asian-American snack brand.’

NEWS IN BRIEF

General Mills appoints former 7-Eleven CTO as chief digital & technology officer

17-Feb-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

General Mills has appointed Jaime Montemayor as its new chief digital & technology officer reporting to chairman and CEO, Jeff Harmening, effective Feb. 24, 2020.

$1.25m in seed funding helps to bring skinless popcorn back to the market under Papa's Pops brand

17-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the help of $1.25 million in seed funding, the creator of the first ready-to-eat “skinless popcorn” is relaunching a rebranded version of his better-for-you snack after overcoming logistical hurdles related to a failed business partnership.

Unilever to change the way it markets ice cream brands to kids

13-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Unilever has pledged to stop marketing and advertising foods and beverages to children under 12 in traditional media, and below 13 via social media channels.

Pipcorn sheds its artisanal, hipster image becoming a family, household snack brand

12-Feb-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Pipcorn has grown into a full-fledged snack brand with an expanding product portfolio that now includes popcorn, corn dippers, cheeseballs, and coming soon, crackers made from the corn flour byproduct leftover after the extrusion process for its cheeseballs....

Setback for acacia gum as FDA not yet persuaded it meets dietary fiber definition

05-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Purveyors of acacia gum suffered a setback last week as the FDA concluded that they had not (yet) presented sufficient evidence to prove that the ingredient should be classified as a dietary fiber on food labels.

Lodaat Pharma launches resistant potato starch

30-Jan-2020 By Stephen Daniells

With an eye on sports nutrition and weight management, Chicago-based Lodaat Pharma has launched a prebiotic resistant starch from potatoes.

Kellogg to phase out glyphosate as a pre-harvest drying agent in wheat and oat supply chains by 2025

28-Jan-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Kellogg will work with suppliers to phase out the use of glyphosate as a pre-harvest drying agent in its major wheat and oat supply chains by 2025.

Citrus fiber can help plant-based dairy and meat brands clean up labels, says Fiberstar

27-Jan-2020 By Elaine Watson

Growing demand for dairy and meat alternatives with shorter, cleaner ingredients lists is driving demand for citrus fibers, which can replace everything from carrageenan, gellan gum, mono diglycerides, and lecithin in plant-based milks, to methyl cellulose...

Infant grain consumption linked to better diet quality, says one study

20-Jan-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

A new study, analyzing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, found that infant grain consumption was generally associated with higher nutrient intakes across a broader set of food categories.

Harmless Harvest moves into plant-based yogurt: 'We’re making it pretty differently than just about anyone else'

17-Jan-2020 By Elaine Watson

Harmless Harvest – which has carved a distinct niche in the coconut water category via its use of micro-filtration (instead of thermal pasteurization) – is promising to bring the same commitment to novel processing methods, organic ingredients, and clean...

Atkins Nutritionals & Rob Lowe tackle misinformation about the low-carb diet in new campaign

15-Jan-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Recognizing that there is a lot of information – and misinformation – about different diets, weight management brand Atkins Nutritionals is launching a new multi-marketing campaign with spokesman Rob Lowe that aims to set the record straight about what...

Experts urge industry to work with schools to improve kids’ meals even as standards are rolled back

14-Jan-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Health and nutrition experts are urging food manufacturers to create healthier options for schools to serve students after new research shows that strengthened nutrition standards in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 are working and the fears...

Honeycut Kitchen puts a healthier spin on the nostalgic snack cake

13-Jan-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Honeycut Kitchen, an emerging brand out of Los Angeles, is giving fitness enthusiasts an alternative to the monotony of protein bars with a lineup of snack cakes reminiscent of America's best-selling brands, but with a cleaner ingredients deck and...

Glucomannan (konjac flour) added to FDA list of dietary fibers

10-Jan-2020 By Elaine Watson

The FDA has granted a citizen petition* requesting that glucomannan (found in the root of the elephant yam, also known as the konjac plant) be added to the list of ingredients classified as dietary fiber on US food and supplement labels.

Consumers are being misled by unregulated terms such as ‘lightly sweetened’ and ‘sorta sweet,’ claims CSPI

10-Jan-2020 By Elaine Watson

If a beverage contains 25g of added sugar and describes itself as ‘just a tad sweet,’ is it misleading shoppers? In the absence of a legal definition of terms such as ‘low sugar’ or ‘lightly sweetened,’ the courts have delivered mixed opinions on lawsuits...

Consumers will eschew fad diets in 2020 in favor of ‘intuitive’ eating, sustainable options, IFIC predicts

06-Jan-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Food and beverage manufacturers that historically have relied on weight-loss or diet-related messaging to bolster sales in January may need a new game plan if the International Food Information Council Foundation’s prediction comes true that consumers...

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