Carbohydrates and fibers (sugar, starches)

Tate & Lyle expands allulose production amid ‘exponential’ growth for sweetener with ‘temporal profile almost identical to sucrose’

13-Apr-2022 By Elaine Watson

Tate & Lyle has expanded production of allulose in a bid to meet surging demand for the rare sugar, which has exploded in popularity following the FDA’s decision to exclude it from the total and added sugars declarations on the Nutrition Facts panel.

Annual inflation for food at home surges 10%, calling into question future elasticities

12-Apr-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Fueled by ongoing supply chain constraints and skyrocketing energy costs due partly to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, inflation continues its upward march with the Consumer Price Index topping out at a staggering 8.5% for all items and 10% for food...

Cereal fiber linked to lower cardiovascular disease risk, study finds

07-Apr-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

New research from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health has found that not all fiber is created equal when it comes to lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and inflammation.

KeHE ‘golden ticket’ winners reveal hot trends retailers and consumers want

06-Apr-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

In a highly competitive industry in which 80-85% of new products fail in the first two years, natural grocery distributor KeHE consistently picks winners and fosters growth among emerging brands thanks to several key initiatives, including its TrendFinder...

Do current advertising rules for children’s products go far enough to protect their health?

05-Apr-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Recently strengthened self-regulatory efforts to curb marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children still do not go far enough to “meaningfully protect” children, argue public health advocates after new analysis reveals “loopholes” in the Children’s...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: From stress reducing to exercising boosting -- 4 opportunities for functional beverages

04-Apr-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ongoing strain from the pandemic and increasing financial pressure related to rising inflation are causing consumers to reprioritize their health and wellness goals, and by extension their food and beverage purchases, according to new research from the...

Fruit + fiber + probiotics: General Mills unveils Doolies snacks for kids

30-Mar-2022 By Elaine Watson

Doolies – the latest innovation to emerge from General Mills’ G-Works corporate venture studio – is a fruit- and fiber-packed snack for young kids designed to “help your kid go #2 with ease.”

Blurring function and fun expands consumer appeal, meets unmet needs, Kerry finds

24-Mar-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the line between functional and fun blurs, foods and beverages no longer need to fit neatly into the “healthy” or “treat” categories – they can simultaneously offer the lifestyle and health benefits consumers want and serve as the rewards they crave,...

General Mills slowly rebuilds Pillsbury dough, Totino’s supplies, but service levels are still low

23-Mar-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

While General Mills is aggressively – and to an extent successfully – tackling supply chain challenges causing shortages of some of its beloved convenience brands, including Pillsbury dough and Totino’s pizza rolls, it likely won’t be able to fully meet...

Natural Products Expo West

Fruit snacks without the fruit? Eat the Change’s Cosmic Carrot Chews offer new twist on an old favorite

18-Mar-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite efforts in recent years to disrupt the roughly $5b fruit snack market with better-for-you options made with more, whole or only fruit, the category remains dominated by legacy products high in added sugars and fillers and low in nutritional value...

Feeding the gut microbiome: Tate & Lyle exploring potential of prebiotic soluble corn fiber in cognitive health, metabolic health, and immunity

16-Mar-2022 By Elaine Watson

Tate and Lyle - which has been marketing its PROMITOR soluble corn fiber for several years as a prebiotic that can support bone health by boosting calcium absorption and retention - says it is also exploring its potential to support cognitive health,...

Retail

US chocolate and candy sector in good health as sales soar over 11% in 2021

15-Mar-2022 By Anthony Myers

American candy and chocolate consumers are increasingly focused on seasonal celebrations, sharing and gifting, along with their emotional wellbeing, according to the NCA’s third annual State of Treating report.

Coca-Cola withdraws business from Russia while other companies remain

09-Mar-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Coca-Cola is the latest major global food and beverage giant to suspend operations in Russia as an act of protest against the Russian invasion and continued attack on Ukraine and follows similar announcements made by PepsiCo, Starbucks, and McDonald's....

'It still feels like magic a little bit…' Animal-free milk space heats up as Opalia churns out milk with 'all of the functional components of traditional dairy'

09-Mar-2022 By Elaine Watson

If churning out milk from lactating bovine mammary epithelial cells in a bioreactor seems a bit, well, unnatural, ask yourself what’s ‘natural’ about the life of a dairy cow in an industrial-scale dairy farming operation, says Opalia co-founder Jennifer...

WATCH ON DEMAND: Feeding the gut microbiome: from pre-, pro-, and postbiotics to resistant starch

06-Mar-2022 By Elaine Watson

While scientists are still unlocking the secrets of the gut microbiome, consumers increasingly understand that what we feed the armies of microbes that line our digestive tracts may be intimately connected to our physical – and mental - wellbeing. So...

Dovetailing Russian invasion & US drought could threaten wheat supplies, raise prices

03-Mar-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Buyers of US wheat and other grain commodities could find themselves in a “Katy bar the door” moment if growing conditions in the Midwest don’t improve and if buyers who typically source from Russia and Ukraine are forced by the escalating war to find...

PepsiCo more than doubles revenue growth with framework prioritizing sustainability

02-Mar-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

PepsiCo is already hitting notable milestones and reaping financial benefits from its ambitious pep+ plan announced last fall that places sustainability at the center of how the CPG giant says it will create value and drive growth, according to CEO Ramon...

Don’t call it a trend: How baobab is defining the fiber revolution

01-Mar-2022 By Danielle Masterson

It’s been around for 200 million years, but the baobab tree has yet to make it to the mainstream. Compound Solutions said it is changing that with a new fiber offering.

Belgian Boys secures $7m in funding led by KIND Snacks founder's investment platform

01-Mar-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Belgian Boys, a fast-growing brand selling European-inspired treats and fresh breakfast items, has received $7m in funding led by Equilibra Ventures, a startup and investment platform from KIND Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky, to expand the brand's...

Nestle shifts portfolio to premium to fend off commoditization, drive sustained growth

01-Mar-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Through a combination of rapid innovation, investing in growth platforms, ongoing “prudent” M&A and strategic paring down of labor and factories, Nestle is on track to deliver solid mid single-digit organic growth in 2022 and into the foreseeable...

US Agriculture outlook remains bright after years of economic decline, but challenges remain

01-Mar-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

A much-needed economic boost during the pandemic that helped reverse US agriculture’s multi-year downward financial slide likely will hold through at least 2022, although beneficial conditions likely won’t be “quite at the same level” as the past two...

UN demands more diverse food production methods as report warns climate change risks are greater than thought

01-Mar-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Nearly a third of the world's crop fields will be unsuitable for food production by the end of this century unless carbon emissions are curbed, warns the latest instalment of the IPCC climate change report.

Food and beverage companies suspend operations in Ukraine

28-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Several international food and beverage companies have temporarily shut down operations in Ukraine following Russia's invasion to ensure the safety of employees while bracing for the long-term economic impact that skyrocketing commodity prices and...

Russian invasion of Ukraine threatens food commodity prices, supply chains & consumer confidence

25-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

The food industry, already grappling with high inflation, supply chain constraints and transportation challenges related to the pandemic, could see surging prices of key commodities, fuel and energy following what chief of the NATO alliance described...

Upcycled Food Association CEO: 'We want an upcycled product in every aisle of every grocery store'

24-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Upcycled food products (made from ingredients that would otherwise not have gone to human consumption) are the most straightforward and scalable path to reducing and preventing food waste, says Upcycled Food Association CEO Turner Wyatt.

De La Calle’s fermented tepache brings Mexican street food culture to US with $7m fundraise

24-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the help of a $7m fundraise, Startup De La Calle is bringing to more Americans nationwide a modern version of the beloved and naturally functional Mexican “street vendor treat” tepache – a probiotic beverage made from fermented organic pineapples...

General Mills adopts 'always on' acquisition approach as ‘ongoing part of our accelerate strategy’

23-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

General Mills continues to hunt aggressively for acquisitions to build out its five core platforms, including cereal, ice cream, snack bars, Mexican food and pet food, and to consider strategic divestitures as part of a broader strategy to reshape its...

Kellogg to reward rice farmers for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

21-Feb-2022 By Asia Sherman

Kellogg has unveiled its InGrained initiative to help farmers reduce their climate impact in the Lower Mississippi River Basin where much of the rice for the company’s Rice Krispies and Special K cereals is produced.

Soup-To-Nuts podcast: Mondelēz reveals pandemic’s long-term impact on snacking trends

21-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nearly nine in ten consumers snack daily, but according to new research from Mondelēz International, what they reach for and when has evolved significantly during the pandemic – requiring brands to rethink their product offerings, marketing strategies...

Beyond soy and pea… Mikuna expands plant protein toolbox with Chocho whole food

20-Feb-2022 By Elaine Watson

It might fit squarely in the ‘niche’ segment of the plant-based protein category right now, but the speed with which Chocho – a protein-packed variety of lupin that grows in the Andes – has gained traction online and in Erewhon stores in southern California,...

Kodiak Cakes taps into pro-athlete circle with new investment

17-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Kodiak Cakes, best known for its protein-packed pancakes and waffles products, has received an investment from Patricof Co (P/Co), a specialized private investment platform for professional athletes, to fuel the brand's continued expansion and leadership...

PepsiCo Foods SVP talks growth in snacks portfolio: 'We're seeing continued rapid acceleration in multipacks'

17-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

"Always everywhere," has been Frito-Lay North America's mantra for ensuring that its snack portfolio of legacy brands (Lays, Cheetos, and Doritos) and expanding better-for-you set (Baked, PopCorners, and Off The Eaten Path) is accessible...

Kraft Heinz mulls ‘new game plans’ to boost market share, overcome supply chain challenges

17-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Frustrated by market share performance in the US despite household penetration and repeat rate gains in 2021, Kraft Heinz is adopting “new game plans” that will lean heavily on renovating and repositioning of iconic brands, innovating to better meet consumer...

Introducing the FoodNavigator-USA Positive Nutrition virtual summit: From feeding the gut microbiome to plotting the next 10 years in plant-based protein

17-Feb-2022 By Elaine Watson

What up-and-coming plant proteins are the most exciting? Chickpeas? Hemp? Canola? Barley? Pongamia? What do we really know about the best overall dietary pattern to support a healthy gut microbiome? And how do we educate consumers about the benefits...

Givaudan and Fiberstar team up to expand access of versatile citrus fiber

14-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Givaudan and US-based Fiberstar have entered an agreement to further commercialize FIberstar's citrus fiber ingredient, Citri-Fi, which can be used to replace a number of common texturizing ingredients in food applications.

Above Food acquires Sonic Milling Systems, unlocking new oat capabilities

10-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Vertically-integrated plant-based food company Above Food has acquired Sonic Milling Systems, a food technology company using an advanced extraction technology to produce clean-label plant-based ingredients and products, with a focus on oats.

Snack acquisition: Utz Brands acquires Clem Snacks and J&D Snacks

07-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Salty snacks company Utz Brands has acquired the assets of two of its third-party direct-store-delivery (DSD) distributors, New York-based Clem Snacks and J&D Snacks.

US Sugar: DOJ has ‘static, contrived, and internally inconsistent view of how competition for the sale of refined sugar occurs today’

04-Feb-2022 By Elaine Watson

The Department of Justice’s bid to block a sugar industry mega-deal - US Sugar’s proposed acquisition of rival Imperial Sugar - is “based on a static, contrived, and internally inconsistent view of how competition for the sale of refined sugar occurs...

The big business of breakfast: IRI spotlights pockets of growth in the category

03-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

With 95% of consumers reporting to eat during the morning an average of six times a week, the breakfast occasion is a big business with several consumer trends shaping the future of the category, reports IRI.

Taza Chocolate celebrates milestone, shines light on industry

02-Feb-2022 By Asia Sherman

Taza Chocolate is celebrating the release of one million pounds of finished goods and its best year since it set out in 2005 to make “stone ground chocolate that is seriously good and fair for all."

Olipop closes star-studded $30m Series B funding round to mainstream the functional soda brand

01-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Functional soda brand Olipop's $30m Series B funding round led by a long roster of celebrities, beverage industry veterans, and entrepreneurs, will help make the brand mainstream, according to co-founder David Lester.

News In Brief

Sweegen takes the pole position in race to commercialize sweetener brazzein with launch of Ultratia

01-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

In the race to bring the high intensity sweetener brazzein to market at commercial scale, taste solution provider Sweegen is claiming first place today with the launch of Ultratia, which the company says is a key tool in improving the health profile of...

Mondelez reactivates ‘COVID playbook,’ warns of ‘waves’ of price hikes to manage inventory, offset inflation

28-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Oreo-maker Mondelez warns the start of 2022 will be marred by lingering low inventory levels due to a now-resolved strike late last summer and ongoing labor challenges at third-party manufacturers as well as persistent supply chain challenges hindering...

Danone-led research uncovers how certain diets impact the gut microbiome

28-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Low-carb diets such as keto and paleo have exploded in popularity among consumers and brands that formulated products to fit the nutritional guardrails of each, but how does drastically eliminating carbs impact the diversity of good bacteria in gut microbiome?

Icon Foods’ sweetness modulators ‘bury’ off-notes of sugar alternatives for more appealing flavor profiles

27-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Two new sweetness modulators from Icon Foods promise to smooth out the flavor profiles of popular sugar substitutes that, despite significant advancements, continue to fall short of recreating the flavor of processed sugar – either because they come on...

Stevia framework greenlights 4 technologies to boost supply, encourage innovation that reduces sugar

25-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

The adoption of four production technologies for steviol glycosides by the international food standards authority Codex Alimentarius earlier this month opens doors for industry to produce and source at scale and more sustainably less-common versions of...

Sweet Victory chewing gum helps fight sugar cravings on two fronts with Ayurveda botanical

20-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Founded on the belief that sugar cravings are rooted equally in physical and emotional needs, the co-founders of Israeli startup Sweet Victory drew on their backgrounds as a psychologist and nutritionist to solve for both -- helping people kick their...

The Spare Food Co. transforms yogurt byproduct into sparkling tonic

19-Jan-2022 By Asia Sherman

The Spare Food Co. is rescuing watery whey from the yogurt production process and infusing it into effervescent elixirs in the hopes of fixing a broken food system and reversing climate change.

DouxMatok & Blommer Chocolate bring ‘game changing’ portfolio of sugar-reduced chocolate to US

19-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

DouxMatok, an Israeli firm that is shaking up sugar reduction with patented technology that heightens the perception of sweetness, is teaming with Blommer Chocolate to produce a ‘game changing’ portfolio of chocolate products with significantly less sugar,...

Plant-based investment interest is high among large CPG players, but valuations, deal sizes are dropping

19-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

As demand for plant-based products rises, large players looking for a piece of the action likely will continue to buy their way in, but one market analyst predicts that the checks they will cut and stakes they will take in innovators in the space will...