Carbohydrates and fibers (sugar, starches)

General Mills brings ‘all hands on deck’ to manage unexpected labor constraints throughout supply chain

13-Sep-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite “more inflation than we’ve seen in really in a decade,” General Mills has successfully offset increases with little detriment to sales or retailer and consumer relationships, but managing labor constraints and supply chain challenges hasn’t been...

Researchers say individualized fiber recommendations may soon be possible

02-Sep-2021 By Hank Schultz

As more evidence accumulates on the specific health effects of whole and isolated dietary fibers it may become possible to recommend a personalized suite of ingredients for IBS patients, a new review argues.

FreshDirect slashes prices on hundreds of products

01-Sep-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

While many retailers and CPG manufacturers are implementing price increases to their product assortments, online fresh food retailer FreshDirect said it will be rolling out price savings to consumers on a wide variety of its products.

Quest Nutrition CMO: ‘Higher protein, lower sugar, lower carb snacking, is not a fad, it’s here to stay’

27-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

While Quest Nutrition may not have achieved its founders’ somewhat lofty goal of ‘ending metabolic disease’ just yet, the high-protein, low-carb, low-sugar positioning of the company – one of the runaway CPG success stories of the past decade – is continuing...

Banza expands distribution of chickpea-based pizza to 8,000+ stores

25-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Banzs's chickpea-based pizza crust and topped pizzas will soon be available in 8,000+ stores including national distribution with Walmart.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Consumer interest, trust in ethical certification rises alongside social justice movements, coronavirus cases

23-Aug-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

The pandemic’s impact on frontline workers, including farmers and food manufacturers, paired with recent high profile social justice movements and spectacular displays of climate change over the past 18 months is spurring more consumers to look for and...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How do consumers think about sustainability when buying groceries?

16-Aug-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

While following a climatarian diet that prioritizes foods and beverages made in a way that protects and restores the planet’s health may still be niche, the trend is gaining traction quickly with some researchers and brands predicting environmental sustainability...

Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging ‘slightly sweet’ claims on Coca-Cola’s Gold Peak tea

13-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Is it misleading to call iced tea containing 24g of added sugar per serving (48% of the daily value) ‘slightly sweet’? Not according to a New York judge, who has just dismissed a putative class action lawsuit vs Coca-Cola over Gold Peak Tea.

Good carbs, bad carbs? Study supports that high glycemic foods (in moderation) do not lead to weight gain any more than complex carbs

13-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

A scientific review has called into question the validity of the commonly-held notion that foods with a high glycemic index (GI) – white bread, white rice, etc. – lead to more weight gain than low-GI foods (e.g. bran and other minimally processed grains)....

Study: Ultra-processed foods make up majority of children's diets

11-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Calories from ultra-processed foods comprise more than two-thirds (67%) of children's and adolescents' diets, up from 61.4% in 1999, according to researchers from Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University.

‘No brand to date has really nailed Greek in plant-based yogurt, until now….’ Danone unveils Silk Greek-style

10-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Danone is hoping to make a splash in the small but rapidly growing plant-based yogurt segment with a Greek-style product under its Silk brand boasting 10g of protein from peas and a thick, creamy texture from coconut cream it claims will be a game changer...

Post Holdings foodservice unit accelerates while retail segments stall in Q3 2021

09-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Post Holdings is experiencing a reversal of growth trends across its business, in which its foodservice unit is driving most of the recent sales momentum, compared to one year ago when its retail business was experiencing unprecedented growth.

Performs like sugar, metabolized like a fiber? The Supplant Company unveils upcycled ‘sugars from fiber’

05-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

UK-based startup The Supplant Company is targeting the US market with an intriguing new addition to the sugar-reduction toolbox in the form of ‘sugars from fiber,’ a new low-glycemic blend of sugars extracted from upcycled feedstocks that performs like...

‘Some carbs are better than others…’ Unilever, Hershey, General Mills urge FDA to look again at labeling of sugars metabolized differently than traditional sugars

04-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Leading CPG companies including Unilever, Hershey, and General Mills have urged the FDA to look again at the way some sugars such as tagatose and isomaltulose are labeled on the Nutrition Facts panel in the wake of recent changes to the way allulose is...

Gopuff raises $1bn in new funding, doubling down on business priorities

02-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Online product delivery platform Gopuff, which delivers thousands of household products from snacks to alcohol from its hundreds of micro-fulfillment centers, has secured $1bn in new funding, raising the company's evaluation to $15bn.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Pandemic’s uneven gender impact reveals opportunities for product development

02-Aug-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

For many women, eating and cooking at home every day during the pandemic has been a double-edged sword that offered them more time with family and control over their diet, but also added a burden that left many women feeling unsatisfied – opening the...

GALLERY: Food ingredients startups to watch, from rare sugars and prebiotic fibers to 'cell-free' biomanufacturing

31-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

From San Diego-based Debut Biotech, which is developing a range of high-value ingredients via a novel ‘cell-free’ biomanufacturing platform, to Virginia-based Bonumose, which has patented technology it claims could enable the “mass market adoption” of...

Protera prepares to bring diverse, clean-label and sustainable proteins to market with $10m series A fundraise

30-Jul-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Santiago, Chile and Paris-based AI-driven startup Protera is one step closer to commercializing a portfolio of clean-label proteins that can replace chemical preservatives to extend food shelf-life, safely turn unsaturated fats into saturated fats, enhance...

Whole grains consumption on the rise, reports Oldways Whole Grains Council

29-Jul-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

A vast majority (95%) of consumers surveyed report that their whole grains consumption has either increased or held steady compared to five years ago despite increasing popularity of low- and no-carb diets, finds the Oldways Whole Grains Council.

Soylent now profitable, firing on all cylinders, says CEO after rollercoaster year: ‘We had to make dramatic changes or we would have run out of cash…’

28-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

A brand described as “only slightly more appealing than an IV bag” by one uncharitable observer when it first gained a cult following among Silicon Valley programmers as a powdered meal replacement, Soylent has steadily evolved its format, product line...

SPECIAL REPORT: Plant-based meat formulation in focus, from Beyond Meat to Motif FoodWorks, Roquette, and Cargill: ‘The meat alternative space has the fastest iteration cycles out there’

27-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

If you look at the ingredients lists of most plant-based burgers, they’re not wildly different – a combination of extruded plant proteins, hard and liquid fats, natural flavors, yeast, methylcellulose, starch, seasonings and perhaps added vitamins and...

'We are actively looking at all major animal-protein categories...' NotCo raises $235m in series D to expand its global plant-based meat, dairy empire

26-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Santiago-based food tech company NotCo has raised $235m in a Series D round led by Tiger Global and supported by DFJ Growth Fund, ZOMA Lab, athletes Lewis Hamilton and Roger Federer, and musician and DJ Questlove, taking its cumulative funding to $350m...

Consumers feel the squeeze of inflation, over half have changed their purchasing behaviors

26-Jul-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

As many food and beverage companies face the pressure of increased costs to manufacture and transport their products, consumers have also reported feeling the impact inflation is having on their grocery bills.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Demand for low-carb options rises as more consumers emerge from lockdowns

26-Jul-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sourdough bread and stretchy pants may have been all the rage during the early days of the pandemic, but as vaccines become more prevalent and US consumers begin to reemerge from lockdowns, they increasing are turning to keto-bread and other low-carb...

Zevia CEO on the IPO, stevia, and margins: ‘Our business model offers attractive profitability…’

23-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

While a recent probe into Oatly’s accounting practices and a flood of tech money going into food has raised questions about valuations in the space, zero-sugar soda brand Zevia has a solid track record of growth, a clear consumer proposition (great taste,...

Zevia starts trading on NYSE: 'Consumers are increasingly averse to added sugars...'

22-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Shares in stevia-sweetened zero-calorie beverage brand Zevia – which first hit the market in 2007 – started trading on the New York Stock Exchange this morning (ticker symbol ZVIA).

‘Intake of added and free sugars should be as low as possible’: EFSA confirms sugar consumption a risk factor in chronic diseases

22-Jul-2021 By Katy Askew

The European Food Safety Authority was asked to review the link between sugar consumption and various diseases. The results are in: “Based on the risk of developing chronic metabolic diseases and dental caries, the intake of added and free sugars should...

Comet Bio closes $22m Series C to ramp up production of upcycled sweeteners, and prebiotic arabinoxylan, the ‘Cadillac of fibers’

15-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Comet Bio – a startup developing functional fibers and sweeteners from upcycled ingredients – has closed a $22m Series C round led by private equity firm Open Prairie, with support from Louis Dreyfus Company, BDC Capital, and existing investor Sofinnova...

PepsiCo aims to build on surging Q2 net sales of 20.5% with better-for-you beverages, snacks

13-Jul-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

PepsiCo’s net sales surged 20.5% to $19.22bn in the firm’s second quarter, zipping past expectations of $17.96bn, thanks in part to increased consumer mobility boosting demand for the firm’s iconic beverages at restaurants, events and across channels...

Tate & Lyle spins off industrial sweeteners, starches division to focus on specialty food and beverage solutions

12-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Tate & Lyle has struck a $1.3bn deal to sell a controlling stake in its 'Primary Products' industrial sweeteners and starches business in the Americas to private equity firm KPS Capital Partners, as it focuses on specialty sweeteners, fibers,...

Soda 2.0: Nostalgic flavors, low sugar, and functional health benefits… the meteoric rise of Olipop

08-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Olipop – a functional beverage brand forging new territory in the soda category with 9g fiber per can – is on course to more than triple revenues this year vs 2020, says co-founder Ben Goodwin, who launched the brand with David Lester in late 2018.

Peapod founders launch online shopping tool Sifter: 'We are a dietitian in your pocket'

06-Jul-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Online personalized shopping platform, Sifter, is hoping to make label reading a thing of the past with a tool that instantly tells consumers which products fit their dietary needs and lifestyle.

Skipping breakfast leads to clear nutritional gaps among adults, study finds

30-Jun-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Those who skip breakfast are more likely to miss out on several key nutrients considered to be “dietary components of public health concern” by the USDA’s latest dietary guidelines compared to those who reported eating breakfast, according to an analysis...

Keto, a long-lasting trend? New keto product launches double in past year

28-Jun-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Now a few years on the mainstream diet scene, the keto market continues to grow with an uptick in new product launches in the past year, according to Mintel data.

‘It’s a dumpster fire…’ Firms report ‘unprecedented shortage and increased costs and lead times’ for erythritol, allulose

28-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

A combination of supply chain disruptions and surging demand for sugar alternatives has created a very tight market for selected specialty sweeteners - notably erythritol and crystalline allulose – with some firms reporting shortages, longer lead times,...

Zevia files for IPO: 'Our passionate consumer base over-indexes to Millennials'

26-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

Stevia-sweetened zero-calorie beverage brand Zevia – which first hit the market in 2007 – enjoyed a stellar year in 2020, increasing net sales by 29% YoY to $110m, while increasing gross margins from 43% to 45%, according to a prospectus released ahead...

Sweets & Snacks Expo 2021

Hershey reveals product innovation and growth strategies for the ‘new normal’ at Sweets & Snacks Expo

24-Jun-2021 By Anthony Myers

The premier trade show for the candy and snack categories is back after a 12-month break and offers visitors to the Indiana Convention Center the opportunity to discover new confectionery and snack products, actionable insights and unparalleled access...

Unilever global ice cream leader talks plant-based formulation: First get the protein right…

24-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

Unilever experienced an “explosion” in the growth of non-dairy ice cream when it introduced products through mainstream brands such as Ben & Jerry's and Magnum, according to global ice cream EVP Matt Close. But getting plant-based proteins to...

ReGrained’s SuperGrain+ earns first upcycled food certification to ‘catalyze demand’ for growing industry

17-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Upcycled food pioneer ReGrained continues to pave the way for the fast-growing but still nascent industry by becoming the first business with an ingredient certified by the Upcycled Foods Association – a move the company founder says will help “catalyze...

‘We’ve done something truly disruptive...’ Chobani launches zero sugar yogurts, an industry first

14-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

Chobani has launched an industry first – a nationally-distributed line of dairy yogurts with zero grams of sugar – to meet growing demand from consumers that want to reduce sugar without feeling like they’re eating ‘diet’ products or compromising on taste...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What do consumers consider ‘healthy’ and how does that stack up to the truth?

14-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the pandemic shined a light on the role of diet and nutrition in health and wellness, it also revealed that most consumers don’t have a firm – or even loose – idea of what constitutes healthy – underscoring a need for more research and better education...

'Do we really need another snack bar?' asks Rabobank

10-Jun-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Does the market need another snack bar? In short, probably not, but it may be time for a reset of the bellwether category, says Nicholas Fereday, senior analyst, consumer foods at Rabobank.

BMJ study: Plant-based, pescatarian diets “may be considered for protection against severe COVID-19”

08-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Following a nutrient-dense plant-based or pescatarian diet could protect against severe COVID-19, according to researchers who found healthcare workers at high risk of exposure to the coronavirus were less likely to experience severe infections if they...

Egglife Foods disrupts traditional flour tortilla category: 'It truly is the perfect wrap'

07-Jun-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Egglife Foods has taken on the lofty goal of disrupting the $4bn tortilla category with an egg-white based tortilla that CEO David Kroll says delivers everything consumers expect from a traditional flour tortilla but with a greater degree of versatility...

Mondelēz doubles down on digital and personalized marketing, explores expanded channel distribution

04-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Mondelēz is doubling down on digital marketing and increased distribution across channels as it continues its transformation from a 'margin-centric' business to a more 'consumer-centric' company, according to CEO Dirk Van De Put.

J.M. Smucker: 'We are emerging from the pandemic a much stronger company'

03-Jun-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Working against tough-to-beat comparables from the previous year when consumers were in full pantry-loading mode, J.M. Smucker reported an 8% decline in net sales to $1.92bn in Q4 2021 compared to the same period last year.

Virtual Natural Products Expo West

Functional beverage sales rise, but not all ingredients, benefits gain equally as consumer interest shifts

03-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of functional beverages are bouncing back after slowing early in the pandemic when fewer people bought on-the-go products, reflecting increased consumer mobility, rising interest in food as medicine and innovation that resonates with health-focused...

Virtual Natural Products Expo West

Consumers weigh vegan & specialty diet attributes differently based on category, SPINS data shows

01-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

With nearly one in five Americans now following some type of specialty diet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the extent to which products appeal to different food tribes can heavily influence sales – but not all diets are...

Whipstitch Capital: CPG innovation is benefiting from a 10-fold investment increase in ESG funds

28-May-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

CPG brands that invest in restoring healthy farmland can earn more than the goodwill of consumers who increasingly care about sustainability – they also could cash-in on the surge of ESG-earmarked funding and secure high-value assets that will support...

Defy Foods: Keto dieters want healthy options with high-quality ingredients, good fats and fewer sugar alcohols

27-May-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite significant unmet demand for convenient keto products across categories, consumers who follow the diet are becoming more selective and less willing to settle for options that use low-quality or unhealthy ingredients to meet the diet’s strict macro...