Carbohydrates and fibers (sugar, starches)

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...

Virtual Expo West

‘Diet’ is no longer about preparing for swimsuit season, it is ‘a tool for well-being … to achieve broader goals of feeling healthy and high-functioning’

27-May-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

As consumers adopt a more flexible and holistic approach to ‘dieting,’ brands have more room to innovate at the ingredient-level through “mindful omissions and swaps” to create products that appeal to shoppers’ lifestyles, according to new research from...

'Protect the liver, feed the gut…’ Dr. Robert Lustig takes fresh aim at processed food industry: ‘We’ve literally turned ourselves into foie gras’

25-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

One cigarette won’t kill you, observes pediatric neuroendocrinologist and sugar’s arch-nemesis Dr. Robert Lustig, but 10,000 cigarettes over 10 years just might. Processed food is also poisoning us, it’s just doing it much more slowly, contends Lustig,...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Airly’s ‘climate-friendly’ snacks trailblaze path for more sustainable eating

24-May-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers are awakening to the idea that their dietary choices impact climate change, and while some already consider environmental sustainability when selecting products many more say they would if they had more information – creating a unique marketing...

IFIC: ‘The changes we have all made to our eating and food preparation habits over the … last year are decreasing’

24-May-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

While many of the grocery shopping and eating habits adopted during the pandemic remain elevated compared to before the coronavirus outbreak, some are beginning to erode as the threat of COVID-19 subsides and local economies – including restaurants and...

Chobani targeted by 'vanilla vigilante' Spencer Sheehan in "particularly weak and implausible" lawsuit

20-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Spencer Sheehan – a plaintiff’s attorney best-known for filing a tsunami of lawsuits over vanilla labeling – has targeted Chobani for the second time in six months, this time taking issue with claims on the yogurt maker’s high protein, no added sugar...

Oatly goes public, opens Utah factory: ‘We are going to prioritize growth over profit,’ says CEO

20-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Oatly – which made its debut as a public company today (Nasdaq ticker: 'OTLY') after an IPO that raised $1.4bn – has started producing its first products from its new plant in Ogden, Utah, this month, opening up new capacity to meet surging...

IFIC: Keto tumbles as basic calorie-counting becomes Americans’ top diet of choice during pandemic

19-May-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite an uptick in snacking and consumption of indulgent foods and beverages during the pandemic, the number of Americans dieting last year held steady compared to previous years – but their approaches and motivations shifted to reflect changing pressures...

No sugar added: Hershey signals commitment to low sugar confectionery with acquisition of Lily’s

18-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Hershey - which recently outlined a strategy to expand its reduced sugar offerings via in-house R&D, acquisitions, and licensing or partnership deals - has struck a deal to acquire fast-growing ‘no sugar added’ chocolate brand Lily's Sweets for...

Gatorade introduces Gatorlyte designed for elite athletes and weekend warriors

14-May-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

PepsiCo's Gatorade is rolling out its newest brand, Gatorlyte, featuring a five-electrolyte blend to promote "rapid rehydration" and give athletes another option to fuel their workout, said Gatorade's head of brand strategy, Carolyn...

“Carbon score is the next big thing,” predicts CGC co-head, industry experts gathered by FoodBytes!

13-May-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Carbon labeling for food and beverage may be coming faster than originally predicted, and soon may hold more sway with consumers than other popular certifications as the ongoing pandemic accelerates consumer interest in sustainable diets, predict industry...

NEWS IN BRIEF

B&G Foods appoints new president and CEO

12-May-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

B&G Foods -- parent company to household name brands including Ortega, Green Giant, and Crisco -- has appointed Kenneth C. “Casey” Keller as its next president and CEO, effective June 14, 2021, replacing B&G Foods’ interim president and CEO, David...

Mondelēz SnackFutures' CoLab startup engagement program announces first class of snack entrepreneurs

10-May-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

SnackFutures, Mondelēz International's innovation and venture hub, has selected nine well-being snack brands to participate in its inaugural CoLab startup engagement program.

Tate & Lyle: 'The huge increase in allulose demand currently exceeds supply…’

09-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

With demand for rare sugar allulose currently exceeding supply, Tate & Lyle has informed some partners that it is withholding supplies of the sweetener until further notice, FoodNavigator-USA understands.

Stevia sweeteners: Ingredion acquires exclusive license to sell and market Amyris’s Reb M, produced via fermentation

04-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Ingredion – already a key player in the stevia sweeteners market through its 2020 deal to acquire PureCircle – has teamed up with synthetic biology specialist Amyris to expand into a new segment of the market: steviol glycosides produced via fermentation.

Pots & Co accelerates US expansion plans with General Mills 301 INC backing: ‘We’re on a mission to rescue people from bland, uninspiring food’

30-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

“There's no way we could have launched 10 years ago in America,” observes Julian Dyer, stockbroker-turned chef, turned-founder of London-based Pots & Co, which is looking to make a splash this side of the Atlantic with his upmarket desserts.

Cell-cultured milk: Tech fantasy or a liquid goldmine? BioMilk goes public

23-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

Visitors to BioMilk’s website are asked a simple question: ‘What is milk?’ a question that - until relatively recently - had a pretty obvious answer: the white stuff lactating mammals produce. Today, however, there’s plant-based milk; there are products...

Better Brand’s “Grain-changing Technology” takes the guilt, not the pleasure, out of refined carbs

21-Apr-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

For many consumers a freshly toasted bagel is a source of joy, comfort – and guilt, but thanks to food-tech startup Better Brand Inc.’s proprietary Grain-changing Technology, Americans can soon enjoy a clean label option that tastes and functions like...

Same taste, half the sugar: DouxMatok launches choc spreads to showcase next gen Incredo ‘enhanced’ sugar

20-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

DouxMatok, the Israeli firm behind patented technology that makes regular sugar taste sweeter, has launched limited-edition chocolate spreads in the US with half the sugar of leading brands to give consumers the chance to taste products made with its...

‘In a tumultuous 2020, one thing stayed the same…’ Record number of class action suits filed vs food and beverage brands, says Perkins Coie

20-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

Despite the interruption in civil litigation prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, “more new class action lawsuits were filed against the food and beverage industry—220* cases [+23% vs 2019]—than in any other year of the past decade,” according to an analysis...

Hungry Planet raises $25m to meet ‘pent up demand’ for plant-based meat beyond burgers, sausage

19-Apr-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

After finetuning a diverse range of plant-based meat and seafood that goes far beyond the burger- and sausage-heavy offerings of today, Hungry Planet is ready to ramp up production and distribution of all nine of its proteins across retail, foodservice...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Grain consumption is up – but will the momentum sustain post-pandemic?

19-Apr-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

After being demonized for decades and hitting a 30-year low in 2019, per capita flour consumption is on the rise again thanks in part to consumers’ increasingly sophisticated understanding of diet and health and their duel desire to fill their plates...

New CEO: “HIPPEAS has all the tenets to become a household name and a true lifestyle brand”

15-Apr-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

With this week’s appointment of industry veteran Paul Nardone as the new CEO of HIPPEAS, the organic chickpea snack brand is building an all-star executive team with a strong track record of high-profile exits to help it leverage pandemic-inspired shifts...

Conagra benefits from sustained and elevated at-home demand in Q3 2021

12-Apr-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Still benefiting from a sustained consumer shift to at-home eating over a year past the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Conagra has registered a nearly 10% increase in organic net sales for Q3 2021 compared to the same period last year.

Investing in the Future of Food: Alchemy FoodTech makes “bad carbs good” with unique fiber blends

07-Apr-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Startup Alchemy FoodTech is arming manufacturers of baked goods, pasta, rice and other products high in refined-carbs with a new weapon in the war against carbs led by advocates of the keto, paleo and other low-carb diets.

Ingredion expands texture, stabilization capabilities, with acquisition of KaTech

01-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

Ingredion has acquired KaTech - a privately held company headquartered in Lübeck, Germany that provides advanced texture and stabilization solutions to the food and beverage industry - for an undisclosed sum.

Investing in the Future of Food: RCV Frontline sees potential for startups to fill innovation demand post-pandemic

31-Mar-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

A new early-stage venture capital fund sees significant upside for financing food and beverage startups that may be too small for many other VC investors, but which in a few years could help meet “pent up demand” for innovation from large CPG players...

Smallfood gears up for commercial production of novel highly soluble complete protein source

29-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Yet another new player has emerged in the burgeoning alternative protein space, this time touting a novel Non GMO complete protein sourced from a single-celled marine microorganism, which it claims can give animal and plant proteins a run for their money.

KOMBUCHA Act reintroduced in Congress: ‘There’s no reason why kombucha brewers and sellers should get taxed like beer’

25-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

The ABV threshold at which kombucha switches from a non-alcoholic beverage to what is effectively 'beer' for tax purposes is currently set at 0.5%. The KOMBUCHA Act, reintroduced to Congress by Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3) and Senator...

PepsiCo relaunches EVOLVE plant-based protein brand with new formulations, packaging

24-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Two years after acquiring it as part of its $465m deal to buy CytoSport, PepsiCo has embarked on a refresh of plant-based protein brand EVOLVE with new packaging and formulations to help it stand out in a category “experiencing broader acceptance.”

Home baking continues in 2021 giving rise to comfort and wellness trends

22-Mar-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The trend of home baking, which soared in popularity during the pandemic, is still going strong with sustained elevated sales expected through 2025, according to new market data.

Functional Beverages Webinar Available On Demand Now

Rising demand for functional benefits will help beverage segment hit hard by pandemic to recover

19-Mar-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Shifting shopping habits and channel preferences due to the pandemic hit the non-alcoholic beverage industry hard last year, leading to an overall decline in volume and value, but rising consumer interest in functional options could be a key driver in...

KeHE’s ‘Crazy Good’ campaign underscores its digital-forward innovation, operational support to help retailers, brands grow

18-Mar-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Well-known for its service and compassion, KeHE’s new “Crazy Good” campaign that launched this month seeks to highlight how the food distributor’s other two pillars of “innovation and operational excellence” also can drive growth for its retail partners...

KeHE: ‘Treasure hunting’ may look different post-COVID, but consumers still seek innovation

18-Mar-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Innovation still drives the food landscape even though “treasure hunting” may look different now than before the pandemic sidelined casual in-store consumer browsing and retailers and brands rationalized SKUs to focus on best-sellers to alleviate supply...

Ardent Mills answers call for keto flour that doesn’t compromise flavor, function or complicate production

16-Mar-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

A new line of grain-based flour blends launching today from Ardent Mills promises to deliver the low-carb health benefits consumers want without compromising taste or texture or requiring manufacturers to install new equipment.

Register now: Free webinar Wednesday explores the future of the functional beverage market

15-Mar-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of functional beverages are rebounding and have a bright future despite the pandemic shutting down for most of 2020 in-person impulse purchases and food service sales which previously drove the category’s fast growth, according to market research...

ReGrained proves mainstream market appeal for upcycled foods

15-Mar-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

With a new puffs line in several points of distribution, a line of baking mixes in the works, and plans to convert oat milk byproduct into finished product applications later this year, ReGrained is building a case for the mainstream viability for upcycled...

GoodSport seeks to disrupt sports beverages category by ‘unlocking the power of milk’

12-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

It’s milk, but not as we know it, Jim… To be precise, GoodSport is dairy milk, but with the protein and fat removed via ultra-filtration, leaving a clear sugary fluid loaded with electrolytes and vitamins. But does this upcycled elixir (better known as...

‘Impact will come with scale…’ Ingredion, PURIS, ramp up plant protein capacity

11-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Market projections for meat and dairy alternatives vary wildly, with Impossible Foods’ CEO predicting animal agriculture could hit a ‘death spiral’ by 2035, while Wells Fargo reckons plant-based meat will account for a rather more modest 4% of the US...

‘The Cadillac of fibers…’ Upcycled ingredients startup Comet Bio gears up for commercial launch of arabinoxylan prebiotic fiber

10-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Clinical data suggests that arabinoxylan – a fiber found in the cell walls of several plants – has a range of benefits from prebiotic effects to blood glucose control and immune health support. But no one has found a cost-effective way to isolate and...

Target launches premium, indulgent Favorite Day private label line

09-Mar-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

In early April, Target Corp. will introduce Favorite Day, its latest private label food line focused on affordable, sweet and savory indulgence.

Investing in the Future of Food: Manna Tree investors seek emerging brands focused on human health

03-Mar-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the ongoing pandemic accelerates consumer interest in the role of nutrition in wellness and underscores the supply chain’s fragility, the investors at Manna Tree Partners are looking for at least three growth stage companies that are revolutionizing...

Post Foods agrees to settle sugary cereal class action with $15m fund

27-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

A judge has given a tentative green light to a $15m settlement between Post Foods and consumers who accused the CPG giant of misleading shoppers by falsely advertising sugary cereals as healthy. The news follows another high-profile settlement reached...

Wild Tonic taps into growth opportunities within kombucha: 'We're helping the category continue to grow'

24-Feb-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Wild Tonic Jun Kombucha (fermented from honey and green tea instead of traditional cane sugar and black tea) is banking on several growth trends in the kombucha category this year including its refreshed slim cans and expanding line of hard kombucha.

Jam 2.0? Oswald unveils mission to shake up ‘outdated and sugar-filled jelly aisle'

15-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

While the nut butter category has evolved dramatically in recent years - with JIF and Skippy now competing with everything from almond and cashew butters to sunflower seed, mushroom, and chickpea butters - the jams and jellies category doesn’t look wildly...

Ingredion signs joint venture with Grupo Arcor in South America

12-Feb-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Ingredion and Grupo Arcor -- a leading confectionery exporter in South America -- have signed a joint venture agreement to broaden food and beverage ingredient offerings in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.

Frutly ‘teen’ beverage fills white space in ambient juice category, says PepsiCo

12-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

While there are plenty of beverages targeting young children, with recent launches from Kraft Heinz (Creative Roots) and Nestlé (Fruity Water) offering low or no-sugar options, there is a gap in the market for teens, claims PepsiCo, which says new launch...

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