Cereals and bakery preparations

60-second interview: Jon Peters, president, Beneo

BENEO president: ‘We have seen higher and more volatile demand during the pandemic’

05-May-2020 By Elaine Watson

From fewer containers and reduced shift work at harbors to delays in planned maintenance in factories, the coronavirus pandemic is impacting global supply chains in myriad ways. FoodNavigator-USA (FNU) caught up with Jon Peters (JP), president at Beneo,...

WATCH: Three Wishes Cereal trials drive-thru sampling

05-May-2020 By Elaine Watson

With Expo West canceled and instore sampling off the menu for the foreseeable future, New York based high protein, low-sugar gluten-free startup Three Wishes Cereal decided to get creative…

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...

KIND Foundation rallies companies to donate to first responders, matches them to those in need

01-May-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

In the past two weeks, more than a dozen food and beverage companies – many of which are small and struggling to operate during the pandemic – have teamed with the KIND Foundation’s and Project N95’s recently launched Frontline Impact Project to donate...

Mondelēz to cut SKUs and 'significantly' reduce innovation projects: ‘We are working on making our business simpler’

30-Apr-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Driven by strong demand for its snacks products in North America, Mondelēz International reported 2.6% growth in net revenue to $6.7bn for Q1 2020, offsetting sales downturns in other areas of the business including world travel retail and away-from-home...

Gifting food will rise as practical option during coronavirus and beyond, Packaged Facts predicts

28-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The convenience, practicality and comfort of offering food as tokens of recognition, appreciation and affection could help insulate the US food gifting market during the coronavirus pandemic, but it may not be enough to fully offset losses in 2020 from...

'It's business as usual with extra tension': Plant protein suppliers work to keep factories open

27-Apr-2020 By Niamh Michail

Plant protein suppliers such as Cosucra, Cargill and Roquette are working to keep factories open and customer orders fulfilled - but when it comes to shipping logistics, consumer demand and NPD, uncertainty is still the watchword.

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...

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...

Additional federal funding, access to protective equipment needed to feed children through schools

23-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the federal government has taken several steps in recent weeks to help feed low-income children during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a leading public health advocate argues more must be done to protect the one in 10 children facing food insecurity...

Pod Foods helps retailers, emerging brands more easily connect even during coronavirus pandemic

20-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The tech-forward distribution and logistics platform Pod Foods is offering a lifeline to emerging brands struggling to get on store shelves at a time when many retailers and traditional distributors are prioritizing more established, high-demand brands...

Eggs, flour, sugar... Quarantine baking pushes staple ingredients into the spotlight

17-Apr-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

At-home baking has exploded as a go-to quarantine activity among US households, causing a shift in consumer attitudes for overlooked pantry ingredients and heightened demand for highly-scrutinized ingredients such as 'refined' sugar.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Consumers are ‘primed’ for personalized nutrition solutions

17-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the infection rate and death toll of the novel coronavirus continue to climb, more Americans are re-thinking their diet to help ward off infection, as illustrated by the dramatic increase in sales of immunity products and people buying them in the...

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...

Food & beverage manufacturers thank first-responders, help feed those in need during pandemic

10-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The generosity of the food and beverage industry is on full display as companies – some with limited resources – give what they can to those serving on the frontlines of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and to those in need, including many who unexpectedly...

Extreme buying slows but remains elevated at 23% higher than pre-coronavirus levels, reports NCS

09-Apr-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Now that the 'surge' has calmed down, consumers are entering a new stage of shopping behavior – ‘home-confined buying’ – characterized by higher sales of non-essential food items such as cookies, chocolate, and ice cream, with overall spending...

Datassential finds most shoppers want the ‘usual,’ but many are trading up for treats, lack of options

09-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As economic uncertainty climbs alongside the spread of coronavirus, most Americans are trying – but often failing – to maintain the status quo with regards to grocery purchases, according to new research from Datassential.

Big Food and coronavirus: The response so far

06-Apr-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Over the past few weeks, big food manufacturers have leveraged the strength of their operations and logistics capabilities to combat the spread of COVID-19. Many are also supporting their employees with additional compensation, cash bonuses, waived health...

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...

FDA relaxes rules on egg labeling to address surging retail demand

03-Apr-2020 By Elaine Watson

The FDA is providing temporary flexibility on packaging and labeling requirements for eggs sold at retail so firms can redirect product designed for institutions and restaurants towards retailers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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...

Investing in the Future of Food: Frito-Lay shares strategies to lift up women entrepreneurs

01-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the number of women launching businesses is growing at an exponential rate, their access to venture capital, mentors and other resources still lags far behind that of their male counterparts – a unique challenge that will require players across...

Brands selling on Amazon must rethink advertising to navigate out-of-stocks, delayed shipping

31-Mar-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Hard-hit e-commerce players, including Amazon, saw a slight reprieve in orders last week, but marketing consultants with the collective Right Side Up predict that there will be a resurgence in sales in the coming weeks that will require brands to re-think...

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...

CBA: Concern about grocery shortages eases as more Americans feel their pantries are well-stocked

30-Mar-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Americans’ fears about accessing essential products, including food and beverages, during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic may be ebbing slightly, even as their concern about the virus generally continues to rise, according to new data from the Consumer...

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...

PepsiCo hires 6,000 employees, provides additional compensation to workers on frontline of pandemic

23-Mar-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

PepsiCo is hiring 6,000 new, full-time employees over the next month and is providing additional compensation to the more than 90,000 frontline employees – those who “make, move, and sell” PepsiCo products – at both PepsiCo Beverages North America and...

Industry trade groups work together to fill gaps, create economic stability as COVID-19 spreads

23-Mar-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

An ad-hoc partnership between FMI-Food Industry Association, the International Foodservice Distributors Association, United Produce Association and National Fisheries Institute aims to help overwhelmed grocery retailers keep shelves stocked, stores clean...

General Mills bolsters supply chain to meet higher demand amid pandemic by focusing on employee health, top SKUs

18-Mar-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Keeping the supply chain moving while protecting employees and projecting a calming tone for consumers is top of mind for executives at General Mills, which has seen a significant sales boost since the beginning of March from panicked US shoppers stocking...

Food, beverage & CPG players ask legislators, regulators for relief from negative impact of Covid-19

18-Mar-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Food and beverage industry leaders are pleading for help from regulators, legislators and the state and national agencies that oversee their sectors.

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...

Editor’s spotlight: Reinvigorating a stagnating ingredient

Benexia bets on Seeds of Wellness consumer brand to boost category

11-Mar-2020 By Hank Schultz

Chia grower Benexia is betting on its consumer brand Seeds of Wellness (SOW) to jumpstart demand for the nutrition-packed seeds.

New sorghum varieties beat quinoa for protein content

05-Mar-2020 By Niamh Michail

Food manufacturers will soon be able to source sorghum, America's home-grown ancient grain, with a higher (13 to 17%) protein content, opening up new applications in plant-based meats, according to the United Sorghum Checkoff Program.

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...

Kellogg is back in the cereal game and is “playing to win” with aggressive advertising, innovation

21-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

After temporarily pulling back commercial support for cereal last year to offset other investments in the category, Kellogg Co. is going all in on the segment with ramped up advertising and innovative new launches planned across multiple iconic brands....

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.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Consumer Brands Association uncovers what keeps CPG leaders up at night

21-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The consumer packaged goods industry may be composed of diverse companies offering disparate products ranging from toothpaste to pet food to canned soup, but a recent survey conducted by the Consumer Brands Association reveals 86% of CPG leaders place...

Bokksu poised for exponential growth as consumer demand for snacks, Japanese culture booms

20-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

After growing steadily for the past four years, despite “living month to month” due to restrictions related to bootstrapping a business, the Japanese snack subscription service and ecommerce platform Bokksu is ready to go to the next level with a seven-figure...

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.

Gen Z drives the future of unattended retail, study finds

18-Feb-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

As members of Gen Z enter the workforce in greater numbers, their shopping habits are influencing the retail industry in non-traditional ways including fueling the growth of unattended retail channels such as cashierless checkouts and smart vending machines,...

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.

Product of the Year USA: Which food and beverage products won consumers' votes?

14-Feb-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Based on a national study of 40,000 consumers conducted by global consumer research firm Kantar, Product of the Year USA revealed consumers' favorite products across food and beverage categories.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Consumers’ definition of ‘clean label’ is becoming more sophisticated, complex

14-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

When demand for “clean label” first burst on the scene several years ago, it was all about removing “chemical-sounding,” “unnatural” and unnecessary ingredients from products, but as shoppers learn more about food, how it is made and its impact on their...

Investing in the Future of Food: Have better-for-you, meat alternatives & CBD jumped the shark?

12-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the number of food accelerators and incubators has increased in recent years, the barrier for entry into the market has decreased – and while this makes launching a new product or company easier, it has made cutting through the competition and finding...