Cereals and bakery preparations

General Mills boosts marketing, innovation to engage consumers in tough economy

24-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

General Mills is bracing for double digit inflation in the back half of the year, but rather than automatically raise prices again – although that remains an option – the CPG giant plans to work with suppliers to find mutually beneficial solutions.

Mondelez sees payoff from focus on chocolate, biscuits and baked snacks categories

14-Mar-2023 By Lauren Nardella

Consumer demand for snacks continues to increase, and Mondelez International sees itself as well-positioned to not only meet those needs but increase its market share in the process.

Natural Products Expo West

Inflation slows, doesn’t stop natural & organic sales growth

13-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Rising inflation is taking a toll on natural and organic sales in the US, the growth of which slowed dramatically in 2022 and will likely continue to drop in the coming year before rebounding slightly in 2024, according to data presented at Natural Products...

Expo West Trendspotting: From beverages bursting with boba to munchable mochi and plant-based beyond meat and dairy

13-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Emerging and maturing trends revealed at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim last week ranged from dips delivering delightful dinners, mochi moving into multiple day parts, plant-based expanding beyond analogues, and beverages brimming with better-for-you...

Patagonia acquires like-minded climate smart cracker start-up

09-Mar-2023 By Gill Hyslop

The Californian apparel company’s new F&B division, Patagonia Provisions, has snapped up Moonshot Snacks, a San Francisco-based startup known for its climate-friendly practices.

FDA preps for enforcement against baby, toddler food contaminated with lead

08-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

FDA could seek disciplinary action against baby and toddler food manufacturers for lead and other contaminates even before it finalizes recently proposed draft guidance to limit lead concentrations in packaged food for young children, agency officials...

Soup-To-Nut Podcast: Regenerative organic certification helps Lundberg Family Farms tap into rising demand for sustainability, clarify difference from organic

06-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Organic rice grower Lundberg Family Farms is on a mission to certify all of its organic rice as regenerative organic by 2027 to better meet growing consumer demand for sustainable food and to “leave the land better.”

Hostess Brands: Indulgent, better-for-you snacks are additive, not competitive as consumers adopt ‘this and that’ stance

03-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of indulgent snacks are growing 20% faster than healthy options as consumers take a “balance sheet approach” when deciding what to eat, despite the current zeitgeist’s focus on better-for-you products that deliver more functional benefits with fewer...

Puratos ups the ante on its carbon-neutral promise with sustainable packaging

02-Mar-2023 By Gill Hyslop

The global provider of bakery, patisserie and chocolate ingredients is dedicated to moving to a healthier planet and is making major strides towards improving the sustainability of its packaging.

Exclusive: Frozen Chinese food brand XCJ rebrands as MiLa as it expands its portfolio, distribution

23-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Xiao Chi Jie (XCJ), the modern Chinese food brand that helped put authentic soup dumplings on the US map by cultivating a cult-like direct-to-consumer following during the pandemic is ready to expand into brick and mortar stores this April with a new...

Wheat germ concentrate gives bakery and snacks the power to fight ageing

21-Feb-2023 By Gill Hyslop

SpermidineEvo from GoodMills Innovation promotes cell health and wellbeing into later life and can be added to granola and protein bars, breakfast cereals and bread.

Post launches the first-ever cereal designed to promote sleep

21-Feb-2023 By Gill Hyslop

Sweet Dreams contains specially curated ingredients to help consumers get a healthy night’s sleep.

Europe’s first gene-edited wheat trial produces up to 45% less acrylamide

14-Feb-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The results of Europe’s first ever field trial of a gene edited (GE) variety of wheat have shown a significant reduction of the potential carcinogen acrylamide when the flour is baked.

Sweet but healthy? Cargill finds unmet demand for healthier sweet baked goods

13-Feb-2023 By Ryan Daily

While consumers often look to the sweet bakery category for sugary fixes and chocolatey crunches, CPG companies might have an opportunity to innovate a new — healthier — path forward for the space, according to a recent survey and analysis from food ingredient...

FDA will not object to limited health claims regarding cocoa flavanols and cardiovascular disease

06-Feb-2023 By Lauren Nardella

FDA will allow a very narrow set of claims linking cocoa flavanols in high flavanol cocoa powder and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease following a petition from Switzerland-based chocolate and cocoa product manufacturer Barry Callebaut AG.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Step One Foods directs consumers, healthcare professionals down food as medicine path

06-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Most Americans think about food in terms of servings, but Johns Hopkins-trained cardiologist Elizabeth Klodas talks about the snack bars, pancake mix, granola-like sprinkles and packets of oatmeal she offers under her brand Step One Foods’ in terms of...

Stricter school meal standards could require reformulation to lower sodium, fat and sugar

03-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Research shows school meals are the healthiest source of nutrition for most students in the US, but the US Department of Agriculture thinks they can be healthier, which is why it is proposing stricter standards that would reduce added sugars, fat and...

‘Chocolate and salty snacks rank a two of the top three resilient treats that consumers are not willing to forgo’

Hershey doubles down on advertising to offset impact from price hikes, reinforce consumer connection

03-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sweets and snacks giant Hershey will double down on advertising and production capacity for its fastest growing brands, including Reese’s and Skinny Pop, in the coming year to help offset price elasticity and meet consumer demand, which executives say...

US Snack Index reveals consumers' fear of running out of snacks during the Super Bowl

03-Feb-2023 By Gill Hyslop

Shockingly – in the run up to the country’s biggest watched sporting event – Frito-Lay’s latest Snack Index found that almost half the country’s Super Bowl fans would rather see their team lose than have to sit through the game without snacks.

Magic Spoon scoops up Albertsons, Kroger, Walmart shelf space

02-Feb-2023 By Ryan Daily

Kety-friendly cereal brand Magic Spoon continues to expand beyond its direct-to-consumer roots with the addition of shelf space at Albertsons, Kroger and Walmart, bringing its total retail stores to more than 6,800.

Mondelez holds off on promotions, price roll-backs despite retailer pressure as inflation remains high

01-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Mondelez executives see no reason to lower prices or increase promotions for their iconic sweets and snacks despite reported retailer requests that brands across the board do so as some consumers begin pulling back on spending in the face of ongoing inflation.

Schwan’s embraces omnichannel ‘in a retail everywhere world,’ launches DTC frozen pizza offering

27-Jan-2023 By Ryan Daily

Following a successful direct-to-consumer (DTC) pilot program, Schwan’s Company is officially launching two DTC pizza offerings, which will allow consumers to order gluten-free Fresechetta or artisanal Hearth & Fire pizzas from the comfort of their...

FDA proposes lead limits in baby food – but do they go far enough and are they achievable?

25-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

FDA’s long-awaited guidance for limiting lead concentrations in packaged food for babies and toddlers published yesterday estimates a reduced exposure risk upwards of 27%, but according to some stakeholders this isn’t high enough.

What the cost-of-living crisis is doing to the sweet bakery category

24-Jan-2023 By Gill Hyslop

The latest report from Baker & Baker indicates it can no longer be business as usual for bakeries, food service operators and retailers.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Emerging demand for positive nutrition must balance functional benefits, taste, sustainability and convenience

23-Jan-2023 By Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Emerging demand for positive nutrition must balance functional benefits, taste, sustainability and convenience

Born out of the pandemic when product availability was unpredictable or limited and when a premium was placed on immunity-boosting, consumers in 2023 increasingly are seeking positive nutrition – both for themselves but also for the planet and workers...

Could reframing ‘shrinkflation’ as portion-control boost sales?

16-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Many packaged food and beverage manufacturers that have trimmed serving sizes without lowering cost in recent years to mitigate inflation have tried to do so in stealth mode for fear of losing value-seeking shoppers, but new research suggests if they...

Unilever drives market share up 10pp by pruning innovation pipeline, product portfolio to do more with less

13-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Unilever is steadily gaining market share, boosting sales in fast-growing categories, lowering the cost of experimentation and improving its consumer engagement by doing more with less, CEO Alan Jope touted during the company’s investor day last month....

Kerry sours on sweets, IRCA to purchase sweet ingredients portfolio

12-Jan-2023 By Ryan Daily

In an effort to streamline its portfolio, ingredient manufacturer Kerry has entered into exclusive negotiations to sell its sweet ingredients business to food ingredient company IRCA for €500m ($538m).

Snack and bakery items growing beyond inflation lean on adventurous, sophisticated flavors

09-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Like most grocery categories, sales of snack and bakery products are up over the last year in line with inflation, but units are down slightly across omni channel and brick and mortar as consumers look to hold their grocery budgets in check in the face...

Nestlé’s budget-friendly innovation strategy: ‘We are faster now than many of the startups”

21-Dec-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

No longer a lumbering giant when it comes to R&D, Nestlé significantly increased its number of new product launches and number of patents in priority areas by simplifying its innovation process, fostering an entrepreneurial culture and collaborating...

B&G Foods sells Back To Nature to Barilla as part of broader portfolio reshaping

16-Dec-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

The sale of snack brand Back To Nature to Barilla Group by B&G Foods for an undisclosed sum marks the next phase in B&G’s reorganization intended to clarify the company’s focus, pay-off debt as interest rates rise and lower its dividend to a more...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Can bite-sized indulgences and twists on nostalgia help bakeries tame the ‘three-headed monster’ of inflation, supply shortages and labor challenges?

12-Dec-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

The “three-headed monster” of rising inflation, product shortages and labor challenges continues to wreak havoc across the food industry with little sign of relief on the horizon – prompting many consumers to shift their shopping habits and forcing manufacturers...

Can a rail strike – and by extension food shortages on shelves – be avoided?

29-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle promise to push forward this week legislation to divert a looming national freight rail strike that threatens significant job and financial losses and which could snarl still fragile supply chains, including...

Reinventing Oreos… with no added sugar: Sundays enters low-carb sandwich cookie space

29-Nov-2022 By Elaine Watson

British Columbia-based startup Sundays is on a mission to reinvent iconic chocolate sandwich cookie brand Oreos with a zero sugar positioning.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Emerging flavor trends cater to comfort, nostalgia & whimsy

28-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

The stressful one-two punch of pandemic lockdowns followed by runaway inflation has many consumers looking for comfort and escapism from their food and beverages, which industry leaders say is driving demand for new flavor combinations that are nostalgic,...

Consumers turn to mass, club as they seek lower grocery prices amid rising inflation

21-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers feeling pinched by rising inflation are shifting where they shop for food, what they buy and how many items they place in their carts – prompting retailers to rethink and often reduce their product mix, reveals IRI sales data crunched by 210...

Thanksgiving shoppers hunting for savings create opportunity for plant-based protein, discount retailers to capture market share now and long-term

17-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

As Americans prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving in a week, many are worried they won’t be able to afford a traditional meal – prompting some to look for alternatives, including plant-based options, and triggering massive promotions by retailers eager for...

Soup-to-Nuts Podcast: How are US eating patterns evolving and what opportunities are emerging?

14-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Between Americans’ hectic on-the-go lifestyles pre-COVID, the pandemic prompting everyone to hit pause followed by hybrid work schedules, inflation rates at 40-year highs, and increased expectations that food not only nourish the body but also the soul,...

The rise and rise of oatmilk: 'We're growing significantly faster than the rest of the brands in the category,' says SunOpta CEO

11-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plant-based foods and beverages co-manufacturer SunOpta continues to see strong growth across its plant-based milks portfolio especially in oatmilk, which is growing at more than twice the rate of the broader oatmilk segment.

Bobo's opens 'super bakery' to meet pent-up consumer demand: 'The stage is well-set for us to eclipse $100m next year,' says CEO

09-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Having outgrown its three facilities in Colorado, Bobo's is moving into its two-years-in-the-making 'super bakery' which will give it enough capacity to triple its output of bars and put it on track to eclipse $100m in revenue next year.

Hershey braces for elasticity moderation even as it predicts ongoing strong sales through Q4

07-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

While consumer spending on groceries has yet to dramatically slow in the face of rising prices to offset inflation, some CPG companies – including Hershey – are bracing for an eventual pushback, even as they continue to pass additional costs through to...

Kellogg touts ‘excellent prospects’ for plant-based even as sales and distribution shrink

03-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Kellogg’s plant-based business “remains in good condition with excellent prospects” despite plummeting sales and ongoing supply chain struggles that represent the only “softness” in the company’s otherwise strong third-quarter earnings report released...

Mondelēz plans for December price increases but sees strong consumer brand loyalty

03-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

While consumers are tightening their purse strings and cutting down on many discretionary purchases, snacking is one area many are not, according to Mondelēz International, which continues to see consumers opt for name brands over private label and value-priced...

ENTREPRENEURS TO WATCH: From high-protein fermented grains to packaging from agri-residues, meet the 45 startups handpicked by FoodBytes! by Rabobank in 2022

25-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

The 45 startups selected to participate in the FoodBytes! By Rabobank food and ag innovation program in 2022 provide a neat snapshot into trending topics in food and agriculture, from personalized nutrition and upcycling to robotics and farm biologics.

Futureproofing the food system: How are food insecurity and health outcomes connected and what benefits do produce prescriptions, medically tailored meals and personalized nutrition offer?

21-Oct-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Researchers are calling on clinicians and the healthcare system to screen for food insecurity and better promote food access programs after discovering that Americans with limited or uncertain access to adequate food is on the rise and they are more likely...

Nestlé plans further price increases, 'Pricing will need to continue,' says CEO

21-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Nestlé is continuing to fine tune its portfolio through ongoing SKU rationalization paired with an increased focus on high-growth segments of coffee and its Nestlé Health Sciences division with plans to introduce additional pricing actions to keep up...

General Mills’ partnership with No Kid Hungry underscores ‘doing good delivers really good business results’

13-Oct-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Childhood hunger is a serious problem in the US, so at first blush it may appear flippant that General Mills created a full-sized slide that extends from a giant cereal box into a bowl of heart-shaped Cheerio pillows to raise awareness and funds for the...

‘Love wheat again…’ Revival Einkorn launches mission to make ‘easy to digest’ ancient grain a household name

10-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

Revival Einkorn – a new organic consumer brand dedicated to einkorn, a protein-packed ancient wheat variety with a gluten profile billed as ‘easier on the gut’ than modern wheat – is making its debut direct to consumer and in the pasta aisle at natural...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: From food as medicine to sustainable packaging – trendspotting at Expo East

10-Oct-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Natural Products Expo East may not be as big as its West Coast counterpart, but the 18,500 registered attendees and more than 1,200 exhibitors who convened in Philadelphia earlier this month for the annual conference were just as enthusiastic and the...

Prebiotic potential of high tannin sorghum strains quantified in study

03-Oct-2022 By Hank Schultz

The prebiotic potential of polyphenols found in certain strains of sorghum has been identified and quantified in a new study out of the University of Nebraska.