Chocolate and confectionery ingredients

Fairtrade

Way to Go! Lidl launches exclusive Fairtrade chocolate bars in US stores

02-Dec-2020 By Anthony Myers

European discount supermarket Lidl has announced a new deal with Fairtrade America to offer US customers a unique private label chocolate bar that contributes to a living income for cocoa farmers.

Flavor trends for 2021: fresh from the garden, breakfast all day, chicken & home baked goods

19-Nov-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers’ desire for comforting, nostalgic and indulgent foods and beverages as a way to cope with pressures from the pandemic, election and economic hardship in 2020 is about to clash with more austere preferences more typical of each new year, including...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Mondelēz finds snacking offers a ‘lifeline,’ antidote to loneliness during COVID

16-Nov-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

While snacking was on the rise long before the coronavirus outbreak, new research from Mondelēz International shows the pandemic has turbo-charged the trend – spurring more people to snack more often, but for entirely different reasons than they did before...

Tracking COVID-19 cases by zip code allowed Hershey to target inventory, marketing to gain share, sales

10-Nov-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of The Hershey Co.’s iconic chocolates and confections significantly outpaced the category during the company’s third-quarter thanks to targeted, nimble marketing that positioned the sweets at the center of socially distant and much needed get-togethers...

Researchers call for crackdown on ‘kid influencers’ promoting unhealthy food, beverages on YouTube

27-Oct-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

After discovering a “staggering level of exposure” of fast food, candy, soda and other unhealthy branded foods and beverages on YouTube videos featuring and targeting young children, researchers from New York University are calling on the Federal Trade...

Blue Stripes blends whimsy, functional health & sustainability to start a ‘whole cacao revolution’

20-Oct-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Cacao currently may be most prized by manufacturers and mainstream consumers for its beans to make chocolate, cocoa and cocoa butter, but the fruit and shell surrounding the bean also are packed with nutrients and potential, which famed chocolatier Oded...

Staying true to values helped SkinnyDipped secure funding, drive YOY growth of more than 6,000%

15-Oct-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Entrepreneurs desperate for capital or unsure of the best path forward for growth may be tempted to overlook dismissive or demeaning comments from potential investors, but the co-founder of the fast-growing brand SkinnyDipped warns these are huge red...

Tune into the Consumer Parents' Panel in part one of the FOOD FOR KIDS 2020 virtual summit

14-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

How are parents coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in their households when it comes to feeding their kids? Has the extra time spent at home given families more opportunity to cook and experiment with new recipes, or has the anxiety left parents scrambling...

Conagra posts strong Q1 2021 results: ‘Our business is healthy, our products are relevant, and our capabilities are strong’

01-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Conagra Brands posted stronger-than-expected Q1 2021 (13 weeks ended Aug. 30) results, which saw organic net sales increase 15% with significant growth coming from its grocery & snacks (+16%), refrigerated & frozen (+17.9%), and international...

Introducing the FOOD FOR KIDS 2020 virtual summit: From kids and the plant-based trend to dietary guidelines for infants and toddlers

29-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

School closures – and tentative re-openings – have compounded stress levels for families, while COVID-19-induced economic anxiety is also straining household budgets. So how can food and beverage brands come up with enticing – but affordable – recipes,...

Mars hires former IFT chief science and technology officer as new head of R&D

11-Sep-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Mars Inc. has hired Dr. Maria Velissariou as its new vice president of global corporate research & development and chief science officer to lead the company's quality and food safety, scientific & regulatory affairs and R&D strategy.

Nestlé is ready to buy after 18 months of divesting brands, but it will do so cautiously, CFO says

11-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nestlé is ready to be “much more acquisitive” now after 18 months of aggressively selling underperforming businesses and brands that did not tidily fit into the company’s new image of itself as a primarily nutrition, health and wellness business, according...

Retail strategies to support Black-owned businesses, tap into $1.5 trillion buying power of Black shoppers

09-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Retailers interested in attracting more Black shoppers, who Nielsen reports wield an annual buying power of $1.5 trillion and make more grocery trips per year than all other racial groups, need to stock and prominently highlight more products by Black-owned...

Honey Mama's closes $4.5m Series A funding round led by Amberstone Ventures

03-Sep-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Honey Mama's, a brand of truffle-like chocolate wellness bars made with whole foods merchandized in the burgeoning refrigerated bar set, has closed a $4.5m Series A round led by Amberstone Ventures, to fast track the brand to mainstream consumer...

New leader in fresh snacking? Clio Snacks closes $8m funding round and doubles revenue this year

26-Aug-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Clio Snacks -- known its for chilled, chocolate-covered Greek yogurt bars -- has closed an $8m series C fundraising round led by long-term investment partner Alliance Consumer Growth (ACG) and new investor in the brand, AF Ventures, bringing total investment...

Behave grants consumers permission to enjoy candy again with low-sugar, chef-created gummy bears

21-Aug-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Upstart candy brand Behave has entered the buzzing low-sugar gummy candy category with its line of original and sour gummy bears which tout 3g of sugar, 6g of net carbs, and 90 calories per serving.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Chocolate, cereal, and snack brands rank among Morning Consult’s 50 Most Loved Brands list

14-Aug-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Fourteen food companies made global data intelligence company Morning Consult’s 2020 50 Most Loved Brands list, which analyzed more than 150,000 consumer interviews conducted by the firm in June and July 2020.

Post Holding’s spun-off BellRing off to a rocky start with pandemic, but confident in long-term results

11-Aug-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Executives from Post Holdings and its recently spun-off active nutrition business BellRing Brands may be confident that the new food company will meet its full-year targets, but analysts on the company’s third quarter call late last week sounded dubious.

Unlocking Innovation webinar Aug. 6: Discover how to reduce your environmental impact & improve sustainability

28-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even as the pandemic continues to strain the food system and pressure manufacturers to balance increased demand with restricted supply, companies must still pursue sustainability goals, including minimizing their environmental impact and improving the...

Citizen Petition argues toddler milks threaten children’s health and pose ‘economic harm’ to families

28-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

In a Citizen’s Petition filed today, children’s health advocates are ramping up pressure on FDA to address the labeling of so-called ‘transition formulas’ or ‘toddler milks,’ which they say offer “no unique nutritional value,” threaten the health of young...

Americans need to more than halve their consumption of added sugars, says Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

15-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Americans need to more than halve their consumption of added sugars, reducing average consumption from 13% of daily energy intake to just 6%, the equivalent of 30g for someone on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, according to the expert committee advising the...

SHIFT20: 3 ways to ‘build back better’ a food-system damaged by social inequality & coronavirus

14-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The uneven impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has underscored systemic inequalities, but it also has created an opportunity “to build back better” the food system, according to a panel of experts gathered on the opening day of the Institute of...

MCTco protein keto bars enter beauty-from-within and immunity categories

13-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

MCTco is competing in the highly-competitive snack bar category, addressing major consumer demands around protein and sugar content as well as emerging ‘beauty-from-within’ and immunity trends with its line of products containing collagen protein and...

Investing in the Future of Food: Letting go, leaning on others helped Sweet Loren’s grow 3,000% in 3 years

08-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Founders who wear multiple hats during the lean early years of a startup may struggle to pass responsibilities to others as their companies grow, but, according to the founder of Sweet Loren’s, to fully maximize companies’ potential entrepreneurs need...

General Mills registers 50% e-commerce growth in Q4 2020

06-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

General Mills launched direct-to-consumer brand sites that could quickly ship products to consumers to better support shopping during the pandemic -- a strategy that helped increase its share of net sales from the e-commerce channel in categories most...

Rainforest Alliance unveils new certification standard: ‘We need new approaches that move beyond a simple pass-fail system’

01-Jul-2020 By Flora Southey

From September this year, Rainforest Alliance will start rolling out the 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard worldwide. How does this newly enhanced standard set itself apart in the field? FoodNavigator speaks with the NGO’s director of standards and...

Trending topics at SHIFT20, the virtual IFT show, from plant-based protein trends to sustainable packaging

29-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

From plant-based protein trends to sustainable packaging, managing food waste, using artificial intelligence to track consumer sentiment, and the latest developments in cell-cultured meat and keto diet trends, here are some of the education sessions that...

SHIFT20: How the virtual IFT show will work…

29-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Confused about navigating the virtual IFT show (Institute of Food Technologists' annual meeting and expo) next month (July 13-15)? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Corrine Calice, senior director, knowledge and learning experiences; and Susan Young,...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Soom Foods shares strategies for driving trial, managing demand during COVID-19

29-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

For emerging brands or companies with unfamiliar products that relied on chefs to introduce their food or beverages to mainstream consumers, the shuttering of restaurants during the pandemic has been especially devasting, but, according to the co-founder...

Sustainability

Rainforest Alliance says it’s ready to work with Nestlé on its cocoa certification scheme

26-Jun-2020 By Anthony Myers

The Rainforest Alliance has said it is ready to fully support Nestlé in its mission to improve sustainability in the cocoa sector, after it was announced the confectionery giant and maker of KitKats is to expand its in-house Cocoa Plan certification scheme...

FDA moves to keep coronavirus fears from interrupting ingredients trade

25-Jun-2020 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration says it will move actively to prevent the worldwide trade in dietary ingredients, food ingredients and whole foods from being restricted because of misplaced coronavirus infection concerns.

Coronavirus fears further fragment grocery retail landscape with DTC ordering emerging as favorite

25-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic not only significantly accelerated the already steady consumer adoption of online shopping from grocery stores, it also drove business away from retailers to direct-to-consumer providers and online specialty product aggregators...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How is the coronavirus pandemic & unemployment reshaping snacking?

22-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has reshaped virtually every aspect of American’s lives, including what, when and how we eat, according to research from the flavor, ingredient and color company Flavorchem, which found our emotions are influencing our...

Online marketplace Fieldcraft modernizes discovery & democratizes access for suppliers of all sizes

19-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The coronavirus pandemic may have brought to a standstill the large tradeshows where industry players traditionally came together, but thanks to new digital platforms – including Austin-based Fieldcraft – stakeholders not only can still meet, explore...

Children under 2 years should avoid all added sugars, says Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

18-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Children under the age of 2 years should avoid all added sugars in order to better make “every bite count,” according to the Dietary Guidelines advisory subcommittee tasked with creating the first ever dietary guidelines for children younger than 24 months....

Stress prevention replaces weight management as top health concern, creating marketing opportunity

16-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

For the first time in a decade, weight management is no longer America’s top health concern as anxiety and stress prevention and treatment rise to the No. 1 position of a long list of health conditions with which households are grappling, according to...

Soup-to-Nuts Podcast: Orgain gives $150,000 to 3 startups with mission to help people lead 'vibrant, healthy lives'

15-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even though Andrew Abraham has helped millions of people live healthier, more vibrant lives first as a medical doctor and then for the past 12 years as the founder of the organic protein shake and bar brand Orgain, he wanted to help more consumers learn...

MycoTechnology raises $39m in Series D to expand functional ingredients platform

10-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

MycoTechnology – which is building a functional ingredients platform utilizing mycelia, the filament-like roots of mushrooms - has raised $39m in a series D financing round from investors* including plant-based meat specialist Greenleaf Foods to Tyson...

Investing in the Future of Food: NextGenChef connects ‘foodpreneurs’ with mentors, consumers online

03-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

No longer able to rely on conferences, in-store demos or serendipitous meetings to raise awareness of a new business or product, entrepreneurs increasing are connecting with each other, mentors and consumers through subscription-based online platforms...

Brands' support of anti-racism movement balances business benefits, risks

03-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Many food and beverage companies are joining the fight against racism in America by temporarily pausing sales, using their voices and positions to raise awareness of systemic racism in the US, donating profits and pulling advertising from platforms that...

IRI Pacesetters of 2019: 'This was really the resurgence of $100m brands'

02-Jun-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The IRI New Product Pacesetters List of the top 100 CPG brand launches of 2019 saw a resurgence of $100m brands which accounted for 33% of Pacesetter dollar sales in 2019.

E-commerce expert: “This is a great entry time for new and small brands to flourish on Amazon”

26-May-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The uneven impact of the coronavirus on sales of food and beverage brands of different sizes has created an opportunity for smaller and emerging companies to drive consumer awareness by advertising on Amazon at a scale that previously would not have been...

Commodities

Cocoa prices dip on markets in wake of coronavirus pandemic

25-May-2020 By Anthony Myers

The price action on cocoa on the futures market looks similar to 2008, analyst claims, while lockdown in Nigeria disrupts supplies

FDA grants temporary labeling flexibility for non-allergen minor ingredients

22-May-2020 By Elaine Watson

With many food manufacturers experiencing difficulties in sourcing some ingredients during the pandemic, the FDA is allowing temporary flexibility in food labeling requirements enabling them to make minor formulation changes without updating labels, provided...

WATCH: Navigating the COVID-19 rollercoaster with Undercover Snacks

14-May-2020 By Elaine Watson

The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride for many small businesses. FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Diana Levy, founder and CEO at Undercover Snacks, which makes chocolate covered quinoa snacks at its own SQF-3 manufacturing facility in New...

Investing in the Future of Food: Sharing an office space can transform & accelerate startups’ growth

13-May-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

After weeks of working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic, some companies are rethinking the value of central offices, but for the founder of Seed + Mill sharing space with other entrepreneurs at WeWork’s Food Labs in New York City before the outbreak...

Investing in the Future of Food: Aloha CEO shares tips for securing shelf space, courting Trader Joe’s

06-May-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Waiting for a response from cold calls to retail buyers about placing a product on store shelves can feel demoralizing to emerging brands, but Brad Charron, the CEO of the plant-based bar and beverage brand Aloha, advises entrepreneurs not to take it...

Emerging brands with ‘turnkey’ solutions more likely to win shelf space during coronavirus pandemic

05-May-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Emerging and regional brands with inventory and turnkey solutions could more easily win space on store shelves despite delayed category resets and formal reviews as retailers continue to grapple coronavirus-related disruptions and low fill rates from...

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...