Dairy-based ingredients

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...

The EVERY Company investor Anne Hathaway's star power raises consumer awareness, acceptance of ‘animal-free’ protein, precision-fermentation

02-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Actress Anne Hathaway’s investment in food-tech startup The Every Co., announced yesterday, brings more than capital – it also brings star power that the company’s CEO says he hopes will raise consumer awareness – and acceptance – of animal-free proteins...

Who is Unilever’s new CEO and is split and spin back on the table?

30-Jan-2023 By Katy Askew

Unilever has named Royal FrieslandCampina boss Hein Schumacher as its new CEO. Could this mean that a spin-off of the group’s food businesses could be back on the menu? Or does Schumacher’s strong grounding in food and nutrition suggest the internal impetus...

ByHeart to triple its production of infant formula, reinforce supply chain with facility acquisitions

30-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

With this month’s acquisitions of an additional domestic manufacturing facility and an FDA-registered packaging and blending facility, infant formula company ByHeart successfully consolidated its supply chain and significantly boosted its production capacity...

‘Test and learn…’ General Mills expands access to Bold Cultr animal-free dairy cream cheese

20-Jan-2023 By Elaine Watson

Bold Cultr from General Mills – an ‘animal-free’ dairy cream cheese featuring whey protein made by microbes, not cows – is rolling out to more stores in the Minneapolis area later this month and will be available nationwide direct to consumer from early...

Complexity of measuring and reducing emissions in the dairy industry

20-Jan-2023 By Jane Byrne

The dairy industry is facing new challenges from increasing demand for sustainable milk production and new government laws and policies targeting emissions reduction.

USDA strengthens organic oversight, transparency to protect against fraud, mishandling

19-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will step up oversight and enforcement of the production, handling and sale of organic products at the behest of industry and legislators who worry increasingly complex supply chains paired with the high price premiums...

Vital Farms CEO shares how brand is navigating market obstacles at ICR Conference

17-Jan-2023 By Ryan Daily

The egg industry is facing many challenges, from supply chain disruptions to higher inflation in comparison to other food categories. While many egg brands are struggling to keep up with these market pressures, the pastured-raised egg company Vital Farms...

Unilever outlines 3-prong plan to capture market share in growing ice cream segment

17-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Over the next three years, Unilever plans to expand its lead in ice cream sales by offering more premium products, expanding in emerging markets and leveraging digitization to boost sales online and out of home, a top executive recently revealed.

Will the UK ban dairy descriptors on plant-based products?

16-Jan-2023 By Katy Askew

ProVeg UK claims the British Government is preparing to ban plant-based products from using dairy descriptor names such as ‘m*lk’ and ‘b*tter’, plans that it has branded ‘outrageous and unnecessary’.

Low sugar Greek yogurt Two Good now a $227m brand, Light & Fit back to growth, says Danone North America

13-Jan-2023 By Elaine Watson

Two Good – a low-sugar Greek yogurt with 2g sugar per cup launched by Danone in early 2019 - has been a leading contributor to dollar growth in the total yogurt category over the past three years, while a zero-sugar version of Light & Fit has also...

Egg prices surge even as inflation slows across the board, including for groceries

13-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

While economists and investors celebrate a slowdown in overall inflation in the US, including for food at home, the price of some grocery staples continues to rise – most notably that for eggs, which increased a staggering 11.1% in December over November,...

Californian dairy businesses bag US$300,000 in first round of DBII funding

10-Jan-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The initiative provides grants and technical assistance to dairy businesses that focus on niché dairy products as well as packaging and processing innovation.

Methane-busting bolus may slash emissions from grass-fed cows almost entirely

10-Jan-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The solution, developed in New Zealand by Ruminant BioTech, could provide a ‘set and forget’ method to eliminate at least 70% of methane emissions from livestock across six months.

Superfrau targets fun but functional beverage category with upcycled fizzy whey drink

05-Jan-2023 By Elaine Watson

Massachusetts-based startup Superfrau is targeting the emerging functional soda category with a vitamin and mineral packed sparkling beverage made from one core ingredient: upcycled liquid whey from Greek yogurt production.

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...

CSPI: More transparency needed on school milk nutrition

19-Dec-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

An analysis of the nutritional content of milks served in US schools shows many do not adhere to school nutrition standards or the Dietary Guidelines for Americans on added sugar or sodium, says nonprofit the Center for Science in the Public Interest...

SPECIAL REPORT: Plant-based dairy and meat by numbers; declining trends continue, but pockets of growth remain

16-Dec-2022 By Elaine Watson

New data from IRI and SPINS shows continued steep declines in sales of refrigerated meat alternatives but pockets of growth in frozen products and some plant-based milk, cheese, and yogurt subcategories, which do not all behave in the same way (spoiler...

‘Even the largest operators are losing money’: USDA told to provide targeted support for organic dairies

15-Dec-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

As feed prices continue to rise, 28 House and Senate representatives have urged the government to introduce relief measures for struggling organic dairies, or risk the industry’s future. We speak to NODPA executive director Ed Maltby to find out more.

Danone’s International Delight creamer targets next generation of coffee drinkers with whimsical, nostalgic flavors and partnerships

13-Dec-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Danone North America, the maker of International Delight creamers, wants to entice the next generation of coffee drinkers who are just establishing their daily rituals with a line-up of flavors launching this holiday season and throughout the new year...

Bel Brands, Perfect Day launch animal-free cream cheese to expand exposure, appeal of dairy alternatives to mainstream shoppers

09-Dec-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the alternative cheese market remains relatively small and the focus of a niche consumer-base of vegan and lactose-intolerant consumers, a partnership between cheesemaker Bel Brands USA and animal-free dairy protein innovator Perfect Day seeks to...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Plant-based yogurt sales are dropping – can they be revived?

05-Dec-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of non-dairy yogurt – like those of most plant-based products – have sharply declined in the past year, but a few bright spots revealed by consumer research and recent innovations by players in the space suggest the category could turn around with...

Perfect Day doubles production capacity via SBL acquisition, gets green light for animal-free dairy in India, teases new partnership

01-Dec-2022 By Elaine Watson

Precision fermentation specialist Perfect Day has completed its acquisition of Indian firm Sterling Biotech Limited (SBL) – which will double its production capability in the near-term - and secured the green light from the Food Safety and Standards Authority...

Emissions: Nestlé and Fonterra to trial net-zero dairy farm

01-Dec-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The hope is to eliminate all on-farm emissions in 10 years while keeping operations ‘commercially viable’. An opt-in subsidy scheme for farmers is also in the works.

Holiday grocery shopping: Consumers swap name brands for private label

28-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

As inflation continues to bite, private label is increasingly becoming a go-to option for shoppers, finds Daymon.

Unilever hopes to launch ‘cow-free’ ice cream but asks: ‘how do we position it to mainstream consumers'?

23-Nov-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Unilever has said it is exploring making ‘cow-free’ ice cream and is hoping to soon launch a product made with dairy proteins made via precision fermentation, but admitted there’s a danger they will be ultimately be rejected by shoppers if they are perceived...

Target deals with an increasingly price sensitive shopper: 'We see our guests holding out for and expecting promotions more than ever,' says EVP

21-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Caught between providing value for its increasingly price sensitive shopper and generating healthy profit margins, Target is identifying new ways to optimize and simplify its business to drive positive long-term growth.

'Great percentage' of a2 Milk consumer base doesn't report milk intolerance issues... 'They just view a2 as better milk,' says US CEO

18-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Premium milk products are breathing new life into the broader fluid milk segment, with large numbers of consumers now buying 'tummy-friendly' a2 milk not because they have trouble digesting regular milk, but because 'they just view it as...

Bel Group and Standing Ovation tie-up for NPD leveraging precision fermentation

15-Nov-2022 By Katy Askew

French cheese and snacks maker Bel Group has entered into a strategic partnership with precision fermentation start-up Standing Ovation. The company says the move will help it ‘meet the challenge of proteins for the future’.

WATCH: Remilk exec talks precision fermentation: ‘Microorganisms are terrible at multitasking, but they know how to do one thing at a time with extreme efficiency’

15-Nov-2022 By Elaine Watson

Buoyed by a $120m series B funding round, Israeli startup Remilk is building what it claims is the world’s largest precision fermentation facility in Denmark. FoodNavigator-USA visited the firm’s HQ in Rehovot last week to taste some animal-free dairy...

Whipped cream made from lactic acid? Researchers develop fat-free alternative to whipped cream

11-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Researchers have uncovered a way to create a fat-free version of whipped cream using lactic acid instead of milk fat while maintaining a firm whipped consistency and texture.

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.

Kroger-Albertsons merger hits roadblock in Washington state, Albertsons challenges 'meritless' anti-competitive claims

04-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

A Washington state court has granted a temporary restraining order to block dividend payments to Albertsons investors related to the $24.6bn merger with Kroger announced in October 2022.

Animal-free dairy: New Culture attracts new funding; Change Foods eyes up Abu Dhabi for new plant: 'There is a massive commercial manufacturing capacity bottleneck in the industry'

04-Nov-2022 By Elaine Watson

Two US-based precision fermentation startups making real dairy ingredients using microbes instead of cows have announced significant developments as they gear up to launch next year in the emerging ‘animal-free dairy’ category.

$IngredientWerks: 'Engineered crop production systems that will enable the creation of custom protein ingredients for the alternative protein markets at a fraction of the cost of what it will take using fermentation...’ Image credit: GettyImages-sstop$

Is it more efficient to make ‘animal-free’ proteins in plants or fermentation tanks? Molecular farming co IngredientWerks emerges from stealth mode

02-Nov-2022 By Elaine Watson

'Molecular farming’ startup IngredientWerks has developed corn varieties that express everything from casein proteins to meaty-tasting heme proteins, in an approach it claims is more efficient than precision fermentation for producing ingredients...

Sugar reduction: Lactase grown directly in milk can create naturally sweet yogurt

27-Oct-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Scientists have found that lactase derived from lactic acid bacterium can be used to produce naturally sweet yogurt, paving the way for the production of flavored yogurt without added sugars.

Reinventing chocolate milk: Triple digit growth for Slate Milk, an 'all natural strength' brand

24-Oct-2022 By Asia Sherman

Three years after its “no deal” television appearance on Shark Tank, Slate Milk has raised over $5m in seed money and continues to expand its shelf-stable ultra-filtered, high-protein, lactose-free chocolate milk footprint.

Plant-based cheese by numbers: Small declines in dollars and units overall, but big variations within category

24-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

SPINS data shared with FoodNavigator-USA ahead of our Futureproofing the Food System virtual summit (Nov 15-17) shows a mixed picture for US retail sales of plant-based cheese, with overall dollar sales down -2.3% to $218.94m and unit sales down -3.6%...

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...

Starbucks to sell Seattle's Best Coffee to Nestlé: 'This is a great day for coffee lovers around the world'

20-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Starbucks plans to sell the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand to Nestlé to allow both companies to focus on their core strengths within their respective coffee portfolios.

Maple Hill president on grass-fed potential, those USDA grants, and why the ultra-filtered zero-sugar line could come back

20-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

While US retail sales of fluid milk have been stubbornly declining despite a brief covid-fueled boost in 2020, we’re still just scratching the surface of the grass-fed dairy opportunity, says Jim Hau, the new president at 100% grass-fed organic dairy...

Kroger to acquire Albertsons for $24.6bn solidifying its position as #2 grocery retailer with 11.8% market share

14-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Supermarket giant Kroger is merging with Albertsons Companies Inc. (Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco), bolstering its position as the second largest food retailer in the US with an estimated 11.8% market share behind Walmart at 17.1%.

Nature’s Fynd dairy-free cream cheese hits Sprouts stores nationwide

12-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

Nature’s Fynd - a startup growing protein-packed food from microbes with a fraction of the environmental footprint of meat or dairy – is rolling out dairy-free cream cheeses to Sprouts nationwide.

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...

Yasso on track to hit $300m in sales in 2023, 'Without question this could be a half billion dollar brand or more,' says CEO

05-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Frozen Greek yogurt brand Yasso has surpassed $200m in retail sales this year, but the real growth is just on the horizon as it embraces its national brand status becoming the #4 frozen novelty at retail and #1 fastest-growing brand across the total...

SlimFast unveils new packaging, ads, intermittent fasting line, to ‘position the brand for a return to growth in 2023’

05-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

As the brand name suggests, none too subtly, SlimFast is a brand you tend to think of when you want to lose weight, fast. But in a food culture where ‘wellness’ is in, ‘dieting’ is out, and even the word ‘slimming’ can make you sound like an ‘80s throwback,...

Introducing the FoodNavigator-USA digital summit: Futureproofing the Food System Nov 15-17

01-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

The western diet – and the food system that underpins it – is becoming increasingly unsustainable, for the health of humans and the planet. So how do we futureproof the food system to deliver healthier, more sustainable products that nourish our bodies...

Who is being hit hardest by inflation? Less-healthy older adults, poll finds

30-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Record-high levels of food inflation are impacting different segments of the population differently, with those over the age of 50 who rate their physical or mental health as 'fair' or 'poor' struggling the most, a recent poll conducted...