Fats & oils

Good PLANeT Foods raises $12m to expand its plant-based cheese empire

26-May-2020 By Elaine Watson

Allergen-friendly plant-based cheese brand GOOD PLANeT Foods has raised $12m in a series A round led by Cleveland Avenue, and supported by GreatPoint Ventures, Tasseo Consumer, Stray Dog Capital, and Lever VC.

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...

Califia Farms unveils Protein Oat, plant-based butter, becomes EBITDA positive as benefits of scale kick in: ‘This is a turning point for our company’

15-May-2020 By Elaine Watson

Califia Farms is moving into new territory with the launch of plant-based butters - its first foray into the fats & oils category - and Protein Oat, a line of plant-based milks with a comparable level of protein to dairy milk per serving.

Calyno better-for-you cooking oil goes direct-to-consumer: ‘Its performance speaks for itself, as does the nutritional profile’

05-May-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plant-based technology company Calyxt has launched a direct-to-consumer site for its high oleic soybean cooking oil, Calyno, which is claimed to have 20% less saturated fat and lower oil absorption (i.e. less greasy finish) than commodity soybean oil.

Mars patents heat-resistant chocolate that maintains taste and shape in hot climates

30-Apr-2020 By Flora Southey

Mars, Inc. has developed a packaged heat-resistant chocolate it says maintains taste, mouthfeel, and shape during transportation and handling in hot climates.

'It was a Monday that America stopped and on Friday we had money in the bank...' Fat Snax closes $4.5m series A funding round

24-Apr-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

As the pandemic unfolds, many investors are hitting pause on cash injections into early-stage brands. But for VC funds BFG Partners and BIGR Ventures, the crisis has made investment decisions more clear in terms of what separates an 'OK' brand...

DSM VP talks vitamin C pricing, supply chain resiliency, and surging demand for vitamin C, A, D, E, B12, B6, and zinc

22-Apr-2020 By Elaine Watson

Nutrition and health ingredients supplier DSM is experiencing significant spikes in demand for vitamin C and other functional ingredients, reflecting higher overall sales of packaged foods and beverages as consumption switches to the home, coupled with...

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...

Survey: Cooking more at home could become the new normal post-pandemic

15-Apr-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

As Americans adjust to home confinement, their confidence in the kitchen has soared with many saying they will carry on with their cooking habits even after the world returns to a new normal, according to a new study by food and beverage communications...

SPINS data shows sustained rise in sales of avocado oil as coconut oil continues to slide

10-Apr-2020 By Elaine Watson

New data from SPINS shows that avocado oil has continued to gain traction with US consumers, with sales in natural and conventional channels combined growing 24% in the year to March 22, 2020 on top of 28% growth the previous year, while coconut oil sales...

Tofurky’s expansion in non-dairy with Moocho shreds, spreads seeks to balance function & taste

07-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

After helping to trailblaze the now wildly popular plant-based meat category, the creators of Tofurky are hoping to work their magic again in the dairy-free cheese segment with the launch of new shreds and spreads under its sister-brand Moocho.

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...

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...

Teens, junk food, and brain health: ‘Adolescence represents a key period of brain development’

11-Mar-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Adolescence is a key window of brain development, and it also happens to be one of the most vulnerable times when it comes to nutrition as teens exercise increased social autonomy and are more prone to making poor food choices, according to new study.