Fats & oils

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Baby food doesn’t have an ‘added sugar problem’ it has a ‘too much sugar’ problem

03-Aug-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s recent recommendations that children under 2 years avoid all added sugar to ensure they consume the nutrients they need without excessive caloric intake may not go far enough to drive a significant change in...

IPO: Pasture-raised egg co Vital Farms goes public, plans moves into new categories

31-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Vital Farms - which launched with 20 hens in Austin, Texas, in 2007 and is now the #1 pasture-raised egg and butter brand in the US and the #2 egg brand in retail dollar sales with products in 13,000 stores – is going public today.

SHIFT20: ‘Keto really did just explode last year…’

30-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Maintaining a metabolic state of ketosis requires a level of discipline that’s pretty hard to sustain; however, the high fat, moderate protein and ultra-low carb keto diet is nevertheless exerting a growing influence on new product development across...

‘At first it seemed like science fiction…’ Cell-cultured meat startup Artemys Foods emerges from stealth mode

28-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

San Leandro-based Artemys Foods – one of the latest startups to emerge from stealth mode in the nascent cell-cultured (a.k.a cell-based, cultivated) meat arena – aims to launch its first prototype, a hybrid burger combining cell-based meat and fat with...

O’dang Foods launches egg-free mayo alternative: 'We’ve reached a different level of experimentation with folks,' says CEO

24-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

O’dang Foods has entered the niche category of plant-based mayonnaise offering consumers an egg-free alternative made with 20% chickpea protein and broth (a.k.a. aquafaba), creating a better-for-you alternative to traditional mayonnaise.

Industry urgently needs standards for avocado oil as study highlights scope of oxidation, adulteration

18-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

A recent study showing that four out of five samples of commercially available avocado oils were either rancid or adulterated generated a few negative headlines, but probably passed most consumers by. But it should serve as a wake-up call for industry,...

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...

FoodStory Brands embraced digital rebates to offer financial relief while driving sales, foot traffic during pandemic

10-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

In the early days of the pandemic when many retailers suspended in-store promotions to focus on stocking shelves, Arizona-based FoodStory Brands turned to online third-party deal vendors to offer digital rebates to consumers who rely on sales to fill...

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...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Food System 6, Huhtamaki team to launch Circular Economy Startup Program

06-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has exposed many vulnerabilities and inequities in the current food system, ranging from supply chain fragility to worker safety, it also is opening minds – and doors – to promising sustainability solutions brought...

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...

SHIFT20: Collagen gains popularity in functional foods, especially bars, sports nutrition & beverage powders

30-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Once primarily restricted to dietary supplements or powders used primarily by the most dedicated fans for at-home DIY smoothies or drink enhancers, collagen is now one of the fastest growing ingredients in the functional food space with countless applications...

SHIFT20: Brands rediscovered during pandemic may need updated, clean labels to keep new shoppers, says DDW

30-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

To keep consumers who discovered center-of-the-store products during the early pantry-stocking days of the pandemic from reverting to their pre-coronavirus shopping preferences, brands that have not already done so should update formulas and labels quickly...

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,...

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.

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...

Serenity Kids: ‘Everyone had said we were on a rocket ship, and now we are finding out they were right’

18-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Dreams of a startup taking off like a rocket ship with broad distribution, strong sales and widespread brand recognition can quickly become a nightmare if entrepreneurs don’t first have in place effective strategies for hiring, financial management and...

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....

BIOMILQ raises $3.5m to fund mammary cell-cultured human breastmilk platform, disrupt infant nutrition market

16-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

BIOMILQ – a startup producing breastmilk by culturing human mammary cells - has raised $3.5m to meet the needs of the four fifths of women who transition to dairy-based formula before the recommended six-month exclusivity period for breastfeeding, but...

Fat alternative Epogee gains traction: ‘The low-fat ship sailed 25 years ago... this is not about low fat, it’s about caloric reduction’

12-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

EPG (brand name: Epogee) – a new plant-based oil that has been restructured in such a way that virtually none of it is absorbed by the body – is attracting interest from formulators across the food industry, as firms see an opportunity to make significant...

Miyoko’s fires back at State of California over plant-based butter labels: ‘We’re operating under a cloud of fear’

09-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Miyoko’s has upped the ante in its legal dispute with the State of California over the use of the term ‘butter’ on a plant-based product, urging the court to issue a preliminary injunction against state ag officials, who it claims are violating its First...

Hooray Foods takes its allergy-friendly plant-based bacon to the retail market

07-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

San Francisco-based startup Hooray Foods – which launched its allergy-friendly vegan bacon (no soy or wheat) in restaurants late last year – is now in talks with retailers looking to expand their plant-based meat set.

New technology could improve, taste, texture, nutrition of plant-based meat and dairy, claims Motif FoodWorks

02-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

New technology could reduce saturated fat and significantly improve the taste and texture of plant-based meat and dairy products, claims Motif FoodWorks, which is working on a variety of ingredients to make these foods more “craveable.”

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How do fad diets & personalized nutrition influence the obesity epidemic?

01-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even before the threat of the “quarantine 15” – or the idea that some Americans are at risk of packing on 15 pounds during the pandemic due to stress-baking, mindless snacking and reduced physical activity – the rate of obesity in America has been stubbornly...

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.

Beyond Meat rolls out frozen breakfast sausage patties, addresses pricing in plant-based meat sector

11-Mar-2020 By Elaine Watson

The latest innovation from Beyond Meat – the Beyond Breakfast Sausage - will hit the frozen breakfast meat section at ACME, Albertsons, Key Foods, Kings, Pavilions, Raley’s, ShopRite, Vons, Wegmans and Whole Foods later this month.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Prinova and Open Book Extracts partner on CBD product development

09-Mar-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Ingredients supplier Prinova has entered a partnership with CBD ingredient manufacturer, Open Book Extracts, to launch a line of water-soluble CBD ingredients.

'Incremental steps to be more eco-friendly': NadaMoo! unveils sugarcane-based packaging

05-Mar-2020 By Niamh Michail

Plant-based ice cream maker NadaMoo! is launching a new-look pint carton made from a more sustainably sourced sugarcane-based bioplastic.

Kite Hill enters plant-based butter category as SPINS unveils new data on plant-based dairy market

04-Mar-2020 By Elaine Watson

Kite Hill – best known for its dairy-free cheeses, yogurts, dips, and filled pastas – is expanding into a new category with a plant-based butter alternative featuring almondmilk as the #2 ingredient, that will launch nationally in Whole Foods this summer....

JBS enters plant-based meat arena via Planterra Foods with OZO brand

03-Mar-2020 By Elaine Watson

Meat giant JBS is making a big push into the plant-based meat arena via a new subsidiary – Boulder, CO-based Planterra Foods – which will make its debut in grocery stores across the US in mid-April with refrigerated burgers, grounds, and meatballs under...

WATCH Beanfields CEO: ‘‘There’s a lot of crunch, a lot of noise, then big bold flavor as you bite through’

28-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

With the term ‘bean chips’ now dropped from its logo, the Beanfields brand could expand into multiple areas of the snacks aisle – and even beyond – says CEO Arnulfo Ventura, who caught up with FoodNavigator-USA at last month’s Winter Fancy Food Show....

Investing in the Future of Food: YoFiit teams with Food-X to find white space in non-dairy milk

26-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As consumer demand for and sales of non-dairy milk alternatives continue to climb, so too are the number of players and variety of products in the space – making it more difficult for newcomers to standout unless, like Canadian-based YoFiit, they offer...

Dang Foods rebrands as ‘Asian-American’ snack brand, posts 54% surge in revenues in 2019

18-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Dang Foods – the snack brand behind the #1 selling nutrition bar in Whole Foods in 2019 – has unveiled new packaging, a new logo and marketing initiatives positioning itself as an ‘Asian-American snack brand.’

Keto diet best in small doses, suggests mouse study

17-Feb-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Touted as an effective weight loss regimen, the keto diet has gone from niche to mainstream, with CPG products clamoring to align themselves with the trend. But are its immediate results outweighed by longer-term negative effects?

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