Flavors and colors

DouxMatok & Blommer Chocolate bring ‘game changing’ portfolio of sugar-reduced chocolate to US

19-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

DouxMatok, an Israeli firm that is shaking up sugar reduction with patented technology that heightens the perception of sweetness, is teaming with Blommer Chocolate to produce a ‘game changing’ portfolio of chocolate products with significantly less sugar,...

Plant-based investment interest is high among large CPG players, but valuations, deal sizes are dropping

19-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

As demand for plant-based products rises, large players looking for a piece of the action likely will continue to buy their way in, but one market analyst predicts that the checks they will cut and stakes they will take in innovators in the space will...

Zevia doubles down on platform brand vision: 'We're sourcing volume from, candidly, everywhere,' says CEO

18-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Veteran zero-calorie soda brand Zevia is pouring a significant amount of resources into becoming a fully-fledged platform brand with a growing portfolio of products that spans energy drinks, teas, mixers, and kids drinks, said CEO Paddy Spence.

Veganuary gains traction in US – shining a spotlight on areas ripe for plant-based innovation

18-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nearly a third of Americans plan to drop or reduce animal-based products in their diet this month in favor of vegan options as part of Veganuary – a well-established global movement that may still be relatively new in the US, but which still is shining...

Freedom for French dressing – FDA chops standard of identity for quintessential salad topping

17-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

French salad dressing will soon enjoy the same freedom as Italian, Russian and other dressings as FDA prepares to liberate it from a more than half century old standard of identity that the agency says, “no longer promotes honesty and fair dealings in...

Dry January movement grows presenting opportunity for non-alcoholic beverage brands

17-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Many consumers are reporting to take part in Dry January by either abstaining completely or significantly cutting down ('Damp January') on their alcohol consumption for the month, presenting year-long opportunities for the non-alcoholic beverage...

Behave better-for-you gummies satisfy online appetite, move into candy aisle

17-Jan-2022 By Asia Sherman

In its first year, low-sugar candy startup Behave has faced demand-driven stockouts, reformulated with less sugars and expanded into stores across the US.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Innovations in upcycling open door to reach sustainability goals, boost profits

17-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Innovation within the nascent upcycled food and beverage industry is exploding as manufacturers and ingredient suppliers large and small are drawn to the promise of potentially higher profits, a viable path to ambitious sustainability goals and a consumer-friendly...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Synergy Flavors expands R&D and processing facilities

14-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Synergy Flavors has expanded several areas of its Illinois headquarters to support forward-looking flavor innovation and increased customer collaboration, said the company.

‘The meal plan from the future’: SquarEat gives new meaning to a square meal

14-Jan-2022 By Asia Sherman

Foodtech startup SquarEat is reformatting food into 45-gram squares and making its move on the $6.9 billion meal delivery service market in the US.

KeHE predicts: Nuts and grains to watch in the dairy aisle

12-Jan-2022 By Asia Sherman

Oats continue to experience year-over-year gains in the non-dairy revolution, but expect other nuts and grains to push for space in the dairy aisle this year.

News In Brief

Meatless bacon from mycelium could come to a plate near you as Atlast Food Co. teams with Whitecrest Mushrooms to scale production

12-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

New York startup Atlast Food Co. is one step closer to bringing its groundbreaking ‘whole cut’ meatless bacon made from the fibrous roots of mushrooms to the masses thanks to a new partnership with Whitecrest Mushrooms Ltd that will allow it to rapidly...

Hain Celestial seeks acquisitions to become a ‘bigger fish’ in snacks, dairy & meat alternatives

11-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the acquisitions late last month of snack brands ParmCrisps and Thinsters, the Hain Celestial Group is just getting started on a shopping spree that CEO Mark Schiller says will transform the company from a “holding company” with a far-reaching and...

Startup Firebelly Tea hopes to reframe the old paradigm of ‘coffee or tea’ to expand the latter’s reach across consumers, dayparts

10-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

After founding and building DavidsTea to a $200m business that went public in 2015 before leaving the company in 2016, David Segal is at it again with the launch of Firebelly Tea, which aims to make the category more modern, fun and accessible.

Ireland’s Plant-It looks to ‘do good’ in the US, sees potential beyond burger & chicken alternatives

04-Jan-2022 By Asia Sherman

Irish food company Plant-It Foods is preparing to enter the US market this year after debuting its plant-based products at the Plant Based World Expo in New York in December.

New Year’s diet resolutions are back, creating opportunities & challenges for food industry, IFIC finds

04-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier – including cutting back on sugar and alcohol or adopting a new diet – are back in 2022 after many Americans took a hiatus from them last year as they navigated pandemic-related stress, according to new research...

Oterra is building a natural color empire with trio of acquisitions including Food Ingredient Solutions

04-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Natural color supplier Oterra continues its shopping spree as it strives to become a leading force in the highly fragmented food color segment with the acquisitions of Food Ingredient Solutions and Diana Foods – both of which expand its global footprint.

US non-alcoholic beverage brands join together to spur industry forward: 'We're going to see a continual and accelerated evolution of products'

04-Jan-2022 By Rachel Arthur

A collection of alcohol alternative brands have created the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA) in the US: noting ‘one of the largest cultural shifts in decades’ as American consumers become increasingly interested in mindful drinking. The...

NEWS IN BRIEF

ADM acquires Flavor Infusion International expanding reach into Latin America and the Caribbean.

22-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

ADM has acquired Flavor Infusion International, expanding its global reach and capabilities in the high-growth flavor segment.

'We’ve become the big fish in the small pond': Violife leads US plant-based cheese category

22-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Violife has shot to the #1 position by market share of the rapidly growing US plant-based cheese category, aiming to reach the same level of household penetration and consumer acceptance as plant-based milk alternatives, said the company's general...

Three Wishes creates a buzz at breakfast with flavor innovation

22-Dec-2021 By Niamh Michail

Three Wishes, which serves up peas and chickpeas for breakfast in a low-sugar, high-protein cereal, leverages special edition flavors to create a seasonal holiday buzz, says its co-founder.

Atomo’s R&D chief on ingredient formulation, sourcing and sustainability

21-Dec-2021 By Niamh Michail

When are date seeds, grape skins and chicory root a drink? When they’ve been roasted, extracted and turned into ‘molecular coffee’. Atomo’s head of innovation talks about ingredient formulation, sourcing and sustainability.

CarobWay promises ‘long-term supply solution’ for locust bean gum market

20-Dec-2021 By Niamh Michail

With locust bean gum at record-high prices, many brands are looking for replacements. However, Israeli player CarobWay says it is combining advanced ag-tech with traditional knowledge to identify and cultivate high gum carob varieties that will alleviate...

From comforting to escapism and healthy to indulgent, the pandemic continues to influence flavors

16-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Fear and frustration related to the ongoing pandemic will continue to shape flavor preferences in 2022 with consumers gravitating to taste profiles that signal health benefits, hint at escape to far away lands, offer comfort or promise something new,...

Firmenich: Consumers are hungry for more interesting and complex flavors in botanical form

15-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Botanicals continue to be a strong force for new food and beverage product development as many consumers regard the category of ingredients as healing and revitalizing, according to global fragrance and taste company Firmenich, which named “Magical Botanical’...

Campbell Soup Co. seeks larger slice of $151b US snack category with innovation, C-store distribution

15-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the $151 billion US snack business projected to grow 3% to 4% in the next 12 months, Campbell Soup Co. is adopting an aggressive multi-prong strategy to increase its share while simultaneously increasing and sustaining its margins by double digits.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Cracking coffee’s code to optimize quality, environmental resiliency & equity

13-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

More than 2 billion cups of coffee are consumed a day, fueling a retail market worth more $450 billion that supports 125 million people, including more than 12 million small holder farmers, most of whom are completely blind to the quality of their crops...

‘There is still a lot of unresponsiveness or vague statements…’ Supply chain woes add to compliance challenge with bioengineered food disclosure standard

09-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

With the Jan. 1, 2022 deadline for compliance with the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) fast approaching, many companies are still struggling with compliance, even at this incredibly late stage, say industry sources.

Campbell Soup Co. raises prices, reinforces workforce as it braces for ‘tough’ quarter, but ‘solid’ full-year

09-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Campbell Soup Co. is banking on another round of price-increases next month, persistent consumer demand and a recently bolstered workforce to help it overcome lower than expected sales in the first quarter and a ‘tough’ upcoming second quarter to ultimately...

Baking trends in 2022: From fun confetti and sparkles to balanced nutrition for people and the planet

09-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Move over sourdough, a new era of baking is rising in 2022 that focuses less on practicality and austerity and more on decadence, extraordinary experiences, celebration and holistic well-being, according to industry insiders.

Motif FoodWorks launches HEMAMI heme-binding protein delivering the ‘flavor and aroma of real meat,' receives GRAS no questions letter from FDA

08-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

HEMAMI – a much-anticipated meaty flavor Motif FoodWorks reckons could be a game changer in the meat alternatives arena by delivering the flavor and aroma of the real thing - is now commercially available for large-scale distribution to customers.

Investing in the Future of Food: Dessert boards rise as top trend with ‘unlimited marketing potential’

08-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the holiday season in full swing, Americans who are looking for safe ways to celebrate with friends and family increasingly are turning to dessert boards – a flexible, emerging trend that Dawn Foods says meets evolving consumer demands, has ‘unlimited...

Fruit, botanical, and fresh flavors dominate 2022 flavor trends, says Beck Flavors

02-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Fruit, botanical, and fresh flavors will drive new product innovation in 2022 as consumers continue to seek out immune-boosting food and beverages, predicts Beck Flavors.

Plant-based ice cream 2.0? Eclipse Foods buoyed by ‘incredible’ early data from Whole Foods

28-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

Eclipse Foods – a plant-based brand on a mission to replicate the taste and functionality of conventional dairy rather than building a brand around ‘hero’ ingredients such as oat, almond or coconut – says early data from Whole Foods suggests its strategy...

Culture Pop founder: Fun and functionality are driving a new sub-category in soda

18-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

From Olipop, Poppi and Mayawell to Health-Ade Pop, Live Soda and Revive, a new category is beginning to emerge in the soda aisle promising fun and functionality, says beverage industry veteran Tom First, who is throwing his hat into the ring again with...

Study: Diet rich in fermented foods can increase gut microbiome diversity and immune response

15-Nov-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

A diet rich in fermented foods such as kimchi, cottage cheese, and kefir can enhance the diversity of gut microbes and reduce molecur signs of inflammation, say researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine.

Michroma takes fungal food colors platform to pilot scale to produce pH-stable, heat-stable natural red

12-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

Michroma – a startup building a production platform for natural food colors from fungi – has advanced to pilot-scale production of a heat-stable vibrant red colorant it claims can give synthetic dyes a serious run for their money when it comes to performance...

Dream Pops to enter candy aisle: 'There's no reason there shouldn't be a plant-based confectionery brand'

11-Nov-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Dream Pops will be expanding outside of frozen desserts and novelties and entering the shelf-stable confectionery category with a line of plant-based products to compete with the likes of Hershey, Mars, and Ferrero, says founder and CEO David Greenfeld....

Comfort with a twist: Specialty Food Association spotlights 5 food trends for 2022

09-Nov-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Consumers' pursuit of comforting foods with a slight twist in flavor, ingredients, and nutritional benefits will drive the majority growth of the $170.4bn specialty food industry in 2022, according to the Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter...

‘Gone are the days of gritty protein smoothies with a grainy aftertaste…’ Animal-free egg protein from The EVERY Co debuts in Pressed smoothie

09-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

'Animal-free’ protein startup The EVERY Company - has teamed up with cold-pressed juice brand Pressed to road test its highly soluble, "nearly invisible" egg protein EVERY ClearEgg, its second product produced via precision fermentation...

WATCH TODAY: Our Food For Kids Summit explores the challenges & opportunities of early childhood nutrition

09-Nov-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Parents and caregivers crave information about how best to feed their children, and while they have a lot of resources available via the Internet, health care providers, peer groups and brand marketing – they aren’t always sure what to trust or where...

Is Coca-Cola’s acquisition of BodyArmor enough to topple PepsiCo’s Gatorade from the top slot?

02-Nov-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Coca-Cola Co. appears to be making a run for the pole position in the fast-growing sports performance and hydration category with the $5.6bn acquisition of the remaining stake of BodyArmor announced yesterday – but is the deal enough to topple PepsiCo’s...

Developing a premium strawberry flavor... Is controlled environment agriculture the answer?

28-Oct-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Flavor experts or even astute consumers will say that biting into a strawberry can taste very different depending on where, when, and how it was grown, such as in a wild or commercial setting.

Mainstream adoption of Mexican flavors paves the way for more variety from other Latin American cuisine

27-Oct-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

As Mexican flavors settle into mainstream US culture, flavor and fragrance innovator T. Hasegawa predicts that Americans, especially Millennials and Gen Xers, are ready to try other Latin American cuisines and more nuanced and complex flavor profiles...

ADM’s chief flavorist talks flavor in plant-based meat and seafood, and losing her sense of smell thanks to COVID-19: ‘There was a little bit of, Oh dear, this isn't good…’

26-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

Losing your sense of smell and taste - a common side effect of COVID-19 – is pretty unsettling for anyone, but if your job is chief global flavorist at one of the world’s leading ingredients companies, you could be forgiven for experiencing some existential...

FoodBytes! Pitch final 15 focus on scalable, environmentally-friendly solutions to increase nutrition

26-Oct-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

With an eye towards identifying technologies and innovations that “exemplify the new food economy” by offering scalable solutions that increase nutrition with minimal environmental impact, FoodBytes! by Rabobank has winnowed down from 45 global startups...

Where next for seafood alternatives? Join Aqua Cultured Foods, New Wave Foods, Good Catch, Mission Plant and the GFI on Weds 27 for webinar

22-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

From Nestle's vegan 'Vrimp' in Europe to Good Catch's crab cakes on trial at Long John Silver's in the US, many players believe plant-based seafood represents a significant untapped opportunity in a sector dominated by beef, pork...

NotCo founder: ‘Why are we doing a ‘barista’ version of plant-based milk? There’s no ‘barista version’ of dairy milk’

21-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

If plant-based dairy is going to go truly mainstream, brands need to reach consumers that right now, are not engaging in the category at all, says Santiago-based NotCo, which says most people don’t want to buy three different plant-based milks for different...

Introducing the 4th Food For Kids Summit: How are new guidelines, emerging research and evolving trends reshaping children’s diets and the marketplace?

20-Oct-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Beginning at conception and continuing through first bites to afterschool snacks and beyond, nutrition plays a pivotal role in children’s brain development, emotional lives, and long-term health – but all too often they aren’t getting all the nutrients...

Cometeer re-engineers the at-home coffee experience

19-Oct-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Fresh off closing its Series B $35m funding round, Cometeer is introducing more coffee drinkers to a new way of making barista-quality coffee at home with flash-frozen, dissolvable pucks of brewed coffee.