Fruit, vegetable, nut ingredients

Plenty expands leadership team with Impossible Foods hire

15-Jan-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Hydroponic vertical farming company Plenty has hired Impossible Foods VP of sales, Dana Worth, as its SVP of sales to lead the company's next phase of commercial growth.

ZICO founder re-acquires brand from Coca-Cola via PE firm: ‘The cycle has swung back’

14-Jan-2021 By Elaine Watson

Speaking at Expo West in 2015 two years after selling his coconut water brand to Coca-Cola, ZICO founder Mark Rampolla observed that his nine years running the business had been “absolutely brutal.” Six years later, he’s back at the helm, after buying...

Ritual Zero Proof relies on partnerships with Campbell’s V8, others to drive sales without sampling

14-Jan-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

With in store sampling off the table during the pandemic, the non-alcoholic spirits brand Ritual Zero Proof drove “explosive” growth in 2020 and has high hopes for 2021 with help from partnerships with established CPG brands, including most recently Campbell’s...

SuckerPunch Gourmet balances online, instore demands with new look, category-expanding products

13-Jan-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Craft pickle brand SuckerPunch Gourmet’s new look shifts the focus from its iconic prizefighting mascot to the bold flavors and high-quality ingredients that set the brand apart from the competition, while also balancing the visual priorities of in-store...

FreshDirect shares top 2021 food trends fueled by the pandemic

12-Jan-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The trend of home cooking and kitchen creativity, which scores of households exhibited last year will stick around in 2021 solidifying the dining table as the centerpiece of family eating, says New York-based online grocery retailer FreshDirect which...

Outstanding Foods raises $10m Series A round, rolls out new plant-protein puffs

11-Jan-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Outstanding Foods, maker of PigOut Pigless Pork Rinds, has raised $10m in a recent Series A financing round led by existing investor SternAegis Ventures to fuel rapid retail expansion and new production innovation.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Mood boosting beverages, non-alcoholic options rise with ‘sober curious’ movement

11-Jan-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

For many Americans in 2020, pouring a stiff drink at the end of the day – or in the middle of it – was less about socializing with friends and more about coping with the chaos of the pandemic, and while many of the challenges from last year remain – research...

‘Cultural tourism’ opens consumer doors to brands promising global flavors, new experiences in 2021

08-Jan-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumer interest in global flavors and new experiences has skyrocketed during lockdowns as they look for ways to escape the monotony of life at home – creating opportunities for manufacturers to push the flavor envelope or leverage “cultural tourism”...

Indoor farming startup AppHarvest hires Impossible Foods CFO as president

07-Jan-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Ag tech and indoor farming company AppHarvest has appointed Impossible Foods CFO David Lee as president to lead its strategy, sales, marketing and finance, and operations management functions.

Scientists create international definition for fermented food

07-Jan-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

A team of scientists organised by ISAPP has created the first international consensus definition for fermented foods.

Avocados and gut health: Study supports link between daily avocado consumption and increased gut microbiota diversity

06-Jan-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Eating avocado as part of a daily diet may help improve gut health by increasing the abundance and diversity of microbes in the human gut, according to recent research from the University of Illinois (U of I).

Mondelēz acquires Hu Products: 'There's significant opportunity to take Hu to the next level'

05-Jan-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Mondelēz International has acquired full ownership of Hu (pronounced ‘hue’ as in ‘human’) Products, a well-being snack company best known for its premium vegan chocolate bars.

Enspice’s vitamins & mineral fortified spice blends offer ‘peace of mind’ without pills or compromise

21-Dec-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

On a mission to combat childhood malnutrition globally, Enspice Children’s Foundation has launched a line of season and spice blends fortified with plant-based vitamins and minerals to help fill nutrition gaps and raise money to feed children around the...

Golden Ratio takes coffee in new direction, turns ‘water into gold’ with a barely roasted bean

21-Dec-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As a long-time coffee lover, Golden Ratio founder Clark Nowlin was unwilling to forgo the beverage indefinitely even though its acidity caused him digestive discomfort and the “burnt and bitter taste didn’t jive” with his taste buds. When he discovered...

General Mills forecasts increased at-home eating to be 'new normal' post-pandemic

18-Dec-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

General Mills net sales increased 7% to $4.7bn for Q2 2021 as the company continued to benefit from elevated at-home demand for its core brands within its meals & baking and cereal segments, which grew net sales by 9% for the quarter.