Fruit, vegetable, nut ingredients

‘We believe consumer demand for healthier choices is there’: PepsiCo expands its use of diverse ingredients

24-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Ingredients such as whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and plant-based protein are highly nutritious. Snacks major PepsiCo, in its shift towards expanding its ‘diverse ingredients’ portfolio, plans to produce products containing...

Heali’s food-as-medicine platform to improve nutrition, food access for consumers, businesses

21-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

With $3M in seed funding from Astanor Ventures, Heali plans to expand its personalized nutrition services for consumers and patients with chronic illnesses through its database of evidence-based nutrition research, while developing a larger presence with...

Futureproofing the Food System

Will ‘healthy’ iconography help consumers select better options?

17-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

While the FDA is updating its current definition of healthy and exploring voluntary iconography for packaging, the term means many different things to many different people, which could complicate the impact of the icon and product marketing, suggests...

[On-demand event] Building resilient supply chains from seed to field and ‘farm gate to dinner plate’

17-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Food and beverage companies need to take a holistic view of their agriculture and logistic processes to create resilient supply chains that can weather sudden and drastic challenges, a panel of experts shared during FoodNavigator-USA’s Futureproofing...

Futureproofing the Food System

Building a defensible vertical farm is more than technology

16-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Vertical farms promise to produce climate-resilient crops devoid of pesticides and fertilizers while reducing reliance on natural resources in contrast to traditional agriculture. Yet with the more recent failures of vertical farms due to high energy...

Futureproofing the Food System

[Watch-on-demand] “Your AI is going to be as good as your data”

16-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Understanding how to identify and leverage useful data into a consistent and predictive algorithm is critical for a nimble and productive business strategy. How can businesses across the food sector—from ingredient discovery and product development to...

Futureproofing The Food System

Watch on demand: What will it take to win over prescribers, insurers to food-as-medicine movement?

16-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the concept of “food as medicine” gains traction, doctors, dietitians and insurers already active in the space are keen to distinguish the difference between “better-for-you” products and those proven to effect a health change and therefore worthy...

Futureproofing The Food System

Watch on demand: Can cellular agriculture, precision fermentation and molecular farming deliver on the promise for more sustainable proteins?

15-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite notable advances in alternative protein production in 2023, including clearing regulatory hurdles, increasing capacity and expanding distribution, the segment faces significant hurdles, including questions about safety, sales and its ability to...

PepsiCo awards CHUZA winner of Greenhouse Accelerator Program Juntos Crecemos edition

13-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

PepsiCo awared snack brand CHUZA the grand prize for the Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos edition, as the startup plans to use the award money to expand distribution across the US, brand founder and CEO Daniel Schwarz told FoodNavigator-USA....

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How plant-based players can ensure steady, long-term growth

13-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Contrary to high-profile headlines about sliding sales of meat alternatives, consumer demand for plant-based products across categories continues to climb, but for the segment to reach its full potential – and continue expanding its consumer base – new...

Futureproofing the Food System

Watch this week: FoodNavigator-USA’s digital summit explores trends in food-tech, food as medicine and the circular economy

13-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

This week, join FoodNavigator-USA and stakeholders across the supply chain, including Eat Just, The Hartman Group, Oishii, NotCo, Instacart, NIQ, Consumer Brands Association, FMI – The Food Industry Association, Cargill and more for our three-day Futureproofing...

Spilling the tea (and coffee) on natural beverage trends

10-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The functional and perceived health benefits of tea and coffee paired with their familiarity and diverse usage occasions across dayparts make them ideal platforms for beverage manufacturers to meet consumers’ evolving preferences for indulgence, health...

Consumers expect to pay more for holiday meals, continue seeking convenience from grocery retailers

10-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Thanksgiving retail is expected to see a more judicious consumer who expects to pay more this year and will seek more deals while retailers can expand food service departments with semi and fully-prepared meals to complement the majority of consumers...

Me vs. others, status vs. group: The values that drive alternative meat consumption

06-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Why do people buy meat alternatives? A new study reveals that values focused on one’s relationship to a group, such as ‘self-transcendence’, are far more likely to influence their decision to buy meat alternatives than ‘self-focused’ values such as a...

Developing markets will lead the next wave of chocolate and nut growth: ofi

03-Nov-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The humble hazelnut is poised to tap into a host of new applications, trends and markets, says ingredients giant ofi (olam food ingredients).

Food remains an issue of concern globally as food insecurity persists, suggests survey

03-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Food insecurity persists as a major problem around the world. A survey conducted by Stack Data Strategy on behalf of campaign Hungry for Action shows that concerns about the ‘supply and price of food’ consistently remains a priority among the population...

Futureproofing the Food System

Exploring how consumers define ‘healthy’ through dietary patterns

02-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Consumers’ relationship with food continues to evolve through diets that target more specific needs while simultaneously shifting how they define healthy, according to results from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Food and Health survey.

Futureproofing the Food System

What are the benefits of using data to improve nutrition and food accessibility?

01-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The food industry uses a variety of data collection methods to improve the food system and reduce diet-related illnesses by providing access to fresh and healthy food.

Fresh Blends’ self-serve beverage platform addresses c-store waste and labor

01-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Operators implementing Fresh Blends’ self-serve frozen beverage units into their stores “don’t have to worry about prepping or cross contamination or waste,” explained Adam Rains, national program director, Fresh Blends, to FoodNavigator-USA. The company...

Futureproofing the Food System

Indoor farming’s moment of truth

30-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Vertical farms promised to reduce the distance traveled and environmental impact of food to get from farm to plate – and in doing so offer consumers fresher, more nutritious options and retailers more stable supply and a better ESG proposition. But with...

Nelson-Jameson's new partnerships target plant-based market

27-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Food processing distributor, Nelson-Jameson, partners with Vaess and Lallemand Specialty Cultures (LSC) in response to growing customer demand for plant-based and hybrid products.

No-guilt messages, colour-coded packaging and adaptogens: Snacking trends for 2024

27-Oct-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe

Health and wellbeing remain at the forefront of snack marketing, with guilt-free pleasures, plant-based options, traditional flavours and adaptogenic ingredients expected to lead the sector into the new year.

GUEST ARTICLE

Industry Insights from NIZO: Great flavour without compromise for plant-based food

26-Oct-2023 By René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager

To successfully launch a plant-based product onto the market today, businesses have to go above and beyond in flavour to stand out. How can a new, more holistic flavour approach put an end to organoleptic compromise?

Burlap & Barrel’s direct sourcing model, single origin spices offer unexpected and regional twists on familiar flavors that appeal to new & established home cooks

26-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

While Burlap & Barrel’s farm to kitchen model for its single origin spices may appear simple compared to traditional spice supply chains that are peppered with middlemen zig-zagging across regions and cultures, the process of establishing a direct...

MyFoodPlanit's all-in-one meal planning addresses nutrition customization

24-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Driven by a growing number of consumers addressing their specific and changing nutrition concerns, MyFoodPlanit launched its all-in-one meal planning and nutrition tracking platform earlier this month, Ryan Chapman, CEO and founder, told FoodNavigator-USA...

Brightseed’s Bio Gut Fiber sourced from upcycled hemp hulls, supports gut health

24-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Bio Gut Fiber is a result of Brightseeds’ AI-driven platform, Forager, which discovered the unique bioactives from hemp hulls to fortify the gut lining, Alina Slotnik, VP bioactives, Brightseed, explained to FoodNavigator-USA.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Instacart Health bridges stakeholders to foster food as medicine movement

23-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Good food is the foundation for good health, but according to the US Department of Agriculture 10% of Americans, or approximately 33.8 million people, don’t have reliable access to healthy nutrition – a sobering statistic that online grocery technology...

Futureproofing the Food System

How AI and digital transformation are influencing the food and beverage industry

23-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Manufacturers and retailers are improving their technology stack through digital transformation strategies and AI to improve operations and address historical food and beverage challenges from ingredient shortages and reformulations to predicting current...

Alaska Airlines partners with Stumptown Coffee for in-flight service and select airport lounges

20-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The recent partnership between Alaska Airlines and Stumptown Coffee features a custom coffee blend brewed specifically for high altitudes and highlights the airlines’ collaboration with West Coast-based food and beverage brands.

Eight crops endangered by climate change

19-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

From staple crops like potatoes and maize, to cash crops for wealthier customers like cocoa and coffee, climate change is having a widespread impact on global agricultural production.

National Association for Convenience Stores

Blending convenience, novelty and flavors at NACS’ Cool New Products snack showcase

18-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Never-before-seen alternative snacks, energy drinks and frozen packaged snacks dubuted at the National Association for Convenience Stores’ Cool New Products expo Oct. 3-6 in Atlanta, Ga.

‘It is crucial for consumer acceptance’: Replacing animal fats in plant-based food

18-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

While with any food, ‘taste is king,’ texture is also extremely important, especially in products aiming to mimic meat. For optimal texture, many manufacturers argue, animal fats, which contribute significantly to the texture of real meat, must be replicated...

Natural Products Expo East

Upcycling industry seeks mobile technology, government support to bolster growth

18-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

As brands ramp-up innovation to meet burgeoning consumer interest in upcycled products, industry stakeholders must overcome sourcing hurdles by modifying the supply chain from what the Upcycled Food Association describes as a “linear progression where...

‘This stuff is so abundant’: The benefits of using side streams in food production

17-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Using side streams in food production has a wide range of benefits. They can help cut down on the environmental impact of operations. They are neglected but often highly nutritious. Lastly, because of the breadth of food companies who have side streams,...

Futureproofing the Food System: What will it take to deliver on the promise of alternative proteins?

17-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Between FDA and USDA greenlighting the sale of cultivated chicken in the US, the ground-breaking of a large-scale precision fermentation facilities and advances in molecular farming, 2023 has been a banner year for novel protein production. But the path...

Willingness to pay more for fresh food could hinge on health, sustainability beneits

12-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers are willing to pay a premium for fresh food to reap perceived health benefits, but rumblings from shoppers and retailers alike that suppliers have raised prices higher than necessary to offset inflation could portend a negative shift in elasticity...

National Association for Convenience Stores

Perfect Hydration aligns with fitness industry, features brand refresh at NACS

11-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

To standout in a saturated category, Perfect Hydration highlights its functionality and recycling initiative as part of a brand refresh unveiled during the National Association for Convenience Stores in Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 3-6.

National Association for Convenience Stores

C-store consumer habits: balancing impulse purchases with nuanced usage occasions

11-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

C-stores can attract and retain customers who are looking for a quick and easy meal or snack by offering a variety of fresh and convenient food options, as well as bundling deals that offer discounts on popular products, Kathy Risch SVP, shopper insights...

VWS Pathfinder 2023 pitch competition announces top 10 finalists

10-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The virtual pitch competition on Nov. 1, 2023 is an opportunity for women founders in the plant-based and animal-free industries to gain more visibility and funding.

The effect of masculine marketing on vegan diets

09-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

One of the most pervasive cultural perceptions around food consumption in general is that eating meat is for men and that, conversely, veganism is feminine. A new study explores whether reframing vegan dishes through masculine marketing alters men’s conception,...

Natural Products Expo East

Plant Based Foods Association launches consumer marketing initiative to fuel growth, address ‘considerable challenges’

05-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

The diversity, availability and sales of plant-based foods continue to grow, despite the high-profile struggles of meat alternatives, and as they do, the Plant Based Foods Association is preparing to lead stakeholders into the next phase of the industry’s...

Join us next week for FoodNavigator-USA's digital Futureproofing the Food System Nov. 14-16

03-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

To feed a global population of 10bn people by 2050 we need to produce more food in the next 40 years than we have in the past 8,000 years, but as illustrated by the Green Revolution simply increasing available calories isn’t the answer – they need to...

JM Smucker reduces GHG emissions by 93%, outlines next steps for sustainability goals

02-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

JM Smucker, the maker of Folgers, Dunkin', Café Bustelo, Jif and Smucker's Uncrustables, is making strides towards its efforts to reduce energy and water use, improve renewable and recyclable packaging and reach zero waste targets -- but it...

Former FDA Frank Yiannas to bring multidimensional risk assessment to Revol Greens as safety advisor

29-Sep-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Frank Yiannas, former deputy commissioner for food policy and response at FDA, will join Revol Greens as an advisor for food safety with oversight of the company’s food safety practices, including engineering solutions and engaging smart agricultural...

Can chilled children’s nutrition brand Once Upon a Farm do for snack bars what it did for baby food?

28-Sep-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

With this week’s launch of three Refrigerated Oat Bars, children’s nutrition brand Once Upon a Farm is hoping to do for children’s snack bar category what it did for baby food in 2015 when it debuted its high-pressure-processed baby food in pouches merchandized...

Plant-based meat shows promise for reducing cardiovascular risk factor

27-Sep-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Consuming plant-based meat, rather than its conventional counterpart from animals, is correlated with a “significant drop” in an emerging cardiovascular risk factor in a small study funded by an unrestricted gift from Beyond Meat and presented last week...

Bridging the gap between conventional meat and alternative proteins

27-Sep-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Alternative proteins offer myriad potential solutions to curb the effects of climate change and public health risks, while creating space for partnerships with corporate meat producers, panelists said during the Good Food Conference last week in a session...

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