Fruit, vegetable, nut ingredients

Why PepsiCo is backing the $2bn Kamala Harris-led effort to empower women in agriculture

11-Oct-2024 By Gill Hyslop

The snacking giant – along with other global giants – has committed to a $2bn initiative aimed at advancing gender equality and sustainability in agricultural supply chains. But can this ambitious collaboration truly reshape the future of agriculture...

Reformulation is rife in F&B but consumers aren't sold yet

11-Oct-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Brands are reformulating to improve nutritional value and reduce or remove ‘unhealthy’ ingredient levels. But this is not always a vote winner with customers. Why?

DGAC: Diets high in plant-based foods are moderately linked towards reducing illness

10-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Although the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) did not find strong evidence between dietary patterns and disease risk, some age-related cognitive health issues and breast cancer are moderately linked to diet.

Coffee consumption may decrease body fat and increase muscle mass

08-Oct-2024 By Olivia DeSmit

Participants who consumed three cups of coffee per day for 12 weeks had lower body fat percentages and higher muscle mass percentages, according to a recent study.

From orange juice to cocoa powder: T. Hasegawa addresses supply-chain issues with replacers

08-Oct-2024 By Ryan Daily

T. Hasegawa’s orange juice and cocoa powder replacers provide CPG companies with alternatives to these highly sought-after ingredients, as the flavor house focuses on research and development of alternative ways to deliver authentic taste experiences...

Policymakers call on Coca-Cola, General Mills, PepsiCo to address pricing practices

07-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Letters sent by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.) to the CEOs of Coca-Cola, General Mills and PepsiCo express concern over pricing and tax practices that, according to the policy makers, “squeeze profits out...

How food and drink is finally putting women's health before men

07-Oct-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Women’s health continues to grow as a hot food and drink topic, with brands exploiting the increasing NPD opportunities available

DGAC highlights nutritional disparities from latest dietary guidelines review

04-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Removing animal-based and carbohydrate-containing products and other food groups can lead to significant nutrient deficiencies, according to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC).

Startup Spotlight

Beekeeper Coffee taps into youth culture to build its RTD honey-sweetened coffee

03-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Beekeeper Coffee's co-founders leveraged their extensive brand-building expertise from giants like Nike and Beats by Dre to stand out in the crowded RTD coffee market with a distinct honey-sweetened brew, emphasizing authenticity and sustainability...

Babylife Organics rebuilds trust in baby food category with transparency, regen ag focus

01-Oct-2024 By Ryan Daily

Babylife Organics is reducing the levels of heavy metals in baby food by carefully sourcing ingredients and committing to certified regenerative organic processes while providing caregivers an easy way to check arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury levels...

Texas district court greenlights plant-based labeling lawsuit

30-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The United States District Court of the Western District of Texas will allow to proceed a lawsuit filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Good Food Institute on behalf of Tofurky that challenges a 2023 Texas law that imposes additional labeling...

Suja Organic makes ‘every sip count’ with rebrand focused on transparency, flavor, function

26-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

Suja Life rebranded its line of Suja Organic cold-pressed juices and wellness shots to simplify the product’s functionality and flavors as the company grows into more occasions and dayparts with its acquisition of soda brand Slice.

milkdamia shrinks packaging for its oat milk using 2-D printing technology

16-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

milkadamia’s flat-pack oat milk, a format made from a proprietary 2-D printing process that takes oat paste and prints it out in sheets, has potential to cut down on packaging waste and carbon emissions due to lighter shipping weights, according to milkadamia’s...

Crisis timeline: How the cost of olive oil went from affordable to astronomical

16-Sep-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Olive oil prices are spiralling out of control, leaving manufactures and consumers wondering how much higher they can possibly go. But how did the crisis start, where is it headed, and what’s next?

Bolthouse Fresh Foods debuts new look, innovations for carrot business following split from juices, dressings

13-Sep-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Carrot producer Bolthouse Fresh Foods has a new name, look and product lineup that celebrates the convenience and versatility of its star ingredient following the company’s split from the juice and salad dressing business with which it previously joined...

How climate change is impacting food commodities

13-Sep-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

How is the food and beverage industry responding to the need to make its supply chains more sustainable? Find out at Climate Smart Food 2024.

Startup Spotlight

Ayo Foods’ expansion reflects a growing ‘cultural movement’ among consumers and retail

12-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

West African frozen meal and sauce brand Ayo Foods’ expanded from 200 retail doors to more than 20 retailers nationwide through a combination of cold calling and working with brokers to land shelf space.

ADM on the farm: Building regenerative agriculture builds business opportunities

12-Sep-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a powerful marketing concept with recent research by ingredient supplier ADM revealing most consumers familiar with the tenets are more likely to trust and buy from brands that support the practice.

Letter from the editor: How is rising demand for global flavors influencing innovation & ingredient sourcing?

12-Sep-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Long gone are the days when salt and pepper were sufficient seasonings for most Americans – now US consumers want bold flavors that will take their tastebuds on a global adventure, giving rise to a new class of frozen meals, sauces, spice blends and even...

‘Tajin is what sriracha was a couple of years ago,’ Imbibe flavorist on global tastes impacting RTD beverages

12-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

With more adventurous palates, consumers today are seeking a wide range of sweet and spicy flavors — and sometimes both — for their beverages, bringing more globally inspired tastes like Tajin, horchata and popular Asian fruit flavors like honeydew to...

Sauces, condiments, spices bring global flavors to consumers’ kitchens

12-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Sauces, condiments and spices are offering consumers convenient ways to experiment with global flavors at home, as the seasoning category becomes one of the fastest-growing in specialty foods, driven by the rise in home cooking and the demand for bold,...

Lantana Foods aligns with eco, health trends in hummus rebrand

11-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Lantana Foods’ hummus rebrand features a bolder label and fully recyclable packaging to align with health-forward and environmentally conscious consumers.

Lil Bucks raises $3m in Series A funding to fuel retail growth, product innovation

10-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

Sprouted buckwheat food brand Lil Bucks secured $3 million in Series A funding in a round led by Proterra Investment Partners, following measures to extend its runway amid continued capital-raising challenges, company founder and CEO Emily Griffith told...

‘Tons of opportunity’ for plant-based milk in schools, Silk SVP says

09-Sep-2024 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Kallie Goodwin, senior vice-president of Silk, tells us why Danone North America wants to increase access to plant-based milk alternatives in US schools.

Fresh Inset’s packaging technology aims to reduce food waste, improve produce longevity on shelves

06-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

European tech company Fresh Inset introduces its Vidre+ Complex application in the US, which is designed to extend produce freshness, quality, appearance and nutrient value, without disrupting brands’ existing packaging systems or their supply chain,...

USDA survey underscores critical role of federal program in reducing US food insecurity

06-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Despite a majority (86.5%) of US households reporting they felt food secure for the entirety of 2023, government food assistance programs are critical to ensure the remaining 13.5% (18 million) households have access to healthy foods, according to a USDA...

Watch this week: Explore better-for-you trends in beverage, including low- and no-sugar, in upcoming FoodNavigator-USA webinar

04-Sep-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the US functional beverage market expands, consumers are looking for more from their drinks – including energy to fuel their activities, added electrolytes to support hydration and vitamins to boost their immunity as well as emotional and mental support...

AI helps companies navigate critical regulatory alerts, policy shifts ahead of 2024 election

04-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Companies must navigate a more fragmented and complex regulatory environment, increasing the need for proactive compliance planning and advanced monitoring tools, like AI, according to Caroline Shleifer, CEO and founder of RegASK.

From pumpkin spice to caramel apple: Unwrapping 2024’s fall LTO lineup of foods, beverages

03-Sep-2024 By Ryan Daily

With summer winding down, falls flavors — including the infamous pumpkin spice — are returning to store shelves and CPG products in coffees, cookies, yogurts and more as consumers seek new seasonal taste experiences.

Startup Spotlight

Mission MightyMe’s snack puffs hit Target shelves, as brand aims ‘to drastically reduce the rate of nut allergies’

29-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Children's snack brand Mission MightyMe is taking its first big step beyond ecommerce, launching in select Target stores, after raising $2.3 million earlier in the year to fuel growth and raise awareness on reducing peanut allergies by introducing...

NutriFusion’s flexible minimum orders resonate with emerging brands

28-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

NutriFusion’s flexibility in minimum order quantities (MOQs) of its fruit and vegetable concentrate blends to startup companies can be a significant advantage for new and smaller brands looking to enter the competitive functional beverage market.

Harken Sweets enters 1,000 new doors, aims to grow the better-for-you candy category

27-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Better-for-you candy brand Harken Sweets extends its reach to a wider audience who may not shop at premium grocery stores with its expansion into 1,000 HyVee, The Fresh Market, Alberstons, United Supermarkets, Market Street and Better Health Market stores...

How generative AI could boost plant-based protein functionality

27-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Functionality is a key element of producing plant-based products. Generative AI, one start-up suggests, could boost research into protein functionality.

Reinventing fresh: How brands, retailers can boost Gen Z, millennial engagement with social media

26-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Gen Z and younger millennial shoppers are using social media to find and purchase foods and beverages, providing fresh food brands and departments an opportunity to connect with these cohorts, Circana and FMI - The Food Industry Association shared in...

Is caffeine damaging to heart health?

23-Aug-2024 By Donna Eastlake

New research puts the daily cuppa under the microscope. But how will the food and beverage industry react and what are the NPD opportunities?

ALOHA explores ‘simple way’ to introduce consumers to brand in new ad campaign

22-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Snack maker ALOHA’s “Deliciously Satisfying” ad campaign – inspired by its high-quality ingredients and better-for-you nutrition profile, including 14 grams of protein and up to 10 grams of fiber per bar – highlights “feel good” moments “that anybody...

Harris aims to ban food price gouging, while industry points to supply chain pressures

19-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris proposes a federal ban on price gouging to lower grocery prices as part of her economic platform for her presidential campaign, however food industry advocates maintain that food prices have remained...

Consumers prefer sweet over salty snacks, as healthy options ripe for innovation, IFIC finds

19-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Consumers largely prefer sweet and salty snacks – in that order – as many shoppers use snacking to satisfy hunger in between meals and provide an indulgent moment, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) shared in a recent report.

Sustainable ancient grains move from standalone products to inspiring CPG ingredients, SPINS reports

16-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Sustainable ancient grains like quinoa, farro and buckwheat are projected to become ever more important in food and beverage products, delivering on nutrients and tapping into consumers’ sustainability demands, a panel of SPINS analysts shared in a recent...

Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins

[Watch] Functional ingredients may drive diversification in milk alternatives

16-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Plant-based milks offer great potential to not only mimic the nutritional profile of dairy milk, but also distinguish itself through taste, texture, functionality and technologies like precision fermentation, Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovations and...

Will diabetes concerns impact sales of fruit juice?

16-Aug-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Could a recent study, linking fruit juice to diabetes, spell trouble for beverage manufacturers?

Flavors, authenticity, consumer connection to drive food & beverage

15-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

From indulgent treats to non-alcoholic alternatives, consumers are craving brands that provide nostalgic flavors, better-for-you benefits and authentic brand connections - trends that are set to grow into 2025, according to several reports.

Consumers are more optimistic on cooling food inflation, Purdue University finds

15-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Consumers show increased optimism about inflation cooling as food security improves, with many shoppers reporting greater diet satisfaction and some turning to local food sources like farmer's markets and home gardens, according to a recent Purdue...

Asentia navigates the road ahead: Challenges & opportunities in the alt protein sector

14-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

⁠The alternative protein industry offers immense opportunities for innovation and market expansion, but successfully navigating this complex landscape requires a balance of advanced R&D, strategic partnerships and a deep understanding of consumer...

Nutty innovations: The trendy snacks that blend personal and planetary health

13-Aug-2024 By Gill Hyslop

New product innovations, the drive towards sustainability and a record harvest highlight a dynamic market where traditional favorites like almonds are thriving.

APC and Kerry Group explore new gut-brain concepts

12-Aug-2024 By Nikki Hancocks

Leading microbiome researchers at APC Microbiome Ireland (APC), University College Cork, have partnered with global food and drink giant Kerry Group to explore how diet can support cognitive health.

Premium snacking NPD: Elevating cravings with gourmet, better-for-you snacks

12-Aug-2024 By Gill Hyslop

Ramping up the premium snacking experience involves curating high-quality, gourmet ingredients and emphasizing sophisticated, unique flavors that cater to discerning palates. This approach not only enhances the sensory pleasure of snacking but also elevates...

Fresh foods drive sales for retailers, AI’s use continues to shape in-store operations, data analysis

08-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

By adopting AI to improve inventory and production planning, grocery retailers are gaining a competitive edge in the profitable fresh food department, as highlighted by FMI - The Food Industry Association's Fresh Foods report.

IFT FIRST 2024

PLT pushes functional beverages beyond basic with trio of soluble ingredients for energy, mood management & active nutrition

08-Aug-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ingredient developer and supplier PLT Health Solutions is helping functional beverage brands move beyond basic benefits to meet consumers’ rising demand for more innovative health solutions that are sippable with a line of science-backed, water-soluble...

Startup Spotlight

Brightland CEO on building an olive-oil brand ‘brick by brick’ to expand into Whole Foods

08-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Who says no to distribution at Whole Foods? Brightland shares its strategy behind its launch into the natural foods retailer after declining two previous offers, as the company seeks to differentiate itself from the olive oil category with a modern design...