Health and nutritional ingredients

CRN supplement survey ‘paints the landscape of a vibrant, mainstream industry’

13-Oct-2022 By Stephen Daniells

After a couple of record-breaking years, dietary supplement usage is returning to pre-pandemic levels. Data from CRN’s 2022 Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements shows that 75% of Americans are using dietary supplements, down from 80% in 2021.

Innova: Consumers redefine value by seeking brands that 'listen, understand, and respond to their core values'

12-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

While consumers today are exploring more money-saving strategies such as choosing lower-cost items and cooking from scratch, their personal values around health and well-being and the planet have not wavered, according to research from Innova Market Insights.

Animal-free egg protein powers ‘world’s first protein-boosted hard juice’ from The EVERY Co and Pulp Culture

12-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

Billed as the “world’s first protein-boosted hard juice,” BUILD by Pulp Culture adds an intriguing new twist to the functional beverage space with a 4.9% ABV fermented juice laced with adaptogens, probiotics,* and a highly-soluble, ‘near invisible’ animal-free...

Nature’s Fynd dairy-free cream cheese hits Sprouts stores nationwide

12-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

Nature’s Fynd - a startup growing protein-packed food from microbes with a fraction of the environmental footprint of meat or dairy – is rolling out dairy-free cream cheeses to Sprouts nationwide.

Immune support still top of mind for functional beverage consumers, report finds

10-Oct-2022 By Hank Schultz

Immune health continues to be a primary concern for consumers of functional beverages, according to a new report from Irish ingredient supplier Kerry. The study also found that consumers are increasingly blurring the distinction between the benefits...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: From food as medicine to sustainable packaging – trendspotting at Expo East

10-Oct-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Natural Products Expo East may not be as big as its West Coast counterpart, but the 18,500 registered attendees and more than 1,200 exhibitors who convened in Philadelphia earlier this month for the annual conference were just as enthusiastic and the...

Conagra sees 'benign' impact from pricing: 'The volume effect is quite modest compared to anything we've seen historically'

07-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Multiple rounds of pricing actions taken by Conagra over the past several quarters have not deterred consumers from buying the company's products, as it reports "limited" elasticities across its portfolio.

Walmart bolsters e-grocery automation efforts with Alert Innovation acquisition

07-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

In its pursuit to become a top player in the grocery e-commerce space, Walmart has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire grocery automation firm, Alert Innovation.

Review finds strong support for effectiveness of postbiotics

05-Oct-2022 By Hank Schultz

A new review has found strong evidence for the efficacy of postbiotics, especially for use in the developing world where gastrointestinal complaints often have deadly outcomes.

New GOED advice aims to improve accuracy of EPA and DHA quantification

05-Oct-2022 By Nikki Hancocks

The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) has issued a new Industry Advisory which aims to improve the accuracy of EPA and DHA quantification across the industry.

Allergy-friendly brand Partake Foods raises $11.5m to scale business and make snacking 'worry-free'

04-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Allergy-friendly (free of the top nine allergens) cookie and baking mix brand Partake Foods has raised $11.5m in Series B funding to scale its business and social impact to reach more diverse consumer audiences.

‘Grab some friends and sizzle the fizzle for shizzle’: Snoop Dogg set to radically raise the bar on cannabis snacks

04-Oct-2022 By Gill Hyslop

Hot on the heels of his collab with Broadus Foods to launch a gluten-free multigrain cereal – aimed at taking on Kellogg’s Fruit Loops – the American rapper is forging a deeper and even more meaningful ‘foodprint’ with the release of a line of shareable,...

Natural Products Expo East

Growth of natural, organic products slows in face of recession -- can functional ingredients reinvigorate space?

03-Oct-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even as rising consumer interest in natural and organic products helps push overall sales to new highs, the industry’s growth rate continues to plummet from pandemic highs to below pre-pandemic levels and likely won’t rebound until 2024 as the threat...

PATH closes $30m Series A funding round to fuel global expansion and eliminate plastic waste

03-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

PATH, a sustainable aluminum bottled water company, has closed $30m in Series A funding to continue its mission of eliminating single-use plastic bottles from going into landfills and oceans with its 100% refillable aluminum water bottles.

Biotech firm Conagen scales up high-purity salidroside production

03-Oct-2022 By Asia Sherman

Massachusetts-based Conagen has announced the commercial production of its 99% pure salidroside, harnessing the adaptogenic potential of the Rhodiola rosea plant through bioconversion.

Introducing the FoodNavigator-USA digital summit: Futureproofing the Food System Nov 15-17

01-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

The western diet – and the food system that underpins it – is becoming increasingly unsustainable, for the health of humans and the planet. So how do we futureproof the food system to deliver healthier, more sustainable products that nourish our bodies...

Newsom vetoes California weight loss bill

30-Sep-2022 By Stephen Daniells

California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed AB3141, California's age restriction bill to prohibit retailers from selling certain dietary supplements for weight loss without a prescription or ID to those under 18.

Who is being hit hardest by inflation? Less-healthy older adults, poll finds

30-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Record-high levels of food inflation are impacting different segments of the population differently, with those over the age of 50 who rate their physical or mental health as 'fair' or 'poor' struggling the most, a recent poll conducted...

Wicked Kitchen raises $20m in bridge funding, triples year-over-year sales

29-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plant-powered culinary brand Wicked Kitchen has raised $20m in bridge funding from backers including actor and vegan activist Woody Harrelson, Ahimsa VC, and NRPT (Thailand's leading food producer and innovator).

UNFI executes against its growth strategy, ramps up warehouse automation investment

29-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Ending its fiscal year on a strong note, grocery wholesaler UNFI is ramping up investment in warehouse automation and robotics as part of its long-term growth plan to enhance efficiencies and long-term profitability for its customers.

Number of US households online grocery shopping has grown 116% since 2019, finds Brick Meets Click/Mercatus

29-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Year-over-year online grocery sales slipped slightly in August 2022 vs. August 2021, but research from Brick Meets Click/Mercatus shows a dramatic increase in online grocery shopping behavior over the past three years.

Soy protein quality ‘not negatively impacted by processing’: Unilever and Wageningen University research

29-Sep-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Scientists claim to have proven for the first time that processing soy increases the protein’s nutritional quality.

myAir blends technology with food as medicine to tackle growing stress pandemic

28-Sep-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

By using a patent-pending algorithm to pair and assess physiological responses to stress and diet tracked by smart watches with psychological data gathered through an online quiz, food-tech start-up myAir has found a way to overcome one of the biggest...

NotCo to launch NotChicken at Sprouts nationwide, unveil first fruits of Kraft Heinz JV, by year end

28-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

Santiago-based NotCo - which claims to offer superior products in the alt meat set through the use of an artificial intelligence platform called ‘Giuseppe’ - is gearing up to enter the increasingly crowded US plant-based chicken category with NotChicken,...

Mental wellbeing and alcohol moderation will drive the next phase of growth in functional beverages, predicts Recess CEO

27-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

Functional beverage brand Recess (tagline: ‘We canned a feeling’) has picked up a flurry of new accounts for its magnesium- and adaptogen-infused Recess Mood sparkling beverage line, and predicts it will increase distribution from 4,000 to 8,000 stores...

Ashwagandha shows wellness benefits in US college students

27-Sep-2022 By Asia Sherman

Supplementation with ashwagandha may improve the psychological well-being and support academic success of college students in the United States, according to recent research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

Could reframing ‘food as medicine’ counter rising prices that are pushing healthier options out of reach?

27-Sep-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Food prices at near forty-year highs now overshadow most other consumer concerns about grocery shopping – including fears of contracting COVID-19 or experiencing violence in stores – prompting many to rethink where they shop, what they buy and what product...

Review supports zinc’s anti-viral activity, potential for COVID-19

27-Sep-2022 By Nicola Gordon-Seymour

Zinc is an essential trace mineral involved in modulating human immune responses and may prove to be an important therapeutic agent for viral infections, such as COVID-19, say the authors of a recent review.

Costco sees uptick in store traffic and membership renewals as shoppers realize value of mass & club channel

26-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

With many consumers fixated on the price of their grocery bill amid ongoing inflation, mass and club channel retailers such as Costco are seeing increased foot traffic and higher shopper spending at its stores.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: ‘There hasn’t been a better time for small brands to help transform the CPG industry’

26-Sep-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

As consumers navigate rising inflation, out-of-stocks due to lingering supply chain and labor challenges and contemplate the potential impact of their purchases on the environment and workers, they are more willing to push aside old loyalties and try...

SPECIAL REPORT: Bioengineered food labeling: ‘They kind of shot in the middle and missed every constituency’

23-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

Advocates arguing for greater transparency about the use of GMOs in food scored a minor victory this month after a district court told USDA to re-work the digital disclosure portions of the bioengineered food labeling law, which came into effect in January....

Mondelēz International’s SnackFutures seeks 'disruptively delicious' snack brands

22-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Mondelēz SnackFutures is looking for its next class of disruptive snack brands to join its CoLab 2023 startup engagement program.

From 'Coffeetok' influencers to 'textured' cold coffee drinks, fourth wave coffee is here, says Mintel: 'Expect to see more brands take a less serious approach to coffee'

22-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The US coffee market is now entering its fourth wave driven by Gen Z's 'easy-going' approach to coffee and surging demand for at-home specialty coffee drinks, according to Mintel.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Bunge sells oilseed processing plant in Russia

19-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Bunge has agreed to sell its oilseed processing business in Russia to Karen Vanetsyan, the controlling shareholder of Exoil Group.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How can plant-based protein overcome sliding sales, better meet consumer demand?

19-Sep-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Plant-based meat alternatives continue their downward slide with sales, units and volume all dropping in July from a year ago – a trajectory that IRI data crunched by 210 Analytics shows was set in motion months ago, but which doesn't shake at least...

Specific HMOs linked to infant brain development: Study

19-Sep-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Individual human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) may play critical roles in the maturation of gray matter in an infant brain, showing that inclusion of specific HMOs in infant formula could be beneficial, says a new study.

Kraft Heinz is ready to move beyond ‘good’ to ‘great,’ which ‘is a very different game’

16-Sep-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

After previous plans to boost Kraft Heinz’s profit margins and add value by aggressively cutting costs and practicing zero-based budgeting went awry and caused the company’s stock and consumer trust to plummet, Miguel Patricio was focused on the basics...

Planet Oat solidifies #1 spot in US oatmilk category, grows retail sales 60% YoY across oatmilk, creamers, frozen desserts

15-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

Barely registering in the US plant-based milk category five years ago, oatmilk now occupies the #2 spot in the retail market behind almondmilk in a subsegment with offerings from deep-pocked multinational beverage and dairy companies to pure-play plant-based...

Study: CBD has therapeutic potential for managing menopause

15-Sep-2022 By Danielle Masterson

The data offers preclinical evidence supporting further investigation of CBD as an option for post menopausal symptoms.

'Our culture compels us to act,' ADM and PepsiCo strike regenerative agriculture agreement

15-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

ADM and PepsiCo have entered a 7.5-year strategic commercial agreement to expand regenerative agriculture across its North American supply chains, reaching up to 2 million acres by 2030.

Weller: Consumer interest in CBD is intensifying, despite lack of federal oversight

15-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The FDA’s stance that CBD is not legal as a dietary ingredient as it was first investigated as a drug has not hindered consumer interest in CBD-infused food and beverage products, claims Matt Oscamou, co-founder of CBD sparkling water brand Weller, which...

'Yellow pea is full of promise and potential': Equinom and AGT partner to commercialize ultra-high yellow pea protein

14-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Equinom has partnered with AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. to bring commercial quantities of its non-GMO ultra-high protein yellow pea protein ingredients to market and co-create a portfolio of functional plant-based ingredients.

Daily multivitamin may improve cognition, may protect against decline: RCT

14-Sep-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Multivitamin supplements may improve cognition, episodic memory, and executive function in older people, and slow cognitive decline by 60%, according to data from the high-profile COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study for the Mind (COSMOS-Mind).

Rising inflation causes consumers to reprioritize wellness, growth persists in key areas

13-Sep-2022 By Danielle Masterson

Brightfield Group tapped their social listening skills to gain insight into how the current economy is shaping wellness routines.

‘Total microbiome company’ is bringing microbiome innovation to the masses

08-Sep-2022 By Danielle Masterson

BIOHM has unveiled a number of services for gut health companies and developers looking to advance their offerings.

Study shows anti-aging promise of taurine supplementation

06-Sep-2022 By Asia Sherman

Supplementation with taurine – perhaps best known as an additive in energy drinks – may help control oxidative stress during the aging process, says a recent study published in the journal Nutrition.

SPECIAL REPORT: Hemp-derived CBD… ‘We're operating in a constrained addressable market with a patchwork of state-based regulations’

02-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

“I see all these emails going around saying once the [2018] Farm Bill passes, CBD is legal in all 50 states… and that’s just not true,” observed one attorney in December 2018. Four years later, while a lot has changed, the FDA maintains that CBD is not...

Gatorade debuts Fast Twitch, the 'go-to energy drink option designed for athletes'

02-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Gatorade is preparing for a massive 2023 rollout of energy drink brand Fast Twitch, designed for athletic performance with 200mg of caffeine, B vitamins, and electrolytes.

Shroom boom! Medicinal mushrooms in focus: ‘As COVID hit, people were stuck at home and started searching for immune health ingredients…’

31-Aug-2022 By Elaine Watson

From Reishi to Lion’s Mane, medicinal mushrooms are gaining traction in foods, beverages and supplements, buoyed by interest in ingredients that may support immunity, mood and cognition. FoodNavigator-USA caught up with California-based organic mushroom...

'We've only really just hit our stride,' Sacred Serve takes 'coconut meat' non-dairy gelato to Whole Foods stores nationwide

30-Aug-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Sacred Serve, a Chicago startup making non-dairy gelato using upcycled coconut meat as its star ingredient, is expanding to Whole Foods stores nationwide where it aims to set a new standard for the category.