Meat, fish and savory ingredients

UC Davis opens alt protein center to fill ‘the impending gap’ between meat demand, production

17-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is launching its Integrative Center for Alternative Meat and Protein (iCAMP) this week, as the center brings together various academic groups and industry stakeholders to advance alternative meat science...

USDA: 'We will need cellular agriculture' to reach climate, food innovation goals

17-Jan-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Sustained government support and transparent scientific research, such as USDA’s landmark grant to Tufts University’s National Institute for Cellular Agriculture program, can energize cellular agriculture R&D and renew attention from the private sector,...

Chilau Foods turns to crowdfunding to expand distribution, cracks lid on packaging innovation

12-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

Southern-inspired stew and flavor-base company Chilau Foods launched Wefunder crowdfunding campaign to fuel its retail expansion, as the company leverages packaging innovation to create a more accessible product, company founder Michael Anderson told...

From tuna to plant-based fish, how brands are expanding the canned fish category

11-Jan-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Poised to grow to $50.47bn by 2030, the global canned seafood market is driven by consumer demand for nutrient-rich foods, like protein and fatty acids, and longer shelf-life, per Grandview Research data. Notably, canned tuna, with its high nutritional...

Egg prices jump as avian flu spreads, pushing up overall food prices, CPI reveals

11-Jan-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Consumer Price Index released today shows the price of eggs is climbing again as producers scramble to contain a highly contagious outbreak of avian flu that the US Department of Agriculture estimates has infected more than 50 flocks in the last 30...

Precision versus personalization: AHARA explores a “new frontier” in nutrition

10-Jan-2024 By Deniz Ataman

With the rising popularity of personalized nutrition plans, AHARA’s app takes personalization one step further through precision nutrition, a combination of machine-learning, evidence-based nutrition science and an international advisory board to verify...

Eat Meati’s expansion into Target bucks retailer trend to downsize alternative proteins

10-Jan-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

At a time when many retailers are cutting back on the assortment and number of plant-based proteins they stock, fungi-based newcomer Meati continues to gain retail shelf space with the launch of four of its whole-cut MushroomRoot cutlets and steaks in...

When are ‘best’ claims puffery versus misleading? NAD weighs in on case brought against Old Trapper by Link Snacks

09-Jan-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Whether advertising something as “best” is protected as puffery or requires substantiation depends on the context and whether the claims are presented “monadically” or are comparative or quantifiable, according to an advertising watchdog that reviewed...

Alpha Foods responds to ‘tumultuous year for plant-based’ with Chicken Run partnership, focus on profitability

08-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

Alpha Foods is shrugging off a challenging year for the plant-based meat market, as it expects to receive a boost with the help of a recent licensed partnership with the creators of the Chicken Run film franchise, Shingly Lee, director of marketing for...

Not all ultra-processed foods impact health the same way, research suggests

04-Jan-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Intensifying criticism of ultra-processed foods without nuanced consideration of their nutrition could unfairly tar some plant-based meats and milks that “compare well with their animal-based counterparts,” which may be viewed more favorably because they...

Cal-Maine invests in cage-free eggs as sales plummet due to lower egg prices, bird-flu outbreak

04-Jan-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite a one-two punch of lower egg prices and an avian flu outbreak that caused Cal-Maine Foods’ profits to plummet more than 90% in its second quarter of 2024, the fresh egg supplier remains optimistic about and committed to expanding production of...

Givaudan and UC Berkeley release new research on maximising alt-protein efficiency

04-Jan-2024 By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

The duo’s latest white paper, “10 Alternative Protein Pathways: Opportunities for Greater Efficiency”, provides insights into how the sector can make plant-based products more affordable and sustainable.

Prop 12 ban on food from animals in 'extreme confinement' goes into effect despite ongoing pushback

03-Jan-2024 By Deniz Ataman

California’s Proposition 12, which prohibits the sale of food products sourced from animals living in “cruel and extreme confinement,” went into effect this week after giving retailers until Dec. 31, 2023, to sell any remaining “non-compliant pork products...

Danone, JM Smucker divestments & Cal-Maine acquisition reflect push to reshape, rebuild portfolios as industry stocks struggle

03-Jan-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

A trio of acquisitions and divestments in the packaged food industry at the turn of the new year suggest companies are taking a proactive and aggressive approach to rebuilding their businesses by reshaping their portfolios after industry stocks overall...

UMAMI Bioworks advisor Jennifer Bushman emphasizes need for storytelling to strengthen cultivated seafood industry

02-Jan-2024 By Deniz Ataman

A holistic integration of cultivated meat for non-human consumption is essential to “stabilize the depletion of natural resources,” according to Jennifer Bushman, a new advisor for the cultivated seafood company UMAMI Bioworks.

Wild-caught Alaska pollock and Pacific hake show promise as a sustainable protein source

19-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

As plant-based food continues to grab consumers’ attention for its lower environmental footprint, wild-caught Alaska pollock and Pacific hake could be a compelling sustainable protein source, with data showing both species emitting fewer carbon emissions...

Springdale Ventures raises $40M for Fund II, targets early-stage CPG brands

19-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Nearly doubling its size since 2019, the Austin-based venture capital firm secures its new funding round with backing from returning limited partners, family offices, entrepreneurs, and athletes.

How do we measure the success of regenerative agriculture?

19-Dec-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A more granular approach to regenerative agriculture that considers farmer's experience and the local landscape will help drive positive outcomes for people, nature and climate says Regen10

Cottage cheese has a moment in dairy, prepared items heat up deli category, Circana data shows

18-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

The dairy market lifted slightly in units in November thanks to cottage cheeses growth, as deli slumped slightly in units and dollars month-over-mont but had gains from prepared items like pizza, Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, shared...

AHARA partners with Instacart to streamline shopping for personalized nutrition

15-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Precision nutrition and food-tech platform AHARA's integration with Instacart allows users to easily add nutritionist-recommended items to their grocery lists on the food delivery platform.

‘The promise of plant-based foods has not changed,’ Tofurky CEO talks post-acquisition strategy

14-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

Nearly a year after its acquisition, Tofurky is capitalizing on the synergies with its parent company Moringa Nutritional Foods as the brand prepares to grow its retail and global presence despite headwinds facing the plant-based market, company CEO Jaime...

News in Brief

Delay in organic animal welfare standards recalls rule’s long journey

13-Dec-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

The hard-fought and long-awaited Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards final rule has been delayed, yet again, and while the change is “minor” and due to a technicality, it recalls the many other delays and near-deaths the rule has endured since work...

No bones about it, Kettle & Fire’s broth promotes regenerative farming for meat industry

12-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Kettle & Fire supports regenerative farming by sourcing bones from suppliers that have defined land management practices for each animal, Victoria Belinsky, the company's senior director of brand marketing told FoodNavigator-USA. The company...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Perdue Farms’ embraces transparency to improve animal welfare

11-Dec-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

After Perdue Farms received unsolicited but ultimately what it characterized as “fair” criticism for its approach to animal care years ago, the protein producer began inviting annually animal welfare advocates, farmers, academics and stakeholders from...

Will plant-based protein rebound in 2024? Chunk Foods, Konscious Foods CEOs share perspectives

07-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

The plant-based protein market has faced a year of headwinds from slumping unit sales to lower investments, but companies like Chunk Foods and Konscious Foods are hoping to tap into underserved markets in the US to grow, as the entire industry prepares...

'AI is not the future, it's the present,’ Tastewise’s CMO discusses speeding up industry's digital transformation

07-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

AI has the power to speed the food and beverage industry's digital transformation, as companies leverage it for product develop and to forecast upcoming trends, Jacques Botbol, CMO of Tastewise, told FoodNavigator-USA.

Tyson Foods opens high-tech chicken facility to accelerate growth, boost efficiency

06-Dec-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Tyson Foods celebrated the much-anticipated grand opening of a new 325,000-square-foot fully-cooked food production facility in Danville, Va., last week – marking a significant milestone in its “bold,” multi-point plan to improve its performance, which...

Changing menus, focus on sustainable production: COP28 focuses more on food

30-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The food and beverage industry is inherently linked to the climate crisis, responsible for at least a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. The COP28 summit, held this year in Dubai, UAE, focuses more significantly on food than in previous years.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Snacking increases but innovation needed for long-term growth

29-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Snacking in the US continues to climb, according to data from Circana, despite predictions that a surge in the frequency and sales of snacks during the pandemic was unsustainable and would revert to pre-COVID levels as consumers returned to in-person...

Stacking plant-based meat up against the real thing: ‘Often it has a slightly better nutritional composition’

29-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

A report finds that plant-based burgers, meatballs and bacon alternatives are healthier than their meaty counterparts, but animal meat scores better for chicken chunks, chicken fillet, and schnitzel.

Scientists find nutrient in meat and dairy that helps fight cancer

28-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

Fresh research reveals a fatty acid in meat and dairy products improves the ability of immune cells to fight tumours.

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...

Consumers have a greater appetite for food tech, but 'nobody wants their food to taste like tech'

15-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Consumers might be warming up to the idea of technology playing a role in what they eat and drink, but startups and CPG companies still have a ways to go before they see the potential of what food tech can do for them, according to a panel discussion...

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...

Tyson Foods to close two meat facilities, promises to leave ‘no stone unturned’ in hunt for efficiencies, cost-savings

14-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Executives at the meat-packing giant Tyson Foods promised to leave “no stone unturned” as they root out inefficiencies and continue to modernize the business to offset persistent economic headwinds, volatile commodity markets and other operational challenges...

The ‘world’s first’ alt seafood association wants to close the protein, omega gap

13-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

The Future Ocean Foods association has several activities on the agenda, including improving the nutritional profile of alternative seafood, with a particular focus on protein and omegas.

Circana shows dollar sales up in fresh-food categories, predicts 2024 will be "year of the chicken"

13-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Consumers are pushing dollar growth across bakery, deli, and produce and away from meat and seafood, but chicken might be a bright spot in 2024, Jonna Parker, principal II of fresh food at Circana, shared during a webinar.

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...

Beyond Meat struggles continue in US, doubles down on EU expansion

10-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

According to analysts, Beyond Meat is in ‘survival mode’, as the plant-based meat maker continues to lose share in US retail. At the same time, the company is increasing distribution across the pond, where it has observed a faster-growing market.

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...

Omeat completes pilot plant, moves towards cultivated meat commercialization

08-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Located in Thousand Oaks, Ca., the 15,000 square-foot pilot plant has the capacity to produce up to 400 tons of product, strengthening Omeat's path towards regulatory review and approval for a growing demand of sustainable alternative proteins.

WATCH – Down on the cultured meat farm with Ivy Farm Technologies

06-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

Ivy Farm Technologies invites FoodNavigator to its pilot plant in Oxford, UK, to talk cultivated meat production, sustainability credentials, and plans for regulatory approval.

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...

Kraft-Heinz focuses on building value through packaging, external partnerships

03-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

In the wake of Kraft-Heinz's earning results, the company reported a 3.5 percentage point increase in its stocks with double digit growth in emerging markets. Carlos Abrams-Rivera, incoming CEO, Kraft-Heinz, discussed during CNBC’s Evolve Global...

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.

‘A defining feature of stem cells is that they can become other cells’: Strategies for the use of stem cells in cultivated meat production

30-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The production of cultivated meat will need stable cell lines from multiple different species to be successful. It is produced from stem cells, which are highly flexible and can create yields with the potential to be far greater in volume than the meat...

How cultivated meat could be the key to avoiding the development of antimicrobial resistance

30-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

While the ‘routine use’ of antibiotics in animal agriculture is banned in the EU, increasing globalisation can make it difficult to avoid imported meat reared in this way. While the routine use of antibiotics can increase the risk of antimicrobial resistance,...

More than half of consumers are ‘climatarians’ and show concern for environment, Tetra Pak Index suggests

30-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Consumers are adapting their attitudes about food to a changing climate and aiming for more sustainable eating habits, research in Tetra Pak’s 2023 Index suggests. The research also indicated that consumers are gravitating towards healthier products,...