Proteins

Cibo Vita stays ahead in ‘smart snacking’ with scientific backing, cutting-edge tech

30-May-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

A self-declared leader in the “smart snacking movement,” Cibo Vita stays ahead of the competition in an increasing saturated category by developing products with “more scientific backing,” adding functional benefits to popular categories without them...

CVS’s expanded, rebranded private label snack line blends functional, fun & flavor

30-May-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

CVS is putting the ‘fun’ in functional food with the launch of more than 40 snacks, beverages and grocery items with trendy flavors and ingredients consumers want, including probiotics, fiber, protein and superfoods like turmeric and goji berries under...

Future Food Tech

Tapping into the $2b+ mycelium market to improve alternative protein innovation

29-May-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Mycelium has a long history in food, but its potential for today’s consumer packaged foods (CPG) industry highlights the need for increased R&D in resourceful and responsible food production that helps address the challenges of a growing global population...

Plant-Based 3.0 webinar: Tune in May 29 to discover what consumers want from meat alternatives, how to deliver on their taste, texture, appearance & nutrition demands

28-May-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nearly two-thirds of Americans are willing to swap meat for plant-based alternatives, and more than half have tried an alternative protein – but of those that have tried, nearly a quarter have not done so a second time, according to research cited by...

Florida, Alabama ban cultivated meat in move that is seen as political

24-May-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Cultivate meat bans and production restrictions proposed and passed at the state level are “a reflection [of states’] political climate rather than specifically about the industry or its potential,” Daphna Heffetz, co-founder and CEO, Wanda Fish told...

RollinGreens’ plant-based bowls prioritize shelf-stable convenience

24-May-2024 By Deniz Ataman

RollinGreens expands it plant-based meat portfolio with the launch of shelf-stable bowls featuring the company’s flagship M’EAT and CHIC’Ken protein, Lindsey Cunningham, co-founder and CEO, told FoodNavigator-USA

Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins Summit

Startups offering solutions for challenges facing alternative proteins converge in Chicago next month

23-May-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Four startups pitching next month at Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins Summit in Chicago, along with entrepreneurs from many more emerging businesses showcasing in the event’s Startup Pavilion, are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing plant-based,...

Sweets & Snacks Expo

Protein snacks ride the healthy indulgence line with familiar flavors

22-May-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Consumers increasingly are seeking convenient and flavorful ways to integrate protein into their diets, particularly as snacking replaces traditional meals among younger demographics, which gives snack makers an opportunity to develop protein-rich snack...

Sweets & Snacks Expo

More than protein: How meat snacks are redefining convenience and nutrition

21-May-2024 By Deniz Ataman

With more than 40 meat snack brands exhibiting during the Sweets & Snacks Expo, the protein-packed and portable food category is surging in popularity due to its alignment with consumers seeking convenient, satiating snacks to replace meals on-the-go.

Cultivated meat’s consumer acceptance problem: Many Americans unwilling to try cultured protein, perceive it as less healthy, less tasty, according to Purdue University survey

21-May-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Recent survey data from Purdue University that found one-third of Americans are unwilling to try cultivated chicken or cow prepared in a restaurant underscores the extent of the category’s "consumer acceptance problem,” despite efforts by industry...

Are protein bars and powders damaging to gut health?

21-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

High-protein products and gut health represent two of the biggest food trends of the last decade, but is one bad for the other?

Sweets & Snacks Expo

Sweets and snacks defend sales as interest in GLP-1 medications rise by expanding better-for-you indulgent products

20-May-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Rivalz’s stuffed, vegan snacks could deliver the satiety effects of GLP-1 medications and meets USDA guidelines for healthy snacks distributed in schools thanks to patented extrusion technology that creates vegan fillings packed with protein and fiber,...

PeakBridge raises $187m for Growth Fund II, invests in protein, cocoa, dairy alternatives

17-May-2024 By Ryan Daily

This week, food tech venture capital (VC) firm PeakBridge closed its Growth Fund II after raising $187m – surpassing its target — and invested in meat, dairy, and cocoa alternatives as part of its second fund, Nadav Berger, the company’s founder and managing...

Future of plant-based foods: Whole-cut meats will lead ‘next resurgence of consumers’

17-May-2024 By Ryan Daily

The meat and dairy alternative markets are bifurcating as some consumers seek premium products, including whole cuts, while others make their own plant-based dishes to save money, Miri Eliyahu, senior research analyst at Euromonitor, told FoodNavigator-USA.

PBFA: Plant-based sales slid in 2023, but ‘with ample space & signage’ units, dollars increase

17-May-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of plant-based products dipped slightly in 2023 from the prior year as prices rose to offset inflation at a faster rate than their animal counterparts in some – but not all – categories, according to new data from the Plant Based Foods Association....

Oobli partners with Grupo Bimbo to bring sweet proteins to baked goods

16-May-2024 By Ryan Daily

Biotech company Oobli signed a formal agreement with Grupo Bimbo to supply the baked goods manufacturer with sweet proteins — the first major step in the startup establishing itself as an ingredient provider.

Disrupting fermentation: Lever VC highlights 5 technologies to improve biotech processes

14-May-2024 By Ryan Daily

Given the complexity of alternative-protein manufacturing, many biotech companies are exploring how to reduce costs with AI technologies, process improvements and novel uses for waste streams from other industries, Lever VC shared in a recent report.

C.A. Fortune’s Build Tank winners garner praise from national retailers for compelling branding, packaging

13-May-2024 By Ryan Daily

Walnut snack company Unbound Snacks took home the gold at C.A. Fortune's Build Tank event in Chicago, for its category innovations and eye-catching packaging, while other brands impressed buyers through unique products and branding.

NPD Trend Tracker: From plant-based ice-cream to gluten-free fast food

13-May-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

On our NPD Trend Tracker this week, we have a range of new products from big brands; new flavours from Kettle Chips, plant-based thighs from This, plant-based ice cream from Flora Professional, and a gluten free range from Leon. We also have a collaboration...

What is next for alternative proteins? Strategies for engaging with consumers, enhancing nutrition and moving beyond nuggets, patties and sausage

10-May-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

The FoodNavigator-USA team is heading to Chicago next month to Future Food-Tech’s Alternative Proteins summit, where we will help lead discussions around overcoming obstacles facing plant-based and cultivated meat and seafood and help identify areas of...

Laird Superfood perks up morning cup of coffee with protein-rich creamer

09-May-2024 By Ryan Daily

Laird Superfood is giving the best part of waking up – coffee – a functional boost with the release of its new protein-rich creamer, the brand’s VP of Marketing Martha Opela told FoodNavigator-USA.

Pitch perfection: Alt-protein founders share tips for securing funding at Future of Protein Production event

06-May-2024 By Ryan Daily

Alt-protein startups that are trying to attract the attention of venture-capital (VC) investors often need to ensure their business pitches focus on how they can capture a market through their product and team, while founders must convey confidence and...

Choppy! blends animal, plant-based ingredients to bridge alternative protein taste gap

01-May-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Choppy!, an alternative meat brand that combines textured plant protein with animal byproducts like collagen, beef tallow and bone broth, provides consumers with "the sensory experience of meat" in its hybrid product with the long-term goal...

Which plant-based alternatives are healthier than animal products?

01-May-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Are plant-based meat and dairy substitutes healthier? Well, yes. And no. It depends. A new study investigates which substitutes do best, and worst, when pitted against animal products.

Join FoodNavigator-USA at a free editorial Webinar exploring plant-based protein

Plant-based 3.0: Industry insiders share strategies for pushing alternative proteins forward

29-Apr-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

After a challenging few years in which falling sales and units dragged plant-based protein into the trough of disillusionment, stakeholders are finding ways up the other side of the Gartner Hype Cycle by leveraging emerging technologies, novel ingredients...

Scaling alt-protein production: What to know about moving from lab to commercial scale

26-Apr-2024 By Ryan Daily

Alt-protein companies scaling their fermentation processes beyond the lab face numerous challenges that require them to think through production processes, raw ingredients, and the design of a manufacturing facility to create a commercially viable product....

Moving beyond finger-pointing: Creating healthier products that deliver on taste, indulgence

26-Apr-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Packaged food, especially ultra-processed, is a popular scapegoat for the ongoing struggle with diet-related chronic disease in America, where 70% of adults are overweight or obese, 50% have diabetes or prediabetes and 50% have heart disease – but what...

USDA announces partnerships to improve food access nationwide, globally

23-Apr-2024 By Deniz Ataman

To expand nutrition access in underserved communities, USDA partners with Reinvestment Fund to improve local food financing programs in 20 states and Washington and partners with US Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide emergency food...

Natural Products Expo West

How are alternative protein players finding solutions for consumers, retailers?

23-Apr-2024 By Deniz Ataman

While alternative protein sales and units declined notably in recent years, players cite improved food science, commercial scale, production and navigation of retailer expectations during the Natural Products Expo West event last month.

WILDE raises $20m to expand consumer awareness of protein-rich chips

23-Apr-2024 By Ryan Daily

Protein snack brand WILDE raised $20m in a round led by private-equity firm KarpReilly, which will help raise the brand’s awareness as more consumers seek nutrient-rich foods to improve their health, Jason Wright, Founder and CEO of WILDE told FoodNavigator-USA.

From air to rail: Kate’s Real Food finds opportunity to expand across travel channel

22-Apr-2024 By Ryan Daily

Organic snack-bar brand Kate’s Real Food is pushing into the travel channel with a deal to sell its product in Amtrak cars in the coming months, as it delivers on demand for high protein with a new product line.

Shoppers believe government policies are responsible for price increases, study finds

22-Apr-2024 By Deniz Ataman

As shoppers continue facing high grocery prices on shelves, they look to government policies as the most responsible for these increases, while believing retailers should communicate price increases more clearly, according to recent data from The Feedback...

Future Food-Tech

At Future Food-Tech's event, explore strategies for future-proofing the alternative proteins sector through diverse solutions, next-stage investments, and public-private partnerships

22-Apr-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite declining sales and investment in the alternative protein industry in recent years, the segment is seeing early green shoots that suggest category stakeholders may be clawing their way out of the trough of disillusionment and up the other side...

Game on: Arla Foods Ingredients introduces RTD energy-drink concept for gamers

19-Apr-2024 By Ryan Daily

Dairy company Arla Foods Ingredients wants to attract the attention of CPG companies making products for gamers with its new energy drink concept that provides an elevated protein content and better-for-you ingredients.

Omnivores, enhanced protein content might be keys to growing alt-protein market, GFI reports

18-Apr-2024 By Ryan Daily

The plant-based meat market could grow by providing options to omnivores and consumers embracing a high-protein, low-meat diet, the Good Food Institute (GFI) shared in its annual State of the Industry report.

Startup Spotlight

Nourish Ingredients expands in animal-free specialty fats with Creamilux for dairy

18-Apr-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nourish Ingredients, a pioneer in the emerging ‘animal-free’ speciality fat segment, is expanding into non-dairy with the debut of Creamilux – a low-inclusion lipid that recreates the rich, creamy mouthfeel, taste and emulsification properties of dairy...

KIND highlights taste, nourishment with new launches ranging from fruity to savory to kid-friendly

18-Apr-2024 By Deniz Ataman

KIND Snacks continues its exploration of health-forward snack bars and granola with a particular emphasis on savory and fruit ingredients in the brand’s expansive launch, which was showcased during a media event at its test kitchen in New York on April...

Future Food-Tech

Nosh.bio sidesteps many challenges constraining alt-protein with a versatile mycoprotein and ‘minimal, scalable’ fermentation process

16-Apr-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Berlin-based food-tech startup Nosh.bio is overcoming capacity constraints that have hampered other fermentation-derived alternative protein players by developing a proprietary production process that is “minimal, scalable and sustainable” and by teaming...

Consumers trade down to save on meat, plant-based still struggles on taste, texture, 84.51˚ reports

15-Apr-2024 By Ryan Daily

Consumers are buying less expensive cuts of meat and buying more meat on sale as food prices driven up by inflation remain high, market research firm 84.51˚ shared in its latest consumer report, which also detailed shopper trends for plant-based alternatives....

The Future of Protein Production Chicago takes ‘temperature’ of alt protein investments, regulations

15-Apr-2024 By Ryan Daily

As the alternative protein industry continues to wade through challenging macroeconomics, the sector might have reasons to be more optimistic in 2024, with investment activity picking up and more companies obtaining commercial approval across the globe,...

FDA’s ‘no questions’ letter for Oobli’s sweet protein opens doors for international expansion

15-Apr-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

FDA’s recent acknowledgement that low-sugar tea and chocolate maker Oobli’s novel sweet protein sourced from the Oubli fruit and produced via precision fermentation is Generally Recognized As Safe will grease the rails for the California-based company...

Natural Products Expo West

SkinnyDipped 'glows up' with new rebrand, upcoming nut butter launch

12-Apr-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Sweet and salty better-for-you almond mix brand SkinnyDipped featured its latest snack flavors, upcoming nut butter line and brand redesign at Natural Products Expo West last month.

SHICKEN fuels US expansion with $5.3m investment from Veg Capital

12-Apr-2024 By Ryan Daily

Plant-based chicken manufacturer SHICKEN is using a recent investment from venture-capital firm Veg Capital to expand into the US, brand Co-founder and CEO Parm Bains told FoodNavigator-USA.

NPD Trend Tracker: From PepsiCo snacks to collagen tea

08-Apr-2024 By Flora Southey

The collagen trend is on an upwards trajectory, particularly in food and drink. In our latest new product development round-up, we look at a new tea inspired by collagen (it contains collagen peptides). Elsewhere, plant-based continues to trend and UK...

Nourished on how to communicate the potential of personalised nutrition to consumers

05-Apr-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Personalised nutrition has immense potential for extremely bespoke nutritional benefits to consumers. But for such a niche category, how does a company communicate this potential?

From ice age to modern day: Mammoth Meatball maker Vow releases cell-cultivated quail meat

04-Apr-2024 By Ryan Daily

Australian-based cell-cultivated meat company Vow is moving from extinct animals to something more familiar with the release of Forged Parfait, featuring a cell-cultivated meat product based on the Japanese quail, company Co-founder and CEO George Peppou...

Danone’s Remix platform moves yogurt beyond breakfast to snacks, appeals to younger consumers

03-Apr-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Danone wants to entice more Americans – especially young generations – to eat more yogurt, more often and across more dayparts with the launch of its Remix platform, which offers consumers the ability to “mix in” to yogurt crunchy, chewy, sweet and salty...

SEMCAP buys out ALOHA's early angel investors, accelerates distribution with $68m fundraise

02-Apr-2024 By Deniz Ataman

A $68m investment in plant-based snack company ALOHA by growth equity firm SEMCAP Food & Nutrition buys out early angel investors and will “help ALOHA’s able-bodied management accelerate its distribution and growth in traditional retail channels,”...

Orgain debuts gut health formula, expands products line for kids

01-Apr-2024 By Danielle Masterson

The 2024 Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA, attracted 3,000 exhibitors, many of which debuted new products.

Startup Spotlight

‘Back end’ logistics may not be as ‘sexy & fun’ as consumer branding, but they are key to securing shelf space, says Pretty Tasty Tea exec

28-Mar-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Bovine collagen infused Pretty Tasty Tea may be new to the functional beverage space, after launching in February, but the team behind the beauty-from-within brand includes industry veterans with deep expertise in distribution strategy and retail management...