Proteins

Egglife’s retail expansion and new flavor focuses on ‘disrupting flour-based food products’

06-Sep-2023 By Deniz Ataman

With Egglife's egg white wrap's recent expansion in 2000 ALDI stores, which features its new Garden Salsa flavor, the company intends to disrupt “legacy flour-based food products…with delicious and nutritious alternatives,” Andrea Schwenk, CMO,...

Zenb takes ‘yellow-pea pasta revolution’ on the road with retail expansion into Sprouts

05-Sep-2023 By Ryan Daily

Plant-based pasta brand Zenb is expanding its distribution to Sprouts Farmer Markets nationwide, as it pushes into more retail stores with the help of its mobile kitchen and product innovation, the company’s senior VP of marketing Hugo Perez told FoodNavigator-USA....

Eat Just raises funds to continue 'intense focus on profitability'

01-Sep-2023 By Ryan Daily

Plant-based and alt-protein company Eat Just has completed its latest rounding of funding, which will support the company’s goal of profitability, as it continues to grow the distribution of its Just Egg and scale up its cultivated meat capabilities,...

New Culture successfully scales fermentation process to manufacturing volumes

01-Sep-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The company expects to reach cost-parity with traditional mozzarella within three years with its animal-free casein produced via precision fermentation.

Hormel Foods steps up promotions, advertising & innovation to hold market share

01-Sep-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Hormel Foods trimmed its sales outlook for the full-year after missing third-quarter expectations amid increased competitive pressure that pushed it to cut prices and increase promotions and advertising at retail.

Hungryroot's personalized grocery service hits $182 million in revenue

29-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Hungryroot's transition to an AI-driven, personalized grocery and recipe service has resulted in a 67% YoY revenue growth to $182 million in 1H 2023, Alex Weinstein, chief digital officer, Hungryroot, told FoodNavigator-USA.

WILDE Protein Chips expand its retail distribution and production, launching new flavor

25-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

From its initial beginnings as a meat-based protein snack bar, WILDE quickly pivoted into the chip category where the brand saw demand for its flavored chicken-based protein chips in Whole Foods, Sprouts and Costco with a recent expansion into Target...

How alt protein makers can get started with life cycle assessments to assess sustainability impact

25-Aug-2023 By Ryan Daily

As food and beverage CPG companies of all sizes look to support sustainable business practices, lifecycle assessments (LCAs) are becoming a crucial aspect of backing up product claims and ensuring that a company is meeting its environmental, sustainability,...

Interest in eating insects can be increased, study shows

24-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

At a time when meat consumption is increasingly being seen as unsustainable, eating insects is for many a comparatively better option. However, many people in the West find insects difficult to stomach. A new study shows that it is possible to increase...

Nellson CCO bites into snack bar trends: flexitarian in, keto out

24-Aug-2023 By Ryan Daily

With the ebbs and flows of consumer demand, the snack bar market is preparing to meet the demand for more plant-based protein with flexitarian products, as some recent diet claims might be on the way out, Bart Child, CCO at Nellson, told FoodNavigator-USA.

MOSH secures $3m in Series A funding to add “fuel on the fire” for brand growth

23-Aug-2023 By Ryan Daily

Better-for-you brand MOSH is preparing to take its brain-health-focused protein bars to a wider audience with the help of $3m in Series A funding, which will provide financial support as the company looks to make a bigger push into retail, brand co-founder...

Soybean curd boosts dietary fiber, protein content in ice cream

22-Aug-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Okara, a by-product from tofu and soy milk production, can improve the fiber and protein content of ice cream – but does it taste good?

ELAVI expands its gut-friendly portfolio with plant-based cashew butter jars

21-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

On trend with the healthy indulgence movement, ELAVI launches its low sugar, gut-friendly and plant-based cashew butter jars, adding to its existing portfolio of nut butter packets and snack bars.

Beyond Meat addresses the noise around plant-based meat with “There’s Goodness Here” campaign

21-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The negative attention around plant-based meat, including consumer concern about premium pricing amid rising grocery costs to ingredient transparency, have impacted Beyond Meat’s declining Q2 financials, prompting the company to launch its “There’s Goodness...

ENOUGH prepares to double mycoprotein production: ‘We’re the largest new protein facility built this decade’

21-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Mycoprotein supplier ENOUGH has raised €40m to scale up production in the Netherlands. And if global demand increases, the company will look to replicate its model further afield, CEO Jim Laird tells FoodNavigator.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: TiNDLE sees long-term growth in plant-based despite current downturn

19-Aug-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even though plant-based protein sales continued to slide in July, prompting retailers to slim down and shift offerings from the more premium placement in the refrigerated section to the freezer aisle, startup TiNDLE Foods still sees significant opportunity...

Rebellyous Foods overcomes ‘quality at scale’ challenges for plant-based protein production to close supply-demand gap

15-Aug-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

For the plant-based meat industry to close the supply and demand gap and reduce prices it must overcome what Rebellyous Foods CEO and Founder Christie Lagally describes as a “quality at scale” challenge, in which limited access to the “right tools” drives...

IFT FIRST

How can food science help strengthen consumer trust in food safety and technology?

14-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Is food science moving from the analog realm of scientific knowledge and expert opinion to the precision and automation of AI, or will it be a mix of both? Experts discussed how emerging technology will impact food science methodologies and its impact...

Low consumer curiosity in sustainability, plant-based foods reveals marketing opportunity

11-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Simplicity is key for foodies, according to Curious Plot’s latest study on consumer curiosity where “early adopter consumers” across generations provided culinary, nutrition and sustainability insights on what drives their food choices and habits.

A temporary blip or a sign of oversaturation? Beyond Meat’s woes and the future of plant-based meat

11-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

This week, it was announced that revenue for plant-based meat brand Beyond Meat had fallen by more than 30%. Does this say more about Beyond Meat or the plant-based sector in general? Why are some consumers rejecting plant-based meat?

Sabra dips into spicy, bold flavors with Frank's RedHot & Stubb's Bold Hummus collaborations

09-Aug-2023 By Ryan Daily

Hummus brand Sabra is spicing up its portfolio with a trio of new products, including collaborations with Franks’s RedHot and Stubb’s, as the company readies more new flavors and innovations, Olugbenga Diyaolu, the company’s global chief research, development,...

IFT First

IFT First: Pea protein market expands as Roquette opens new facility

08-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Constructed in 2020, Roquette’s manufacturing facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada, is built across 67 acres to meet the growing demand for pea protein in plant-based food and beverages.

“Consumers abandon” plant-based meat category citing taste, nutrition, price concerns, Mintel finds

08-Aug-2023 By Ryan Daily

Between recent acquisition and slumping unit sales, the plant-based meat alternative (PBMA) market faces headwinds as consumers shift to less expensive proteins in the face of economic pressure, though all might not be lost for the category, Mintel shared...

Is it ‘shakedown’ time for the plant-based sector? Meat-free innovators weigh in

07-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

With signs some plant-based makers are struggling, we ask innovators whether the meat alternative category is experiencing a slowdown, a ‘shakedown’, or other?

American Egg Board cracks open food, beverage innovation with Eggcelerator Lab

07-Aug-2023 By Ryan Daily

Product developers looking to crack open new food and beverage innovation often face challenges, but with the American Egg Board’s (AEB) Eggcelerator Lab, the trade group is streamlining the process and finding new opportunities for food and beverage...

Provenance, sustainability and nutrition: the versatility of soybeans

04-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Soy’s claim to fame to is its versatility in applications, nutrition and its harvest process, Pam Smith, RDN, explained to FoodNavigator-USA. Consumers, whether they’re from the camp of meat or plant-based, believe that sustainability should be a standard...

Is Alpha Foods’ acquisition a sign that the plant-based meat market is reaching maturity?

03-Aug-2023 By Ryan Daily

Consolidation in the plant-based meat market -- like in the case of Alpha Foods (Alpha) this week -- will likely continue into the foreseeable future, Miri Eliyahu, senior research analyst at Euromonitor, told FoodNavigator-USA.

IFT FIRST: U.S. Soy demonstrates the versatility of soy ingredients in product formulations

01-Aug-2023 By Ryan Daily

Soy offers a host of functional benefits that meet consumer demand for better-for-you and plant-based products, making it ideal for a range of product applications, Jean Heggie, consultant for U.S. Soy, told FoodNavigator-USA at IFT FIRST.

IFT First

IFT FIRST: Uniting the food system through food science and nutrition

01-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

FoodNavigator-USA sat down with Anna Rosales, senior director of government affairs and nutrition, IFT, to discuss science-based nutrition advocacy within the organization and externally with stakeholders and policy makers during an exclusive interview...

IFT First

IFT First: Reshaping the food system through sustainable and functional ingredients

31-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Hundreds of exhibitors featured innovative functional ingredients and sustainable solutions during IFT First’s event July 17-19 in Chicago, with ongoing discussions surrounding the age-old question of how the industry can help redesign the food system...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Students lobby for more plant-based school meal options

31-Jul-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

While regulators, legislators and industry stakeholders debate whether whole, 2% and flavored milks should be offered alongside plain, low-fat and fat-free options as a required component of school meals, a growing number of students are raising concerns...

Free Webinar: Raising the Snack Bar - Exploring Growth Drivers, Innovations and Consumer Cravings

27-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

What does it take to stand out in the saturated snack bar crowd? FoodNavigator-USA’s recent webinar, Raising the Snack Bar: Exploring Growth Drivers, Innovations and Consumer Cravings featured an expert panel on the various considerations brands must...

Anyway Protein tackles myths about plant-based diets and fitness, offers personalization to break into sports nutrition with a vegan offering

27-Jul-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Protein liquids and powders are one of the fastest growing segments within plant-based as more people adopt vegan and vegetarian lifestyles for ethical, environmental and health reasons – but breaking into the mainstream sports nutrition category will...

Organic Trade Association promises ‘all-out effort’ to block latest threat to proposed animal welfare standards update

26-Jul-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Once again efforts to update and strengthen animal welfare standards under the organic standard are under threat, this time by an amendment to the House Agriculture Appropriations bill that seeks to block funding for the implementation or enforcement...

Pork proteins produced in soy? Molecular farming tech produces pig-plant protein hybrid soybean

24-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

Molecular farming company Moolec Science is combining plant-based and cell-based technologies to produce pork protein in soy.

IFT FIRST: Benson Hill ‘Seeds the Day’ with portfolio of soy ingredients, new marketing campaign

20-Jul-2023 By Ryan Daily

At IFT FIRST this week, food ingredient and technology company Benson Hill showcased its products and new marketing campaign designed to inspire food and beverage companies and more firmly establish itself in the sustainable soybean market as demand for...

IFT FIRST

IFT FIRST preview: Kemin’s new InnoBLQ cuts fat, costs of battered, breaded foods

20-Jul-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

A new functional protein created by Kemin and launching at IFT FIRST in Chicago this month promises to cut the fat – and manufacturing costs – associated with battered, breaded and fried foods without compromising the full-flavor and satisfying crunch...

Synergy Flavours launches concentrated flavour range for protein bars

20-Jul-2023 By Olivia Haslam

Synergy Flavours, the provider of taste solutions, has introduced a new range of concentrated flavours specifically designed for protein bars.

Climax Foods partners with Benchling to discover new plant ingredients via AI

19-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Climax Foods ramps up its ingredient discovery through its partnership with Benchling, an AI-driven data platform, which scours over 300,000 edible plant varieties to determine ingredients that offer novelty, functionality and economically sound scalability...

Upcoming webinar: How snack bar brands can carve out a space in a crowded market

19-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

FoodNavigator-USA will present its free editorial webinar, Raising the Snack Bar: Exploring Growth Drivers, Innovations and Consumer Cravings on July 26 at 11:30 AM CT. The webinar will feature a panel of snack bar experts who will explore how key differentiators...

Summer Fancy Food Show

Unbound Snacks wants to reposition walnuts as more than topping or baking inclusion

14-Jul-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

When most Americans think of walnuts, if they think of them, they think of a topping for oatmeal or salads or an inclusion in baked goods, not as a standalone snack – but newcomer Unbound Snacks wants to change this with the launch of a line of brightly...

IFT FIRST

Consumers will pay more for cleaner and natural ingredient labels

12-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

“Generally, consumers are not really interested in the science. Just looking at the ingredients label, a shorter ingredient label deck resonates very much with consumers, and they attach it to a healthier product,” Lauretta-Lyn Katsriku, global platform...

Joyful Venture launches fund focused on sustainable food technology startups

11-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

"We're not just passively investing in promising sustainable food technology startups," said co-founder and general partner Jennifer Stojkovic in a press release. "Our team is fully committed to leveraging our expertise, powerful network,...

Summer Fancy Food Show

Jack & Friends charts new ‘inclusive’ path for plant-based jerky to better meet taste, nutrition expectations

11-Jul-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Plant-based meat snack alternatives – and sales – are climbing as new players, including startup Jack & Friends, enter the market with vegan options that better mimic the taste, texture and chew of their animal counterparts, while also offering a...

Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins

Turning the tide on alternative seafood: Strategies to close the supply-demand gap

11-Jul-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

The alternative seafood segment may be a small fraction of the size of its counterparts in plant-based and animal-free dairy and meat currently, but the sector is primed for growth as demand for seafood outpaces supply and concern about the oceans’ health...

‘A blank canvas to add whatever flavours desired’: Start-up provides nutrient-rich spirulina meat substitutes

11-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The algae spirulina has a wide range of health benefits. Now, a start-up is exploring its potential as a clean-label meat substitute, with flexibility in flavour and in use.

Summer Fancy Food Show

Scott's Protein Balls launches new flavor, focuses on taste, nutrition and activism

10-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

FoodNavigator-USA spoke to Scott Protein Balls' co-founder, Lori Levine and Tricia Williams, CEO, Daily Dose about how the protein snack brand continues driving growth through convenient formats, nutrition, transparency and activism during the Summer...

Summer Fancy Food Show

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Six trends to watch from the Summer Fancy Food Show

10-Jul-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

At the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City late last month emerging and established brands were going back to basics with simplified ingredients, streamlined packaging, clear cut benefits and natural – if not always familiar – flavor profiles.

Summer Fancy Food Show

Levelle Nutrition launches to ‘empower female athletes with fuel formulated for her physiology’ and messaging that goes beyond ‘getting skinny and looking sexy’

10-Jul-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even though women make up half of marathon runners, only 2.5% of sports nutrition products explicitly target them, and those that do tend to be more expensive and tend to be rated poorly, forcing many female athletes to compromise their health by consuming...

Startup Spotlight

More than meal kits: MixMasters ventures into personalised meals, bars, shakes and more

06-Jul-2023 By Olivia Brown

Functional food startup MixMasters is trialling a new personalised nutrition concept ‘FoodiYou’, offering fresh meals, bars, and shakes, adapted to individual needs.