Sweeteners (intense, bulk, polyols)

‘From non-existent to fastest growing energy drink in the US’, mapping the meteoric rise of ZOA Energy

03-Mar-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Launched less than a year ago by a mix of entrepreneurs, investors, fitness industry veterans, and celebrity Dwayne Johnson, ZOA Energy claims it has quickly become the fastest-growing energy drink and #2 brand in the healthy energy drinks category (per...

UN demands more diverse food production methods as report warns climate change risks are greater than thought

01-Mar-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Nearly a third of the world's crop fields will be unsuitable for food production by the end of this century unless carbon emissions are curbed, warns the latest instalment of the IPCC climate change report.

WATCH ON DEMAND: Healthy beverage trends: From sparkling water to wellness shots

28-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

What are consumers looking for when it comes to healthy and functional beverages? Is it sparkling water to kick a sugary soda habit or a daily wellness shot with ginger and turmeric for an immunity boost? Find out in the third and final session of FoodNavigator-USA's...

Keurig Dr. Pepper reports positive growth across segments as it sees some light at the end of supply chain tunnel, says CEO

25-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Keurig Dr. Pepper reported continued top-line performance growth of 8.7% for Q4 2021 vs. the prior year driven by its packaged beverages segment, which posted nearly 10% in net sales growth for the full year and a 17% increase in Q4 2021.

De La Calle’s fermented tepache brings Mexican street food culture to US with $7m fundraise

24-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the help of a $7m fundraise, Startup De La Calle is bringing to more Americans nationwide a modern version of the beloved and naturally functional Mexican “street vendor treat” tepache – a probiotic beverage made from fermented organic pineapples...

Introducing the FoodNavigator-USA Positive Nutrition virtual summit: From feeding the gut microbiome to plotting the next 10 years in plant-based protein

17-Feb-2022 By Elaine Watson

What up-and-coming plant proteins are the most exciting? Chickpeas? Hemp? Canola? Barley? Pongamia? What do we really know about the best overall dietary pattern to support a healthy gut microbiome? And how do we educate consumers about the benefits...

Waterdrop CEO outlines US ambitions: ‘We wanted to make something beautiful and easy to use like an Apple product’

14-Feb-2022 By Elaine Watson

Waterdrop – an Austrian startup that has gone from zero to $100m in revenue across 12 countries in five years with dissolvable plant- and vitamin-packed sugar-free cubes (‘micro-drinks’) you can drop into tap water – plans to aggressively ramp up its...

Sweeteners consumed during pregnancy may affect baby’s microbiome

03-Feb-2022 By Danielle Masterson

The new research underscores the importance of maternal nutrition during pregnancy.

Designer proteins… made to order? Tierra Biosciences unlocks potential of cell-free protein synthesis with online ordering platform

02-Feb-2022 By Elaine Watson

Microbes from yeast to fungi are now routinely used to produce some ingredients more efficiently than plants or animals. But next-gen ‘cell-free’ processes that deploy some of the biomolecular machinery inside the cell wall, could slash R&D lead times...

News In Brief

Sweegen takes the pole position in race to commercialize sweetener brazzein with launch of Ultratia

01-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

In the race to bring the high intensity sweetener brazzein to market at commercial scale, taste solution provider Sweegen is claiming first place today with the launch of Ultratia, which the company says is a key tool in improving the health profile of...

Icon Foods’ sweetness modulators ‘bury’ off-notes of sugar alternatives for more appealing flavor profiles

27-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Two new sweetness modulators from Icon Foods promise to smooth out the flavor profiles of popular sugar substitutes that, despite significant advancements, continue to fall short of recreating the flavor of processed sugar – either because they come on...

Breakthrough ingredient for plant-based chocolate? Palsgaard highlights high-performing lecithin replacement

26-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plant-based chocolate manufacturers have a new ingredient to add to their toolbox: Palsgaard AMP 4455, an emulsifier which Palsgaard claims is twice as efficient as lecithin and can reduce the amount of cocoa butter used in plant-based chocolate formulations...

Stevia framework greenlights 4 technologies to boost supply, encourage innovation that reduces sugar

25-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

The adoption of four production technologies for steviol glycosides by the international food standards authority Codex Alimentarius earlier this month opens doors for industry to produce and source at scale and more sustainably less-common versions of...

Sweet Victory chewing gum helps fight sugar cravings on two fronts with Ayurveda botanical

20-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Founded on the belief that sugar cravings are rooted equally in physical and emotional needs, the co-founders of Israeli startup Sweet Victory drew on their backgrounds as a psychologist and nutritionist to solve for both -- helping people kick their...

DouxMatok & Blommer Chocolate bring ‘game changing’ portfolio of sugar-reduced chocolate to US

19-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

DouxMatok, an Israeli firm that is shaking up sugar reduction with patented technology that heightens the perception of sweetness, is teaming with Blommer Chocolate to produce a ‘game changing’ portfolio of chocolate products with significantly less sugar,...

Zevia doubles down on platform brand vision: 'We're sourcing volume from, candidly, everywhere,' says CEO

18-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Veteran zero-calorie soda brand Zevia is pouring a significant amount of resources into becoming a fully-fledged platform brand with a growing portfolio of products that spans energy drinks, teas, mixers, and kids drinks, said CEO Paddy Spence.

Behave better-for-you gummies satisfy online appetite, move into candy aisle

17-Jan-2022 By Asia Sherman

In its first year, low-sugar candy startup Behave has faced demand-driven stockouts, reformulated with less sugars and expanded into stores across the US.

Better Juice seals first commercial deal to bring sugar-reduced fruit juice products to market by Spring 2022

10-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Better Juice said products made using its enzymatic sugar reduction technology are due to hit shelves in less than six months, following the completion of its first commercial deal with a US West Coast-based juice manufacturer.

New Year’s diet resolutions are back, creating opportunities & challenges for food industry, IFIC finds

04-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier – including cutting back on sugar and alcohol or adopting a new diet – are back in 2022 after many Americans took a hiatus from them last year as they navigated pandemic-related stress, according to new research...

Provectus Algae secures $11.4m to scale sustainable synthetic biology biomanufacturing platform

14-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

With an infusion of $11.4 million in pre-series A funding announced today, Australian startup Provectus Algae is ready to rapidly scale the commercial production capacity of its sustainable and “complementary” biomanufacturing platform that leverages...

Two Good Greek low-sugar yogurt brand is on fire, says Danone North America

10-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

Two Good Greek yogurt has become a $200m+ brand, and the #2 contributor to dollar growth in the total yogurt category, in its third year on the market, claims Danone North America.

‘There is still a lot of unresponsiveness or vague statements…’ Supply chain woes add to compliance challenge with bioengineered food disclosure standard

09-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

With the Jan. 1, 2022 deadline for compliance with the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) fast approaching, many companies are still struggling with compliance, even at this incredibly late stage, say industry sources.

Baking trends in 2022: From fun confetti and sparkles to balanced nutrition for people and the planet

09-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Move over sourdough, a new era of baking is rising in 2022 that focuses less on practicality and austerity and more on decadence, extraordinary experiences, celebration and holistic well-being, according to industry insiders.

From sea moss to edible flowers, Tastewise spotlights eight food trends for 2022

08-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Food has taken on deeper meaning for many consumers serving as a connection to experience, community, and personalized health goals, noted Tastewise in its 2022 report, which uses AI to analyze over 1 million restaurants and delivery menus, 22 billion...

Soda taxes may 'permanently reduce demand' for sugary beverages, new study suggests

07-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Two years since Seattle introduced its sugar-sweetened beverage tax, new research indicates that the 1.75-cent per ounce tax has significantly curbed sales of soda, juice, and other sugar-sweetened drinks.

Maple Hill Creamery answers ‘desperate’ call for sugar-free dairy milk, gains incremental sales

01-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

For the three-quarters of dairy milk drinkers who are actively reducing sugar in their diets, the three teaspoons that naturally occur in a serving of the beverage no longer need to be a stumbling block to their goals, says Maple Hill Creamery.

Plant-based ice cream 2.0? Eclipse Foods buoyed by ‘incredible’ early data from Whole Foods

28-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

Eclipse Foods – a plant-based brand on a mission to replicate the taste and functionality of conventional dairy rather than building a brand around ‘hero’ ingredients such as oat, almond or coconut – says early data from Whole Foods suggests its strategy...

US Sugar hits back as DOJ sues to block sugar mega-deal it says would create a 'cozy duopoly'

23-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

Sugar giant US Sugar says it “fully intends to litigate” to prove its proposed deal to acquire rival Imperial Sugar will not result in higher prices and harm sugar buyers after the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an anti-trust lawsuit in a bid to block...

Dream Pops to enter candy aisle: 'There's no reason there shouldn't be a plant-based confectionery brand'

11-Nov-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Dream Pops will be expanding outside of frozen desserts and novelties and entering the shelf-stable confectionery category with a line of plant-based products to compete with the likes of Hershey, Mars, and Ferrero, says founder and CEO David Greenfeld....

‘Keep soda in the soda aisle’, says CSPI

10-Nov-2021 By Rachel Arthur

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a US consumer advocacy organization, is urging the country’s top food retailers and sugary drink manufacturers to remove sugar-laden drinks from impulse buy locations in stores.

Is Coca-Cola’s acquisition of BodyArmor enough to topple PepsiCo’s Gatorade from the top slot?

02-Nov-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Coca-Cola Co. appears to be making a run for the pole position in the fast-growing sports performance and hydration category with the $5.6bn acquisition of the remaining stake of BodyArmor announced yesterday – but is the deal enough to topple PepsiCo’s...

SkinnyDipped CEO: 'We’re looking to double the business this year'

27-Oct-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Best known for its lightly-coated chocolate-covered almonds and other nuts, SkinnyDipped has evolved into a platform brand expanding into high-growth adjacent categories, said CEO Breezy Griffith.

Rise of frozen snacking driven by consumers' desire for permissible indulgence

26-Oct-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Consumers have evolved their definition of what qualifies as a snack and are increasingly seeking out permissibly indulgent options, which has given rise to a new type of snacking behavior in the frozen set, Mintel consumer insights research suggests....

BIOMILQ raises $21m in series A round to accelerate production of cell-cultured human milk

20-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

BIOMILQ – a North Carolina-based startup culturing human mammary cells that lactate – has closed an oversubscribed $21m series A round to support its ambitions to bring cell-cultured human milk to market.

Whole Foods reveals top 10 food trends to watch next year

18-Oct-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

What will be trending in 2022? According to Whole Foods' annual food trends report, consumers are seeking products that contribute to their personal definition of wellbeing, whether it be less-boozy beverages, leafy greens grown locally, or ice cream...

Bonumose gears up for 2022 launch of rare sugar tagatose using novel approach; allulose to follow...

15-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

Bonumose – a Virginia-based startup with patented technology it claims could enable the mass market adoption of rare sugars such as allulose and tagatose – is investing $27.7m in production and R&D facilities in a 36,000 sq ft facility in Pantops,...

‘Significant reduction’ in consumer calories from beverages in the US

14-Oct-2021 By Rachel Arthur

Consumption of full-calorie beverages declined in 2020 as consumers continued to move towards low and zero sugar beverages, according to new figures published today.

Chocolate milk brand Slate raises additional $3.3m in seed round, expands distribution to 4,000 stores

04-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

Boston-based startup Slate Milk – maker of ultra-filtered, high-protein, lactose-free chocolate milk in shelf-stable cans - has raised an additional $3.3m in a seed round backed by the founders of RXBAR, Halo Top, Drizly, Yasso, and consumer-focused investment...

Sweegen to launch high intensity sweetener brazzein in 2022

04-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

Sweegen will expand its high-intensity sweeteners portfolio early next year with the addition of brazzein, an ultra-sweet tasting protein found in small quantities in the fruit of a West African plant called oubli, that can be produced on a commercial...

Honey... without bees? MeliBio unveils first product at tasting event, gears up for commercial launch

01-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

MeliBio, a startup developing honey without bees, has unveiled its first products at a tasting in Berkeley, California, as it gears up for a soft launch supplying food service and CPG companies with its animal-free/vegan honey as a branded ingredient...

Sweeteners in focus: From allulose to stevia… in conversation with Ingredion

30-Sep-2021 By Elaine Watson

From surging ocean freight costs to sky high corn prices and general supply chain disruptions, the last 12-18 months have been a roller coaster ride, says Nate Yates, VP Global Sugar Reduction Platform at Ingredion. But one thing has remained remarkably...

Tate & Lyle on allulose and sugar reduction trends: 'There’s a huge opportunity in the area of permissible indulgence'

28-Sep-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

While consumers are becoming increasingly aware of what they eat and drink and opting for 'better-for-you' products, they will never completely abandon their love for sugar and sweetness accelerating the need for low-calorie sweeteners such...

Private equity firm acquires raw honey brand, Local Hive Honey

28-Sep-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Marking its first acquisition for its new fund, Charlotte, North Carolina-based private equity firm Falfurrias Capital Partners has acquired raw and unfiltered honey brand, Local Hive Honey. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Killer Creamery finds sweet-spot in sugar-free ice cream, frozen novelties

27-Sep-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Not many companies would be satisfied with or even strive to produce a food or beverage that tastes ‘normal,’ but the founder of the better-for-you frozen dessert company Killer Creamery couldn’t be happier that the taste of brand’s new ice cream sandwich...

BENEO: Isomaltulose should be excluded from total and added sugar labeling

16-Sep-2021 By Elaine Watson

While it has the same number of calories per gram as regular sugar, the tooth-friendly ‘slow-carb’ isomaltulose is metabolized very differently to sucrose, and like allulose, should not have to count towards grams of total or added sugar on food labels,...

NEW PRODUCTS GALLERY: From 'Oddly Good' plant-based yogurt to oatmeal in a ball and chickpea tofu

15-Sep-2021 By Elaine Watson

In FoodNavigator-USA's latest roundup of new product launches, we include an eclectic mix of new products, from Chobani's first foray into peanut butter, to Hershey's new 'Oat Made' bars, an interesting new twist on tofu, and...

Poppi closes $13.5m funding round led by CAVU Ventures and backed by celebrity investors: 'Poppi is the modern soda for the next generation'

30-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Poppi, an emerging prebiotic soda brand, has closed a $13.5m funding round led by CAVU Ventures and further backed by a star-studded investor pool including Ellie Goulding, Halsey, Kevin Love, and Olivia Munn, which will go towards supporting the company's...

Quest Nutrition CMO: ‘Higher protein, lower sugar, lower carb snacking, is not a fad, it’s here to stay’

27-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

While Quest Nutrition may not have achieved its founders’ somewhat lofty goal of ‘ending metabolic disease’ just yet, the high-protein, low-carb, low-sugar positioning of the company – one of the runaway CPG success stories of the past decade – is continuing...

Koia cracks the mainstream code with ambitions to be the next $400m+ refrigerated beverage brand

25-Aug-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Koia, which launched with plant-based protein shakes in 2016 sold at Whole Foods stores, has unlocked exponential growth in the mass channel with its low-sugar smoothie line that founder and CEO Chris Hunter says is the company's "best performing...

Bhoomi positions sugarcane water as healthy for people, the planet & Black farmers economically

24-Aug-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sugar and healthy usually occupy opposite ends of the spectrum, but startup Bhoomi wants to bring them together in a line of cold-pressed cane water elixirs featuring traditional Ayurvedic ingredients and a compelling mission to “balance health, equitable...