Winemakers could seize the opportunity to create affordable global brands – along the lines of Heineken in beer – without using native grapes, as mainstream US consumers at least don’t seem too bothered by provenance.
GUINNESS BLACK LAGER IN US 'NOT THE SCALE OF SUCCESS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED'
Diageo’s beer innovation head insists the firm needs to strengthen Guinness’s premium credentials and 'reframe' the drink for a new generation of drinkers to reignite growth.
Consumption of sugar sweetened beverages may be associated with an increased risk of developing endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women, according to new data.
New York City’s Health Department has unveiled a new anti-obesity campaign highlighting the potential health risks of excessive sugary drink consumption.
While consumer concerns over artificial sweeteners have been blamed - in part - for the funk the diet soda market currently finds itself in (click here), the fact remains that they are safe and effective tools for weight management, according to one obesity...
While the FDA has raised concerns about the recent proliferation of caffeine-containing products on the market, particularly those marketed at young people, new data suggests energy drinks and shots contribute “minimally” to total caffeine intakes, say...
The much-anticipated ‘Keurig 2.0’ single-cup brewing system with ‘interactive readability’ (that doesn’t work with unlicensed/copycat pods) will offer such “game-changing functionality” that consumers - and unlicensed players - will want to switch, claims...
A judge has provisionally approved a $5.3m settlement between CytoSport and California plaintiff Claire Delacruz in a false advertising class action lawsuit over the marketing of Muscle Milk bars and beverages.
Big Interview: Greg Steltenpohl, CEO of Califia Farms and founder of Odwalla
“The slowdown of soft drinks is not going to be catastrophic for the beverage industry,” said Greg Steltenphol, CEO of beverage manufacturer Califia Farms and founder of Odwalla, discussing the recent slump in carbonated soft drink sales—particularly...
Special Edition: Super grains! From chia to quinoa
The FDA is preparing to finalize guidance clarifying the often hazy dividing line between liquid supplements and conventional beverages and foods as the debate over the proliferation of caffeine-containing products intensifies.
Crisco oil maker JM Smucker says the FDA’s proposal to look again at the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to eradicate artificial trans fats will not materially impact its business.
The percentage of new US food product launches featuring ancient grains or seeds has almost tripled since 2008, according to Datamonitor. But the bulk of activity is focused around just two ingredients: Chia and quinoa.
Campbell Soup has posted a 30% slide in first quarter profits to $172m and downgraded its guidance for the full year. Revenue declined 1.8% to $2.17bn.
The US Food and Drug Administration has no questions for DuPont (Danisco) and the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status of its Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strains HN019, Bi-07, B1-04, and B420 (B. animalis subsp. lactis strains).
BRAND CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF COKE INVESTMENT
The CEO of Core Power – the first US dairy brand Coke invested in directly – says his firm is selling the ‘sex appeal of vitality’ with its high protein shakes, and plans further product launches.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) has rejected claims in a new report that corporate sponsors such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola exert such a “vice grip” over its annual Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) that its integrity could be...
Tate & Lyle has reassured consumers that sucralose is a safe ingredient following the publication of a review alleging that the high intensity sweetener is “not biologically inert" and that more research is needed to determine what happens to...
Hain Celestial has been targeted in a first-if-its-kind putative class action lawsuit alleging that it falsely advertised Celestial Seasoning teas as 100% natural when they in fact contain “potentially dangerous” levels of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides,...
'NOW WE CAN FOCUS ON SNACKS': MONDELEZ INTERNATIONAL
Starbucks has been rocked by news it must pay Kraft a whopping $2.23bn in damages after ending its supply arrangement with the FMCG giant in 2010, but insists it has adequate liquidity to foot the bill.
Coca-Cola has been targeted in another proposed class action lawsuit alleging that it misrepresents Coke as being free from added preservatives and artificial flavors, despite containing phosphoric acid, an 'artificial flavoring' and 'chemical...
San-Diego-based flavor innovator Senomyx says the first products arising from a collaboration with PepsiCo using a novel sweet taste modifier called S617 should hit shelves next year - contingent upon a GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) determination.
Boulder Brands believes the future is bright for high pressure processing (HPP) treated fruit juice after snapping up an $8.8m stake in Californian juice brand Suja.
DIGITAL DISPATCHES FROM E-BEV 2013, OCTOBER 23-25, DENVER
Anheuser-Busch says Facebook now beats any US broadcast network in terms of consumer reach when marketing brands such as Budweiser and Bud Light, with one key driver rapid smartphone uptake.
Monster continues to outperform rivals in the energy drink sector; while recent launches Muscle Monster energy shakes, zero calorie Monster Ultra Blue, and the latest variant of 10-calorie line Monster Rehab (tea + pink lemonade + energy), have “exceeded...
North American sales of WhiteWave Foods’ almond-based beverages under the Silk Pure Almond brand surged 60% in the third quarter as more shoppers sought alternatives to dairy.
Private label specialist TreeHouse Foods is cashing in as more consumers hooked on single serve coffee opt for premium private label alternatives to national brands, say bosses.
Check out who’s moving onwards and upwards as we head into the holiday season with the latest FoodNavigator-USA round-up of movers and shakers in the food industry.
The best way to stand out in the highly fragmented, albeit growing, kids’ beverage market is to establish clear branding and messaging, a mantra that led Atlanta-based healthy children’s beverage maker In Zone Brands to rebrand its TummyTickler Tots,...
Coca-Cola Company chief technology officer, Guy Wollaert, believes that beverages tailored to our individual genetic makeup will be available in the near future.
Evidence from randomized control trials supports a role for tea and tea compounds – specifically L-theanine and caffeine – to benefit mood and performance, says a review from Unilever.
Despite a growing pile of research linking lycopene to benefits ranging from heart, cardiovascular, prostate and bone health to prevention of certain cancers, the market share for this carotenoid remains relatively small.
DSM Food Specialties has launched an all-natural preservation system for still beverages in Mexico and has high global hopes for an ingredient that significantly improves both shelf life and taste.
Increasing numbers of products with superfoods like chia will see this favorite of the Aztecs joining the mainstream functional food/beverage ranks, says a leading marketing expert.
Big Interview: Matt McLean, CEO of Uncle Matt's Organic
From one pulp-free organic orange juice SKU in a regional Florida grocery store chain in 1999, Uncle Matt’s Organic is the oldest US organic juice company with 11 organic juice products and national distribution in such chains as Whole Foods, Publix and...
FDA UNAWARE OF DANGER OF 'CUMULATIVE' ENERGY INGREDIENT EFFECTS IN 2012
Red Bull must face down a lawsuit filed in New York today by the family of a man who died after drinking the beverage after a basketball game and claim extra stimulants in the drink killed him.
Gay rights campaigners have surrounded Coca-Cola’s HQ in Atlanta in a bid to force the company into speaking out against Russia’s ‘anti-gay’ laws ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Products to manage blood sugar levels have ‘huge potential’, says Pharmachem Laboratories, but communicating the benefits with consumers continues to be a challenge.
NOVEL US CLASS ACTION TARGETS HIGH PRESSURE PROCESSING
Hain Celestial Group is facing a US lawsuit seeking millions in damages for alleged false claims its BluePrint fruit and vegetable juices are ‘unpasteurized’ and ‘100% raw’, due to use of high pressure processing (HPP).
Big Interview: Todd Beckman, cofounder and COO of GoodBelly
In a country like the US where 60 to 70 million people have digestive issues, and roughly 20% of the population suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (though only a third seek medical attention, according to the National Institutes of Health), the founders...
Looking for a new challenge in your career? Check out food and drink’s most powerful global recruitment network from the publisher of FoodNavigator-USA and FoodNavigator.
Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS) CEO Larry Young says he is ‘shocked’ by the summer slowdown in diet soda that also hit his firm's North American sales and partly blames misperceptions of aspartame.
Glanbia Nutritionals has launched a new flax protein powder for protein fortification for use in a range of applications including bars, clusters, cereals and beverages.
From the risks and rewards of energy drinks to what Americans eat for breakfast, strategies to tackle mindless eating and the next generation of gluten-free foods, Houston was the place to be this week as 8,000+ nutrition professionals gathered for the...
Q3 2013 RESULTS: GROUP SALES UP BUT PROFIT DOWN Y-O-Y
Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) has confirmed that it plans to close a Texas warehouse and distribution center and consolidate operations at a larger facility in the state.
The use of natural sweeteners, such as stevia, in carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) has become an increasingly “compelling attribute” for North American consumers, stevia-sweetened soda brand, Zevia, has claimed.
Reductions in the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages are associated with improvements in biomarkers for chronic disease risk, says a new study from North Dakota State University.
The recent drop in diet soda sales in North America has been “a little more rapid than we expected” says PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, but PepsiCo remains convinced that “significant disruptive innovation” rather than “ridiculous pricing” is the best way to...
