Given how little time entrepreneurs have during most pitches, intentionally ending the meeting a few minutes early may sound counterintuitive, but the founder of the bakery and packaged cookie company Sugar Bliss says this gives potential buyers or investors...
The global supplier Bell Flavors & Fragrances showcased its latest flavor innovations at the Institute of Food Technologists' (IFT) annual event, IFT FIRST, highlighting how its SPARK trend design platform identifies upcoming preferences.
Better-for-you gummy maker, Smart Sweets, launched its new and improved formula across its portfolio, including five new SKUs, catering to consumers seeking healthier candy for nearly any type of occasion, Katrina Hahn, Smart Sweets’ co-CEO, told FoodNavigator-USA...
The Startup Pavilion at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual Food Improved by Research Science and Technology (IFT FIRST) conference in Chicago this month will feature 100 food and tech businesses ranging from pre-seed to growth stage featuring...
At the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City last week, health claims were downplayed and flavor came first – for real – followed by personalization with more brands offering consumers ways to dial up or down the heat, tang, funk and other characteristics...
Crafted by a neurodivergent team with special skills for consumers with special diets in a facility where nothing goes to waste, startup Vêsucré is bringing to market decadent vegan desserts that are free from soy, gluten and refined sugar.
With Reese’s collaborating with One to launch a high protein iteration of the iconic peanut butter cup, should other manufacturers be looking at this functional ingredient too?
Gluten free may not be as trendy as it once was, but the call-out continues to resonate with consumers as the quality, quantity and variety of products making the claim continue to improve – as showcased by brands across categories at the Summer Fancy...
Building a packaged food or beverage business from scratch can be expensive and overwhelming for entrepreneurs, but Startup CPG is making it a little easier with a suite of free tools, extensive networking opportunities and a safe space for founders to...
As the media landscape has become more fragmented in the past ten years, social media has emerged as one of the most influential sources of information on the consumer path to purchase and many companies are shifting advertising dollars accordingly –...
Price-conscious consumers are gravitating to brands with clear value propositions — including private-label — as companies offer products that tap into permissible indulgence and functional trends at affordable price points, Ari Goldsmith, VP of marketing...
Better-for-you candy company Issei Mochi Gummies is bolstering its retail footprint with recent launches into Albertsons and Walmart stores nationwide, as it finds an opportunity to provide an alternative to the gelatin- or pectin-based products on the...
The iconic chocolate brand Butterfinger is celebrating its centennial by reviving its partnership with The Simpsons, as it finds new ways to tap into pop culture through video gaming and seasonal products to stay relevant among consumers of all ages,...
Chocolate is a favored ingredient in everything from cakes to donuts – and even in sweets snacks like energy bars and popcorn – so bakers are undoubtedly feeling the impact of rising cocoa prices.
With climate change threatening the future supply of cocoa, could cellular agriculture offer a solution? Israeli start-up Kokomodo thinks it can, and is emerging from stealth mode to prove it.
Sweet butter is creating a ‘new standard’ for the category, we’re told. And that’s not the only sweet NPD for the month. What’s the latest in sweet (and savoury) innovations?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) landed approval to launch its long-awaited Human Foods Program, which unifies its food safety and policy oversight into one organization, marking the agency's most significant restructuring in recent history.
Today's niche diets, social media blips and internet search spikes could be tomorrow's must-have functional ingredients, breakout snacks or new kitchen staples -- the trick is spotting them early and knowing whether they represent long-term...
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...
As food additive bans roll out across numerous states, many CPG companies that rely on artificial dyes might need costly reformulations, while clean-label and natural ingredient trends might influence product changes well before regulatory mandates.
The extraordinary price rallies recorded in the cocoa futures markets have been accompanied by increasing volatility, with reports of panic buying in the US market.
Gen Z consumers prefer new snacking experiences "that are talking to them in an authentic way," Mike Gilroy, the Mars-Wrigley’s VP of trade development and sponsorship, told FoodNavigator-USA at the Sweets & Snacks Expo earlier this month.
As consumers seek layered flavors that enhance their snacking experience, the sweet and tart notes of pink lemonade served as a popular confectionery trend during the Sweets & Snacks Expo.
Confectionery and snack brands can stay head of the curve by offering layered flavors and textures inspired from other food and beverage categories, tapping into nostalgic tastes and international cuisines that consumers gravitate towards, Alice Mintz,...
It sounds like science fiction, but one biotech start-up has begun to transform industrial emissions into confectionery ingredients such as cocoa butter. Here’s how
Virginia Dare recently unveiled its new headquarters in Carteret, NJ, a significant milestone in its century-long history. The facility, double the size of its former Brooklyn location, is designed to enhance processing efficiency and customer collaboration...
Amid soaring prices and deforestation regulations, chocolate manufacturers may well be tempted to turn their back on cocoa. What alternatives are on offer?
While intense sour and bold fruity flavors have helped brands carve out a space in the crowded gummy category, brands look towards variety mixes and cross-brand partnerships to attract ongoing retailer and consumer attention, according to several segment...
Despite the cost-of-living squeeze, private label versions of chocolate are not flying of the shelves. Why aren’t consumers keen on the private label option?
The 2024 Sweets & Snacks Expo became a launch pad for companies looking to crack the US confectionery market with new products from Colombia’s Vivamor, Canada’s Lovo Chocolate, along with reboots of classic brand Godiva and a new partnership deal...
New data from the Organic Trade Association shows organic sales “bouncing back” after a post-pandemic and inflation-induced slowdown in incremental grown in recent years, with research from SPINS suggesting the products best positioned to seize this growth...
Blommer Chocolate Company, the largest cocoa processor and ingredient chocolate supplier in North America, has announced it is extending its partnership with sugar reduction company Incredo.
Food-tech company Voyage Foods raised $52m in its Series A+ funding round to grow its ingredient business as it prepares to open a second facility later this year.
Finalizing FDA’s massive reorganization to create a unified Human Foods Program under one leader is the “number one” priority ahead of the November presidential election, which could impact the agency’s focus if a new administration wins office, agency...
From creamy chocolates to chewy candies, plant-based options are paving the way for a more inclusive and compassionate approach to snacking that caters to the diverse tastes and preferences of consumers worldwide. We look at some of the key trends.
The extreme volatility causing cocoa prices to whipsaw should not impact Hershey’s performance in fiscal 2024, thanks to proactive hedging and supply chain diversification, but the outlook for next year is unclear, executives said during the company’s...
After a topsy-turvy week, world cocoa prices recovered on Tuesday after registering losses of more than 20% the prior week, but the market is still struggling with a lull in trading.
The proliferation of state legislative initiatives has placed a critical obligation on bakers to meticulously scrutinize their formulations, ensuring that banned ingredients are excluded to enable marketing in specific states. Failure to comply could...
Mondelēz International has maintained the company expects Organic Net Revenue growth of 3% to 5% in its 2024 Outlook after the Cadbury parent beat market expectations for first-quarter sales and profit.
Major cocoa supplier ofi (olam food ingredients), has claimed recent developments in data and technology are behind its progress towards creating a more sustainable supply chain.
