Rabobank has announced the 15 finalists – food and ag entrepreneurs spanning everything from edible spoons to plant-based eggs - who will compete in its livestreamed FoodBytes! Pitch competition on December 2.
As illustrated by the diversity and record number of entrants to FoodNavigator-USA’s 2020 Food For Kids Trailblazers Challenge, innovation abounds in the children’s food and beverage segment, but funding and shelf space in stores – even digital ones –...
Amy’s Kitchen – maker of frozen organic foods and shelf-stable soups – is on course to generate revenues approaching $600m in 2020, a double-digit increase vs 2019 for the family-owned vegan and vegetarian food brand, which will open a new pizza production...
In a world where raging wildfires, battering hurricanes and unexpected derechos dominate the headlines, sustainability is becoming a top concern for consumers – and one that the independent research company HowGood can help food and beverage brands meet...
Cargill is in advanced conversations with CPG brands about using EpiCor – a ‘postbiotic’ ingredient claimed to have immune, digestive, and respiratory health benefits – in a range of applications from yogurts to tea as it seeks to take it beyond dietary...
German candy maker Haribo has announced plans to construct a new North American factory in Wisconsin that is set to become one of the largest confectionery facilities in the country creating 385 jobs then up to 4,200 ‘indirect jobs’ upon completion.
DouxMatok, the Israeli firm behind patented technology that makes sugar taste sweeter, has struck a deal with Canadian sugar refiner Rogers Sugar, parent of Lantic, to manufacture commercial quantities of its ‘enhanced’ sugar, with the first products...
While companies of all sizes understandably want a guarantee that a new product or innovation will succeed before investing heavily in large-scale production and marketing, the CEO of Pilot Lite Ventures warns that this way lies the valley of death.
After discovering a “staggering level of exposure” of fast food, candy, soda and other unhealthy branded foods and beverages on YouTube videos featuring and targeting young children, researchers from New York University are calling on the Federal Trade...
While Grupo Bimbo has managed to stay on top of and benefit from increased demand for its baked goods and snacks in the US during the pandemic so far, executives are weary of any additional strain on capacity and employee safety posed by a potential second...
Building off the landmark LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) study, food allergy advocacy group FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), is launching the SEED (Start Eating Early Diet) study exploring early introduction of multiple allergenic...
Nestlé’s nine-month sales for 2020 and Unilever’s third-quarter trading statement illustrate the revitalised consumer demand for staples and comfort foods, once feared to have fallen out of fashion.
Cacao currently may be most prized by manufacturers and mainstream consumers for its beans to make chocolate, cocoa and cocoa butter, but the fruit and shell surrounding the bean also are packed with nutrients and potential, which famed chocolatier Oded...
The FDA – which recently said allulose does not have to be listed as added or total sugar on food labels – is now inviting comment on whether other sugars that are not metabolized in the same way as traditional sugars (such as isomaltulose and D-tagatose)...
COVID-19 and food retail: New data reveals winners and losers in foot traffic, visit duration
New data monitoring store visits at America’s leading food retailers between March and September 2020 shows that traffic at Whole Foods remains down more than 20% year-on-year, while most rival grocers have seen a steady recovery.
Despite grocery retailer revenues rising amid increased consumer demand during the pandemic, higher costs associated with COVID-19 are squeezing already tight margins in a trend that FMI: The Food Industry Association warns likely will get worse before...
Entrepreneurs desperate for capital or unsure of the best path forward for growth may be tempted to overlook dismissive or demeaning comments from potential investors, but the co-founder of the fast-growing brand SkinnyDipped warns these are huge red...
The COVID-19 pandemic has kept American consumers in – or close to – the home for most of the year. Now with weeks until Halloween - one of the biggest sales drivers for the chocolate, candy, gum and mints industry - families are preparing for scaled...
From bubbly probiotic water for kids to chickpea butter, ketchup with extra veggies, and goat's milk toddler formula, entrants to our 2020 FOOD FOR KIDS Trailblazers Challenge showcased innovative new products, brands, and routes to market for healthier...
We had a record number of entries for this year's FOOD FOR KIDS Trailblazers Challenge, spanning everything from chickpea butter and lentil-based meat crumbles to bubbly probiotic water and veggie-infused ketchup. Here are some of the innovations...
From a flurry of plant-based meat launches and keto snacks, to beverages promoting immunity, checkout FoodNavigator-USA's latest gallery of new products hitting the market this fall/winter.
Startups selected to participate in Rabobank’s virtual FoodBytes! Pitch competition this fall provide a neat snapshot into trending topics in food and agriculture, from alternative proteins and upcycled ingredients, to edible cutlery, relaxation beverages,...
One in three US households with kids that sent them out trick or treating last year will not be doing so this Halloween due to COVID-19, according to an IRI survey of primary grocery shoppers.
As coronavirus continues to thwart businesses' best-laid plans, New Hope has decided to reschedule its Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim, California, pushing it from March 2-6, 2021, to May, 24-27, 2021.
School closures – and tentative re-openings – have compounded stress levels for families, while COVID-19-induced economic anxiety is also straining household budgets. So how can food and beverage brands come up with enticing – but affordable – recipes,...
US per capita peanut consumption has risen to an all-time high of 7.6 pounds in 2020, up 3.2% on 2019 driven in part by increased demand for peanut butter and at-home snacking as food consumption has shifted towards the home during the coronavirus pandemic.
As the number of Americans dependent on what was once known as food stamps swells to 13% of the population due in large part to an unemployment spike related to the pandemic, they have become an increasingly important demographic for CPG retailers, according...
As part of a highly-anticipated plan to re-engineer its portfolio and pay down debt, Kraft Heinz has unveiled plans to sell a mix of cheese brands to Lactalis in a $3.2bn deal, and find $2bn of cost savings through 2024 from efficiencies in procurement,...
Mars Inc. has hired Dr. Maria Velissariou as its new vice president of global corporate research & development and chief science officer to lead the company's quality and food safety, scientific & regulatory affairs and R&D strategy.
Nestlé is ready to be “much more acquisitive” now after 18 months of aggressively selling underperforming businesses and brands that did not tidily fit into the company’s new image of itself as a primarily nutrition, health and wellness business, according...
Retailers interested in attracting more Black shoppers, who Nielsen reports wield an annual buying power of $1.5 trillion and make more grocery trips per year than all other racial groups, need to stock and prominently highlight more products by Black-owned...
While most entrepreneurs expect to carry a heavy load the first few years after a company or brand launches, many underestimate the difficulty of eventually letting go of responsibility as the business scales – no matter how exhausted or desperate for...
Honey Mama's, a brand of truffle-like chocolate wellness bars made with whole foods merchandized in the burgeoning refrigerated bar set, has closed a $4.5m Series A round led by Amberstone Ventures, to fast track the brand to mainstream consumer...
New opportunities are opening for functional foods and beverages as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic pushes consumers to seek products that will boost their “resiliency,” support their health and wellness and personally empower them while simultaneously...
What’s hot and what’s not in the world of sweeteners? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Icon Foods, Cargill and Beneo to explore formulation trends as brands remain under pressure to reduce sugar and keep labels clean.
From protein-packed egg bites and keto crackers to plant-based 'butter' and an array of products touting immune support benefits, checkout FoodNavigator-USA's latest gallery of new products hitting shelves.
US retail sales of leading packaged food brands tracked by Bernstein* rose +12.1% year-on-year in measured channels in the four weeks ending August 8, with big brands reaping continued benefits from the shift to eating at home, though sales growth slowed...
Want to get feedback on your new child-focused food or beverage launch, brand, or business, from our expert panel at FoodNavigator-USA's virtual FOOD FOR KIDS summit in the fall?
Fourteen food companies made global data intelligence company Morning Consult’s 2020 50 Most Loved Brands list, which analyzed more than 150,000 consumer interviews conducted by the firm in June and July 2020.
Kraft Heinz has named Cory Onell as president of US sales; Sanjiv Gajiwala as US chief growth officer; and Stephanie Peterson as head of US communications as it gears up to unveil its strategic plan in September.
For the bulk of its 21-year lifespan, Alibaba.com served as an online directory to help buyers identify Chinese suppliers of everything from farm equipment to iPhone cases. Today, it’s a multibillion-dollar global b2b e-commerce platform, and food &...
Whole Foods Market has launched Home Ec 365, a digital home economics curriculum “built to help you adult like a boss” as it refreshes its 365 private label range.
The number of new products introduced globally featuring almonds rose 13% to 12,206 in 2019 according to Innova Market Insights, with particularly strong growth in the dairy category (which includes dairy alternatives such as almondmilk and dairy-free...
Confronted by trash and recycling bins overflowing with food and delivery packaging during the pandemic as well as near daily stories of essential workers risking exposure to the coronavirus to help keep them fed, consumers are placing more pressure on...
DouxMatok, the Israeli firm behind patented technology that makes sugar taste sweeter, has struck a deal with a North American sugar refiner to manufacture commercial quantities of its ‘enhanced’ sugar, with the first products containing the sugar likely...
Despite uncertainties about the pandemic, investors continue to fund food and beverage businesses, but they are more closely scrutinizing opportunities, holding entrepreneurs to higher standards and offering less for more than they did before the coronavirus...
Even as the pandemic continues to strain the food system and pressure manufacturers to balance increased demand with restricted supply, companies must still pursue sustainability goals, including minimizing their environmental impact and improving the...
In a Citizen’s Petition filed today, children’s health advocates are ramping up pressure on FDA to address the labeling of so-called ‘transition formulas’ or ‘toddler milks,’ which they say offer “no unique nutritional value,” threaten the health of young...
As Americans continue to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic, they increasingly are living vicariously through social media influencers, many of whom have yet to raise their advertising rates to reflect their higher engagement – making them a...
