As CPG’s big guns congregate in Florida for the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference, many of them are at a strategic crossroads, says Rabobank.
Shares in the world's biggest food company were down by around 2% this morning as Nestlé announced its slowest sales growth in four years and missed profit expectations for 2013.
US Valentine’s candy consumers are expected to spend more than last year, but many will seek products on offer, while the rich will buy richer with more premium offerings.
Food product marketers have less than three seconds to grab consumer attention, and need think back to the old days of products in supermarket circulars to connect with consumers in the mobile era, says a leading marketing guru.
The US National Confectioners Association (NCA) and leading US firms say sugar has been ‘unjustly’ victimized in recent months and the public should be free to enjoy a sweet treat if they so desire.
Confectioners are beginning to incorporate more active ingredients into chewing gum using techniques used in the pharmaceutical industry, according to US contract manufacturer Zoft Gum.
Californian natural flavors firm Blue Pacific has joined a growing number of ingredients suppliers to go through the Non-GMO Project Verified certification process.
First there was the leaked GMA discussion document; now the industry’s biggest players have put their cards on the table via the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, which is seeking federal legislation to create an FDA-administered voluntary program to...
Excessive consumption of added sugars in drinks, snacks and sweets is associated with an increased risk of dying from heart disease, according to a major US review published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
UPDATED: As the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos squared up at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, the nation’s biggest food and beverage firms battled for supremacy during the commercial breaks. We know who won the game, but who won the...
Jelly Belly is hopeful of international growth after an innovation splurge saw it introduce 50 new products at one show, including the world’s first beer flavored jelly bean.
Sensient Colors has expanded its vegetable juice-derived natural brown colors platform to give customers more options in the wake of a recent report that has reignited the debate over 4-MeI levels in some caramel colors.
As the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos head into battle on Sunday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the nation’s biggest food and beverage brands will battle for supremacy during the commercial breaks.
Hershey’s chief executive John Bilbrey says he is “very excited” about a mystery new product that will unveiled later this year, and believes fruit and choc snack brand Brookside could become a $500m global brand.
An internal report on the World Bank’s multimillion dollar loan to a palm oil company embroiled in human rights allegations has concluded that the investment bank should have been more diligent in its assessments.
Despite the growing body of research extolling the health benefits of flavanols found in cocoa, chocolate product manufacturers have yet to fully embrace front-of-pack claims calling out these compounds—with many still opting for more general “antioxidant”...
A rise in the North American cocoa grind is a positive sign for the mature US chocolate market, but analysts predict health-concerns will challenge future growth.
Mondelez International reached its 2015 goal of sourcing 100% RSPO-certified palm oil for all its purchases last year – two years ahead of schedule, the company has said.
THE FOODNAVIGATOR-USA BUSINESS LEADERS ROUND TABLE DEBATE
Replacing sugar with fibers in chocolate could be more effective in reducing global sugar consumption than cutting portion sizes, but will come at a cost, according to Barry Callebaut.
The FDA’s proposal to revoke the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to oust artificial trans fats from the US diet “is extreme… and other options should be explored”, says soybean industry collaborative Qualisoy.
Anti-GMO activists have reacted with fury to leaked proposals by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) to develop federal rules governing GMO labeling that would pre-empt state-driven initiatives.
The entrepreneur who proved that vending machines can dispense more than candy and soda and still make a decent return has taken the H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending concept to the next level with the launch of a new breed of self-service ‘micro markets’.
Low-calorie products such as sugar-free chocolates will be the driving force behind modest growth in the US chocolate market in the next five years, according to market analysts Lucintel.
Industry attempts to self-regulate the advertising of food and drinks on children's television programs are ‘unsuccessful’ and ‘ineffective’, says a new study from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Hershey Netherlands B.V. has signed an agreement to acquire an 80% stake in Chinese confectionery and snack firm Shanghai Golden Monkey Food Company (SGM) - and the remaining 20% in 2015.
Hershey has committed to purchasing 100% traceable and sustainably-sourced palm oil by the end of 2014. Greenpeace has welcomed the move, but has reservations about timelines and terminology.
What will 2014 bring on the regulatory front for the food and beverage industry? From the stagnant farm bill to the ongoing debate on biotech to consumer confusion on the various forms of sweeteners, trade associations representing the sugar, HFCS and...
World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations for added sugar intake should be halved to protect teeth from dental caries, suggests a review published in the Journal of Dental Research.
The FoodNavigator-USA business leaders round table debate
What are the hottest trends in food and beverage? And are the big bucks really in blue-sky innovation, or have the most successful firms played with an existing concept and just done a better job at executing, marketing and selling it?
Monk fruit is making inroads in the US dairy industry by providing a solution to the “big problem” of declining milk consumption in schools, monk fruit supplier BioVittoria has claimed.
What might give the food and beverage industry's regulatory affairs teams sleepless nights in 2014? From more evaporated cane juice lawsuits to proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts panel, stay up to date with this FoodNavigator-USA gallery…
From maple water to ‘brogurt’, posh jerky, seaweed chips, purple corn, gourmet popcorn and non-GMO labels; what were the hottest trends of 2013, and what’s on the menu for 2014?
Packaged food companies continue to see mid-range market share stolen from an increasingly sophisticated store brand segment. So they’ll look to stay relevant with continued focus on convenience and popular messaging like high protein.
Adding powdered pectin to chewing gum can significantly improve the release of fat soluble ingredients such as flavors and cooling agents as it is chewed, according to a patent application filed by Kraft and Cadbury revealing "surprising" and...
Food manufacturers have urged the FDA to give them more time to consider its proposal to revoke the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to eradicate artificial trans fats from the American diet.
While private label penetration rates in the US “pale in comparison” to those in Europe, the way US retailers regard their store brands has changed dramatically in recent years, according to the CEO of one leading manufacturer.
US consumers have voted for their favorite confectionery brands in five categories: chocolate, premium chocolate, gum, candy and cookies. Find out the results here.
Why is your business using social media? To sell more products? Raise your profile? Change your image? Find out what key ‘influencers’ really think about your brands? Identify and target a new customer base? Or because everyone else is on Twitter and...