Consumer perceptions of store brands are continuing to improve in the US as retailers move beyond cheap me-too products. But perceptions of quality still vary considerably across different categories, says a new survey.
60-second interview: Mark Clausen, VP sales, Quaker Maid Meats
BBQ season might be winding down, but Quaker Maid Meats - the firm behind the top-selling Steak-Umm brand - is on a mission to inject fresh excitement into some mature categories, its new VP of sales Mark Clausen tells Elaine Watson.
One in five Americans now grazes on snacks throughout the day instead of eating three square meals or even several ‘mini-meals’ a day, according to new research suggesting the line between meals and snacks has become increasingly blurred.
Cereals giant Post Holdings has made its fourth major acquisition since it was spun off from Ralcorp last year, splashing out $370m for private label pasta maker Dakota Growers Pasta Co.
ConAgra Foods has sold Lightlife - a manufacturer of frozen and refrigerated meat alternatives it acquired in summer 2000 - to private equity firm Brynwood Partners for an undisclosed sum.
US retail sales of non-GMO foods and beverages are projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9% in the next five years, and could represent 30% of the market with a value of $264bn in 2017, predicts Packaged Facts.
Although federal efforts have led to “modest improvements” in food quality and marketing practices in recent years, “commercial interests have consistently overridden the health concerns of children”, according to one former government health expert.
AquaBounty Technologies - which is hoping to become the first company to introduce a genetically engineered (GE) animal to the human food supply - has posted a net loss of $2.05m for the six months to June 30, 2013 - down from $2.4m in the same period...
It is not currently possible to make a package completely from plant-based materials, says Cascadian Farms, as it launches a bio-based cereal liner for its Cinnamon Crunch line.
Big interview: Josh Tetrick, founder and CEO, Hampton Creek Foods
Egg replacers have been around for years, acknowledges the entrepreneur who has persuaded everyone from Bill Gates to the co-founder of PayPal to part with some serious cash to fund his plant-based egg alternatives. “But wait till you try ours.”
Is it too risky to label products that may contain ingredients from genetically engineered crops as ‘all-natural’? And will the FDA step in and decide this issue so consumer class action lawsuits over this issue stop clogging up the court system?
Natural colors expert Chr. Hansen has been exploring whether it is commercially viable to produce carmine - a natural red food color currently made from crushed cochineal insects - via a controlled fermentation process.
60-second interview, Kristen Mercure, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
The recent growth of the single serve coffee market has been nothing short of meteoric. But is 'fresh-brewed' soup a bridge too far, or could Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) and partner Campbell Soup have stumbled upon CPG gold?
On paper, it looks like a winner. Why not put Campbell soup in a K-Cup? It’s worked for coffee, tea and hot chocolate. And it beats donuts if you get the mid-afternoon munchies and don’t want to be consumed with guilt for the rest of the afternoon.
Are reasonable consumers being misled by companies using the term ‘evaporated cane juice’ (ECJ) to describe dried sugar cane syrup (aka sugar) on product labels? And should this issue be determined by the FDA or the courts?
![Chobani: 'There is a clear danger that inconsistent rulings [on evaporated cane juice labeling] will leave the food and beverage industry in a state of confusion'](https://cdn-a.william-reed.com/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/1/3/4/0/2120431-1-eng-GB/Chobani-The-FDA-not-the-courts-should-judge-whether-term-evaporated-cane-juice-is-permitted-on-pack_news_teaser_medium.jpg)
