The adventure-seeking co-founders of freeze-dried snack fruit start-up Berry Golden hope to lead consumers by example to step out of their comfort zone and try something new.
60-second interview: Lisa Andrews, research & development assistant, Wixon
Edible insects - crickets in particular – have picked up a lot of positive PR lately as firms look for alternative sources of protein. But what is cricket flour like to work with? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Lisa Andrews (LA), research & development...
Rising health concerns, commodity costs and competition are restraining sales of chocolate in the U.S. that until 2014 were growing strongly, according to market research from Mintel.
Large food and beverage companies are starting to fight back with mixed success against the smaller, more nimble companies that continue to steal market share, according to market analysts.
Taste is much more complex than the experience of basic flavours on the tongue – it also encompasses our other senses to a larger degree than most people realise, according to Professor Charles Spence.
Improving the quality, assortment, display and accessibility of fresh food is “critical” to Walmart’s “plan of attack” to grow sales and market share, the firm’s new U.S. CEO told analysts April 1.
As many of today’s busy consumers are getting upwards of half their daily calories from snacks, they’re demanding more than ever from the category. So newcomer Snack Out Loud saw an opportunity to leverage the power of the yet untapped roasted pinto bean...
Fruits and vegetables are “hot” right now,but sales do not have to be restricted to the produce section of the grocery store thanks in part to innovations from Taura Natural Ingredients that allow shelf stable foods and snacks in the center of the store...
Yogurt maker Dannon’s partnership with cold pressed juice giant Evolution Fresh creates a powerhouse that could bring renewed energy to the Greek yogurt category, which has been slowing recently.
Replacing plastic trays with a cardboard system could allow US retailers to slash US bread prices while maintaining profit margins and lowering costs for manufacturers, says the maker of the new method Out of the Box.
Bursting with nutrients and boasting an impressive growth rate, the future of hemp seed is bright– but what’s the best way for manufacturers to cash in on a product that is connected – mistakenly but understandably – with an illegal drug?
The proliferation of snacks along with the growing number of ways to get them has created too many options for consumers who, above all else, like a limited variety to suit their needs, says David Calabrese, founder of San Francisco-based HealthyCheats,...
Yogurt manufacturers are rolling out a wide variety of new products to drive consumer interest in and consumption of the dairy product in an attempt to boost sales, which have slowed in recent years after experiencing astronomical growth for several years...
Smaller plates may not encourage overweight teenage girls to reduce portion sizes because they may be less attentive to visual cues, according to a study.
Long before “gluten-free,” “sustainable” and “organic” held the marketing sway they do now, Liz Ward wanted to channel her passion for organic agriculture and social justice into a naturally nutritionally dense food product by creating BumbleBar, an all...
With a million customers nationwide and counting, online natural products retailer Abe’s Market looks to make it easier for natural products consumers to buy everything in one place by focusing on trial, convenience and value.
ConAgra Food outlines a three-point plant for growing sales of commercial brands, including Swiss Miss, Pam and Orville Redenbacher's, which continue to struggle despite improved share, profit and volume stabilization.
California-based almond agricultural co-operative, Blue Diamond Growers, is struggling to cope with increasing throughput at its processing plants and will expand warehouse facilities by 33% to absorb the impact, according to the group.
Two months following the premiere of the first-ever fresh produce TV advertisement during the Super Bowl as part of a $46 million marketing campaign, Avocados From Mexico (AFM) says its big investment is paying off as avocado imports are up by record...
The mega-merger between Kraft Food Group and H.J. Heinz Company announced March 25 will allow the U.S. based companies to grow more quickly together than they could individually by combining their complementary distribution strengths, company executives...
Consumers may be seeking more healthy and fresh foods in general, but when it comes to snacks, more people want an indulgent treat than something good for them, according to marketing data from IRI.
Ginger, turmeric and sprouted grains are hot, while kale and Greek yogurt are cooling off, according to trend watchers at Rabobank International who walked the floor at the 2015 Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim earlier this month.
While multiple factors from price to functionality determine which fiber is best for any given application, chicory root fiber (inulin) is gaining ground with many food formulators owing to its non-GMO credentials and the fact that consumers see it as...
Trans-fat bans, and limiting the availability of sugary and fatty foods are the best ways to battle obesity, while nutrition information fails to deliver benefits, says a new review of anti-obesity policies.
A judge in Illinois has thrown out a class action lawsuit against KIND LLC over “no refined sugars” claim on its Healthy Grains products, which contain evaporated cane juice, a form of sugar, and molasses.
Manufacturers are rolling out a vast array of new oatmeal products in an effort to meet consumers’ growing demand for healthier fiber- and protein-packed breakfasts and to offset declines in cold cereal sales in the U.S.
Food giant General Mills is tearing a page from the playbook of the start-ups and small brands with which it competes to change how it develops and markets new products.
While it’s taken a while to convince retail buyers that stocking protein bars next to kombucha in the refrigerator makes sense, the strategy has paid off big time for Perfect Bar, in no small part due to the tenacity of founder Bill Keith, who took ‘bootstrapping’...
Ready-to-eat popcorn sales surged 60% to $750m between 2012 and 2014, while microwave popcorn sales dropped 8% to $830m, so what lessons can we learn from all this?
The beauty-from-within market is one of those that is perennially not quite ready for prime time, at least in North America. But officials at Taiyo International believe that’s about to change, and the company stands ready to benefit with a green tea...
As consumers’ understanding of food as a health management tool expands, retailers nationwide are changing how they stock and promote products to better drive sales and be considered a wellness destination, a recent survey reveals.
From all-day grazing to the 20% YoY growth in meat-based snacks, the merits of cricket flour, when and how to raise capital, nutrient density and guerrilla marketing, the FoodNavigator-USA Snacking Trends Forum covered a lot of ground. Here are some of...
Two or three years ago, you could count the number of US firms using cricket flour in food products on the fingers of one hand; today there are more than 30 companies making everything from bars to cookies.
A whopping nine out of 10 consumers prefer to eat at home, but the size and make-up of those households are changing and so are consumers’ needs from food and beverage companies, according to research firm Acosta Sales & Marketing.
One out of 13 children in North America has food allergies today compared with one in 50 in 1990, and in the next couple of years, it’s going to be about one in 10, according to allergen-friendly foods brand Enjoy Life Foods.
The appeal and potential for vegan products is expanding beyond the small group of people who avoid animal products for ethical reasons to include the much larger base of consumers seeking healthier, cleaner foods, according to an industry expert.
Snack makers may get better traction by marketing to consumers who watch sad or action-packed movies and television than those who prefer comedies and talk shows, if the amount of food consumed by viewers in two recent studies is any indication.
The chocolate industry must commit to longer sourcing agreements if it expects farmers to be able to invest in cocoa productivity and quality, according to a leading farming cooperative in Côte d’Ivoire.
Known for its baby carrots and premium juices, Bolthouse Farms is making healthy snacks more fun for children and easier for parents with creative packaging and flavor combinations.
While cricket flour is still something of a novelty, it’s creeping (and crawling) into more snacks as awareness – and the infrastructure to support its commercial-scale production – ramps up. Meanwhile, chia, fruit, peas, beans, ancient grains and protein...
While ‘legacy’ food and beverage brands are laser focused on price, promotion and placement, no amount of financial clout or merchandising wizardry can mask the fact that smaller, sexier, more disruptive, brands are outpacing them. But are CPG’s biggest...
The food industry has criticised the WHO’s recommendation to reduce the intake of added sugar for being backed by ‘moderate’ and ‘very low quality’ evidence.
US breakfast habits are changing, with Americans moving from breakfast cereals towards nutritional and cereal bars offering food engineers an ‘efficient platform’, says Packaged Facts.
Research showing that 99% of sales growth from packaged food from 2008 to 2012 came from lower calorie foods is inspiring major manufacturers to more aggressively promote and launch healthier options, according to company executives and a health policy...
The meat snacks market has become considerably more dynamic lately, with new entrants piling in and existing players revamping their offer, but there’s still room for new players that can bring a fresh twist to the category, says the boss of a brand that...
