Kellogg Company’s venture capital fund eighteen94’s inaugural investment and lead position in a $4.25 million raise for the fast-growing startup Kuli Kuli will help the moringa superfood supplier and manufacturer expand its presence in retailers with...
Dairy can get a bad rap in debates on animal welfare and sustainability, but it’s time the conversation became more nuanced, says 100% grass-fed, organic and “unapologetically full-fat” dairy brand Maple Hill Creamery, which is now available in 6,000...
By blurring the line between subscription boxes and home delivery meal kits, industry newcomer SoBakeable takes the best parts of each category to create a unique business model that promises sustained consumer engagement – an essential component that...
Ancient Nutrition takes the burgeoning bone broth category in a new direction by bringing it into the well established and wildly successful protein powder segment with the creation of a more versatile Bone Broth Protein powder.
Drinkable organic soup brand Tio Gazpacho is gearing up for a significant expansion in 2017 as it starts to reap the benefits of partnerships with General Mills and Michelin-Starred Chef José Andrés, and prepares to launch a new, lower-priced line targeting...
FoodFutureCo - a food business accelerator program targeting ‘purpose-driven’ companies in scale-up mode (on track to grossing more than $1 million annually) – will unveil its new cohort of 6-8 companies in early 2017.
Personalized nutrition? Plant-based foods? Paleo diets? FoodNavigator-USA quizzed food & beverage entrepreneurs and CEOs to find out what trends they will be monitoring in 2017 and why…
Donald Trump? GMO labeling? Raising money? FoodNavigator-USA quizzed food & beverage entrepreneurs and CEOs to find out what is keeping them awake at night as they head into the New Year…
As snacking continues to encroach on mealtime in the US, industry newcomer Farmer’s Pantry wants to ensure that the grab-and-go options consumers reach for are well-balanced, sufficiently filling and worthy of their new elevated position in the American...
Is it legal for nut or other non-dairy based beverages sold in the US to describe themselves as ‘milk’ (almondmilk, cashewmilk, soymilk) on food labels?
From customizable granola and meals based on your DNA and blood markers, to seamless new shopping experiences and kitchen robots, and shifting definitions of 'healthy' and 'natural,' we’ve highlighted 15 trends to watch in 2017.
From mix-and-go powders to shots to meals in bottles, the beverages showcased at SOHO Expo illustrate the wide variety of choices consumers have today and the many different ways they use beverages beyond mere hydration.
Cacao is best known for its antioxidant-rich nut that is used to make chocolate, but the fruit has more to offer -- including a sweet white pulp that helps set Suavva Cacao Smoothies apart from other RTD juices and shakes.
Offering products made from crops transitioning to organic at a premium above conventional but not as high as certified organic “helps the farmer, helps the consumer and helps the planet,” says the owner of the McKaskle Family Farm.
For more than 100 years, brewing and benefiting from the health aspects of Yaupon Holly -- a lightly caffeinated and antioxidant packed plant native to the US -- was nearly forgotten, but now it is coming back and ready to go mainstream thanks to the...
As the plant-based movement marches on, alternatives to animal-based products are starting to show up in some unexpected places -- most recently as substitutes in the burgeoning meat bar category.
Getting retailers to give up valuable space in the chiller for nutrition bars was a tough sell when Bill Keith first started knocking on doors in 2006. Today, Perfect Bars are the third best-selling snack bar in the natural channel, and their success...
Launching a new brand in the ready-to-drink tea market is not for the faint-hearted, but Shaka Tea - one of three winners in this year's trailblazers challenge at Food Vision USA - has unique attributes that set it apart from the competition, says...
Give peas a chance? It's tough breaking into the ultra-competitive snacks market with a brand that resonates across all retail channels, but Hippeas - one of three winners in this year's trailblazers challenge at Food Vision USA - has managed...
Afineur – one of three winners in this year's trailblazers challenge at Food Vision USA – reckons microbes can transform the flavor and nutrition of a host of agricultural products, starting with coffee.
Cold pressed watermelon juice brand WTRMLN WTR – which hit the headlines in May after Beyonce took a ‘meaningful stake’ – has notched up 300%+ growth in 2016 and is now in 15,000+ stores, says co-founder and creative director Jody Levy, who says fans...
Home delivery meal kit provider Chef’d breaks away from the dinner focused competition by partnering with the Quaker Oats Company to become one of the first services in the crowded category to offer breakfast options.
Ripple – a pea-based ‘milk’ claimed to blow both dairy milk and plant-based alternatives out of the water in the taste, nutrition and sustainability stakes - appears to be living up to the hype, and is now available in 3,000 stores just nine months after...
Kabrita USA cuts through the competition in the infant and toddler formula category to earn shelf space and parents' trust by cultivating consumers' positive reviews and healthcare providers' recommendations.
From fruit- and herb-infused apple cider vinegar to bitter melon & green tea combos, and collagen-laced waters, new beverage concepts are hitting the market every week. But which emerging trends have real staying power and what really interests VCs...
Based in part on the idea that good things come in small packages, the founders of The Little Kernel earlier this year launched a line of tiny pre-popped popcorn, which they say is sweeter, crunchier and easier to eat than regular sized popcorn because...
Most entrepreneurs are lucky if they strike CPG gold once. Jason Cohen has done it multiple times, and reckons he could be onto a winner again with Road Crew Crunch, a simple combination of chocolate, nuts, rice and pretzels he discovered on a family...
‘Clean’ (a.k.a. cultured/lab-grown) meat pioneer Memphis Meats says it aims to have products in grocery stores by 2021, and says it is confident it will be able to mass produce meat in bioreactors at prices at parity, or below, that of meat from farm...
The Beyond Burger – the first refrigerated plant-based patty to sit in the meat counter – will move into all Whole Foods regions by the end of the year, while brand owner Beyond Meat is also in talks with foodservice chains interested in testing or launching...
US volume sales of products featuring a ‘grain-free’ claim surged 75.7% in the 52 weeks to July 30, 2016, according to Nielsen Wellness Track data,* with many retailers now carving out grain-free or ‘Paleo’ segments in everything from hot cereal and nutrition...
The founders of startup Malt Shop Cookies are hoping to jumpstart their new ecommerce business by launching on Cyber Monday the online sale of their line of malted milk cookies before expanding into more traditional brick and mortar stores next year.
As widely rumored, two major players in the functional beverages space are to change hands, with PepsiCo to acquire KeVita for an undisclosed sum and Dr Pepper Snapple Group to acquire Bai Brands – in which it already has a small stake – for $1.7bn. And...
Rightly or wrongly, organic snacks often are stereotyped as “esoteric” products that sacrifice flavor and fun for nutrition and are “hard on the wallet” compared to their conventional counterparts, according to the CEO of Pure Growth Organic.
From terminology (do US consumers get the word ‘pulses’?), to positioning (what are the key selling points?), and how to deal with flatulence questions, the recent FoodNavigator-USA Pulse Innovation Forum covered a lot of ground. Here are some of the...
Kombucha and fermented beverages category grew 32% in year to October 2, says SPINS
According to SPINS data*, retail sales of refrigerated kombucha and fermented beverages** surged 32% to $375.4m (natural, specialty, conventional multi-outlet) in the year to October 2, but with household penetration still very low, there is still significant...
Ten years after launch, Oakland, CA-based Revolution Foods is on course to generate revenues of $130m in 2016, up 25% vs 2015, and expects to continue on the same trajectory in 2017 as more kids and families discover its “kid-inspired, chef-crafted” meals...
The food industry’s biggest guns have recently been engaged in some serious retail therapy, investing in a flurry of smaller, sexier brands and setting up venture arms to nurture them. And they’re not the only ones out shopping. Leonardo DiCaprio and...
If you didn't make it to Chicago last week for Food Vision USA 2016, you missed a truly awesome ensemble of industry experts covering everything from personalized nutrition, savory oats and plant-based foods to the existential angst of big food brands...
Eating involves smell, taste, touch, sound, and sight, which presents obvious challenges for anyone trying to simulate it in virtual reality. But what if you could enjoy a mind-blowing meal without eating a thing – or perhaps just a spoonful of something...
Social Nature harnesses social media to drive consumer engagement
Demos are expensive and time consuming, shows and events can be hit and miss, and redemption rates for coupons handed out at events can be frustratingly low. So how can you reach more target consumers, generate more buzz about your products, and use it...
From robotic hands on rails above your worktop that will make your dinner, and then clean up afterwards, to a suite of wifi-connected devices for stress-free meal planning and cooking, technology seems set to transform our kitchens. But what about restaurants,...
Is personalized nutrition just an overpriced indulgence for affluent people that are already health conscious, or could Campbell Soup’s $32m bet on Habit – a nutrition and meal-delivery operation partnering with leading systems biologists – really transform...
The founders of BOMB Coffee want to help America’s armed forces and veterans stay mentally sharp by offering them a “super caffeinated” specialty coffee and by donating a percentage of its sales to non-profits that help service members cope with post-traumatic...
Consumers with food sensitivities often face an unenviable choice in the frozen dessert aisle: Buy something that could trigger a reaction, or opt for an allergy-friendly product loaded with more calories, fat and sugar than conventional ice cream, according...
For the 45 million Americans who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, identifying food that they can safely eat without triggering a flare up is a source of deep frustration that also could be a sizable market opportunity for innovative food and beverage...
Most Americans are pretty clueless about mung beans, but Crunchsters - a Boulder-based start-up determined to put them on the culinary map - reckons it’s only a matter of time before the protein- and fiber-packed beans become an essential part of every...
Historically consumers who wanted a gluten-free alternative to a wheat-based product had to sacrifice nutrition, taste or accept the presence of other common allergens in the ingredient list.
Campbell Soup is investing $32m in Habit, a personalized nutrition and meal delivery company led by Plum Organics founder Neil Grimmer set to launch in 2017.
