Snacking behaviors evolved in a few key ways over the past few years as consumers balanced familiarity with health and wellness and are now looking to expand and diversify their snacking routines, says Brigette Wolf, VP, global head of SnackFutures at...
In a highly competitive industry in which 80-85% of new products fail in the first two years, natural grocery distributor KeHE consistently picks winners and fosters growth among emerging brands thanks to several key initiatives, including its TrendFinder...
Led by a PepsiCo alum turned beverage entrepreneur, OCA is carving out a spot for itself in the growing 'clean' energy drink category with a simple ingredient deck which includes 120mg of caffeine from green coffee extract.
From reishi to lion’s mane, ‘medicinal’ mushrooms are gaining traction in foods and beverages, buoyed by growing interest in adaptogens and immunity, says Four Sigmatic CEO Tero Isokauppila, who caught up with FoodNavigator-USA at the Natural Products...
Above Food has been quietly building a plant-based foods portfolio which spans plant-based seafood to plant-based cheese, and its market presence is about to explode with the unveiling of a disruptive, more sustainable, oat processing technology that...
While plant-based beef patties and grounds, pork sausages and chicken nuggets abound, seafood alternatives are still relatively scare – representing a significant, and fast-growing, opportunity that innovators and investors alike are moving quickly to...
Worth an estimated $1.94b globally in 2020 and slated to grow at a compound annual rate of 17.7%, according to Research & Markets data*, the plant-based yogurt category is hitting its stride, even as manufacturers struggle to balance nutrition, mouthfeel...
Health and wellness positioned products may account for only a small portion of the food and beverage industry’s overall dollar share, but they are disproportionately driving dollar growth alongside organic, which often outpaced its conventional counterparts...
Three years since first debuting its ClearFlo modifying ingredient technology used to reduce sensory off notes of stevia, Cargill is debuting a single solution and combination of the two: EverSweet stevia + ClearFlo, giving food and beverage manufacturers...
Sophie's Kitchen is gearing up to significantly expand distribution of its plant-based seafood portfolio of chilled, frozen, and shelf-stable pea-based seafood analogues including its most recent product launch -- fish burgers -- which CEO Miles...
Despite efforts in recent years to disrupt the roughly $5b fruit snack market with better-for-you options made with more, whole or only fruit, the category remains dominated by legacy products high in added sugars and fillers and low in nutritional value...
If the alt-meat space is getting pretty crowded, there is still only a handful of players in the plant-based egg vertical, which is growing strongly, says Just Egg maker Eat Just, which has seen a significant increase in distribution, with its mung-bean-fueled...
With consumers placing more weight on the type and amount of fat in packaged food when selecting purchases, a group of five better-for-you brands are teaming up to ensure shoppers understand key nutritional differences between oils and how they are processed....
Ten years after its debut, upcycling pioneer Barnana continues to push the boundaries of would-be wasted bananas and disprove naysayers with a trio of diverse, savory snacks launched in as many years while simultaneously navigating the uncertainty of...
From a flurry of keto snacks and functional-but-fun beverages, to firms making more proactive claims about their impact (or lack thereof) on the environment, check out our first trendspotting gallery from the Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim,...
CPG companies with more diverse leadership and which intentionally engage a consumer base that more accurately reflects the racial composition of the US population are attracting shoppers and growing faster than brands that over-index among white shoppers,...
Natural and organic brands catering to alternative eating styles and combining better nutrition with convenience are shifting consumer perceptions of frozen to boost purchase intent and sales that could outlast the pandemic pantry stocking surge of 2020,...
With nearly one in five Americans now following some type of specialty diet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the extent to which products appeal to different food tribes can heavily influence sales – but not all diets are...
As consumers adopt a more flexible and holistic approach to ‘dieting,’ brands have more room to innovate at the ingredient-level through “mindful omissions and swaps” to create products that appeal to shoppers’ lifestyles, according to new research from...
Buyers on online discovery platform RangeMe - which is used by retailers from Whole Foods to Walmart to identify new products and suppliers - are increasingly using it as a tool to identify brands that align with corporate social responsibility goals,...
As coronavirus continues to thwart businesses' best-laid plans, New Hope has decided to take Expo West – its annual trade show in Anaheim, California – virtual this spring, in the wake of “government restrictions, anticipated timelines around re-opening...
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.
While sales of natural and organic products continue to grow in the high single- digits year-over-year, the industry’s lack of leadership diversity, including brands owned by people of color and women, is holding it back from its full market potential,...
Following consultation with stakeholders about the viability of holding a major trade exhibition as coronavirus cases continue to rise in multiple states, New Hope has opted to cancel Natural Products Expo East in Philadelphia (Sept. 23-26) and encourage...
In an announcement that will not likely surprise many stakeholders, New Hope has decided to cancel (rather than postpone) the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim and focus its attention on Expo East in Philadelphia (Sept. 23-26).
Emerging brand Lemon Perfect is seeking mainstream recognition with its shelf-stable lemon water, which contains the cold-pressed juice and pulp from half of an organic lemon (5% juice), and launching a new line of sparkling water in cans.
With exhibitors canceling en masse 48-hours before the nation's biggest natural products show was set to open, organizer New Hope was forced to pull the plug, promising a new date "before the summer" (although it's unclear how realistic...
Hundreds of companies and brands have announced they won’t be at Expo West because of COVID-19 fears. The show’s organizers said yesterday the show will go on but predict overall attendance could drop by as much as 60%.
Frito-Lay hopes to chip away at some of the inequity that female entrepreneurs face with the launch of a live pitch slam at Natural Products Expo West that will give 10 women a chance to win $100,000 in grants to support their companies.
With a subtle name change from Country Archer Jerky Co. to Country Archer Provisions, the meat snack brand is opening the door for expansion into new categories, while at the same time reinforcing its stronghold in jerky with the introduction of a new...
Developing and launching a new product is never easy, but according to the CEO of the chickpea snack company Biena, the specific challenges entrepreneurs will face across sales, marketing and operations will vary significantly based on whether they are...
Tofurky has raised $7m via a private investment to help scale production of its plant-based refrigerated sausages, deli slices, grounds, roasts and tempeh as consumer demand for meat alternatives continues to grow.
While some animal protein producers might see the rise in plant-based eating as a threat, Applegate sees it as an opportunity to push forward its mission of changing the meat we eat with several new products, including a blended burger that combines meat...
As consumers learn more about digestive health and all the implications that it has for the wellbeing of their bodies and minds, they are looking for products that go beyond probiotics – creating a booming digestive health category that is ripe for innovation....
Weller, a Boulder-based snack and beverage company, is not tip-toeing around using the word 'CBD' on its packaging as it launches a line of sparkling waters featuring 25mg cannabidiol (from full spectrum hemp extract).
Reimagining base brands, cultivating the M&A pipeline, and developing new innovation models
Will big food companies increasingly buy in innovation and serve simply as scale up platforms for smaller, more 'authentic' brands they didn’t create, or can they come up with their own cool stuff that will resonate with new generations of consumers?...
While modern wisdom may favor launching fast and iterating quickly based on consumer feedback, the director of innovation at Endangered Species Chocolate says when it comes to packaging and branding it is better to slow down and invest in consumer research...
Revive Kombucha is taking a direct shot at the center aisle carbonated soft drink (CSD) consumer with a shelf-stable sparkling kombucha in 12-ounce cans that contains less sugar (5g) and lower calories (20 calories) than its raw refrigerated kombucha....
Are we approaching ‘peak plant milk’? Will ‘designer proteins’ created via synthetic biology catch on? And should dairy milk serve as the nutritional benchmark for plant-based ‘milk’? Elaine Watson caught up with Ripple Foods cofounder Adam Lowry at the...
Mondelēz International is already a powerhouse in snacking (parent company to Ritz, Wheat Thins, Triscuit, and allergen-friendly brand, Enjoy Life Foods). In November 2018, however, the company decided to pour more efforts into its snack business strategy...
CBD far and away stole the show as the hot new ingredient at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim last week, but it wasn’t the only notable trend with promising market potential or significant recent development.
Emerging brands in the plant-based frozen food space are plentiful, but not many have proven their value in international markets as Strong Roots has in the UK and its home base of Ireland.
Clio Snacks, which makes chilled Greek yogurt bars dipped in chocolate, sees itself as supplementing a declining Greek yogurt category by expanding usage occasions and answering the consumer call for a permissibly indulgent snack.
Frustrated that 8 million metric tons of plastic go into the ocean every year, the founder of the sustainable seafood company LoveTheWild is ditching the plastic in her packaging and downsizing her carton as part of a relaunch of her meal kits and to...
Following the lead of many other established food & beverage players, Mars, Incorporated is launching a new accelerator to help early stage food-focused companies fast-track growth in exchange for access to the energy and ground-level market insights...
In recent years the idea of doing well by doing good has grown beyond a few niche brands with pet projects to become a must-have for startups and established companies alike as consumers increasingly shop based on their values.
'What we're wrestling with is whether CBD is an ingredient play, or something huge brands can be built around'
The fact that CBD is not a legal ingredient in foods and supplements - at least not yet - did not deter scores of exhibitors at Expo West, who added it to everything from soda to protein bars (absent any claims), with some opting for isolates, but most...
With newcomers launching practically every day in the food and beverage industry, the pressure is on for legacy brands to up their innovation game – and according to industry giant Unilever the best way to do this is to start with modern consumers’ core...
Kite Hill – a leading player in the fast-growing plant-based dairy category utilizing cultured almondmilk to create cream cheeses, yogurts and filled pastas – will be unveiling a new logo, package design and strapline (‘plant based artisans’) at the Natural...
Coconut Collaborative has expanded distribution to more than 1,000 stores since launching in the US last year, and according to co-founder Edward Averdieck, the brand is hitting its stride just as the plant-based yogurt market is showing signs of becoming...
