The sweet but tart taste of switchel can be polarizing, says Cide Road founder Kevin Duffy. But it meets a growing demand for bolder, more sophisticated, flavors that has helped to drive sales of products such as kombucha, adds Duffy, who has now secured...
Despite doctors’ recommendations to eat more fish for its many health benefits, many consumers steer clear of tuna – an affordable, sustainable source of omega-3s and beneficial nutrients because they are worried about mercury.
Wilde Snacks’ entrance into the nascent meat bar segment promises to “turn the category upside down” with a revolutionary baking process that offers a healthier finished product and potential for near endless new flavor combinations, according to the...
KRAVE – the upmarket jerky brand that helped to spearhead a renaissance at the premium end of the meat snacking category – could be a $500m brand “very quickly”, claims new chief executive Shane Chambers, who took the helm following the departure of founder...
Consumer demand for premium and functional waters appears insatiable based on the number of new brands jumping in the category at Natural Products Expo West earlier this month and the long-term success of early entrants also showcasing at the show.
The co-founders of SuperLeaf hope the upcoming national distribution and launch in March of new flavors of Detox Water will show Americans aloe can offer significantly more benefit than just easing the pain from sunburns.
With more fiber than cold-pressed juice (4-5g per serving), plus a dose of probiotics (Ganeden’s ultra-resilient BC30 strain), Nomva is targeting consumers seeking simple, minimally processed snacks in a convenient format, says brand owner Phenomenal...
Gelato-filled fruits are called “fruttini” in southern Italy, and for many gelateria in the region, it’s a staple. Reed Cataldo and Guido Molinari refined and packaged the concept and brought it stateside, where it’s a specialty.
While most college freshmen are asking probing philosophical questions about the universe or each other out on dates, the ambitious co-founders of New Grounds Food were asking for help and advice on launching and running a successful new company.
Packed with half a serving of vegetables, and a whimsically hand-drawn looking lion on its package, the founders of Rawr Bar wanted to create a friendly addition to any lunchbox.
From pulse-based innovation to beetroot, fermented foods, and bold flavors, we explore some hot trends at Expo West, catch up with some more established players (Bai, Siggi's, ProYo), and find out why Connelly Partners is convinced that 'friendship...
No longer able to idly watch the increasingly popular plastic pouches that currently are taking the US market by storm continued to mount in landfills, Alter Eco -- a “full-circle sustainability” craft food company -- created the first laminated, fully...
Clif Bar – a company that helped transition the bar category from strictly slick slabs of finely blended ingredients to one with products made from recognizable grains and inclusions that more closely resembled real food – is at it again with a new line...
Explosive consumer interest in functional beverages and bold flavors have prompted retailers in the natural channel to pack their shelves with national and regional brands of kombucha – completely saturating the category and limiting the growth potential...
With sugar reduction in full swing, the sales opportunity in the salty snacks category is growing fast to the tune of 3.7% annually with a projected $22 billion in sales in the US in 2015, according to a recent Packaged Facts report. And innovative manufacturers...
Beverage company Four Sigmatic wants to help Americans overcome their fear of mushrooms so they can reap the ingredient’s health benefits by grinding them into a powder that is combined with familiar flavors in easy to make drink mixes.
Fruit chip maker Bare Snacks is overhauling its packaging to create an iconic brand block on store shelves that will better standout from the competition and communicate to consumers its core values of “simplicity, transparency and nothing bad for you,”...
Unlike some of the more esoteric products at Expo West, Banza chickpea pasta is aimed squarely at mainstream consumers who are looking for more protein and fiber in their pasta, but are not prepared to compromise on taste or texture (no mush).
Ongoing interest in products that are gluten free and better for you are colliding with the international push to celebrate 2016 as the year of the pulse to create a burgeoning category of pasta created from legumes rather than more traditional wheat...
Whether it’s a mug with your beloved pet’s picture on it, or a bespoke set of placeholders for a party you’ve ordered online, consumers love to design their own products these days. But how can mass customization work in the food industry, where minimum...
Ruffles may have ridges, but now so too do popchips – and with significantly less fat and fewer calories than the conventional competitor the better-for-you brand is in a strong position to capture today’s more health-conscious consumer.
Beyond Meat – the California-based maker of plant-based ‘meat’ – is preparing to test market what it claims is “the first plant-based burger that will be placed in the meat counter”, according to executive chairman Seth Goldman.
As 301 Inc’s recent investment in start-up Good Culture demonstrates, large CPG companies are placing bets in promising food companies earlier than ever as the natural & organic food market heats up, says general manager John Haugen, who is looking...
Research showing the repetition of taking multiple bites is more satiating than one piece or bite regardless of the calorie-count is what inspired Enjoy Life Food to develop mini versions of its popular full-sized soft and crunchy cookies and to launch...
As the debate over the meaning of the most controversial term in food marketing (‘natural’) heats up now the FDA has finally weighed in, more food companies will seek organic certification, predicts Annie’s president John Foraker, who reckons organic...
If you felt overwhelmed at Expo West, imagine what it’s like for retailers, who are inundated with pitches from entrepreneurial food companies on a daily basis. But what if there were a simpler way for buyers to identify and compare new products and screen...
From the apparently 'unstoppable' growth in the natural and organic products industry to the FDA's 'natural' probe, check out our gallery of highlights from the education sessions at Expo West.
Boston-based start-up Farmwise – the maker of veggie fries - has triumphed at New Hope's pitch slam event at Expo West, which pitted entrepreneurial food and beverage brands against each other in a range of categories from bone broth to HPP babyfood.
Individually wrapped snacks and bars have revolutionized how busy Americans eat by offering on-the-go convenience, but their current, standard size range also could offer too many calories, suggests the CEO of Zing Bars.