In an era of shorter consumer attention spans and heightened suspicion about food science, the packaged food and beverage industry can take a page from the world of pop culture and bring food science down to earth with humor and proactive transparency.
Flowers Foods – which has just snapped up Dave’s Killer Bread for $275m – has made another move into the fast-growing organic bakery category with a $120m deal to acquire Alpine Valley Bread Company.
A California judge has declined to certify a class of consumers in a lawsuit alleging New York-based Medora Snacks falsely used the term ‘all-natural’ on PopCorners labels because the corn-based chips are made with genetically engineered corn.
While supporters of Rep. Mike Pompeo’s Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (HR1599) welcome its proposal to create a national standard for non-GMO claims, the Non-GMO Project says this would confuse shoppers by creating a competing label underpinned by...
A federal judge in Florida has approved a $3.99m deal to resolve a proposed class action accusing Kashi of misleading shoppers by labeling products made with GMOs as ‘all-natural’.
Chipotle: People who eat GM foods are not themselves genetically modified. The same applies to cows fed GM feed…
Chipotle says it will vigorously defend a “meritless and unfair” lawsuit accusing it of falsely advertising its wares as non-GMO. But attorneys say the case shows that firms are vulnerable to civil litigation over non-GMO claims if genetic engineering...
Synthetic biology will become a “permanent and growing aspect of the flavors & fragrances landscape” predicts a new report from Lux Research, which says the approach is more sustainable than traditional techniques such as synthesizing flavors from...
A large consumer study* from market researcher Health Focus International spanning 16 major consumer markets includes this pretty jaw-dropping statistic: 87% of consumers globally think non-GMO foods are ‘somewhat’, or ‘a lot’ healthier.
From the challenges of sourcing organic milk, to the threat 'alternatives' milks pose to the dairy sector and the 'scary' promotional dynamics of the yogurt category, the FoodNavigator-USA Dairy Innovation Forum covered a lot of ground....
Iowa-based World Food Processing says its “seed-to-solution” approach sets its pea protein apart as the only such protein grown and processed in the US.
Consumers found algae oil to have a 'cleaner taste than other cooking oils’
There are lots of pretty cool things about algae oil, from its clean flavor and stability to its striking nutritional profile (unprecedented levels of healthy monounsaturated fat, low saturates and zero trans-fat). But one factor that really sets it apart...
GMA: 'HR 1599 protects the consumer from a costly and confusing 50 state patchwork of labeling laws'
The US House of Representatives has passed the industry-backed voluntary GMO labeling bill - The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act 2015 - by 275 votes to 150, and rejected all four amendments it was asked to consider.
Can the world’s smallest vegetable give other sources of plant protein a run for their money? Will consumers accept ‘synbio’ ingredients, and will the rare sugar allulose be a hit? FoodNavigator-USA hit the show floor at IFT to find out what’s hot, what’s...
There are two bills about GMO labeling floating around Congress, but the momentum appears behind the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015. Here are eight things to know about the Act.
Earning the NonGMO Project verification for every product in the I Heart Keenwah line was a “frustrating” and “taxing” year-long process, but it was worth it, said the company’s president and co-founder Ravi Jolly.
Market researchers Innova Market Insights and Mintel shared new data on what’s hot and what’s not in food & beverages at the IFT show this year, exploring everything from dairy-free claims to why consumers buy organic foods.
Boulder Brands – the firm behind EVOL Foods, Udi’s Gluten Free and Smart Balance – has reduced its salaried headcount by 15% and integrated its sales, marketing and innovation functions as part of a restructure following the departure of CEO Steve Hughes.
Kraft Foods Group has come under renewed fire over ‘natural’ claims this month, with a judge certifying a false advertising lawsuit over its ‘natural cheese’ and a plaintiff filing a new lawsuit alleging Capri Sun 100% juice is not ‘all natural’ as it...
Pope Francis has weighed into the debate over GM crops, arguing that while he doesn’t believe there is any “conclusive proof that GM cereals are harmful to human beings”, he worries about their effects on the ecosystem, and argues that they have resulted...
Food ingredients produced using ‘synthetic biology’ techniques – such as Evolva's vanillin, which is made from genetically engineered baker’s yeast - do not qualify for the Non-GMO Project Verified stamp, says the Non GMO Project.
New developments in three high-profile false advertising lawsuits underline the risks associated with making ‘all-natural’ claims on foods made with genetically engineered ingredients, with Kashi and Karlin Foods agreeing to sizeable settlements, and...
Targeting millennials in an effort to reach adventurous, trendsetting consumers who will adopt and evangelize new products early will only get marketers a third of the way to their goal, recent research from CivicScience suggests.
Efforts by Emerald Premium Snack- and Kettle brand chip-maker Diamond Food’s Inc. to meet consumer demand for healthy, natural and convenient snacks are paying off with sales climbing 2.5% to $662.4 million in the first three-quarters of the year, company...
A poll* of more than 4,200 US consumers conducted in April 2015 by CivicScience shows Americans believe that ‘preservatives / chemicals’ are significantly more harmful to their heath than added sugar, saturated fat and sodium.
Compared to previous generations Millennials are far more likely to make spur-of-the-moment food decisions and have less well-stocked pantries, say market researchers. But many food retailers are not geared up to meet their changing needs.
Pressure on food manufacturers to label genetically modified food and provide non-GMO alternatives is mounting as consumer concern and confusion about the technology increases in response to a deluge of negative messaging about it.
Meet execs from Sparkling ICE, Chobani, Tio Gazpacho, NASA
Imagine a place where you can meet the entrepreneurs behind new food & beverage categories and retail channels; pioneers in the field of nutrigenomics, edible insects, and 3D printing; food law attorneys; investment bankers; and number crunchers who...
Concern about “chemicals” in the food supply is growing among Americans, many of whom are changing how they buy food as a result, according to a recent survey.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Process Verification Program could provide an avenue for firms to certify the veracity of non-GMO claims without indirectly suggesting that genetic engineering is undesirable or unsafe.
Swiss fermentation specialist Evolva and sweeteners expert Cargill have agreed to start engineering work so they can produce next-generation stevia sweeteners via fermentation at a Cargill biofuel and corn milling facility in Blair, Nebraska, ready for...
Zevia – a zero-calorie carbonated beverage line sweetened with stevia, monk-fruit and erythritol – has removed colors from its entire product range, including colas, and put every SKU through the non-GMO Project verification process.
'Millennials are increasingly health conscious...'
As widely predicted, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is appealing a federal court ruling denying its bid to halt implementation of Vermont’s GMO labeling law (Act 120) until a lawsuit over the Act is resolved.
Attacking biotech companies and spurning ‘artificial’ ingredients will usually generate some positive PR for your business, even if food scientists wearily point out that there are greater threats to our health - and the planet - than GMOs and dough conditioners...
Consumers’ concern about genetically modified food is on the rise, but most shoppers are not yet willing to pay a premium for non-GMO foods – making it difficult for manufacturers to evaluate the business case for going non-GMO, according to research...
Attorney: This case could end up in the Supreme Court
While opponents of Vermont’s GMO labeling Act 120 suffered a major setback this week after a federal judge rejected many of their arguments, some attorneys predict the case could ultimately end up in the Supreme Court to settle a long-running debate over...
A federal court has rejected an attempt by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and other trade associations to prevent the state of Vermont from implementing its controversial GMO labeling law until litigation over the legislation has been resolved.
Chipotle Mexican Grill has “achieved its goal of moving to only non-GMO ingredients to make all of the food in its US restaurants”, and is now embarking on a quest to eliminate additives such as dough conditioners from its foods.
Four out of 10 consumers claim to be avoiding or reducing genetically modified foods in their daily diets, mainly because they are concerned about the possible impact of GMOs on their health and well-being, according to The Hartman Group’s Organic &...
The use of certain biotechnologies could support organic production in the future – although the currently approved ‘cross-species’ GM technologies are the biggest threat to the organic food system, says Christopher Stopes.
The organic industry must overcome substantial hurdles to sustain its double digit sales growth, including the threat posed by genetically modified organisms, limited technological advancements and a dwindling farming population, said organic farmer and...
Congress needs to strengthen FDA’s oversight of genetically modified organisms before foreign countries, with potentially lower safety standards, begin genetically engineering crops used in finished products that are imported to the U.S., argues an executive...
Through partnerships with small farmers, non-governmental organizations and other industry stakeholders, General Mills reports it is making progress towards its goal of sustainably sourcing 100% of its top 10 ingredients by 2020.
US sales of specialty foods blasted through the $100bn barrier in 2014, with retail ($85.5bn) and foodservice sales ($24bn) combined hitting $109.5bn, up 10.3% on 2013 sales of $99.3bn, according to a new report from the Specialty Food Association using...
Demand for organic in the U.S. is soaring with more than 80% of families buying some organic products, pushing sales up to an expected $40 billion last year, according to the Organic Trade Association.
Monsanto says the view of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) that the herbicide glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans" is at odds with the conclusion reached by “all regulatory agencies...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says two high-profile genetically engineered foods - Simplot's low acrylamide 'Innate' potatoes, and Okanagan Specialty Fruit's non-browning 'Arctic' apples – are “as safe and nutritious...
Consumer confusion about organic verses non-GMO claims abounds, and the Natural Product Association wants to set the record straight with a new lobbying effort.
While retail sales of packaged bread have been pretty sluggish in recent years, one company that’s bucking the trend is Oregon-based Dave’s Killer Bread.
