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...
SERIAL PROTEIN FORTIFICATION RISKS COMMODIFYING CATEGORY, ANALYST WARNS
Protein fortification is here to stay, says Canadean - but analyst Kirsty Nolan warns that brands should resist the impulse to simply add it to everything and commoditize the ingredient.
'Simple Truth has been our most successful brand launch ever'
Kroger’s natural and organics brand Simple Truth notched up sales of $1.2bn in 2014, and continues to generate double digit growth, said CEO and chairman Rodney McMullen at the company’s q4 earnings call last week.
'I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question that we could be a public company'
Multinationals are snapping up smaller, more entrepreneurial brands in the natural or organic food and beverage space faster than you can say ‘because that’s where the growth is’. So will Zevia – one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic brands in the...
Atkins Nutritionals enters the competitive frozen pizza category with the launch of a high-protein, low-carb option that it says will expand the sluggish category by bringing in consumers who do not currently shop the segment.
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...
Insights from the 13th Global Food Technology & Innovation Summit
Food and beverage manufacturers must focus research and development activities on creating more nutritious and sustainable food solutions, says Nestlé’s head of global R&D.
Probiotics specialist Ganeden has announced a new application, one that straddles the supplement /food divide. The company has partnered with BioGaia to place its Ganeden BC30 into a line of straws that can be packaged with beverages.
North Carolina-based brand Dick Stevens is looking for a slice of the action in the burgeoning high-protein-snacks market with a novel ‘jerky mix’ product combining meat, nuts and fruits in a paleo-friendly grab & go product that creates a new sub-sector...
While the healthy beverages aisle is littered with the corpses of exciting - but ultimately unsuccessful - products, Genius Juice co-founder & CEO Alex Bayer is confident his HPP-treated organic coconut smoothies bring something fresh and different...
Academics have welcomed the WHO’s recommendation to slash added sugar intake to 5-10% of calories – but the food industry has said it is misleading and based on weak evidence.
The CEO of the startup The Healthy Pantry hopes Cooksimple, a healthier, modernized take on iconic meal kits will revitalize the center of the grocery store, which he compared to the “ghetto.”
Vegan, paleo, grass-fed, pasture-raised, ancient grains, and allergen friendly claims are gaining
According to Chicago-based market research firm SPINS, US retail (dollar) sales of foods & beverages rose 1.7% in 2014, while unit sales declined by 0.4%. By contrast, sales of natural and organic brands grew nearly 12%. But where are the opportunities...
'We lack a clear positioning; the shopping experience hasn’t matched what our guests expect'
Some details about Target's food 'reinvention' plan emerged during its Q4 earnings call last week, but more flesh was put on the bones this week as bosses outlined plans to completely "redesign" their food strategy.
Childhood obesity rates have “finally” stopped rising and now are falling among America’s youngest children, thanks in part to the food industry’s efforts to cut calories and offer healthier options, but more needs to be done, said First Lady Michelle...
From Post Foods' new breakfast biscuits to Häagen-Dazs's new Artisan Collection, this month’s gallery is packed with innovative new food and beverage products, many of which are making their debut at the Natural Products Expo West trade show...
We recognize we have to change the in-store experience
Target will double the size of its 'Made to Matter' range of natural, organic, and sustainable products this year as part of a plan to "reinvent" its grocery offering and "deliver more organic, natural, gluten-free items" to...
Banana flour is gluten-free, grain-free and rich in potassium and resistant starch
Banana flour –dried unripe banana milled into powder – is still a novel concept for American consumers, but the Utah-based entrepreneur behind WEDO (which claims to be the only banana flour company in the US) reckons 2015 could be the year it hits the...
The threat posed by fresh foods and produce to sales of packaged foods is about to increase exponentially with the launch of a star-studded, national marketing campaign to encourage teenagers to eat more fruits and veggies.
Beyond Meat - the California-based firm that claims to have unlocked the secret to making ‘near-perfect’ replicas of meat from plants – says that in future, meat-free products won’t be confined to a ‘vegetarian’ section, but just part of the broader ‘protein’...
Microalgae specialist Solazyme says it has secured a “clear and complete victory” over its former French business partner Roquette in a legal dispute over intellectual property rights following the 2013 collapse of their joint venture Solazyme Roquette...
Growth in organic, raw, non-GMO and allergy-free products is outpacing rest of business
Sprouts Farmers Market is exploring online delivery options, but hasn’t found a model that works, yet, chief financial officer Amin Maredia said this week.
60-second interview: Jeff Smith, Director of Marketing, Blue Diamond Almonds Global Ingredients Division
For many Americans, breakfast has switched from being one of three square meals a day to just another snacking occasion – or something to skip altogether. But this brings opportunities as well as challenges, says Blue Diamond’s Jeff Smith, who we caught...
New research suggesting early introduction of peanuts could significantly reduce children’s risk of developing a potentially fatal allergy to the groundnut could create a marketing opportunity for food manufacturers to develop new products for young children,...
The first products containing Solazyme’s high stability, high-oleic algae oil – which boasts “unprecedented” amounts of healthy monounsaturated fat – will hit shelves later this year, says the firm, which has just received a no objections letter from...
Tate & Lyle is launching a new ultra-low-calorie sugar that is found naturally in jackfruit and raisins, but is being made in commercial quantities via the enzymatic conversion of corn using a proprietary process.
Mid-calorie soft drinks have the potential to gain ground on traditional full calorie drinks – and could eventually become the new mainstream choice, according to Zenith International.
If sales of cold cereal are not setting the world on fire, the hot cereal market is faring much better, say the founders of super-premium oatmeal cup brand Umpqua Oats, who notched up revenues of $10m+ in 2014 and hope to grow by 25% this year on the...
PepsiCo’s 2015 launches will see an increased focus on products with health benefits, while it will push smaller packages to make the most of growth in its on-the-go business.
Meat-free brand Lightlife Foods is getting an image overhaul this spring with new packaging, a new logo, new products and a commitment to engaging with a growing number of consumers that are reducing their meat consumption, says CEO Roy Lubetkin.
While sales in much of the US frozen food category are pretty lackluster, sales of frozen fruit have surged in the past three years, with the category now worth more than $1bn vs just $300m a decade ago, says Dole Packaged Foods.
DGAC’s criticism of high intensity sweeteners is “contradictory", says ABA
If the meat lobby isn’t happy with the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s (DGAC’s) recommendations on what constitutes a healthy diet, neither it seems, is the American Beverage Association (ABA), which also issued a statement claiming the expert...
The founder of Amara Beverage Company is on a bold mission to fight the obesity epidemic by “modernizing” the sports drink category, which he says is filled with beverages laden with sugar, empty calories and artificial ingredients.
NAMI: Ten pounds of beef provides more complete nutrition than 10 pounds of rice
Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) report on meat consumption are “flawed” and “nonsensical” and fail to recognize the role that nutrient dense lean meats can play in a healthy balanced diet, says the North American Meat...
DGAC: Public and private sectors must work together to achieve a population-wide culture of health
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) – an panel of experts tasked with developing recommendations about what Americans should eat – has submitted its report to the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA),...
Facing tepid earnings growth and changing consumer shopping dynamics, the Campbell Soup Co. will drastically reorganize its portfolio and cut at least $200 million in costs in the next three years, executives said Feb. 18.
Black tea may help lower blood pressure for people with elevated levels, says a new study from Unilever R&D that adds to the potential health benefits of the beverage and its constituents.
From Filipino flavors to ancient grains, Campbell’s Culinary & Baking Institute (CCBI), a global network of chefs, bakers and culinary professionals, has released its second annual Culinary TrendScape report tracking the top 10 influential food themes...
Meet the CEOs of KRAVE, Health Warrior, Fruigees, HUMAN and Barnana
With the percentage of energy derived from snacks in the American diet doubling since the late 1970s, the pressure is on to make those snacking calories count. But what is a healthy snack, and are the boundaries between snacks and meals blurring as consumers...
Being part of a multinational company will enable Enjoy Life Foods to significantly boost its distribution and accelerate the innovation process, chief marketing officer Joel Warady told FoodNavigator-USA after the allergen-friendly firm announced that...
US household penetration of plant-based beverages has doubled in five years to more than 30%, with almond milk now accounting for almost 70% of sales and new nut-based milks such as cashew gaining momentum, says WhiteWave Foods.
The scathing British review of the evidence behind US and UK fat intake guidelines highlights the need for "better science," says the US National Dairy Council (NDC).
Kara Goldin: Consumers have evolved faster than the beverage category has
While gaining significant distribution in the beverages market can be tough if you don’t have the might of a Coke or Pepsi behind you, Hint Inc CEO Kara Goldin is “not losing sleep at night wondering when they will call me”, she tells FoodNavigator-USA....
What's for breakfast? Re-inventing the first meal of the day
After years of steady decline, the cereal industry could see modest growth in the next five years thanks to consumer interest in healthier, high-end cereals, product process updates, improved commodity prices and innovative partnerships with food service...
The Coca-Cola Company says the US market can help offset global challenges in 2015, warning that 2015 will be a ‘transition’ year while initiatives take hold.