Food giant General Mills is tearing a page from the playbook of the start-ups and small brands with which it competes to change how it develops and markets new products.
Ready-to-eat popcorn sales surged 60% to $750m between 2012 and 2014, while microwave popcorn sales dropped 8% to $830m, so what lessons can we learn from all this?
The beauty-from-within market is one of those that is perennially not quite ready for prime time, at least in North America. But officials at Taiyo International believe that’s about to change, and the company stands ready to benefit with a green tea...
As consumers’ understanding of food as a health management tool expands, retailers nationwide are changing how they stock and promote products to better drive sales and be considered a wellness destination, a recent survey reveals.
From all-day grazing to the 20% YoY growth in meat-based snacks, the merits of cricket flour, when and how to raise capital, nutrient density and guerrilla marketing, the FoodNavigator-USA Snacking Trends Forum covered a lot of ground. Here are some of...
Balancing protein intake throughout the day - rather than having the bulk as part of an evening meal - helped participants in a study to boost muscle gain by nearly 20% and lose weight, Nestlé researchers have found.
Two or three years ago, you could count the number of US firms using cricket flour in food products on the fingers of one hand; today there are more than 30 companies making everything from bars to cookies.
One out of 13 children in North America has food allergies today compared with one in 50 in 1990, and in the next couple of years, it’s going to be about one in 10, according to allergen-friendly foods brand Enjoy Life Foods.
The appeal and potential for vegan products is expanding beyond the small group of people who avoid animal products for ethical reasons to include the much larger base of consumers seeking healthier, cleaner foods, according to an industry expert.
Earth’s Best and Ella’s Kitchen’s partnership with the No Kid Hungry campaign is helping to end childhood hunger in the U.S., while also expanding the organic children’s food brands’ consumer base and relationship with Walmart.
Beyond Meat - the California-based firm that claims to have unlocked the secret to making ‘near-perfect’ replicas of meat from plants – says its latest innovation, the ‘Beast Burger’, has been a hit straight out of the blocks.
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.
Digestive issues after drinking milk are often attributed to milk protein allergy (which can be severe) or intolerance to lactose (milk sugars). But what if both of these have been ruled out and you are still experiencing mild digestive discomfort?
Supplementation with Lactobacillus reuteri Prodentis could help to reduce inflammation and other common complications associated with dental implants, according to new RCT data.
From watermelon juice with a dash of lemon; to artichoke water with ginger; maple water; coconut smoothies; caffeine water; protein-packed dairy and non-dairy beverages; and a new wave of turmeric-laced drinks, there was a wealth of beverage innovation...
FoodNavigator-USA editor Elaine Watson talked to three players in the emerging 'plant waters' category at the 2015 Natural Products Expo West trade show to find out whether they have what it takes to claw back some shelf space from coconut water...
Known for its baby carrots and premium juices, Bolthouse Farms is making healthy snacks more fun for children and easier for parents with creative packaging and flavor combinations.
While cricket flour is still something of a novelty, it’s creeping (and crawling) into more snacks as awareness – and the infrastructure to support its commercial-scale production – ramps up. Meanwhile, chia, fruit, peas, beans, ancient grains and protein...
Worldwide demand for aloe means acreage for this important botanical continues to expand in Mexico, one of the main sources of the ingredient. And that demand has been driven largely by products sold through network marketing companies, an expert says.
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,...
