While their sophisticated flavor profile and branding might seem a natural fit for Whole Foods Market, Brewla gourmet ice pops – made from brewed tea, coffee and root beer – are also on sale at Walmart, proving that the brand has broad appeal, say co-founders...
60-second interview: Mark Singleton, outgoing chairman of the Snack Food Association; vice president of sales & marketing, Rudolph Foods
According to the March 2015 report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, most Americans now consume two or three snacks a day - news that came as no surprise to the outgoing chairman of the Snack Food Association, Mark Singleton. Elaine Watson...
The requirement to be “authentic” to succeed in the competitive food and beverage industry is clear, but how consumers define authenticity and how companies can meet and benefit from this lofty standard is not as clear.
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...
Subscription snack box company Love With Food helps natural snack manufacturers drive brand awareness and sales by sampling their products directly to consumers’ doors for a fraction of the cost and labor of in-store demonstrations, according to the company’s...
The adventure-seeking co-founders of freeze-dried snack fruit start-up Berry Golden hope to lead consumers by example to step out of their comfort zone and try something new.
60-second interview: Lisa Andrews, research & development assistant, Wixon
Edible insects - crickets in particular – have picked up a lot of positive PR lately as firms look for alternative sources of protein. But what is cricket flour like to work with? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Lisa Andrews (LA), research & development...
Large food and beverage companies are starting to fight back with mixed success against the smaller, more nimble companies that continue to steal market share, according to market analysts.
Improving the quality, assortment, display and accessibility of fresh food is “critical” to Walmart’s “plan of attack” to grow sales and market share, the firm’s new U.S. CEO told analysts April 1.
As many of today’s busy consumers are getting upwards of half their daily calories from snacks, they’re demanding more than ever from the category. So newcomer Snack Out Loud saw an opportunity to leverage the power of the yet untapped roasted pinto bean...
Fruits and vegetables are “hot” right now,but sales do not have to be restricted to the produce section of the grocery store thanks in part to innovations from Taura Natural Ingredients that allow shelf stable foods and snacks in the center of the store...
Yogurt maker Dannon’s partnership with cold pressed juice giant Evolution Fresh creates a powerhouse that could bring renewed energy to the Greek yogurt category, which has been slowing recently.
Bursting with nutrients and boasting an impressive growth rate, the future of hemp seed is bright– but what’s the best way for manufacturers to cash in on a product that is connected – mistakenly but understandably – with an illegal drug?
The proliferation of snacks along with the growing number of ways to get them has created too many options for consumers who, above all else, like a limited variety to suit their needs, says David Calabrese, founder of San Francisco-based HealthyCheats,...
Yogurt manufacturers are rolling out a wide variety of new products to drive consumer interest in and consumption of the dairy product in an attempt to boost sales, which have slowed in recent years after experiencing astronomical growth for several years...
New research suggesting sourcing recipes online, in print and in person may be healthier than from television could shed light on marketing opportunities for food and beverage companies with healthier or better-for-you options.
Cereal fiber has a ‘potentially protective’ role, say US researchers, after a study showed that people with the highest intake of cereal fiber had a 19% lower risk of death.
With a million customers nationwide and counting, online natural products retailer Abe’s Market looks to make it easier for natural products consumers to buy everything in one place by focusing on trial, convenience and value.
California-based almond agricultural co-operative, Blue Diamond Growers, is struggling to cope with increasing throughput at its processing plants and will expand warehouse facilities by 33% to absorb the impact, according to the group.
The recommended daily fiber intake is 25-30g, but most Americans get only about half that amount, according to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which notes that aside from gut health benefits, fiber may also “play a role in preventing coronary...
Consumers may be seeking more healthy and fresh foods in general, but when it comes to snacks, more people want an indulgent treat than something good for them, according to marketing data from IRI.
Ginger, turmeric and sprouted grains are hot, while kale and Greek yogurt are cooling off, according to trend watchers at Rabobank International who walked the floor at the 2015 Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim earlier this month.
While multiple factors from price to functionality determine which fiber is best for any given application, chicory root fiber (inulin) is gaining ground with many food formulators owing to its non-GMO credentials and the fact that consumers see it as...
A judge in Illinois has thrown out a class action lawsuit against KIND LLC over “no refined sugars” claim on its Healthy Grains products, which contain evaporated cane juice, a form of sugar, and molasses.
While it’s taken a while to convince retail buyers that stocking protein bars next to kombucha in the refrigerator makes sense, the strategy has paid off big time for Perfect Bar, in no small part due to the tenacity of founder Bill Keith, who took ‘bootstrapping’...
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?
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.
Cargill is “all in on stevia,” according to Scott Fabro, global business development director. At the forefront of this commitment is the company’s Viatech stevia technology, which analyzes the various stevia components separately and reassembles them...
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.
Snack makers may get better traction by marketing to consumers who watch sad or action-packed movies and television than those who prefer comedies and talk shows, if the amount of food consumed by viewers in two recent studies is any indication.
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...
US breakfast habits are changing, with Americans moving from breakfast cereals towards nutritional and cereal bars offering food engineers an ‘efficient platform’, says Packaged Facts.
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...
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...
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...
Firms need to move away from one-way marketing strategies in traditional media channels and embrace open engagement in new media outlets to capture the attention of millennials, who increasingly wield purchasing power and influence but continue to elude...
'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...
The food industry may be a low margin business, but that does not mean manufacturers of high quality, nutritious food must sell their products at a premium in the natural channel to succeed, according to executives from Luvo and Hampton Creek, two companies...
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.
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...
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...
Coconut sugar is increasing in popularity because it is seen as being a healthier, more ethical alternative to sugar - but nutritionists remain sceptical of the health claims.