As measures designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus also slow the economy, many venture capitalists and others have hit the pause button on investments, but not Frito-Lay – earlier this month it moved forward with its inaugural WomanMade Challenge...
For entrepreneurs at cash-strapped startups, finding mentors often takes a backseat to fundraising, but according to a leader with Rabobank’s Startup Innovation team, focusing on the former can help with the latter.
The old adage that it isn’t just what you know, but who you know could not be truer than for company founders in the highly competitive food and beverage industry, according to the serial entrepreneur behind the seed-stage company Farma Genetix.
Creating an entirely new product or launching a business may feel impossible at times, especially when so-called experts say something can’t be done, but according to the co-founders of Hidden Gems Beverage Co. anything is possible with the right network...
When most people think about curling up with a cup of hot tea they don’t think about opening their freezer first – but that is exactly what the makers of Millennia Tea are asking consumers to do, and in exchange they promise a beverage that is packed...
As the number of food accelerators and incubators has increased in recent years, the barrier for entry into the market has decreased – and while this makes launching a new product or company easier, it has made cutting through the competition and finding...
‘Authenticity’ has become a popular marketing buzz word to attract consumers who want to know more about their food and experience something ‘real,’ but for the better-for-you Mexican-American company Siete Family Foods ‘authenticity’ is a pivotal component...
Entrepreneurs just starting out may think they can use all the help they can get, but as the CEO of the produce delivery service Hungry Harvest learned the hard way, hiring the wrong staff to help in the short term can be more detrimental in the long...
Entrepreneurs just starting out may feel pressured to present a façade of perfection or else risk missing an opportunity, but the CEO of Lily’s Sweets, Jane Miller, argues the opposite is true – that failing to seek help managing weaknesses or bridging...
As more entrepreneurs adopt an iterative, fail-fast approach to innovation it is increasingly tempting to compare businesses and products as a way to measure success, but according to Jane Miller, the CEO of Lily’s Sweets, a better strategy to remain...
Crowdfunding is a popular option for entrepreneurs looking for an infusion of capital without having to handover equity in exchange, but according to Kickstarter only 25% of food-related projects successfully reach their funding goals – a discouraging...
PepsiCo is seeking 10 purpose-driven start-ups to participate in its second North American Greenhouse program and to compete for a shot at $100,000 in funding beyond a guaranteed $20,000 grant and mentorship.
Syndicated market data’s high price keeps it out of reach for many startups, but it is well worth the investment – even if it is means forgoing other investments that might provide shorter-term returns, according to the co-founder and CEO of the thriving...
When launching a brand online, startups may be tempted to focus first on marketing direct-to-consumer from their website rather than through a third-party retailer, such as Amazon, but according to the founder and CEO of the fast-growing, plant-based...
Entrepreneurs hoping to disrupt an established category dominated by large companies and well-known brands could gain a significant strategic advantage by launching first online where they can leverage positive consumer reviews and social media, advises...
With online sales of food and beverage representing only a small fraction of total sales, many established brands have taken a wait-and-see approach to e-commerce – focusing instead on tried-and-true retail channels – but according to the e-commerce management...
Extensive distribution and strong memorability are two main drivers for CPG growth – unfortunately for most startups the first is often out of their financial reach, at least at first, forcing to them to go all in on the second.
Investing in food never used to be cool. But with retail buyers increasingly tripping over investors as they walk the floor at food trade shows, and trending diets and ingredients catching fire – and then fizzling out – just as quickly, how do investors...
Given the frequency of headlines touting the near vertical year-over-year growth or surging revenues of some brands in the first year, an entrepreneur or investor in the food and beverage space could easily believe that this is the norm – when in reality...
Selling direct-to-consumer online either through a branded website or trusted ecommerce retailer has emerged in recent years as way for startups to prove a concept and lay the groundwork for eventual brick-and-mortar distribution, but this once nice-to-have...
The success that brands incubated online often enjoy with direct-to-consumer marketing and distribution doesn’t always translate well to brick and mortar, but according to Soylent’s VP of sales Melody Conner building a company online first can provide...
When it comes to advertising on Amazon, most companies use and see strong returns from search-related sponsorship options, but one digital marketing expert notes the platform has a full suite of underused options that are worth exploring to better drive...
With eMarketer analysts estimating that at least 50% of all US households will be Amazon Prime members by the end of the year and 56.9% will be by the end of 2021, there no denying the website’s sales potential – but according to one online marketing...
When starting out most entrepreneurs could use a hand, especially when it comes to making their products, but finding the right kind of help isn’t always easy and picking the wrong partner can negatively impact the brand – lessons that the founder of...
Overnight success stories often are attributed to being in the right place at the right time, but according to the founder of the startup Uplift Food that doesn’t mean the circumstances were serendipitous or that entrepreneurs should wait for an opportunity...
The San Francisco-based food-tech startup Treasure8 is looking for “impatient people with patient capital” to join its ongoing Series B round to help fund its ambitious mission to lead a “Resource Revolution” that uses “regenerative methods, patented...
The amount of capital flowing into the food & beverage industry is rising rapidly with recent research from Food+Tech Connect reporting a 34% increase in funding worth $1.45 billion going to startups in the space in 2018 compared to $1.08 billion...
The first cohort of Mars’ SEEDS of CHANGE accelerator shines a light on where the food giant predicts consumer preferences are heading with a heavy focus on plant-based, world-flavors and time-saving short-cuts for easy-meal solutions.
When you think of a successful leader, who do you envision? Someone experienced? Someone with a wide support network? Someone whose mettle has been tested and proven?
Accurately identifying an unmet need in the crowded food and beverage market and then developing the perfect product to fill it should be a straight forward recipe for success – unfortunately, in most cases isn’t enough.
TJ Maxx, Marshalls and other discount clothing stores may not be a food or beverage startup’s first choice for distribution or a strategic way to build brand awareness, but they can bring in much-needed cash during a company’s first few years when operating...
Just as hard as starting a business is growing a business – a process that can be as painful as it is exciting and marked by as many challenges as opportunities, according to Jane Miller, the founder of the career advice website Janeknows.com and the...
For many startups the idea of launching at Walmart before establishing a loyal fan base and supply chain at independent stores or in the natural channel may sound completely crazy, but the retailer is hoping to change this perception through its new emerging...
In today’s strong labor market, many cash-strapped startups are unable to compete with big food for top talent based on salary, but according to the specialized recruitment firm ForceBrands that doesn’t mean they have to settle for second best.
A global agri-food tech platform has been developed to help businesses keep up with trends, innovations, and funding movements from start-ups, accelerators and investors.
Anheuser-Busch InBev may be on a mission to be the “best beer company bringing people together for a better world,” but its innovation, incubation and investment arm, ZX Ventures, wants more: It wants to “make products, services and technologies that...
Entrepreneurs making “truly transformative” change that goes beyond incremental advancements often need more time to deliver investment returns than venture capital and private equity can afford, which is why FoodShot Global created a “collaborative capital...
Mars Inc. may be best known for its confections, but the global food giant is taking a closer look at personalized nutrition as a “critical focus” area for its new Mars Edge segment, which is dedicated to human health through targeted nutrition, according...
Routine headlines about multi-million – or billion – dollar venture capital investments into food and beverage startups may give the impression that VC funding is the best way to scale a business, but according to one insider the model is far from perfect...
Applications are now open for the 16th FoodBytes! by Rabobank global pitch competition, which is coming to Chicago for the first time in September and seeking emerging food and ag brands to pitch their innovations and network with corporate leaders and...
In the past decade, venture capitalists have emerged as a primary gatekeeper for innovation in the food and beverage industry as the amount of money they are pouring into startups in the space continues to rise exponentially, and so-called big-food continues...
Under pressure to beat the competition or secure returns for investors, most startups want to get on store shelf as fast as possible, but first they must checkoff a litany of minimum requirements that can turn into unexpected roadblocks if they don’t...
Kroger has teamed up with private equity firm Lindsay Goldberg to create PearlRock Partners, a new platform that will identify and invest in promising new CPG brands utilizing insights from its consumer data platform 84.51°.
Frustrated that women entrepreneurs receive only about 2% of all venture funding, despite owning 38% of US businesses, Stacy’s Pita Chips is expanding its Rise Project to help female founders grow their businesses with an additional $200,000 in funding...
When pitching a company or a product to investors, startups should brace to hear ‘no’ – a lot – but they can increase their chances of hearing yes by learning everything they can about the investment community at large and individual investors before...
While some entrepreneurs of startups might frown upon a partnership with a large food company as ‘selling out,’ many others increasingly see such arrangements as ‘selling up’ and as a way to take their businesses to the next level.
Attracted to recent high-dollar acquisitions, consumer demand for healthy and sustainable options, and the opportunities created by a diversifying retail landscape, the number of investors flocking to the food and beverage industry continues to grow exponentially...
Developing and launching a new product is never easy, but according to the CEO of the chickpea snack company Biena, the specific challenges entrepreneurs will face across sales, marketing and operations will vary significantly based on whether they are...
While the sugar-free kids’ beverage company Hapi Drinks was the only one of the 10 startups in PepsiCo’s Nutrition Greenhouse North American’s inaugural class to receive the coveted $100,000 grant awarded by the accelerator, all of the participants –...
One of 15 startups pitching at Rabobank’s FoodBytes! event in San Francisco, Planetarians uses a proprietary process to transform defatted oilseeds – the dry matter left after oil extraction - into high-protein, high-fiber ingredients that are now being...
