Billed as friendlier on the gut, The a2 Milk Co's milk comes from cows that only produce A2 beta casein protein. But how much science is behind it, and what share could it ultimately take of the US fluid milk market? We caught up with Blake Waltrip,...
As the line between functional and fun blurs, foods and beverages no longer need to fit neatly into the “healthy” or “treat” categories – they can simultaneously offer the lifestyle and health benefits consumers want and serve as the rewards they crave,...
Often recognized for its urinary tract health benefits, a recent clinical trial also found that daily consumption of cranberries may lead to improved cardiovascular health.
Health and wellness positioned products may account for only a small portion of the food and beverage industry’s overall dollar share, but they are disproportionately driving dollar growth alongside organic, which often outpaced its conventional counterparts...
Three years since first debuting its ClearFlo modifying ingredient technology used to reduce sensory off notes of stevia, Cargill is debuting a single solution and combination of the two: EverSweet stevia + ClearFlo, giving food and beverage manufacturers...
Tattooed Chef, a rapidly-growing plant-based frozen foods brand, is entering new categories beyond the frozen foods aisle and into refrigerated snack bars and snacking chips.
After two years of lockdowns and uncertainty during the pandemic, consumers simultaneously are desperate to let loose and enjoy life and to reinstate a sense of self-control – creating a complicated marketing landscape that intelligence experts at Mintel...
The natural energy drink set is buzzing with activity and Rowdy Energy is gaining strong consumer traction with the highest repeat rates in the category, and a new line of thermogenic, calorie-burning energy drinks targeting female consumers, an untapped...
The total US online grocery market hit $8.7bn in sales in February 2022, an 8.5% jump from the same period last year as consumers pursued pickup/delivery (Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and the like) options in greater frequency over ship-to-home services (grocery...
EPG – a plant-based oil restructured in such a way that virtually none of it is absorbed by the body – has demonstrated intriguing properties in plant-based meat applications, where formulators have struggled to find vegan options that behave like animal...
At a time when plastic packaging is emerging as a top concern among environmentally-conscious consumers, plant-based meat company No Evil Foods' decision to switch from fully compostable packaging to paper cartons with plastic inserts may appear...
Nature’s Fynd - a startup growing protein-packed food from microbes with a fraction of the environmental footprint of meat or dairy – is launching refrigerated breakfast patties featuring its ‘Fy’ nutritional fungi protein in selected Whole Foods stores...
With consumers placing more weight on the type and amount of fat in packaged food when selecting purchases, a group of five better-for-you brands are teaming up to ensure shoppers understand key nutritional differences between oils and how they are processed....
Two years into its US debut, Green Cola -- a stevia-sweetened, zero-calorie soda brand -- is pushing into new retail accounts to compete against the likes of Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi.
Ten years after its debut, upcycling pioneer Barnana continues to push the boundaries of would-be wasted bananas and disprove naysayers with a trio of diverse, savory snacks launched in as many years while simultaneously navigating the uncertainty of...
CPG companies with more diverse leadership and which intentionally engage a consumer base that more accurately reflects the racial composition of the US population are attracting shoppers and growing faster than brands that over-index among white shoppers,...
Third-party meal delivery service DoorDash is debuting its DoorDash Accelerator for Local Goods, a program designed to support local packaged food brands owned by women, BIPOC, immigrant, and transgender entrepreneurs.
The drop in US sales growth of natural and organic products following the 10% pantry-stocking surge early in the pandemic will linger well into 2023 – dropping to less than 4% before starting to climb again slowly to about 5% in 2024, according to analysis...
Better-for-you frozen foods brand The Real Good Food Company is on course to hit between $140m and $150m in net sales by the end of the year with a long-term goal of becoming a $500m brand, owing to a new production facility coming online this month and...
For the father and son behind start-up Planet Based Foods, declining sales of meat alternatives that closely mimic animal products is not a harbinger of dwindling consumer interest in plant-based options, but rather a natural evolution of the trend that...
Coca-Cola is the latest major global food and beverage giant to suspend operations in Russia as an act of protest against the Russian invasion and continued attack on Ukraine and follows similar announcements made by PepsiCo, Starbucks, and McDonald's....
While many consumers may be aware of the drawbacks of a high sodium diet, fewer are actively reducing their sodium intake and believe it is the responsibility of food manufacturers to provide products that are both flavorful and low in sodium, presenting...
While scientists are still unlocking the secrets of the gut microbiome, consumers increasingly understand that what we feed the armies of microbes that line our digestive tracts may be intimately connected to our physical – and mental - wellbeing. So...
Despite the continued hype around meat alternatives and a growing flexitarian lifestyle trend, meat is still the protein of choice for most consumers, argues Jonna Parker, principal, fresh foods at IRI.
Ahold Delhaize, which owns several US retailers including Giant, Food Lion, and FreshDirect, reported that US regional sales were slightly down for the full year 2021 but that its grocery e-commerce sales picked up some of the slack.
Launched less than a year ago by a mix of entrepreneurs, investors, fitness industry veterans, and celebrity Dwayne Johnson, ZOA Energy claims it has quickly become the fastest-growing energy drink and #2 brand in the healthy energy drinks category (per...
PepsiCo is already hitting notable milestones and reaping financial benefits from its ambitious pep+ plan announced last fall that places sustainability at the center of how the CPG giant says it will create value and drive growth, according to CEO Ramon...
There’s no shortage of startups on a mission to fix the broken food system and FOMO-fueled legacy brands jumping on the plant-based bandwagon, says Dave Zilko, the CPG veteran behind the new Skinny Butcher brand. But buyers, he says, are still open to...
Belgian Boys, a fast-growing brand selling European-inspired treats and fresh breakfast items, has received $7m in funding led by Equilibra Ventures, a startup and investment platform from KIND Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky, to expand the brand's...
Through a combination of rapid innovation, investing in growth platforms, ongoing “prudent” M&A and strategic paring down of labor and factories, Nestle is on track to deliver solid mid single-digit organic growth in 2022 and into the foreseeable...
A much-needed economic boost during the pandemic that helped reverse US agriculture’s multi-year downward financial slide likely will hold through at least 2022, although beneficial conditions likely won’t be “quite at the same level” as the past two...
What are consumers looking for when it comes to healthy and functional beverages? Is it sparkling water to kick a sugary soda habit or a daily wellness shot with ginger and turmeric for an immunity boost? Find out in the third and final session of FoodNavigator-USA's...
Spring is around the corner which means diet food and fitness marketers will soon begin pressuring women to swap favorite foods with low-calorie, low-carb and low-sugar alternatives to help “get their beach bodies back,” and encouraging men hit the gym...
Upcycled food products (made from ingredients that would otherwise not have gone to human consumption) are the most straightforward and scalable path to reducing and preventing food waste, says Upcycled Food Association CEO Turner Wyatt.
Perfect Day – one of a new breed of startups deploying synthetic biology to coax microbes into expressing animal proteins such as whey – has teamed up with new brand betterland foods to launch a ‘cow-free’ milk it claims is “virtually indistinguishable...
New research shows that US consumers are less familiar with the concept of regenerative agriculture than other food production methods, and most are not willing to pay premium for brands making these claims.
While meal kit demand surged during COVID-19, many consumers still aren't sold on the idea of a meal subscription and players in this space should embrace the full potential of e-commerce to become "true online grocery retailers" by providing...
Over the weekend spice-blend, soup mix and meal kit maker Knorr worked with chefs in select cities to deliver free planet-friendlier pizzas – called plizzas – to show how simple ingredient swaps can reduce food’s environmental impact and to raise awareness...
Emerging Asian-inspired sparkling water brand Sanzo, which has just raised $10m in a Series A financing round led by CircleUp Growth Partners, is seeking to bridge the gap between mainstream sparkling water brands and quintessential Asian flavors such...
Nearly nine in ten consumers snack daily, but according to new research from Mondelēz International, what they reach for and when has evolved significantly during the pandemic – requiring brands to rethink their product offerings, marketing strategies...
Indoor vertical farming company Kalera is poised for significant scale in 2022 as it prepares to go public via a special purpose acquisition (SPAC) merger with Agrico Acquisition Corporation, and add five new indoor growing facilities to its footprint.
Fungi-fueled Meati Foods – which raised some eyebrows in December after its new president (ex-General Mills president Scott Tassani) suggested the startup could generate a cool $1bn in sales by 2025 from mycelium-based meat alternatives – has seen a surge...
Kodiak Cakes, best known for its protein-packed pancakes and waffles products, has received an investment from Patricof Co (P/Co), a specialized private investment platform for professional athletes, to fuel the brand's continued expansion and leadership...
"Always everywhere," has been Frito-Lay North America's mantra for ensuring that its snack portfolio of legacy brands (Lays, Cheetos, and Doritos) and expanding better-for-you set (Baked, PopCorners, and Off The Eaten Path) is accessible...
Frustrated by market share performance in the US despite household penetration and repeat rate gains in 2021, Kraft Heinz is adopting “new game plans” that will lean heavily on renovating and repositioning of iconic brands, innovating to better meet consumer...
Brainiac Kids – the brainchild of Bay area-based start-up Ingenuity Brands - is rebranding as Brainiac Foods, with new products and packaging designed to reach a broader audience seeking out ‘brain food’: everyday foods with meaningful amounts of ingredients...
Scientists from Oregon State University have developed a way to turn apple waste into compostable packaging material that could serve as the main ingredient for molded pulp packaging (e.g. egg cartons, beverage cartons, and take-out containers) and as...
Consumers grappling with skyrocketing grocery prices due to fast-rising inflation may take cold comfort knowing that the increases are not as dramatic as other sectors or as high as in past economically difficult periods in part because of industry’s...