To make it in the highly competitive food and beverage segment, startups need to listen to consumers and evolve to meet changing demands – even if that means letting go of their “baby,” says the founder of Momme Meals.
Health-Ade Kombucha has defended its wares after being targeted in a false advertising lawsuit alleging it significantly understated the sugar content in its products.
In an effort to maintain the current Dietary Guideline recommendation to restrict cholesterol intake, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Nutrition has launched an aggressive public health campaign against eggs, which it says are the primary source...
Online retail of food and beverage may be small now, but it is slowly gaining traction in the US – providing start-ups struggling to get their foot in the door another option for reaching consumers, according to the CEO of online subscription snack service...
Clear windows on packaged foods and beverages seem to be all the rage right now as manufacturers try to literally meet consumer desire for transparency and authenticity – but a well-placed photograph sometimes is a more effective marketing tool, branding...
Fully hydrogenated oils (FHOs) do not create harmful trans-fats, and could replace partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in many applications. However, manufacturers are reluctant to use them because the word ‘hydrogenated’ has become “demonized”, argues...
WhiteWave Foods’ efforts to expand the plant-based dairy alternative category beyond beverage and outside of the natural channel already is paying off for the company, and it holds significant promise for the larger category’s and retailers’ future, executives...
What is 'natural'? FDA finally weighs into the debate
Having studiously avoided this food labeling minefield for years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has surprised many in the trade by seeking comments on the definition of a word that has launched a thousand class action lawsuits (well almost):...
Eating healthy shouldn’t be hard, but all too often it is – in part because superfoods frequently are sold in large containers and inconvenient formats that can be daunting to category newcomers, according to a health food industry veteran.
JM Smucker has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit accusing it of misleading shoppers by labeling selected Crisco cooking oil as ‘all natural’, according to court papers filed in New York.
As opening night of the latest installment of the Star Wars movies nears, grocery store shelves are becoming crowded with packaged foods and drinks decorated with the iconic characters in an attempt to capture consumers’ attention and drive sales. Here...
While no single substitute for nitrite can replace all of its functions, a combination of emerging technologies and plant-based ingredients could be used to reduce or completely replace nitrite in processed meats, say researchers.
KIND LLC will significantly reduce added sugar in some of its snack bars in spring 2016, which will make its label more appealing to health conscious shoppers, especially if FDA’s proposal to include added sugar in the Nutrition Facts box becomes a reality.
Collaborative innovation between retailers and manufacturers can jumpstart product development, generate substantial cost-savings and improve the success of a launch more effectively than either partner likely could achieve on its own, a senior director...
Despite their natural advantages of name recognition and sales momentum, big brands have struggled of late. Consulting firm Seurat Group has put together a toolbox to help companies reinvigorate these key contributors.
Kellogg’s beleaguered cereal sales in the US appear to be stabilizing – at least for now – but that isn’t enough to buoy the firm’s overall profits, which fell again during the firm’s third quarter announced Nov. 3.
KonaRed – the Hawaii-based company on a mission to make coffee fruit the next big thing in functional foods and beverages – has similar challenges to those POM Wonderful faced when it first got started, but has the potential to be equally successful,...
A month after telling shoppers it was “embarrassed and truly sorry” after an undeclared allergen (wheat) was detected in selected boxes of gluten-free Cheerios, General Mills has been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging it violated several consumer...
Americans increasingly want fresh, healthy food, but they don’t always have the extra time it takes to plan and prepare those ingredients – creating a white space in the market for enterprising manufacturers.
If you didn't make it to Chicago last week for the inaugural Food Vision USA event, you missed a truly awesome ensemble of industry experts covering everything from our nutritional needs on a manned mission to Mars to the challenges facing small...
Ready to leap from start-up to category leader, better-for-you snack company Wonderfully Raw Gourmet Delights exchanged a slice of its equity for accelerator Fresca Food’s help expanding production, distribution and marketing.
Food manufacturers remain sharply divided over FDA proposals to crack down on added sugar, with General Mills and other big names such as Kellogg and Unilever strongly opposed; and Nestlé, Mars, and KIND LLC in favor, according to the latest wave of comments...
Cargill’s new positioning of its erythritol as a flavor opens up new avenues for the ingredient which up to now has mostly been pigeonholed as a bulk sweetener, the company says.
True Drinks Holdings has struck a deal with Niagara Bottling under which the latter will produce a preservative-free formulation of True Drinks’ flagship sugar- and calorie-free kids’ beverage AquaBall.
A judge has tossed most of the claims in a class action lawsuit alleging Whole Foods is trying to disguise the use of added sugar in its 365 store brand products by using the term ‘evaporated cane juice’.
As demand for local food grows, so too does consumers’ willingness to pay more for it, but manufacturers and retailers must clearly label local products to reap their full sales potential, suggests new research.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched a probe into the way the American Egg Board handled the ‘threat’ of Hampton Creek – the San Francisco-based start-up behind the egg-free spread Just Mayo - amid claims it overstepped its mandate by...
A high profile lawsuit vs WhiteWave Foods and Blue Diamond over how much almond should be in almond milk is still proceeding through the courts, but much of the wind was taken from the plaintiffs’ sails this week after a New York federal judge said they...
Digital videos can be an effective marketing tool to help food and beverage brands reach the much-vaunted and hard-to-access millennial generation, but for them to succeed, they must be authentically engaging and tightly targeted, according to digital...
The baking and snacks industry must explore innovations in grains to meet the challenges of a growing population, according to PepsiCo's global R&D head.
Armed with little more than her neighbors’ accolades for her homemade granola and a business book recommended on Oprah Winfrey’s website, Viki Sater dove head first into the competitive cereal market.
When it comes to evaluating the naturalness of food products, very few consumers consider on pack ingredient information, finds Unilever commissioned research.
Blending is the way forward for plant based proteins in sports nutrition and their price stability can help manufacturers, says World Food Processing president Tyler Lorenzen.
Only a small fraction of food and beverage brands launched each year survive, let alone reach the $1 billion in sales mark – but those that do have three main factors in common, according to brand and strategy developers at The Coca-Cola Company.
VEGA Coffee is based on a simple – but surprisingly novel – concept, says founder Noushin Ketabi: What if the farmers who grow coffee, actually roasted and packaged it as well, and then sold their ‘farm-roasted’ product directly to US consumers via an...
A positive decision from the FDA on a qualified health claim for omega-3s and blood pressure would be “further justification that EPA and DHA are good for your heart”, says Adam Ismail, Executive Director of GOED.
Cargill conquered the technical challenges of bringing a fermented Reb D/Reb M stevia ingredient to market. Clearing the consumer acceptance hurdle was best handled by being as transparent as possible about the ingredient, a company executive said.
FDA: We are eveloping draft voluntary targets for sodium reduction
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is suing the FDA in a bid to compel it to respond to a 2005 petition requesting that it revoke the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status of salt and treat it as a food additive under the law.
With products in 97% of US households, Nestlé claims it is well positioned to help shape a “better food environment” by reformulating products with less fat, sugar and sodium and launching new options packed with fruits, veggies and other desirable ingredients,...
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) will go to court on Thursday (Oct 8) in a last-ditch attempt to convince judges that a GMO labeling law due to come into effect in Vermont next year should be blocked until litigation over the legislation is...
General Mills announced late Monday afternoon that it will voluntarily recall 1.8m boxes of Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios after undeclared wheat was detected in gluten-free cereals.
While ditching ‘artificial’ ingredients may not transform the fortunes of flagging legacy brands, consumer survey data from Instantly suggests it may give consumers a warmer and fuzzier feeling about them, and convey the impression (deservedly or otherwise)...
Consumer purchases of packaged food and beverages in key major categories are down substantially from a year ago due partly to demographic shifts, but mostly because of “self-inflicted wounds” by retailers and manufacturers, according to the third annual...
Cargill: 'This opens up a new space and helps us address a market we can’t get to today from the leaf'
Cargill and Evolva will introduce their hotly-anticipated ‘next-generation’ Reb D and Reb M sweetener – produced via fermentation rather than from the stevia leaf – at the Supply Side West show next week under the EverSweet brand as they prepare for a...
One key to a successful Kickstarter campaign is to create “stretch goals” that incentivize existing backers to find more investors to help unlock additional rewards, advises Michael Salguero, founder of the grass fed meat delivery service Butcher Box.
The yogurt category continues to evolve and expand with more refined varieties, including yogurt from sheep, goats and grass fed animals, as well as lactose free options. The kefir category also is expanding in tandem, as demonstrated by the array of...
Part 2: One-on-one with The Tea Council of the USA on Emerging Trends
Sales of tea in the US are booming, but the industry still faces tough competition and must continue to innovate to capture a larger “share of throat,” according to Peter Goggi, president of the Tea Council of the USA.
Seaweed snacks are riding a rising tide in the U.S. with sales swelling between $250 million and $500 million in 2014, according to an industry trends expert.
