Supporters and opponents of GMO labeling will square up in a courtroom in Burlington, Vermont, today (Jan 7) to present oral arguments over the merits of Act 120, which will require mandatory labeling of foods produced with genetic engineering.
Two-year time frame 'would almost certainly drive an increase in food prices'
The two-year time frame in which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expects the food industry to switch to new-look Nutrition Facts labels is unrealistic, and “would almost certainly drive an increase in prices of food products”, claims Kroger.
The rise of grocerants, or in-grocery-store dining, is helping supermarkets – and by extension food-based consumer packaged goods – hold their own against restaurants, drive-thrus, food trucks and take-out joints as consumer spending on food at home loses...
Diet soda is in a funk, while 'real sugar' is back in vogue. Energy is hot, but caffeine is still controversial. Maple water is bang-on-trend, but will it really become the next coconut water?
Consumer interest in health and wellness and on-the-go food continue to fuel growth in the nutritional drink category, but manufacturers could take sales even higher by targeting older and non-athletic consumers, according to Synergy Flavors and market...
The absence of clean labels and fast energy from New Nutrition Business’ list of top 10 food, nutrition and health trends for 2015 is just as important as what made the cut.
Unilever has withdrawn its false advertising lawsuit against plant-based foods pioneer Hampton Creek Foods and issued a statement applauding its commitment to innovation and noting that it shares the company's "vision of a more sustainable world".
The significantly longer amount of time necessary to prepare whole grains compared to refined grains is a substantial hurdle that stops many people from eating more whole grains, even though they are more nutritious.
Consumer desire to effectively manage their weight and improve their health through food will continue to influence new product development and sales in 2015, according to New Nutrition Business, a food- and nutrition-focused market research firm.
A high-profile lawsuit* filed by Unilever accusing Hampton Creek Foods of falsely advertising its flagship product ‘Just Mayo’ has not, it seems, dented Silicon Valley’s enthusiasm for the plant-based foods pioneer, which has just raised another $90m...
To make it in the crowded energy and nutrition bar category, a company needs a great tasting product, top-notch packaging, persistence, fortitude and differentiation, says Mark Brooks, founder of Mudd+Wyeth, a lifestyle company for dogs and their owners.
Trendwatching with Mintel, Euromonitor, Rabobank & Trailblazer Foods
From the 'astounding' reinvention of popcorn as "Millennial friendly, cool and healthy", to the proliferation of apps & devices enabling us to track our calories, sleep and bowel movements, what have we learned about the food culture...
Eating all your vegetables might be easier in 2015 than in recent years as they increasingly show up in unexpected places, including desserts and drinks, according to the International Food Network.
The biggest rise was in products making non-GMO or GMO-free claims
Non-GMO, Kosher, gluten-free, ethical, environmentally-friendly, lactose-free, vegan, no additives/preservatives, and on-the-go claims are all gaining more traction on US food labels; while growth in ‘all-natural’- antioxidant- and low/no/reduced sugar/sodium/fat...
Wegmans Food Markets is partnering with local farmers and businesses based in the New York state region to meet consumers’ growing demand for more fresh, organic options, according to a top executive.
Fresh ingredient and recipe delivery service Blue Apron helps start-ups and small ingredient suppliers build brand awareness and consumer demand by introducing at home cooks to new products and taking the guess work out of the prep.
Genetically engineered crops are not a magic bullet and some weeds have become resistant to the herbicide glyphosate (RoundUp) used with selected GM crops, said Monsanto’s chief technology officer Dr Robert Fraley in a debate on Wednesday. But that doesn’t...
A class action lawsuit filed in California accuses Whole Foods Market of misleading consumers by advertising and selling Almond Breeze products with non-GMO Project verified labels before they had officially achieved Non-GMO Project verified status.
Shopping for coffee and chocolate is becoming almost as interesting - and at times as intimidating - as buying wine. So why not inject some of that excitement into the tea category, says Toronto-based start-up Tea of the People, which has just launched...
A court in Hawaii has approved a settlement between Cargill and a series of plaintiffs alleging it misled shoppers by marketing its Truvia consumer products (which contain stevia extract Reb-A and erythritol) as ‘natural’.
Professor: 'Congratulations to the FDA for putting public health first'
Food manufacturers are under increasing pressure to reduce sodium, but surveys suggest many shoppers are, well, not that bothered. So where does this leave firms plugging sodium reduction solutions?
Some food manufacturers still worry that using potassium chloride to replace salt in their recipes might compromise their clean label credentials. But the FDA’s recent proposal to include potassium as one of the nutrients that must be listed on the Nutrition...
The American Heart Association says its recently launched consumer education campaign encouraging Americans to “break up with excess salt” seeks to “build an army of passionate and willing supporters” to pressure food manufacturers to reduce sodium in...
Tetra Pak's Suley Muratoglu has challenged packaging designers and brands to shake up the beverage and liquid dairy markets with better graphic design implementation.
FDA should protect the estimated 300,000 to 500,000 Americans who are dangerously allergic to sesame by mandating the ingredient be labeled clearly when in foods and when products are made on the same machinery as foods with the ingredient, the Center...
Global gum leader Wrigley is trying to block the third largest gum player Perfetti Van Melle’s from registering character trademarks for ‘WTF’ and ‘What the Fresh’ in the US.
General Mills has agreed that it will not use the term ‘100% natural’ to describe Nature Valley bars that contain certain ‘artificially produced’ ingredients in order to settle a long-running false advertising lawsuit*.
Most Americans believe knowing how much added sugar is in a food would be helpful, according to a recent study that contradicts food manufacturers’ concerns that a proposal to differentiate added and naturally occurring sugar on the Nutrition Facts label...
American children were exposed to significantly fewer TV ads for sugary drinks in 2013 compared with 2011. But not every soda giant got the memo, says a new report, which claims that children aged 2-11 saw 29% more TV ads for PepsiCo sugary drinks in...
Consumers’ perception of whole grains have come a long way, but with most Americans consuming only 15% of the recommended daily intake of them, whole grains still have several barriers to overcome before they are fully integrated into the average person’s...
Four years ago sodium was public enemy #1. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) was calling for the FDA to modify the GRAS status of salt and slash the daily value for sodium to 1,500mg, and the food industry was on high alert. Today, sugar is the new bogeyman,...
The increasing number of U.S. adults reducing or eliminating gluten from their diet who are not diagnosed with celiac disease likely is an unsustainable fad, clinical researchers argued at the Whole Grains Council Oldways Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers...
The “best” way to change consumers’ long-held perception that whole grain products taste “like cardboard” and to spur sales is to give consumers a risk-free chance to try the products and use positive, educational marketing, food manufacturers said.
What’s for dinner tonight? And could Watson - the IBM computer that trounced its human rivals at Jeopardy - have the answer? FoodNavigator-USA headed to the reThinkFood conference - a collaboration between the Culinary Institute of America and the MIT...
Consumers underestimate calorie counts for, and consume more of, foods from companies with positive corporate responsibility programmes, say researchers.
'Hampton Creek is up against a well-financed plaintiff'
While Unilever’s lawsuit against Hampton Creek Foods has generated a lively debate about corporate bullying, industrialized egg production, and whether the standard of identity for ‘mayonnaise’ is outdated, legal experts say it will hinge upon what consumers...
Boulder Brands - which announced a high-profile re-launch of its Smart Balance spreads on a non-GMO platform in March - has admitted that the move has not transformed the brand’s flagging fortunes.
Whole Foods Market hopes to ditch its unwanted moniker “whole paycheck” and reinvigorate slowing sales by lowering select product prices and expanding its reward program nationwide in 2015.
Consumers want to eat healthier, but when it comes to snacking a desire for decadent and indulgent usually wins out over virtuous, which is why Berkeley, Calif.-based The Good Bean wants to “reclaim fun for the better-for-you-chip space” with the launch...
UPDATED - Initial returns indicate that voters in Colorado have given a firm thumbs down to GMO labeling initiative Proposition 105, while the vote in Oregon on Measure 92 headed to a nail-biting finish - but ended with voters saying NO.
Online grocery shopping, craft foods, fermented and pickled foods such as sauerkraut, and non-stop snacking will all gain momentum in 2015, according to ‘Supermarket Guru’ and TV personality Phil Lempert.
Given that the Dietary Guidelines urge Americans to reduce calorie intakes from added sugar, helping them identify foods that actually contain it by listing it on the Nutrition Facts panel seems like a no-brainer, says nutritional ranking system Guiding...
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) today filed an objection to a proposed settlement of the ‘copycat’ Vitaminwater lawsuits, claiming it only enriches lawyers and does nothing to stop what it alleges is the brand’s deceptive marketing.
New I can't believe it's not butter recipe has no artificial preservatives
Unilever is seeking to seize back the initiative in the US spreads aisle with the roll-out of new ‘cool blending technology’ that enables it to produce buttery spreads without using artificial-sounding ingredients that have given the category an image...
The Federal Trade Commission’s allegations that baby food maker Gerber overstated the ability of Good Start Gentle formula to prevent allergies underscores the difficulty of using qualified health claims, which often are restrictive, difficult for consumers...
Jaime Crespo, senior brand manager, Lipton North America, says research suggests consumers are 59 times more likely to engage with brands on Instagram than Facebook, while millennials measure wealth more by experiences.
