With a recent $300m capital injection, indoor farming company Little Leaf Farms is emerging as a front-runner of the US CEA (controlled environment agriculture)-grown leafy greens retail market with profitable unit economics and doubled production capacity,...
The HONEST Tea brand might be disappearing as brand owner Coca-Cola focuses on its Gold Peak and Peace Tea brands, but the organic, ready to drink ‘just sweet enough’ teas first launched by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff in the late 1990s, it seems,...
While its legacy may be in chocolate, The Hershey Company's portfolio of snacks has grown by leaps and bounds over the last several years, positioning the company as a growing snacking powerhouse, says Todd M. Scott, manager, corporate brand &...
Vita Coco now commands a 50% share of the coconut water category and has grown household penetration of its brand to 11%, a strong indicator that consumer demand for coconut water remains elevated with plenty more runway, said Vita Coco co-founder and...
As organic continues to go mainstream with broader reach outside of the natural channel where it began, it faces increased competition from other attributes and production methods as well as skepticism about the certification’s veracity and value, new...
As the largest natural and organic packaged food company in the US*, General Mills has the scale and resources to drive positive change in the food system through its work in regenerative agriculture, sustainable ingredient sourcing, and nutrition access....
With 33 years operating in the natural foods industry, national food broker PRESENCE has seen many trends come and go and others grow into long-term growth drivers for the industry.
Most Americans believe that organic is healthier for people and the planet than conventional, but they also lack a fundamental understanding of the standard and as such give more weight to single-issue label claims when deciding what to purchase – underscoring...
Recently named incoming Organic Trade Association CEO Tom Chapman inherits a strong organization that helped make organic mainstream and double industry sales during outgoing leader Laura Batcha’s tenure of nearly a decade, but which now must address...
Led by a PepsiCo alum turned beverage entrepreneur, OCA is carving out a spot for itself in the growing 'clean' energy drink category with a simple ingredient deck which includes 120mg of caffeine from green coffee extract.
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...
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...
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.
With the help of a $7m fundraise, Startup De La Calle is bringing to more Americans nationwide a modern version of the beloved and naturally functional Mexican “street vendor treat” tepache – a probiotic beverage made from fermented organic pineapples...
Splendid Spoon, a direct-to-consumer 'no prep' fresh meal delivery service, has closed a $12m Series B funding round to fuel its expansion into new product categories, explore new channels, and further personalize its customer experience, said...
Shaka Tea has been acquired by Irresistible Foods Group, the parent company of King's Hawaiian (known for its packaged sweet bread rolls), to accelerate the distribution and brand awareness of the Hawaii-based beverage company.
With 95% of consumers reporting to eat during the morning an average of six times a week, the breakfast occasion is a big business with several consumer trends shaping the future of the category, reports IRI.
Bobbie, a direct-to-consumer organic infant formula brand that has taken off like a rocket ship in its first year on the market, is raising the bar for the category after receiving the Clean Label Purity Award as well as certification as a Pesticide-Free...
Heading into 2022, consumers are demanding that brands prioritize sustainability, workers' rights, and other human advocacy causes, according to independent third-party certification organization Fairtrade America in its biennial Consumer Insights...
Botanicals continue to be a strong force for new food and beverage product development as many consumers regard the category of ingredients as healing and revitalizing, according to global fragrance and taste company Firmenich, which named “Magical Botanical’...
Square Roots, an indoor and locally-grown farming company using retrofitted shipping containers to grow a variety of leafy greens and herbs, is unveiling a new brand identity to distinguish it and the added benefits of its products in a competitive category...
Grupo Bimbo, owner of well-known bakery brands including Sara Lee and Thomas English Muffins, is leading a Series A funding round for Ecuador-based LiveKuna, an emerging brand of superfood snacks, cereals, pastas, and alternative baking flours.
No longer solely confined to higher-income households, General Mills is seeing mass consumer uptake of its Natural & Organic portfolio as the company works to make its brands more accessible to as many consumers as possible.
Parents are constantly looking for snacks that meet both the nutritional needs, and oftentimes, the picky palates of their child. Brands that can effectively meet both these fundamental demands are best positioned to win in the competitive landscape of...
Fresh baby food seemed to set the category on fire with a flurry of new entrants over the past five years, but has the burgeoning segment lost some steam as retailers pull back and consumers become more price-conscious?
Protein snacks company IWON Organics recently closed a $1m financing round from friends and family, helping to fuel the brand's evolution into becoming an organic legume-based foods company with products that span across salty snacks, cereal, and...
Beginning at conception and continuing through first bites to afterschool snacks and beyond, nutrition plays a pivotal role in children’s brain development, emotional lives, and long-term health – but all too often they aren’t getting all the nutrients...
After leading the Organic Trade Association as CEO for 13 years, Laura Batcha will step down next spring – leaving a legacy of savvy political acumen and active member engagement that helped the trade group expand the reach, impact, awareness and sales...
Oishii, a vertical farm growing Japanese Omakase berries sought after by Michelin star chefs for their unrivaled sweetness, has opened its second indoor growing facility in Los Angeles.
Animal-based meat and dairy manufacturers increasingly are addressing consumer demand for improved animal welfare and environmental impact – helping to defend and grow their sales in the face of encroaching competition from plant-based options.
Demand for immunity-boosting products may have driven an initial double-digit surge of natural and organic product sales early in the pandemic, but many category newcomers have stayed – and more have flocked to the segment in 2021 – even as the threat...
Supply chain challenges exacerbated by the pandemic have bolstered consumer interest in buying local to better support farmers, ensure product quality and reduce environmental impact, but many do not want to sacrifice the savings or year-around variety...
It's hard to imagine what began as a family pancake recipe, which co-founder Joel Clark would sell to neighbors in brown paper bags from a little red wagon as an 8-year-old, would become a $200m business selling a growing portfolio of better-for-you...
Continuing to benefit from elevated at-home consumption of its core chocolate brands and growing snacks business, The Hershey Company reported $1.99bn net sales for Q2 2021 (12 weeks ending July 4, 2021) an increase of 16.5% compared to Q2 2020.
Fresh off of closing its $18m Series D funding round, California-based Urban Remedy will use the funds to ramp up marketing, innovation, technology, and new team hires to reach more consumers with its ultra-fresh, nutrient-dense meals, bars, and juices....
Should the food industry always yield to consumer demands, especially when those demands can be conflicting and at odds with other values, such as sustainability and environmental impact?
After growing steadily across channels on and offline, better-for-you snack brand Quinn is poised to enter its “next phase of growth” with $10m in series B funding announced today that will support upcoming new product launches, expanded distribution...
Suja Juice, which helped mainstream the cold-pressed juice category, has been acquired by private equity firm Paine Schwartz Partners for an undisclosed sum, following a year of "unprecedented revenue and profit."
Oregon-based Honey Mama's and its truffle-like chilled cocoa bars made from five organic whole food ingredients is entering Whole Foods stores nationwide, where the brand is aiming to bridge the gap between the chocolate and wellness bar categories....
If you took the best of Bai, the best of Vitaminwater, and the best of Gatorade, and made it organic, you would have ROAR, says CEO Alex Galindez, who is applying a new distribution and marketing playbook to the five-year-old brand.
Accounting for 20% of US consumers with an estimated direct buying power of $143bn, Gen Z is not a generation to be glossed over by brand marketers, says IRI, characterizing this young cohort as technologically savvy with an underlying practical streak...
After a ‘hectic’ year in which sales outpaced expectations, the premium coffee brand Nespresso is shifting its business strategy and operational focus to better highlight and accelerate its fundamental belief that carefully crafted, high-quality coffee...
Ready, Set, Food! has raised $3.5m in new funding to build brand awareness for its three-stage allergen introduction system, which begins by introducing babies (starting at 4 months of age) to peanut, egg, and milk.
During the pandemic, sales of dairy and animal protein grew off strong foundations, but many of the claims that traditionally drove consumer interest in the categories slowed or performed unevenly – revealing shifting priorities that could influence future...
Doozy Pots – a plant-based gelato made from organic hemp and oat ingredients and the brainchild of a former Ben & Jerry's product developer – is injecting some differentiation and innovation into the plant-based ice cream and frozen desserts...
Consumer shifts in cooking and eating habits during the pandemic more than doubled the growth rate of organic sales in 2020 compared to before the coronavirus outbreak, helping to drive up retail sales of organic products 12.4% to $61.9bn, according to...
SnackFutures, Mondelēz International's innovation and venture hub, has selected nine well-being snack brands to participate in its inaugural CoLab startup engagement program.
Pete and Gerry’s Organics’ decision announced yesterday to sell a majority stake of the family-owned free-range and pasture-raised egg business to the private equity firm Butterfly may be “unsettling” to some, acknowledges the CEO, but he says it will...
