A proposed regulation that would strengthen and clarify organic animal welfare standards would align consumers’ expectations with production practices and improve their confidence in the organic seal, according to USDA.
New data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveals a 12% increase in US certified organic operations between 2014 and 2015, while the total retail market for organic products is now valued at more than $39bn in the US and $75bn+ worldwide.
An infusion of $1.5 million will help vegan meal delivery startup Veestro fully take advantage of growing consumer demand for organic, plant-based food and ready-to-eat meals delivered to their doors.
'We want to be clear what we stand for and ‘all-natural’ is not clear'
Good Food Made Simple – one of a new wave of companies on a mission to revitalize the frozen food aisle - is transitioning its burritos and wraps to a 'made with organic ingredients' platform and ditching the much maligned term ‘all-natural’...
Consumers slowly but increasingly are trusting food companies and perceiving them as transparent as more manufacturers explain how they source and make products, but a significant portion of shoppers remain wary – indicating industry still has work to...
It is no secret that the cereal aisle is struggling with Euromonitor estimating a 19% drop in sales in 2015 compared to 10 years earlier and a projection to lose another $1 billion in sales in the next 10 years.
Consumer interest in plant-based alternatives for animal products is driving innovation across categories from dairy and eggs to meat and desserts as showcased by manufacturers at Natural Products Expo West.
Clif Bar – a company that helped transition the bar category from strictly slick slabs of finely blended ingredients to one with products made from recognizable grains and inclusions that more closely resembled real food – is at it again with a new line...
Fruit chip maker Bare Snacks is overhauling its packaging to create an iconic brand block on store shelves that will better standout from the competition and communicate to consumers its core values of “simplicity, transparency and nothing bad for you,”...
From the apparently 'unstoppable' growth in the natural and organic products industry to the FDA's 'natural' probe, check out our gallery of highlights from the education sessions at Expo West.
Normally about this time of year the airwaves and social media begin to buzz with messages about getting ready for bikini season or offers to help consumers shed the last few stubborn holiday pounds with special diet foods – but increasingly these types...
The current shift away from dieting and calorie-counting towards eating more whole, nutrient dense foods is a double-edged sword when it comes to fighting the obesity epidemic in America, according to an internationally recognized nutritionist.
The financially daunting three-year transition to certified organic production just became a little less risky for farmers thanks the USDA expanding crop insurance to better reflect the product’s actual value.
Organic meat and dairy products have more healthy omega-3 fatty acids according to a large meta-analysis review - but experts have warned the amounts are too small to actually have an impact on diet.
Sales of organic food and drink are set to double by 2018 but this is not enough to feed the world – a truly sustainable farming system is needed for future food and ecosystem security, say researchers.
Based on the latest additions to AccelFoods ’portfolio, the packaged food and beverage accelerator is betting that cold brew coffee, ethnic flavors, gluten-free and the one-two punch of protein and fiber are long-term trends that will continue to influence...
Hain Celestial hopes to stay “one step ahead” of the conventional CPG manufacturers now flocking to the increasingly popular natural and organic space, which the New York-based firm has dominated for years, by better customizing marketing, pricing and...
Whole Foods products at wholesale prices, delivered to your door? It sounds almost too good to be true, and at the beginning, that’s certainly how many potential investors viewed Thrive Market. But with a run-rate approaching $100m and hundreds of thousands...
The co-founder and CEO of Green Chef infuses his passion for transparency into every aspect of the fresh meal kit delivery company, and in doing creates new marketing opportunities for its suppliers and helps them increase consumer awareness of their...
From Cabernayzyns (dried Cabernet grapes) to bakkwa, a meat snack sold in street markets in Singapore and Malaysia that's just hit the West Coast of the US, the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco was jam-packed with unusual new products. FoodNavigator-USA...
In a dramatic rebranding, Lean Cuisine ditches the “antiquated” idea of dieting to become an advocate for overall healthy lifestyles, and in doing so, is empowering women to change the conversation about weight and value perceptions, according to brand’s...
From seaweed snacks to toasted hemp seeds, beet chips and bars, onion chips (that are actually made out of onions), grass-fed jerky, and fruit bars with a hint of spice, snacking is getting a lot more sophisticated, FoodNavigator-USA discovered at the...
From bone broth, birch water and yaupon tea to macadamia milk, the Winter Fancy Food Show is a great place to go beverage trendspotting. FoodNavigator-USA hit the showfloor at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, where we also spotted a lot of chai spice...
Americans’ evolving definition of health and wellness from treatment to prevention is dramatically impacting how they view food – with many people looking to the ancient past for guidance on how and what to eat in the future.
Consumers are embracing the convenience and adventure promised by fresh meal kits delivered to their doors with such fervor that sales growth outpaced all other aspects of food service – topping $1 billion globally in 2015, according to market research...
PepsiCo recently announced the launch of organic Gatorade for 2016, something an executive with Daymon Worldwide said is a forward-thinking move that is quickly becoming the norm.
The ever versatile and increasingly popular avocado continues its expansion beyond savory snacks to enter the confection category with the launch of Cado avocado-based ice cream, which could be a game-changer in the non-dairy frozen dessert segment.
Most players in the increasingly crowded subscription food delivery category focus on providing high quality nutrition and hard-to-find or novel ingredients, but Sakara Life sets itself apart from the pack by going one step farther and also promising...
As part of our Food Vision USA program, FoodNavigator-USA quizzed food & beverage entrepreneurs on the trends they wll be tracking in 2016, plus what keeps them awake at night, from fundraising to recruitment. (Best viewed on your desktop.)
If you didn't make it to Chicago in October for FoodNavigator-USA's 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...
US exports of organic produce and products are on the rise thanks to organic equivalency arrangements that ease verification requirements between some countries without compromising the integrity of organic, according to new research from the Organic...
The Organic Trade Association in 2016 will push forward several initiatives to help industry “turn the corner” on the supply shortages currently holding it back from meeting surging demand for organic products, the group’s CEO Laura Batcha says.
Specialty rice producer Amira sees significant potential for Basmati to win the hearts of Americans, who lately have been flirting more with Indian food and ancient grains.
'It’s not the first or the second purchase order that really counts, it’s the third'
It won't happen overnight, but the future of babyfood is in the chiller, predicts one Texas-based entrepreneur pioneering the application of high pressure processing (HPP) in a category she claims is ripe for disruption.
Seaweed, full-fat dairy, floral flavors and mushrooms will all gain traction in 2016, according to the Specialty Food Association (SFA), which has released a list of 10 trends to watch in US food culture next year:
For startup Tru, Inc., a successful Kickstarter campaign is about more than raising funds to launch its TRUEnergy sports shot – it is about proving to retailers and future investors that the product concept is viable and will sell, said CEO and Founder...
Not so long ago, an organic beverage brand boasting ‘adaptogenic super-herbs’ would have had a fairly niche audience. Today, it’s a very different story, says Sheryl O’Loughlin, former CEO of Clif Bar and co-founder of Plum Organics, who has just moved...
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...
Canadian cranberry supplier Fruit d’Or has further differentiated its product offerings with the launch of a range of organic cranberry juice powders, the company announced recently.
While we’re often told that millennials are rejecting the brands their parents grew up with, the same rules don’t necessarily apply in the candy aisle, notes the CEO of Ferrara Candy Co (est. 1908), who says millennials and Gen Z-ers are driving the double-digit...
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,...
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...
As demand for natural colors and flavors increases, so too does the sales opportunity for the relatively unknown and underdeveloped organic candy segment, according to a leading executive in the category.
How are the top 100 CPG brands performing? Not very well, say Catalina, TABS Group
If you needed further proof that bigger does not correlate with better in the CPG market, a new report from digital marketing expert Catalina reveals that the top 100 brands are underperforming in most of the categories in which they operate.
Once a breakfast staple in most American homes, orange juice has fallen out of favor in recent years as consumers try to cut carbs, calories and sugar. But premium juice maker Uncle Matt’s Organic is hoping to return the beverage to its former glory with...
With snacking replacing more meals in the US, manufacturers are responding with a variety of fast, on-the-go options that are packed with nutrients, protein, fiber and energy.
The tortoise - rather than the hare – is often the winner in the retail food and beverage industry, says Hartman Group’s SVP James Richardson, PhD, who says we can all learn lessons from six disruptive brands in health & wellness, from Hint Water...
While cynics observe that biodynamic cane sugar is still sugar, and gourmet Himalayan pink salt is still good old sodium chloride, it’s a fact that trends which might seem to have niche appeal are increasingly heading to the mainstream, and that a small,...