Investment and acquisition trends in the health & wellness industry in 2013 are on a pace to match 2012, according to a report by Nutrition Capital Network (NCN).
Sales of organic products rose 13% to $11.2bn in the year to July 6 in the US retail market, with the highest growth found in shelf-stable meats, poultry and seafood (+61%); followed by baby food (+34%); and shelf-stable functional beverages (+33%); according...
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc., a major dietary supplements and organic foods retailer, has reported 30.5% sales growth and double digit comparable store sales growth in the third quarter of fiscal 2013.
Ingredient development and marketing firm AIDP has brought to market a protein ingredient from sprouted rice that the company says offers a more complete protein profile and formulation advantages as well.
Coconut water has a new competitor. Maple water, a beverage consisting of the raw sap from sugar maple trees, has made its Canadian market debut in Quebec and British Columbia, according to an organization of maple sugar producers.
Big interview, Gregory Jaffe, Director of Biotechnology, CSPI
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has made a name for itself by tackling the food industry’s big guns on everything from artery-furring entrees to misleading label claims. But where does it stand on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?
In an update on its probe into unauthorized genetically modified wheat detected in Oregon, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Friday that it “has neither found nor been informed of anything that would indicate that this incident amounts to more...
Blanket opposition to genetically modified crops is “a morally unacceptable position to take on the basis of unsubstantiated suspicions and fears”, according to the boss of Toronto-based firm Maple Leaf Foods.
If it sounds like a ‘chemical’, or isn’t in the kitchen cupboard, shoppers may regard it with suspicion. But which ingredients are 'acceptable' to today's consumers, which are to be avoided, and who decides?
Sales of green products and services increased right through the recent economic downturn, with sales of organic foods and beverages among the leading categories, a new report says.
Best Organics, a Boulder, CO-based company that offers organic food gift baskets, is the latest to take the plunge into B Corporation status. It solidified the company’s outward profile, but also brought some surprises through introspection.
Big interview: Kevin Cleary, CEO Clif Bar & Company
Nutrition bars enter - and exit - the snacks aisle at the speed of light these days. So how has Clif Bar managed to sustain the kind of growth rivals can only dream of, year after year? Elaine Watson caught up with CEO Kevin Cleary to find out.
The phrase 'all-natural' is still emblazoned on scores of new food and beverage launches, but not quite as many as it used to be, according to Mintel research.
Concern for the environment may be increasing among Americans, but suspicion of corporate ‘greenwashing’ may be slowing their willingness to pay extra for ‘green’ products, including organic, suggests a new survey of 2,276 adults.
In the absence of a clear legal definition of ‘natural’, food marketers seeking to avoid legal challenges over it refer to a variety of sources for guidance.
Natural Food Certifiers (NFC) is offering an alternative to the non-GMO Project verified seal with the launch of a new product verification program called GMO Guard.
60 second interview: Dr Michael Wald, Director of Nutritional Services, Integrated Medicine of Mount Kisco, NY
TV’s ‘blood detective’ and zombie fan Dr Michael B. Wald has combined his interest in nutrition and er, zombies, to develop the Zombie Food Bar. But does it have what it takes to stand out in an increasingly crowded market? Elaine Watson caught up with...
Organic Valley recently announced a plan to distribute more than $1 million in grants to fund research, education and advocacy on the production of organic foods. The grants have long term goals and a near term objective, with one of the biggest individual...
Private label expert Treehouse Foods says the premium segment of the US grocery retail market “has been our fastest growing over the last two quarters at least”, echoing a recent report from Hartman Strategy claiming that firms most attuned to the tastes...
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR is working on a bill that would make the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms a matter of federal law, a spokesperson confirmed yesterday. If passed, the bill, which is still in its early formative stages...
A longstanding diagnostic tool called Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly being used to look at the sustainability bona fides of food products, according to a leading third-party certifier. Using the tool can help quantify all of the inputs that...
Sales of natural products featuring third party certifications surged in 2012, according to new data from SPINS, with non-GMO project verified products leading the charge (+18%), followed by Fair Trade USA (+17%), Certified Gluten Free (+17%), and Certified...
Organic logos and claims generally have positive effects on consumers, but even the most positive supporter has negative inferences towards organic products when they are judged on functional health benefits, suggest researchers.
Sales of organic foods and beverages rose 12.2% in the year to September 29 in the US retail market, significantly outpacing growth in the overall grocery market, according to data from SPINS.
Organically grown carrots may stimulate the immune system, with ‘more’ organic carrots have more of an effect, says a new study that adds to the debate on the health benefits of organic produce.
The Natural Products Association (NPA) has come out against California’s Proposition 37 GMO labeling proposal, in part because it would prohibit members from marketing thousands of foods as ‘natural’ - even if they do not contain any genetically engineered...
Yesterday a large scale scientific review revealed that organic produce may not be more nutritious than ‘conventionally’ produced goods. But since that isn’t the main reason people buy them, does it really even matter?
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has welcomed the introduction of legislation that would tighten controls on organic certification, saying that it would protect the integrity of the USDA’s National Organic Program seal.
Do consumers care whether the ingredients in their favorite foods are produced sustainably, and whether the people that produce them are treated fairly?
What’s in a name? Everything, when it comes to ‘cleaning’ up ingredients declarations, says National Starch/Corn Products International, which has launched an online hub at cleanlabelinsights.com to collate the latest research and market data to help...
Star-K Kosher Certification has begun providing triple inspections to certify plants and products as non-GMO, organic and kosher, which it says can save companies time and money on individually conducted inspections.
Last week’s organic equivalency agreement between the US and the EU is expected to have a significant impact on the trade of organic products – and many are likely to be finished foods rather than agricultural products, according to organic research firm...
The United States and Canada have taken another step toward organic equivalency, with US organic standards for dairy, beef, sheep, goat and bison now considered equivalent to Canadian requirements.
Health- and eco-conscious consumers are just as interested in the ingredients their foods do not contain as those that make it onto the ingredient list – but price remains a top priority, according to a new survey.
Local and organic certification labels may increase the likelihood that women will purchase a product, as well as their willingness to pay a premium – but men are less likely to be influenced by logos, according to a study published in HortScience.
Canadian natural and organics group SunOpta has reported a 25% increase in sales compared to Q3 last year but lower profits, citing higher commodity costs, which hit its sunflower business in particular.
There is “no silver bullet” to reverse the growing trend of alienation from today’s farms, according to the Center for Food Integrity (CFI), a non-profit industry-backed group that aims to ease consumer fears about the US food supply.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded 23 new grants to organic agriculture research projects as part of its National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), in response to increased adoption of organic practices.
Hain Celestial is planning to break new ground in the dairy alternatives sector with the introduction of an almond milk-based yogurt, its chief executive has revealed.
Juice from organically grown tomatoes contains higher levels of bioactive polyphenols than juice made from conventionally grown tomatoes, says a new study.
In order to protect the environment, consumers should forget about switching to organic foods and concentrate on eating less meat, according to new research.
Frutarom USA has received organic certification from certification body Secal Israel for its Origanox ingredient, designed to combat lipid oxidation in foods – allowing it to market the ingredient in the United States and around the world.
US sales of organic foods and beverages continued to outpace conventional grocery sales in 2010, with the market growing 8.5 percent to reach $23.2bn at retail, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.
Canada and the European Union have reached an agreement on equivalency of organic products, in a move expected to significantly boost organic food trade between the two markets.
The non-GMO symbol is a useful reference point for consumers, many of whom still have gaps in their knowledge of genetically modified (GM) foods, according to natural and organic food companies.
Stakeholders in the food and agriculture industry have formed a new coalition organization intended to bring together groups that have not traditionally worked together to tackle long-term policy issues.
