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...
Industry-supported efforts to update organic food standards could finally move forward after being held at a standstill for years by the US Department of Agriculture if bipartisan legislation introduced in the House late last week becomes law.
While fluid milk consumption has been declining since the 1970s, US retail sales rose 7.1% last year (52-weeks ending Jan 2, 2021, according to NielsenIQ Total U.S. xAOC data). However, is this trend indicative of an actual revitalization of the $15.1bn...
As more consumers adopt a “research-online-buy-offline” approach, providing accurate, consistent product information across channels and on packaging is essential for driving discovery, initial trial and repeat purchases – and yet, most manufacturers...
After selling to Campbell’s in 2013 for $249m, organic baby food maker Plum Organics has been acquired by Sun-Maid Growers of California, which is expanding its portfolio to provide more options for its target audience: "the balancer mom," says...
No longer seen as the budget option by consumers, private label brands are continuing to differentiate themselves from national brands in quality and innovation, according to private label market research firm Daymon.
The Organic Trade Association is optimistic it could reach a “potential amicable resolution” in its ongoing lawsuit against the US Department of Agriculture for the withdrawal of the widely popular Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices final rule during...
The trend of home baking, which soared in popularity during the pandemic, is still going strong with sustained elevated sales expected through 2025, according to new market data.
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Shifting shopping habits and channel preferences due to the pandemic hit the non-alcoholic beverage industry hard last year, leading to an overall decline in volume and value, but rising consumer interest in functional options could be a key driver in...
Since the pandemic began, food insecurity in America has increased exponentially, and stakeholders across the value chain are stepping up to provide relief, including Simply Organic, which is giving $150,000 to five organizations that not only help put...
The sparkling water category may seem crowded with products made by CPG giants and offerings from smaller, independently-owned brands, but the reality is that sparkling water is still just a small piece of the overall carbonated beverage category, says...
Even as consumers seek ingredients that promise to boost their immunity, reduce their stress and support their well-being, sales of functional foods and beverages were held back in 2020 compared to organic due to shifting shopping preferences away from...
Chickpea-fueled snack brand HIPPEAS has raised $50m from investment house The Craftory Limited in a financing round consisting of direct investment and secondary purchases of shares from existing shareholders including CAVU Venture Partners.
AppHarvest -- an indoor vertical farming ag tech company based in Morehead, Kentucky -- is shipping out its first harvest of beefsteak tomatoes to national and regional grocery store chains including Kroger, Publix, Walmart, Food City, and Meijer.
Successfully meeting rising demand for “functional benefits” goes beyond adding on-trend ingredients with health properties to line-extensions or new products – it also requires brands to navigate a “two-way street” with consumers to balance education...
The European Commission has said that it will recognise the six organic certification schemes operating in the UK for a year after Brexit. This averts the cliff-edge scenario facing British organic exporters if a future trade arrangement is not reached.