As Amazon tests its cashierless checkout technology in bigger stores, it begs the question: what would a cashierless technology integration of this size and scale look like at its Whole Foods locations, and what would be required to make the integration...
The future of baby food – according to some brands at least – is fresh. But which business models make the most sense for new players in this small, but rapidly growing, chilled segment of the market?
For many food and beverage brands, their product packaging is their first – if not only – touchpoint with consumers, and yet all too often companies treat it as an afterthought or as little more than a protective exterior for what is inside.
Offering on-site nutrition services such as access to registered dietitians is becoming more common place in grocery stores, but does it make shoppers with chronic illnesses such as hypertension make healthier food and beverage choices?
Fresh Bellies entered the competitive HPP baby food market in 2015 with its line of savory refrigerated vegetable purees and has expanded its line to crunchy toddler snacks in order to 'age with' its consumer.
Independent grocers using the online ordering and delivery marketplace, Mercato, have experienced strong year-over-year sales increases despite growing competition from national chains and larger online grocery delivery providers.
Keto may be one of the hottest diets right now, but it's far from the most convenient when it comes to meal planning, said Nick Mares, co-founder of Kettle & Fire.
Shoppers increasingly are making purchasing decisions based on how sustainable they perceive a product, brand or manufacturer to be, but as recently published research from Nielsen notes the consumers’ definition of sustainability is amorphous – making...
Consumers have been slower to migrate online to shop for certain food items, compared to other categories such as personal care and vitamins/supplements. However that behavior is starting to change with frozen and refrigerated grocery items registering...
Beyond Food Inc. is tackling the multi-billion dollar food waste issue by diverting aging – but still safe to consume – fruits and vegetables from landfills to its modular Zero Waste Pods where the organic material is converted into fine-milled powders...
Fundraising is different for every company, every time they do it, but according to Luke Saunders, the CEO and founder of Farmer’s Fridge, which recently closed a series C round, there are two common denominators that entrepreneurs must understand in...
A regulatory requirement that organic farmers must rotate their crops can be a significant financial hurdle for some producers, but it also is becoming an opportunity for economic development as some farmers team with innovative manufacturers to create...
With a new multimillion dollar advertising campaign that includes conventional and new marketing strategies, the iconic frozen pierogi brand Mrs. T’s hopes to attract new consumers and woo back lapsed shoppers by invoking the emotional connection that...
Once niche, conscious consumerism is emerging as a mainstream trend in 2019 that is influencing more companies to offer products that are not just environmentally-friendly but also animal-friendly, according to Euromonitor International.
After years of trading quality for easy year-round access to all types of food no matter the season or the region where they originated, consumers are starting to push back and instead seek more premium, authentic products, even if they are more expensive,...
Iconic plant-based brand Yves Veggie Cuisine’s new packaging featuring “mouthwatering” photos of its veggie-forward products aims to show consumers that “cheating on meat” doesn’t have to be a sacrifice.
'Value for money spent' remains an important consideration for US consumers when choosing where to do their grocery shopping as 73% of shoppers refer to one or more advertising/sales vehicles – traditional, social, mobile and digital – before...
In the last month, the food and beverage industry rallied around the hundreds of thousands of people whose paychecks were unexpectedly stopped during the partial government shutdown, but even though government is back up and running, for now, more than...
An injection of $5 million in Series A funds will help the fast-growing, ecommerce-based startup Your Super introduce the power of superfoods to more Americans who want to eat healthy but either don’t know how or don’t have access through traditional...
Conventional investors focused on the bottom-line or high returns may not be a good fit for small companies that are unwilling to compromise their values to increase their margins – but that doesn’t mean mission-based businesses are limited to bootstrapping,...
Curation Foods (formerly Apio) is targeting the growing plant-forward consumer base with a portfolio of five branded product lines with core ingredients being fruits and vegetables, which CEO and president of parent company Landec, Molly Hemmeter, believes...
While chicken wings remain the most purchased food item leading up to Super Bowl with sales of $1.6bn*, more US consumers are adding plant-based protein alternatives and stealth veggies to their game day spread, according to Nielsen.
For more than 150 years, Americans have been waking up with Folgers in their cups, and to ensure they continue to do so for generations to come The JM Smucker Co. will launch a new line this summer under the brand that accounts for consumers’ shifting...
After three years of research, development and sensory testing with more than 8,000 consumers, Sparkling Ice is relaunching its entire portfolio of carbonated water with natural colors and flavors and an updated look that it predicts will give it a competitive...
Chicago incubator The Hatchery will open the doors to its new 67,000-square-foot facility next month where CEO Natalie Shmulik wants to provide entrepreneurs with the tools to launch a thriving food or beverage business.
After taking a slight hit in 2017 compared to 2016, consumer satisfaction with the food and beverage industry rebounded in 2018 as companies delivered innovative products that both surprised and delighted consumers and met their demands for healthy options.
A look back at Amazon's grocery sales in 2018 shows that the online retailer experienced soaring growth in certain sub categories such as beverages and snacks, but has struggled to gain consumer buy in the categories of fresh food and perishables....
New research from the International Food Information Council Foundation and the American Heart Association shows consumers increasingly want foods and beverages that will support wellness, but many people don’t know which products will deliver their desire...
Healthy meal shake company Ample has grown into a multi-million dollar business through the direct-to-consumer channel selling its pre-portioned powders packed with high quality proteins, premium fats, fiber, and probiotics, sealed in single-serve bottles...
As consumers’ focus on health and wellness deepens, their understanding of the concept also is evolving and diversifying based on their life stage and unique circumstance – creating new marketing opportunities for retailers and brands that can offer more...
With new players entering the food and beverage space daily, entrepreneurs at startups may feel pressured to stake out their shelf space in as many stores as they can as quickly as possible – but this can be a recipe for disaster.
The food industry will continue to drastically reshape itself in terms of food retailing, production, and consumption, pointing to more change "in the next 10 years than in the last 50," according to global consulting firm Accenture Strategy.
RISE Brewing Co. is looking to attract more coffee drinkers to its nitro cold brew products entering the mass channel this April with new distribution at 2,000 Walmart locations.
For years kale dominated supreme as the top superfood sought by Americans, but the leafy green has finally fallen off the top 10 list – replaced by fermented foods in the top spot, followed by avocados and seeds in the second and third, according to the...
The idea that a plant-based diet could improve the health of people and the planet was once niche, but is rapidly gaining mainstream momentum with two pivotal developments this week, including an endorsement by the high profile EAT-Lancet Commission and...
On its endeavor to be a leader in sustainable food production, Tyson Foods has partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to accelerate its environmental stewardship targets -- such as, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 30% by 2030 --...
Kroger is shifting from a "grocery company to a growth company" (referred to as its 'Restock Kroger' initiative), CEO Rodney McMullen told delegates at the NRF show in New York this week, noting that it embarked on the move well before...
Since hitting the market in 2011, Yasso frozen Greek yogurt has been generating double-digit revenue growth year-over-year with no signs of cooling off, according to founder Amanda Klane and Drew Harrington.
Entrepreneurs looking for relief from being pulled in multiple directions may be tempted to rely on their broker or distributor to craft a strategic growth plan for their business, but industry veteran and the founder of Premium Growth Solutions James...
The road from startup to category leader is not for the faint of heart, and there are few end-to-end resources available to an emerging brand that can guide food entrepreneurs on branding and packaging all the way through to sales and marketing strategy.
Vertical indoor farming company, 80 Acres Farms, has received a "significant investment" from Virgo Investment Group, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, to help rapidly commercialize the company's specialized indoor farming technology.
New research from Jenny Craig suggests that consumer confusion about the meaning of ‘wellness’ could cause marketing campaigns centered on the concept to fall flat unless companies more clearly define – and back with science – how their products support...
When meal kits first burst onto the scene, they were pitched as a way to prep dinner in a hurry. However, the category’s major players are now finding that consumers are looking for even quicker options for every meal occasion - at more accessible prices.
Every year, retailers lose approximately $47.4 billion in sales because products are out-of-stock or improperly shelved, but consumer insights provider IRI has a new solution that uses artificial intelligence and machine-learning technology to ensure...
The fresh, pared-down look of Tempo Tea’s trio of recently launched sparkling teas in slim cans reflects the brand’s less-is-more approach to caffeine as well as a larger emerging trend in packaging design that maximizes white space and excises superfluous...
Despite double digits sales growth, Amazon hasn’t been hitting its original targets for online grocery sales as it struggles to get its fresh food business (Amazon Fresh) to take off, Edge by Ascential’s (formerly One Click Retail) 2019 Predictions for...
First time entrepreneurs often lament that if they had known how much work it would take to launch a startup they might not have done it, but the husband and wife duo and long-time industry veterans behind the plant-based protein brand Sweet Earth Natural...
The rise of diets – paleo, plant-based, Whole 30, keto, even ‘lazy keto’ – has created a challenging environment for food and beverage marketers trying to establish and grow a strong consumer following.