Today’s consumers want products that are natural, sustainable and environmentally friendly, but manufacturers hoping to appeal to these values face significant threats from lawsuits alleging greenwashing and evolving regulations and enforcement efforts...
Local is as popular of a call-out for food as non-GMO, organic, or ‘free from.’ But there’s no legal definition of what local means (50-mile radius? 150-mile radius?), and it definitely doesn’t always mean better.
Impossible Foods – which claims to have created a plant-based burger that precisely replicates the taste and texture of meat - will be able to produce one million pounds of Impossible Burgers a month when its first commercial-scale manufacturing facility...
Starting and growing a company is hard – especially in the highly competitive food and beverage industry, but Austin, Texas-based accelerator SKU is tipping the odds of success in favor of entrepreneurs with its “proven blend of mentorship, community,”...
McDonalds, Panera and other high profile food service companies took notable steps last year to introduce “healthier” chicken products, but frozen poultry product producer Hip Chick Farms thinks more can done and it is stepping up the plate to push change...
As the technology around producing steviol glycosides continues to evolve, transparency in labeling will be critical if consumer trust in ‘natural’ sweeteners is to be retained, says PureCircle, which claims to be the “clear market leader in terms of...
It's impossible to distill a show this size into a handful of slides, but we did see some consistent themes from a macronutrient perspective (protein is hot, sugar is not and fats are back), while digestive health was also a big trend. Checkout our...
From the sheer number of third-party watchdog organizations out there that observe and rate the impact corporations make to their surroundings, one can tell the importance consumers today put on making sure they purchase products from ethical companies.
‘Clean’ (a.k.a. cultured/lab-grown) meat pioneer Memphis Meats has unveiled its latest innovation – chicken and duck produced from poultry cells without raising animals – in what it describes as an “unprecedented milestone for the clean meat industry.”
Meat and dairy often get a bad rap on the sustainability front, but not all animal production systems have the same impact on the planet, says EPIC Provisions co-founder Taylor Collins, who reckons that “the next big movement in food is coming in the...
There is a “tremendous parallel” between the emerging consumer demand for improved animal welfare in the US and the organic food movement, including notable business opportunities and significant challenges, according to Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey.
Despite organic’s strong appeal with double-digit year-over-year growth since the early 1990s, and the promise of a significant premium price over that of its conventional counterparts, many American farmers are hesitant to jump on board – creating a...
HowGood wants to streamline the plethora of labels and certifications that clutter the packages of food and beverage products throughout the grocery store. The best part is, no package redesign or additional certification is necessary for the brands and...
FoodFutureCo - a food business accelerator program targeting mission-driven companies in scale-up mode – has unveiled its second cohort, spanning spring water, local produce, kids’ snacks and fermented foods.
Contrary to what some may believe, farmers who grow genetically modified crops are “not the devil with horns,” and do have the planet’s and consumers’ health and best interests in mind when they select which seeds to plant and harvest, a Maryland farmer...
Drawing on extensive consumer research, The Campbell Soup Co.’s GMO disclosure labels on packs and online could serve as a model for USDA in crafting the mandatory national bioengineering label standard and other companies looking for solutions.
General Mills’ splashy commitment last year to double the number of organic acres it sources from by 2019 not only is a strategic business move to boost sales, but part of a larger effort to “do the right thing,” according to the company’s organic ambassador.
Increased funding for research to improve production tops the organic industry’s wish list of policy actions that it wants legislators and regulators to consider as they begin in earnest the long process of reauthorizing the Farm Bill, which is slated...
With the average age of farmers in America climbing ever closer to the average age of retirement, legislators hope to encourage more young people to enter the profession by offering them financial assistance in the form of loan forgiveness.
Legislation aimed at redirecting food that would be wasted to hungry Americans would make it easier for stakeholders to donate food and reduce the risk that consumers prematurely throw away food that they erroneously believe has spoiled.
Pea protein-fueled brand Ripple has weighed into plant-based ‘milk’ debate with a provocative new media campaign that challenges the nutritional and environmental credentials of dairy milk, but also brands almond milk a ‘sham,’ and argues that when it...
Sales of natural and organic products may be steadily increasing – and even outpacing that of the overall food industry – but three main barriers continue to hold them back from their full potential, suggest new research.
A new ability to don an unqualified “please, recycle” claim on cartons elevates the packaging’s already strong sustainability story and gives brands that use the containers another tool with which to woo environmentally-conscious consumers.
Every year more people wake up to coffee or use it to fuel them day, but according to a comprehensive report recently published by the Climate Institute, this early morning ritual, and everything that goes into making it possible, face significant threats...
Protein shows no sign of petering out in 2017 with many consumers still listing it as an “ideal attribute” for fortification across categories and an ever-growing list of sources from which manufacturers can choose, according to a product development...
Perhaps not surprising, but disappointing nonetheless to environmental, health and nutrition advocates is new research that ranks the US dead last, or very near the bottom, out of 25 countries on a long list of food sustainability indicators, including...
With the new administration comes new opportunities for the food and beverage industry, from agriculture and scientists to manufacturers and public health advocates, to make their priorities heard by collectively raising their voices, stakeholders argued...
Compass Group subsidiary Bon Appétit Management Company has teamed up with algae specialist TerraVia to use Thrive Culinary Algae Oil as its preferred cooking oil across more than 650 cafés in corporate offices (including Google), universities, and other...
FDA and USDA push forward a strategy to modernize how genetically modified organisms are regulated that was created in part with the Executive Office of the President under the Obama Administration even as President Trump took office with the promise...
In today’s highly competitive landscape, many food and beverage manufacturers try to set their brands apart by tapping into consumers’ desire for products that not only are better for them but also better for the planet or for society.
Even though a final USDA rule strengthening animal welfare standards squeaked into the Federal Register today before the new administration takes control of country, the rule may not be safe from repeal, like so many others finalized under Obama’s leadership.
Roquette has made a bold move to solidify its leadership position in the pea protein market with a jaw-dropping CAD400m+ (US$306m+) investment to build the world’s biggest processing plant for the on-trend ingredient dedicated to (human) food & nutrition...
The US Department of Agriculture’s call today for public comment on the Organic Trade Association’s application to create an organic check-off program comes at a time when sales of organic products in the US are soaring but hampered by limited domestic...
With an investment of $2.5 million from Aqua-Spark, startup seafood meal kit maker Love The Wild hopes to change the way Americans eat fish and perceive aquaculture farming, which has a notoriously bad reputation.
Alex McCoy: 'Ostrich is by far the most environmentally sustainable red meat'
Check out Alexander McCoy’s linkedin profile and you’ll see a string of corporate finance-related entries until you get to 2013, when he abruptly switched gears and took up ostrich farming.
Farmers transitioning to organic soon could more easily sell their products at a premium even during the transition period before they are fully certified thanks to a new USDA program announced today.
Manufacturers and retailers soon could find themselves between a rock and a hard place as the trend to source slower growing broiler chickens gains momentum with retailers and restaurants.
Sustainability wins another vote for the “most important” trend to watch in 2017, followed closely by plant-based protein, according to a small, but well-educated group of nutrition experts, surveyed by Ketchum’s Global Food and Beverage Practice and...
A growing awareness of the environmental impact of food production and a desire to shop sustainably will heavily influence how consumers plan, shop for and prepare meals in the coming year, predicts a leading food influencer and national retailer.
The Nobel Foundation’s ‘Your plate, our planet’ event featured talks by start-ups boasting the world changing power of new food technologies like ‘food computers’ and tropical weather forecasting.
Personalized nutrition? Plant-based foods? Paleo diets? FoodNavigator-USA quizzed food & beverage entrepreneurs and CEOs to find out what trends they will be monitoring in 2017 and why…
There is no denying that vegan is on the rise with consumers looking for more plant-based options, and manufacturers eager to meet that demand with a wide variety of new products -- some of which even are aimed at and winning over carnivores and omnivores.
With each new year comes new trends in ingredients, cooking styles and eating patterns, but in 2017 the incoming presidential Administration could fundamentally change the way Americans eat by changing how food gets from farm to fork and the safety measures...
Cacao is best known for its antioxidant-rich nut that is used to make chocolate, but the fruit has more to offer -- including a sweet white pulp that helps set Suavva Cacao Smoothies apart from other RTD juices and shakes.
Offering products made from crops transitioning to organic at a premium above conventional but not as high as certified organic “helps the farmer, helps the consumer and helps the planet,” says the owner of the McKaskle Family Farm.
Launching a new brand in the ready-to-drink tea market is not for the faint-hearted, but Shaka Tea - one of three winners in this year's trailblazers challenge at Food Vision USA - has unique attributes that set it apart from the competition, says...
Cold pressed watermelon juice brand WTRMLN WTR – which hit the headlines in May after Beyonce took a ‘meaningful stake’ – has notched up 300%+ growth in 2016 and is now in 15,000+ stores, says co-founder and creative director Jody Levy, who says fans...
The Mediterranean diet is being undermined by climate change, a misuse of natural resources and a brain drain which are damaging the social fabric of rural communities, according to a new book by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Providing transparent, accurate information about products that go beyond what is legally required can boost sales, market share and consumer loyalty, suggests new research by Label Insight.
Modern Americans expect much more from food companies today than they did in the past -- now not only do they want food that is better for them, but they want products that also are better for society and the planet.
