Sustainable sourcing is a big buzzword these days, and companies have different methods for achieving that goal. One way to boost a company’s sustainability profile is to tap into a hidden pool of talent, namely the people who actually buy the stuff:...
Gearing up for this week’s launch of coconut water concentrate acidified with acerola, ingredient supplier iTi Tropicals’ president Gert van Manen caught up with FoodNavigator-USA to talk about the market potential for coconut water, the ongoing attack...
Vancouver-based stevia supplier GLG Life Tech is moving into the monk fruit (luo han guo) sweeteners market and expects to have commercial quantities of high-purity extracts available later this year.
Ingredients giant Roquette has struck a deal with Iowa-based non-GMO corn and soybean specialist World Food Processing (WFP) under which WFP will manufacture Roquette’s pea protein in the US.
While most start-ups struggle to raise the funds to turn their dreams into reality, Hampton Creek Foods CEO Josh Tetrick has convinced some of the world’s wealthiest people that his plant-based egg replacers are worth a serious punt.
The Kellogg Company has pledged to source fully traceable palm oil by the end of next year, a move that has been welcomed by NGOs that have been fighting for the cereal giant to change its policies for months.
Big interview: David Janow, co-founder and CEO, Axiom Foods
Protein is undergoing a renaissance in food marketing, with high-protein claims appearing on everything from snack foods and sports beverages to soups and frozen yogurt. And plant proteins - particularly pea and rice - are gaining momentum.
Canadian oil supplier Biodroga is hoping to make a splash in the omega oils market with the launch of an oil derived from camelina sativa that is rich in omegas 3, 6 and 9, the company says.
Hurdles in food safety, taste and consumer acceptance await on the London South Bank University’s quest to join two big food innovations: 3D printing and insect-based ingredients.
Brazzein - a protein from the berry of the West African plant Oubli claimed to be 2,500+ times sweeter than sucrose - could play a key role in the natural sweeteners market in future as formulators look beyond stevia, says one entrepreneur intent on commercializing...
First there was the leaked GMA discussion document; now the industry’s biggest players have put their cards on the table via the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, which is seeking federal legislation to create an FDA-administered voluntary program to...
Two-thirds of all fish harvested for food is likely to come from fish farms by 2030, according to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Locusts, lentils, seaweed or “hybrid” meat? Researchers have found that consumers prefer the thought of non-specified meat substitute snacks over those containing insects or seaweed.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has reported a 26% net sales increase year-over-year in its first quarter of fiscal 2014. The company also recorded 10.6% comparable store sales growth, maintaining momentum in this key metric.
An internal report on the World Bank’s multimillion dollar loan to a palm oil company embroiled in human rights allegations has concluded that the investment bank should have been more diligent in its assessments.
“This isn't meat,” said Phil Lapp’s nine-year-old daughter Morgan after wolfing down some home-made meat-free tacos one evening in 2011. “This is neat”.
US retail sales of meat alternatives - worth $553m in 2012 according to Mintel - could easily break through the $1bn barrier, predicts Garden Protein (Gardein) CEO Yves Potvin.
Meat reduction – or ‘flexitarian’ eating – is on the rise. In this special edition article, FoodNavigator asks why are consumers reducing meat, and how prevalent is the trend?
Many big brands are “playing a waiting game” right now to see whether moves by General Mills and Post Foods to axe GMOs from iconic brands (Cheerios and Grape Nuts) will have a domino effect, say analysts at Euromonitor International.
In order to feed a growing global population that’s on track to reach 9 billion people by 2050, some scientists argue that people will have to adopt a predominantly plant-based diet to sustain both the environment and humans’ well-being. As part of FoodNavigator-USA's...
If its ‘sprouted’ form, non-GMO, non-allergenic and vegan credentials give consumers a warm and fuzzy feeling; its low price, amino acid profile and smooth texture are also winning over formulators, claims one firm promoting the latest plant protein on...
Mondelez International reached its 2015 goal of sourcing 100% RSPO-certified palm oil for all its purchases last year – two years ahead of schedule, the company has said.
Stabilized rice bran ingredients specialist RiceBran Technologies has struck a multi-year distribution and supply agreement with Hela Spice Canada Inc. to sell its products in Canada.
The struggle over GMO labeling will push the growth of certified organic products in the US in 2014, according to market research firm Organic Monitor. And at least one major discount grocery retailer is looking to cash in with the launch of a new organic...
A looming water crisis in California has led more than 50 California lawmakers to request the declaration of a state drought emergency. The dire water situation for the upcoming crop year could send ripples through US agricultural supply says the California...
Israel-based flavor and food ingredient firm Frutarom Industries has acquired US-based Hagelin Flavor Technologies for $52.4 million, the company announced Friday. Hagelin has corporate offices in New Jersey. In addition, the company has offices in the...
The FoodNavigator-USA business leaders round table debate
What are the hottest trends in food and beverage? And are the big bucks really in blue-sky innovation, or have the most successful firms played with an existing concept and just done a better job at executing, marketing and selling it?
Much of the growth of coconut food ingredients has been driven through the natural channel in years past. But now the ingredient may be reaching critical mass, with more mainstream consumers drawn to its flavor and health benefits.
UK retailers like Morrisons’, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are backing an international ‘responsible’ fish oil certification earned by 100 processing factories in 9 countries and representing 40% of global fish oil and fishmeal outputs.
HSBC has said that despite challenges market tides deciding the sustainability of the palm oil industry are changing - although an environmental group has published a damning report of the bank’s investment practices.
Many confectioners are sidestepping responsibilities on sustainable palm oil by only ensuring products meet ‘inadequate’ RSPO standards, according to Greenpeace.
Unilever and Ferrero both said they would strengthen their commitments to sustainable palm oil this week – a sign of an industry in transformation, according to Catapult, an organisation working to end trade in commodities linked to deforestation.
The proponents of Washington State’s I-522 initiative mandating the labeling of foods containing GMO ingredients claim they have a slight lead hours before tomorrow's election deadline.
Never mind that insects have protein levels comparable chicken or beef, are low in cholesterol, high in omega-3s and essential minerals like iron; or that they require a fraction of the land, water and emissions to produce compared to traditional livestock:...
Organic yogurt maker Stonyfield is rolling out new packaging hammering home its organic credentials with a new logo featuring the phrase ‘no toxic pesticides used here’ following research suggesting 74% of Americans would like to eat food produced with...
From the risks and rewards of energy drinks to what Americans eat for breakfast, strategies to tackle mindless eating and the next generation of gluten-free foods, Houston was the place to be this week as 8,000+ nutrition professionals gathered for the...
Food policy must meet the needs of the rapidly growing global population, as well as urban elites in developed nations with “organic window boxes” promoting an ‘Old McDonald fantasy’, claimed one high-profile speaker at the Academy of Nutrition &...
The world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund has permanently banned investment in two palm oil companies for alleged unethical practices, after dropping 23 palm oil firms from its portfolio for the same reason in March.
Despite recent renewed efforts, the food industry does not appear to be winning hearts and minds when it comes to persuading the public of the merits of GM crops, or why mandatory labeling of ingredients derived from them would be a bad idea.
As manufacturers and consumers alike continue to call for clean-label preservatives, natural options like rosemary extract are gaining traction in the market as a safe, effective alternative to synthetic shelf life extenders like BHA, BHT and the antioxidant...
Insects form part of the traditional diets of at least 2 billion people worldwide, and more than 1,900 species have reportedly been used as food, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization report “Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and...
In new developments in the highly charged debate over GMOs, General Mills has been targeted in a report blasted by a plant geneticist as “a collection of discredited studies and half-truths”, while the GMA has been slapped with a lawsuit alleging it concealed...
Food manufacturing giant Unilever will work with international non-profit Solidaridad to drive the sustainable development of the sugar cane industry in Central America.
Canadian canola protein specialist BioExx has filed for bankruptcy protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) for an initial period expiring on October 31.