The US Department of Agriculture has launched a comprehensive and aggressive three-prong approach to detect and prevent fraud in the organic industry, after the discovery last year that some imports from Eastern Europe were falsely labeled as organic,...
Starting next month, a small but diverse group of organic stakeholders from across the supply chain will test-drive a rigorous set of fraud prevention, detection and mitigation strategies that once fine-tuned will become subject to the annual inspection...
Members of the Organic Trade Association went on the defensive last week when they met with Congressional leaders and their staff on Capitol Hill to lay out their legislative priorities for the coming year, and to ask for help protecting the integrity...
The promise of culinary adventure and convenience has inspired many consumers to order online meal kits for home delivery, but the services’ low retention rates suggest the concept is falling short in several ways that the iconic seasoning brand Knorr...
For years ready-to-eat cereal has suffered sleepy sales and battled nightmarish consumer perceptions around poor nutrition and lack of convenience, but several natural and organic manufacturers are hoping the reawaken the category with better-for-you...
With an estimated one in three people suffering from malnutrition, the extent of hunger around the world is significant – but so too is the impact of investments in malnutrition prevention, such as those made this week in Washington, DC, by Kraft Heinz.
More often than not, better-for-you products are more expensive than their traditional counterparts – limiting their accessibility to those who can afford higher prices. But online grocer Brandless believes everyone deserves better and to make that possible...
Once considered simply a children’s snack that parents would sneak when no one was looking, puffs suddenly are everywhere – and for everyone – thanks to their better-for-you profile, new sophisticated flavors, increasingly diverse bases and playful shapes...
Annie’s recent launch for Earth month of two limited edition products that are made with ingredients sourced from regenerative agriculture farmers is only the beginning of how the brand plans to build on its iconic organic values to restore degraded soil...
Beech-Nut is hoping to do for the toddler snack space what it did four years ago for the ‘tired and dated’ baby food category by launching new products in revamped packaging for young children that are inspired by what parents make at home, but more convenient.
After decades of a slow build, the regenerative agriculture movement is finally taking off, thanks in part to the Savory Institute, which has launched the Land to Market verification program, which is designed to help stakeholders not just sustain the...
Consumer demand for fiber is on the rise thanks in part to increased awareness of the ingredient’s cancer-fighting and other health benefits, but according to recent research not all fiber packs the same punch.
Kashi hopes that other brands will follow its lead in paying more for crops from farmers transitioning from conventional to organic to encourage more producers to make the switch and ensure there is sufficient ingredient supply in the future to meet the...
Brazil’s fast growth in the past 20 years makes it an ideal target for exporting US crops and products, and with values that closely align to those of the US it also is an ideal strategic partner to help open new markets in third countries, according...
'We’ve started with chefs because they create markets'
Row 7, a new seed company co-founded by high-profile chef Dan Barber and backed by former Whole Foods Co-CEO Walter Robb (among others) is promising to restore character, flavor and nutrition to produce that’s grown blander and more uniform from decades...
While NAFTA’s status remains in limbo, the US Department of Agriculture is “leaving no stone unturned” in its efforts to strike trade agreements with countries outside of North America that will benefit US farmers, ranchers and manufacturers of finished...
The steady growth of Kashi’s Certified Transitional program in the past two years along with positive consumer and retailer response to the protocol shows how paying more for ingredients from farms in the process of becoming certified organic can also...
Love and passion, not a bottomless bank account and fierce competitive spirit, are the cornerstones for Bob’s Red Mill’s longevity and success, according to founder Bob Moore, who recently celebrated his 89th birthday and has overseen operations at the...
More than 1,600 foods and beverages evaluated by the Guiding Stars nutrition guidance program will lose stars and roughly 1,400 items will gain stars as of Feb. 1 when the program updates how it assesses the nutritional quality of products to better reflect...
Despite downward price pressure in the nutrition bar category, Bobo’s continues to sell its organic oat bars for nearly three times as much as its competitors – helping it curry favor with retailers and earn prime in-store positioning that further boosts...
Busy parents who don’t have time to chop & puree food for their babies and who distrust premade food in jars, pouches or HPP tubs, now have another option that meets them half way: Raised Real offers subscription flash frozen meal kits for children...
Most food and beverage startups dream of expanding from a local brand serving only a handful of stores to one that is nationally distributed to hundreds or thousands of retailers, but the logistics of getting there can be a nightmare if not carefully...
With the help of industry professionals and consumers who were inspired by The Soulfull Project’s mission to donate a serving of hot cereal to a food bank for each serving it sells, the young company has reached milestones in first year that most startups...
The baby food aisle is undergoing a renaissance with new packaging, processing and flavor combinations aimed at presenting better-for-you options that promise to help children grow up healthy – and yet, childhood obesity remains a huge problem in the...
Rice Bran Technologies has exited the Brazilian market and will concentrate on growing its ingredients business in North America, the company announced recently.
Every 21 seconds someone in the US discovers they have diabetes, setting a breakneck pace that is fueling a 6% annual increase in the number of Americans diagnosed with the chronic disease for which there is no cure, but which can be managed in part through...
Encouraged by positive early compliance rates with the ‘game-changing’ gluten-free labeling standard that went into effect in mid-2014, FDA could now focus its attention on reducing the risk of cross contact with gluten-containing foods and ingredients,...
we recognize the need to adopt the agile mindset and behaviors of a nutrition startup
To what extent can big companies behave like smaller, more agile ones? And how are they organizing themselves in order to be more nimble and responsive?
Eating on-the-go seems like an obvious solution to the problem of time-crunched children skipping breakfast in order to get out the door and to school on time, but survey results from cereal maker Barbara’s suggests the practice may cause more harm than...
To raise awareness of the risks of food insecurity and the ability of whole grains’ to help fill bellies and nutrient gaps, the Oldways Whole Grains Council is coordinating a massive donation of whole grain foods to a winning charity of its Good Grains...
After years of knocking on the doors of top tier retailers and hearing no, baby and toddler food company NuturMe is finally hearing yes from major players including Target, Kroger and Costco – a change the company’s CEO attributes to the brand’s new “Tummy...
With its “chameleon-like” versatility, nutrient-density and strong structural integrity, the ancient grain freekeh is a triple threat to many modern day eating woes that plague time-crunched consumers seeking something healthy and fast, according to the...
Despite Aramark’s ambitious five-year plan to improve the health of Americans 20% by 2020, the public health non-profit Balanced wants the food service giant to do more to improve the nutrition of the meals it serves more quickly.
While most agricultural industry leaders gathered on Capitol Hill yesterday urged lawmakers and the current administration to tread lightly when it comes to renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, some indicated specific areas for improvement.
The long-raging debate over whether cutting carbs or cutting fat is a better way lose weight is a false dichotomy, according to new research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that found successfully shedding pounds is less about...
As the tenacious gluten-free trend continues to grow and mature into a market behemoth in the US, it is paving the way for the emergence of two trends that both claim to reduce the risk of inflammation and offer increased nutrient density despite opposing...
The Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) is looking into ways to regulate whole grain labeling, with a definition expected to be ready for public comment by the end of the year. But should it follow US or European criteria, or come up with something...
In the highly-saturated bar category, Bobo’s nut butter filled oat bars stand out for balancing decadence and better-for-you ingredients for an easy to eat and satiating snack, but in our taste test they lost points for packaging elements.
ABA: Fiber suppliers are stuck in a 'holding pattern'
The arrival of the new-look Nutrition Facts panel (which will require manufacturers to list added sugar), is generating renewed interest in inulin: a widely-used ingredient from chicory root that also serves as a sugar replacer. But this enthusiasm is...
Eliminating gluten from the diet is essential for the estimated 0.7%* of the US population with celiac disease. But consumers avoiding it because they think it reduces their risk of heart disease should think again, according to new research.
Congressional pressure on federal agencies to back down from nutrition policies created under the Obama Administration continues to mount with the standards for school meals now in the cross-hairs.
A new Whole Grain Stamp from Oldways Whole Grains Council gives manufacturers another tool to standout on store shelves and tap into consumers’ rising interest in products made with whole grains, and in particular ancient grains.
With a goal to become “the Little Debbie of the natural snacks industry,” Nature’s Bakery is expanding its portfolio beyond its flagship Fig Bar line, and overhauling its branding to ensure the company name isn’t lost among the multiplying stock-keeping...
Chicken soup may be good for the soul, but hot cereal can fill it, and those who are food insecure, at least if it comes from The Soulfull Project – a startup that launched this summer with a mission to wipe hunger off the map.
KIND Snacks expands into the children’s food segment for the first time with a riff on fruit snacks that directly tackles many parents’ complaints about the category.
New Pop seeks to set itself apart in the highly popular but also crowded ready-to-eat popcorn category by offering a “skinless” option that is sweet and free from the snack’s traditional trappings of oil, butter and salt. But will consumers view these...
Food and beverage entrepreneurs make global flavors approachable for hesitant Americans, offer functional beverages and put modern, unique twists on classic favorites at the Washington, DC-based incubator Union Kitchen’s Meet The Makers event March 4.
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...
Atkins Nutritionals Inc. might be best known for making low-carb foods and beverages for weight management, but a new marketing campaign that explains how carbs can lead to weight gain could breathe new life into the diet – and product sales – by connecting...
