Archives for October 16, 2025

Sweeteners in focus

Letter from the editor: Sweeteners in focus - navigating the taste, tech and trade-offs

Consumers’ evolving preferences, clean-label demands and political debates are reshaping sugar and alternative sweeteners - and challenging brands to innovate without compromise

Yuka brings aspartame fight to the US

Report calls for ban on ingredient found in thousands of common food and beverage products

Smithfield leverages honey trend with Mike’s Hot Honey Bacon

Smithfield and Mike’s Hot Honey use honey’s flavor versatility to create bold, on-trend products that engage millennials, Gen Z and sweet-and-spicy enthusiasts

Sweeteners in focus

Sugar isn’t the only sweet solution: How modern sweeteners are changing the game

Kerry Group and NotCo show how advanced sweetening systems can overcome many of the technical, sustainability and cost barriers with sugar reduction

Sweet shift: Low- and no-sugar candy sales surge as Halloween revelers seek mindful balance

84.51° data shows households – especially those with children – are driving double- and triple-digit gains in candy made with less sugar and alternative sweeteners

Sweeteners in focus

Sugar is no longer ‘benchmark’ for sweetness as consumer preferences shift to blends

Research by Ingredion suggests a paradigm shift toward plant-based and blended sweeteners over sugar, but consumer confusion about what is ‘natural’ and safe could hinder innovation and sugar reduction efforts

Sweeteners in focus

Whole Foods crowns ‘sweet, but make it mindful’ a trend to watch in 2026 – opening the door for real sugar’s comeback

The retailer predicts that consumers will embrace real sugar, but less of it in the new year – driving demand for products sweetened with cane sugar, honey and fruit instead of other alternatives

Sweeteners in focus

Liquid I.V., IQMIX and G Fuel lead zero-sugar drink mix shift

The $38.7 billion category’s momentum reflects consumer appetite for natural sweeteners, energy and focus

Bettani Farms bets on its star ingredient to scale allergen- and animal-free cheese

The company’s proprietary ingredient Caseed mimics dairy casein without the allergenic effects of dairy, nuts and soy for B2B partners

Startup Spotlight

Startup Elavi doubles down on high protein brownies – and retail notices

While a national buy from Whole Foods is the dream for many startups, often a ‘no for now’ will bide time and resources to land on more shelves in the future  

Finally, a vegan collagen: FDA’s ‘no questions’ letter for Geltor’s animal-free collagen opens doors to new markets

‘The beauty and longevity revolution demands both breakthrough science and the infrastructure to deliver it,’ according to Geltor CEO. ‘PrimaColl is the first ingredient to nail both’

Nestlé targets 18 underperformers in major marketing and efficiency push

“What we’re doing is working but it’s not good enough,” CEO Philipp Navratil told investors during the CPG major’s Q3 FY25 results presentation