Consumption of milk containing only A2 β-casein may reduce acute gastrointestinal symptoms compared to conventional milk (containing A1 and A2 β-casein protein types) among those with self-reported lactose intolerance, according to a new study.
“At the beginning I thought our audience would be mostly vegans, but what I’ve realized is that a lot of people are just looking to try new things, especially high-quality alternative, premium, or gourmet food products,” says the chef behind dairy-free...
Significant percentage of consumers buy plant-based dairy alternatives because they think they are healthier, reveals Comax study
While flavor is still the most important attribute, consumer research from Comax Flavors reveals that a significant percentage of shoppers (36%) regularly consuming plant-based dairy alternatives cite health benefits as a key purchase driver, results...
Creamier than a sorbet, but far lower in fat and calories than dairy ice cream and most dairy-free alternatives, Hakuna Banana is seeking to carve a novel niche in the frozen desserts aisle, co-founder Hannah Hong told Elaine Watson at the Specialty Food...
First peanut milk... next protein shakes and ice cream? 'The sky is really the limit...'
Elmhurst Milked peanut milk - which has the protein content and creamy mouthfeel of dairy milk without the thickeners, emulsifiers and stabilizers deployed in most plant-based beverages - could form a base ingredient in protein shakes, yogurts and frozen...
Ripple Foods raises $64m in series C round taking total investment to $110m
The co-founder of Ripple Foods – which ruffled feathers in the plant-based community last year* after branding almond milk a ‘sham’ – says his pea protein-fueled products can “go head to head with any dairy product from a nutrition standpoint, and we...
The success of high-protein, low cal brands Halo Top and Enlightened notwithstanding, most Americans don't head to the ice cream aisle for a protein fix, argues the CEO of Arctic Zero, who says his new light ice cream can compete with these brands...
Arctic Zero is seeking to address an unmet need in the frozen dessert aisle with the launch of what it claims is the first light ice cream (made with cream and milk, but containing only 280-360 calories a pint) that doesn’t contain sugar alcohols or high...
Quark: High in protein, low in sugar, less tart than Greek yogurt
On paper, quark ticks every box. A spoonable cultured dairy product popular in Europe and Central Asia, it’s high in protein, low in sugar, and creamier and milder than Greek yogurt. The challenge in the US, says New York based entrepreneur Kamilya Abilova,...
As a newcomer to the highly competitive and increasingly crowded plant-based non-dairy category, Oatly stands out for its nutrition, function, flavor and fun packaging, according to consumers who tried the beverage ahead of its US launch compliments of...
New Zealand’s a2 Milk Company is expanding its US business to the Northeast region, a market that accounts for roughly 20% of total US milk volume, a category that is beginning to see some growth in sales after years of declines.
The FDA has signaled its intent to “modernize certain standards of identity” in its 2018 strategic roadmap, suggesting that it might, after all, weigh into the plant-based ‘milk’ and ‘cheese’ debate in 2018, although it has not clarified which standards...
The US market for low FODMAP foods aimed at helping IBS sufferers is still small and consumer awareness is low, but companies large and small are targeting a category that could be bigger than gluten-free.
Does the world need another packaging seal? Real estate on most food labels is limited, acknowledge the backers of the new ‘High Pressure Certified’ seal, but an independently-verified logo will help ensure the integrity of high pressure processing (HPP)...
While plant-based non-dairy alternatives are finding their place in more and more home refrigerators, dairy milk has a few distinct advantages that manufacturers can emphasize to retain consumers within the category, according to Mintel.
Kite Hill has defended its decision to use the term ‘almond milk yogurt’ on labels after being singled out by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) in a New Year salvo aimed at re-igniting the debate over the labeling of plant-based dairy alternatives....
With “Mother Nature’s help,” production of California almonds is expected to rise from an estimated 2.25bn lbs in 2017 to 3bn lbs in 2021, in order to meet growing demand for the tree nuts in everything from plant-based yogurts and cheese to cold-brew...
Animal-free dairy offers nutrition and functionality of milk without industrial animal farming
Berkeley-based Perfect Day – which is creating ‘vegan’ dairy proteins without cows – is in talks with food industry partners about scaling up production in order to introduce dairy ingredients that vegans, vegetarians and dairy lovers alike can enjoy...
Most ‘banana’ ice cream or frozen dessert brands start with a dairy/coconut/nutmilk base, and then add sugar, and banana, or banana flavor. Hakuna Banana reverses this dynamic and starts with mashed bananas as the #1 ingredient.
Consumer demand for healthy options and Millennial preferences for adventure and interactive experiences will heavily influence emerging flavor and culinary trends in 2018, according to flavor innovators.
While household penetration of plant-based alternatives to meat in the US is only a small a fraction, innovation and sales in the category are poised for growth and could mirror the trajectory of plant-based milks, predicts a senior scientist with the...
Claims in high-profile false advertising case vs Dannon not plausible, court rules
A judge has granted Dannon’s motion to dismiss a high-profile false advertising lawsuit alleging shoppers were misled by its ‘all-natural’ claims on dairy products from cows that may have eaten GM feed.
The Tetra Evero aseptic carton bottle and the Tetra Pak A6 filling machine have launched in the US where brands like Kahlua Coffee Creamers and Healthy Living dairy alternative beverages will be among the first to use the novel 1-liter bottle shape with...
Consumers with sensitivities to cow’s milk who have begrudgingly forgone dairy-heavy comfort foods such as pizza and mac & cheeses or turned to plant-based options but miss the taste and texture of “real dairy” now have another option: Funny Farm’s...
US per capita consumption of dairy milk beverages decreased by 22% from 197 pounds to 154 pounds between 2000 and 2016, according to data* from USDA’s economic research service, with the biggest drop in fat-free and skim milk (whole milk in contrast is...
Field Roast Grain Meat Co makes vegan roasts, sausages, burgers and cheese. But it’s not in the meat or dairy ‘analog’ business, stresses co-founder, and CEO David Lee. “I’m not making fake beef or Monterey Jack. I’m not trying to mimic or imitate specific...
Consumer demand for clean-label food and beverages has given rise to the use of HPP (high pressure processing) in dairy applications due to its ability to kill bacteria in a cold environment while preserving key nutrients and enzymes typically destroyed...
Powerful – the four-year-old brand credited with launching the ‘brogurt’ category – has raised $4m to support its protein-fueled ambitions, and says it now does more business with women than men.
As the war on sugar gains momentum, plant-based beverage company Califia Farms is cutting back the sugar content across its product portfolio by 40% while still offering consumers who want something sweet options that are more in-line with World Health...
Campbell Soup – which is leaving the Grocery Manufacturers Association after finding itself “at odds with some of its positions” - is joining the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), a new trade association dedicated to boosting consumption of plant-based...
60-second interview: Stephen Cobbe, R&D director, dairy, Kerry
Less sugar, more protein, a cleaner label, savory flavors, and new formats from farmer’s cheese bars to ambient moon cheese… What’s keeping dairy formulators busy these days? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Stephen Cobbe, R&D director, dairy, at...
Honey-infused Aussie-style yogurt Noosa has expanded into the snacking category with its new Mates line, and is on course to generate revenues of $220m this year, says co-founder Koel Thomae.
California-based ready-to-drink protein brand FitPro Go! is differentiating itself in the crowded space by highlighting its ‘real milk’ content, which means it didn’t come from powder, or a blend of powder and skim.
Could skyr – which is higher in protein and lower in sugar – be as big as Greek yogurt, or is the ‘Icelandic’ segment of the dairy aisle likely to remain a quirky niche? Ten years ago, people were asking the same question about Greek yogurt, says the...
Elmhurst Milked is hoping to make a splash in the burgeoning plant-based dairy arena with ‘milked peanut’ beverages that offer more protein, less sugar, a creamier mouthfeel and a noticeably shorter, cleaner, label than other nut milks, with products...
Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products hitting US shelves, spanning everything from chocolate peanut butter Cheerios to ‘milked peanuts’ and pea- and cashew-fueled protein fueled beverages, to meat snacks, ‘fig salami,' HPP...
US retail sales of plant-based foods and beverages rose 8.1% to $3.1bn in the 52 weeks to August 12, according to Nielsen data compiled for the Plant Based Foods Association and The Good Food Institute.
Much of the focus for growth of plant-based proteins in the US to date has been on alternatives to meat and cow’s milk, but new research from Euromonitor International suggests significant potential lies in the frozen desserts and emerging protein snacks...
Courts should dismiss the ‘daisy-chained’ logic underpinning a new wave of ‘natural’ lawsuits looking beyond the ingredients list to factors such as animal feeding and rearing practices, says cheesemaker Sargento.
The FDA has finally weighed into the debate over labeling conventions in plant-based foods and beverages, but only in the form of a letter to the Good Food Institute (GFI) explaining that it hasn’t had time to address its petition on this topic owing...
If the FDA were to give a formal seal of approval to terms such as ‘almondmilk’ and ‘vegan cheese,’ it would render federal standards of identity “totally meaningless,” argues the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) in comments responding to a citizen’s...
From turmeric paste and green banana flour to sprouted mung bean snacks and cauliflower wraps and pizza bases, the entries to our 2017 trailblazers challenge are at the cutting edge of food & beverage innovation. But we could only pick three winners...
FDA’s decision late last week to allow manufacturers in some cases to use ultrafiltered milk and ultrafiltered nonfat milk to make cheese could help ease the negative impact on US dairy farmers of less expensive UF milk from Canada that currently is flooding...
Milk price wars are “compressing the margin of private label retail prices over the Class I milk input cost to abnormally low levels,” say analysts at Bernstein.
To make it in the crowded plant-based beverage category, new products need to be more than just a passable alternative to dairy – they also need to be nutritious, delicious and environmentally sustainable, according to an established category player overseas...
The FDA – which has continued to maintain radio silence over plant-based ‘milk’ labeling despite mounting frustration from stakeholders – should clarify its position in the face of increasing commercial, legal and political pressure, says the Good Food...
How deep into the supply chain do consumers expect food manufacturers to delve when it comes to label claims about genetic engineering (or its absence), and do they realize that not all non-GMO claims mean the same thing?
