Health and nutritional ingredients

Dollar General turns to AI-based Shelf Engine to sustainably grow produce business

29-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

Dollar General leverages AI-based automated-ordering software Shelf Engine to efficiently bring more fresh produced to its shelves, reduce food waste and ensure stocked shelves in the process.

Move Nutrition offers sneak peek at survey findings ahead of big reveal at SANS

25-Jan-2024 By Danielle Masterson

Michigan-based Move Nutrition Network, a new resource for active and sports nutrition education, recently reached out to more than 500 sports and active nutrition practitioners (sports dietitians, sports nutritionists, and trainers) to find out where...

How GT’s Living Foods is leveraging social media to inform kombucha innovation

24-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

GT’s Living Foods is leveraging social-media to find new SYNERGY kombucha flavors, as the brand revamps its strategy to better engage with consumers about the importance of gut-health, the brand’s director of social media marketing, Sam Ayers, told FoodNavigator-USA....

McKinsey Future of Wellness 2024 trends: Eye on personalized and credible solutions

24-Jan-2024 By Asia Sherman

Consumers are taking greater control of their health and expect companies to provide effective, science-backed solutions, according to insights provided by McKinsey & Company.

MOSS taps into functional demand with sea moss beverage, launches in Sprouts

23-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

Health food and beverage company Dr Smood is taking its functional MOSS beverage to more store shelves in 2024, as the company continues to find ways to spread the word about sea moss’s functional properties, company executives and sales professionals...

Bakeries rebuild margins in 2023, promotions provide an opportunity to regain volumes in 2024

22-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

After years of supply-chain issues, the bakery market is starting 2024 with lower commodity prices and higher margins but will need to lead on innovation and promotions to build back volumes, JP Frossard, VP of consumer foods analyst, told FoodNavigator-USA.

NPD Trend Tracker: From Deliciously Ella-inspired recipe boxes to menopause tea

22-Jan-2024 By Flora Southey

Which new products are hitting the shelves? In our latest NPD round-up, look at a new menopause infusion made with hibiscus, rosehip and passion flower; a ‘veggie spin’ on the classic macaroni cheese and bacon dish; and a flavour mashup between Baileys...

Consumers are unsure what processed foods are, but seek to avoid them, IFIC reports

19-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

American consumers say they are cutting out processed foods from their diet, despite many not fully understanding what they are, Alyssa Pike, senior manager of nutrition communications at the International Food Information Council (IFIC), shared during...

Startup Spotlight

[Video] ELAVI's journey to Costco and reinvigorating its brand

18-Jan-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Participating in Costco’s RoadShow and interacting directly with consumers to sample its gut-friendly, cashew dessert spreads gave WOC-founded startup ELAVI insights that would have “cost thousands of dollars” to acquire elsewhere, allowing it to make...

Brew Dr. taps into low-sugar demand with Sipjoy release, aims ‘to drive more of the core in 2024’

16-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

Kombucha brand Brew Dr. launches a low-sugar probiotic seltzer, Sipjoy, as the company continues to focus on its core business of fermented-tea beverages, at a time of increased consumer demand for gut health-focused products, brand CEO Dan Stangler told...

Daily Harvest’s January Jumpstart program features GLP-1-focused meal plans

15-Jan-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Daily Harvest's debut of its GLP-1 Companion Food Collection as part of its quick-to-prep January Jumpstart plan includes “meals made with only real foods that are calorie-conscious while delivering ample vitamins and minerals,” Carolina Schneider,...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: From women’s health to guajillo peppers, Tastewise reveals food trends to watch in 2024

15-Jan-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Once considered taboo and woefully underfunded in terms of research and product development, women’s health will continue to emerge as a major growth opportunity for food and beverage brands in 2024 as hormonal health and menopause rise to the top of...

Women's health, sustainability, promotions top SPINS CPG trends list for 2024

12-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

Market research company SPINS' annual CPG trends report shows that in 2024 focus and innovation will increase for women's health, sustainability will remain important but not be consumers' first purchase drive, and retailers and brands...

Kabrita USA latest to launch goat-milk infant formula, leans on science to educate parents on health benefits

12-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

Kabrita USA launches a goat-milk infant formula following a lengthy process to determine its whey protein concentrate and non-fat dry goat milk as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for infants, the brand’s director of medical and scientific affairs...

NourishedRx joins ProHealth Connect network, expanding food and nutrition access for 17 million individuals

12-Jan-2024 By Deniz Ataman

A partnership between digital health and nutrition company NourishedRx and healthcare fintech platform ProHealth Connect will provide additional personalized choices, including home-delivered food and nutritional support services, for 46 payers within...

Precision versus personalization: AHARA explores a “new frontier” in nutrition

10-Jan-2024 By Deniz Ataman

With the rising popularity of personalized nutrition plans, AHARA’s app takes personalization one step further through precision nutrition, a combination of machine-learning, evidence-based nutrition science and an international advisory board to verify...

Vegetarian consumers feel left out in today’s market, Ingredient Communications reports

09-Jan-2024 By Ryan Daily

Vegetarian consumers are increasingly dissatisfied with the food choices available to them, as 100% plant-based might have deterred some shoppers, according to research conducted by market research company SurveyGoo and commissioned by Ingredient Communications....

Not all ultra-processed foods impact health the same way, research suggests

04-Jan-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Intensifying criticism of ultra-processed foods without nuanced consideration of their nutrition could unfairly tar some plant-based meats and milks that “compare well with their animal-based counterparts,” which may be viewed more favorably because they...

[Video] “Functionality within snacking has just exploded,” Riverside Natural Foods CEO unpacks market trends

21-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

Riverside Natural Foods, the parent company of MadeGood and GOOD TO GO, is tapping into the need for allergen-free snacks at all hours of the day, as the company is staying focused on business fundamentals to grow its brand in the new year, company president...

Bob’s Natural readies Pinole Chips retail expansion, taps into better-for-you snack trends

20-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

Bob’s Natural is gearing up to take its Pinole Chips to more retail shelves in the new year, tapping into the demand for functional and better-for-you snacks, brand founder and CEO Bob Gruder told FoodNavigator-USA.

Digital trends: Women's health tops the charts

20-Dec-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

A 2024 food trends report from Tastewise informs that women’s health concerns have topped the online conversation charts in the last 12 months, with hormone health top of consumer health agendas.

Assessing the Ozempic effect: What food, beverage companies can do now to create healthier products

19-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

As the debate on weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and public health continues, CPG companies have a range of opportunitied to create healthier products now, which can have meaningful impacts on consumer health, Hank Cardello, leadership solutions program...

Springdale Ventures raises $40M for Fund II, targets early-stage CPG brands

19-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Nearly doubling its size since 2019, the Austin-based venture capital firm secures its new funding round with backing from returning limited partners, family offices, entrepreneurs, and athletes.

AHARA partners with Instacart to streamline shopping for personalized nutrition

15-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Precision nutrition and food-tech platform AHARA's integration with Instacart allows users to easily add nutritionist-recommended items to their grocery lists on the food delivery platform.

Zevia CEO gives “up edgy and cool to be timeless and iconic”

12-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

Consistent branding and values can create a stronger business over time compared to chasing trends or copying the competition, which can dilute a brand's long-term impact, according to Zevia CEO Amy Taylor.

White Claw launches electrolyte-enhanced 0% Alcohol: ‘It’s a fundamentally new kind of drink for every kind of adult drinker that could only come from White Claw’

08-Dec-2023 By Rachel Arthur

Hard seltzer pioneer White Claw is launching White Claw 0% Alcohol in the US in January: ‘a radically new beverage’ that is designed to combine White Claw flavors with hydrating electrolytes while replicating the complexity of alcohol.

'AI is not the future, it's the present,’ Tastewise’s CMO discusses speeding up industry's digital transformation

07-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

AI has the power to speed the food and beverage industry's digital transformation, as companies leverage it for product develop and to forecast upcoming trends, Jacques Botbol, CMO of Tastewise, told FoodNavigator-USA.

Sugar reduction in 2024: How consumer demands, health policies will influence product launches

07-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

As consumers become increasingly wary of sugar content, CPG companies are meeting the demand for zero-sugar products with the help of natural sweeteners, a trend set to gain momentum in the US as regulators and scientists push for reductions.

Iced tea vet Seth Goldman shares advice on how to create an enduring beverage brand at BevNET Live

07-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

Keeping costs in line and managing margins of at least 30% after trade spend is essential for creating an enduring brand in today's economic landscape, beverage industry veteran Seth Goldman advised during BevNET 2023.

Mood support, natural sweeteners set to disrupt beverage market, SPINS shares at BevNET Live

07-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

Functional and wellness attributes and mood-boosting and naturally sweetened drinks are primed for growth in the year to come, Scott Dicker, market insight director at SPINS, shared at BevNET Live.

Will margins be the price of regenerative ag? GoodSAM CEO shares insights ahead of COP28 session

04-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

Food and beverage companies are embracing regenerative agriculture in the face of the global warming crisis, but the entire ecosystem might have to change some long-held beliefs in order to make an impact, Heather K. Terry, CEO and founder of chocolate,...

IFT announces Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge seed grant winners, growth grant and grand prize finalists

29-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the Seeding The Future Foundation announced seed grant winners and the finalists for the growth grants and grand prizes for the third annual Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge.

"The Ozempic era is here to stay,” Supergut positions gut-health brand as GLP-1 compliment

29-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Supergut is expanding its gut-health brand to a wider audience with its launch in Sprouts in the new year and as it looks to compliment GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, brand CEO and founder Marc Washington told FoodNavigator-USA.

RCT supports Sabinsa’s Ashwagandha for stress management in healthy adults

29-Nov-2023 By Stephen Daniells

Supplementation with a standardized Ashwagandha root extract may reduce stress and anxiety in healthy individuals with mild to moderate stress-related symptoms, compared to placebo, says a new study from Sabinsa.

Mintel top trends to watch for in 2024: Processed foods, climate change, healthy aging

28-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Mintel's 2024 food and drink trends list for North America shows consumers will be concerned about their health, the environment, and how AI might make their lives easier, Jenny Zegler, director of Mintel Food & Drink, shared during a webinar....

Are clean-label trends getting in the way of meaningful sodium reduction?

27-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

CPG companies are lowering sodium content, including through stealth-health, while larger market trends around clean-label might be distracting companies for developing healthier and more nutritious products, Tia Rains, VP of science, innovation, and...

Limiting front-of-pack nutrition labeling to added sugar, saturated fat & sodium could skew potential health impact, stakeholders tell FDA

27-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Front of package nutrition labeling intended to help consumers select healthier foods and beverages by potentially calling out the amount of added sugar and other nutrients of interest could unintentionally expose children to higher levels of non-nutritive...

NPD Trend Tracker: From wholegrain spelt to Christmas dinner pie

27-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In this week’s NPD Trend Tracker, we have a range of festive products, including a festive wrap, festive ice-cream flavours and a pie containing an entire Christmas dinner. We also have a new flavour from Tate & Lyle, a wholegrain spelt from Merchant...

Sustainability claims 'resonates across all generations,' leads market growth, Circana data shows

22-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Consumers of all ages are buying sustainably marketed products across categories, despite their price premium and ongoing inflationary pressures, Joan Driggs, VP of content and thought leadership at Circana, shared during a recent webinar....

Futureproofing The Food System

Can third-party certification protect against greenwashing allegations? Maybe, maybe not

22-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Increased scrutiny of environmental sustainability claims by regulators and competitors has many brands turning to third-party certifications to reassure consumers about claims’ veracity and to protect against litigation – but recent movements in the...

Heali’s food-as-medicine platform to improve nutrition, food access for consumers, businesses

21-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

With $3M in seed funding from Astanor Ventures, Heali plans to expand its personalized nutrition services for consumers and patients with chronic illnesses through its database of evidence-based nutrition research, while developing a larger presence with...

GusNIP grant programs receive more than $52m in funding to support nutrition and healthy food access

20-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The funding will aid initiatives within three National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) competitive grant programs that make up the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), including include Nutrition Incentive (NI), Produce Prescription...

Futureproofing the Food System

Will ‘healthy’ iconography help consumers select better options?

17-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

While the FDA is updating its current definition of healthy and exploring voluntary iconography for packaging, the term means many different things to many different people, which could complicate the impact of the icon and product marketing, suggests...

[On-demand event] Building resilient supply chains from seed to field and ‘farm gate to dinner plate’

17-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Food and beverage companies need to take a holistic view of their agriculture and logistic processes to create resilient supply chains that can weather sudden and drastic challenges, a panel of experts shared during FoodNavigator-USA’s Futureproofing...

Afresh rolls out platform to over 2,200 Alberstons’ meat, seafood departments to improve fresh-food inventories

16-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Grocery technology provider Afresh is rolling out its platform to more than 2,200 Albertsons meat and seafood departments following a pilot program, as retailers turn to fresh-food assortments to differentiate from online channels.

Futureproofing the Food System

[Watch-on-demand] “Your AI is going to be as good as your data”

16-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Understanding how to identify and leverage useful data into a consistent and predictive algorithm is critical for a nimble and productive business strategy. How can businesses across the food sector—from ingredient discovery and product development to...

Futureproofing The Food System

Watch on demand: What will it take to win over prescribers, insurers to food-as-medicine movement?

16-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the concept of “food as medicine” gains traction, doctors, dietitians and insurers already active in the space are keen to distinguish the difference between “better-for-you” products and those proven to effect a health change and therefore worthy...

Consumers have a greater appetite for food tech, but 'nobody wants their food to taste like tech'

15-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Consumers might be warming up to the idea of technology playing a role in what they eat and drink, but startups and CPG companies still have a ways to go before they see the potential of what food tech can do for them, according to a panel discussion...

From ‘the end of categories’ to tech-enabled permissibility: The trends reshaping the future of food

14-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

The lines that separated retail and foodservice are blurring and breaking, as food technology is addressing logistic and supply chain issues and providing new ways for consumers to experience products, Kevin Ryan, CEO of Malachite Strategy & Research,...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How plant-based players can ensure steady, long-term growth

13-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Contrary to high-profile headlines about sliding sales of meat alternatives, consumer demand for plant-based products across categories continues to climb, but for the segment to reach its full potential – and continue expanding its consumer base – new...