A new study – published a month after the World Health Organization (WHO) sounded a cautionary note about the long-term effects of zero-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose and saccharin – suggests some diet sweeteners are not inert and can alter the...
So-called ‘ultra-processed foods,’ which include a significant portion of CPGs, are often demonized as calorie-dense, nutrient-poor and a major contributor to diet-related chronic diseases, but is this characterization an oversimplification that is just...
It’s easy to see the grim P&L figures at Beyond Meat and Oatly and the recent lackluster performance of some refrigerated meat alternatives in US retail as proof that the entire ‘alt protein’ space is a busted flush, but the real picture is more nuanced,...
A row is brewing in the multimillion-dollar natural preservatives arena as Kerry Group and Florida Food Products square off in the courts over label-friendly alternatives to synthetic nitrites for use in cured meats, with Kerry accusing FFP of infringing...
In another sign that inflation may be peaking, wholesale prices fell month-over-month for the first time in July since April 2020, but commodities remain significantly higher than last year, suggesting it may be well into next year before food manufacturers...
The popularity of condiments soared during the pandemic as consumers used the products as an easy way to elevate an otherwise bland meal made at home, notes Mintel, which says that condiment brands must engage with younger consumers to ensure future long-term...
A lawsuit* recently filed by former co-packer Don Lee Farms accusing Beyond Meat of “grossly” overstating the protein in its products is motivated by “personal vendetta" and should be seen as a “transparent attempt to gain leverage” on the eve of...
CPG and waste and recycling industry leaders are urging the House of Representatives to follow the US Senate’s lead and quickly pass “critical” legislation needed to “fix America’s broken recycling system” which, according to the Consumer Brands Association,...
Tweaks to Sprouts Farmers Market’s marketing strategy to focus on competitive produce pricing and product differentiation along with other strategic decisions are paying off as foot traffic and sales begin to rebound after plummeting following the retailer’s...
On Capitol Hill last week, hemp industry stakeholders and Congressional leaders frustrated by FDA’s lack of regulations for CBD and other hemp-derived compounds since the 2018 Farm Bill authorized commercial production of the crop, explored how the 2023...
As consumer interest in ‘plant-based’ products has grown in recent years, so too have products proudly proclaiming their status as such – but what does the term actually mean, and how influential is it really?
According to a new draft guideline from the World Health Organization (WHO), non-nutritive sweetener consumption is associated with metabolic syndrome, something proponents of diet sweeteners say shows correlation, not causation, and merely reflects the...
Unilever isn’t worried about losing market share or volume as it pushes through aggressive price hikes to offset inflation and build reserves that it can use to invest in advertising, R&D and capital expenditure for long-term gains, according to company...
Two incompatible trends – increasing interest in seafood and climate change – are opening the door for the alternative seafood market, but for this emerging segment to reach its full potential, stakeholders must better align their go-to ingredients with...
Facing sharp criticism in the media that FDA’s approach to food safety is “broken,” “Byzantine” and a “ridiculous joke,” the agency is undertaking a “top to bottom” review of the “structure, function, funding and leadership” of its food program, agency...
As noted in the opening session of the IFT FIRST conference in Chicago last week, the food that brought us together during the pandemic and which fuels us everyday is in a crisis as climate change intensifies – pushing companies to weave sustainability...
While still a growing $7.4bn industry, plant-based foods have some significant hurdles to overcome around formulation especially in the area of fat content, according to Mintel.
Viral video-sharing app TikTok may be best known for the seemingly infinite clips of teenagers dancing to catchy songs in inconvenient places like the middle of the street or a department store aisle, but the social media platform is much more – and when...
Even though PepsiCo beat Wall Street expectations in its second quarter and saw organic revenue growth soar 13%, prompting it to bump-up its full-year revenue expectations, the beverage and snack giant stopped short of also raising its earnings per share...
As the enthusiasm for cooking that many discovered early in the pandemic wanes, retailers and CPG brands can protect against lost sales to restaurants and foodservice by offering more fresh prepared and minimal-prep options as well as inspiration that...
The FDA has acknowledged that people are frustrated it isn’t moving more quickly to set action levels for heavy metals in baby foods, but says proposals from states' attorneys general to expedite the process and immediately set thresholds for heavy...
New Census data showing consumer spending on food slowing in recent months as inflation and the threat of a recession rise suggests retailers and brands need to rethink their inventory and promotional strategies to attract and maintain shoppers, analysts...
‘Animal-free dairy’ startups have hit back at what they claim are attempts by the Non GMO Project and others to discredit the emerging technology by mischaracterizing it as dangerous, unregulated and bad for the environment.
Minor Figures is gaining steam in the competitive oat milk category backed by a recent minority investment from Danone Manifesto Ventures and Hong Kong-based Green Monday Group as it executes on its specialized business model centered on the coffee community.
With protein content claims in the spotlight after Beyond Meat was hit with two lawsuits filed in the space of one week alleging it overstates the protein in its plant-based burgers and other products, FoodNavigator-USA caught up with labeling experts...
After three years of helping Kraft Heinz claw its way up “from the bottom,” where it crashed after previous management prioritized inorganic growth and cost-cutting measures, CEO Miguel Patricio wants credit given where it is due.
Where the food and beverage industry was once flush with funding from venture capitalists drawn to fast-growing businesses and from strategics eager to pay high multiples for innovative start-ups, money is now harder to come by as inflation, supply chain...
Even as General Mills adopts an ‘always on’ approach to mergers & acquisitions, it remains dedicated to driving organic growth through innovation by deploying elite tiger teams to identify consumer problems and then develop and test solutions-oriented...
While much of the press coverage in food tech is devoted to brands making meat, egg, and dairy alternatives, these technologies will only be scalable – and sustainable - if we pay the same level of attention to the enabling technologies underpinning them,...
Gatorade is the undisputed leader in sports drinks, says the new CEO of BODYARMOR, which recently overtook Powerade to capture the #2 slot in the category. But after four years at Chobani, challenger brand extraordinaire, Federico Muyshondt knows a thing...
Organic ready-to-drink (RTD) tea brand HONEST Tea will be phased out of Coca-Cola’s portfolio by the end of this year, with executives highlighting “a drop in immediate consumption sales and limited glass supplies.” However, the organic juice line HONEST...
They may not be magic, but mushrooms – at least medicinal ones – are having a moment as consumer demand for functional benefits, such as clarity, calm, digestive support and enhanced immunity, are driving discovery and sales of the versatile, easy-to-you...
This fall, the White House will host a highly-anticipated and hard fought for second Conference on Food, Nutrition, Hunger and Health at the behest of a bipartisan nationwide grassroots movement led by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) as part of an ambitious...
Superbrewed Food has secured self-affirmed GRAS status for a new whole food, non-GMO ingredient - marketed as a ‘postbiotic cultured protein’ – that founder Dr Bryan Tracy is billing as “the most nutrient dense protein source on the planet,” with 80%+...
The FDA has denied a request to exempt rare sugar tagatose from the total and added sugars declaration on the Nutrition Facts panel, three years after granting the same request for rare sugar allulose, a decision petitioner Bonumose has slammed as “contradictory...
Dairy, plant-based and animal-free products often unnecessarily are pitted against each other as competing for the same place in consumers’ fridges, when in reality most Americans buy across the segment and manufacturers would be better served by highlighting...
Fresh off of a $10.5m funding round, Tomorrow Farms is debuting is first product and brand -- Bored Cow -- which uses Perfect Day's animal-free whey protein to recreate a cow-free version of flavored milk, giving consumers the nutrition and functionality...
With the global food system under significant pressure to keep up with the world's growing population, The Kellogg Company's SVP of global R&D and innovation Dr. Nigel Hughes presents how international food and beverage companies can take...
Reformulating products to clean up labels resulted in both higher revenue and higher margins for a majority of North American manufacturers surveyed by Ingredion late last year, claims the company, which quizzed 2,000 product developers at large and mid-sized...
Being an entrepreneur can feel desperately lonely – especially in the early days when budgets are tight, days are long and challenges crop up constantly – but as romantic as the idea of buckling down and becoming ‘self-made’ may be, few founders actually...
With food-at-home prices in April 2022 up a staggering 10.8% vs April 2021, consumers are beginning to change their behavior. FoodNavigator-USA caught up with K. K. Davey, president of client engagement at IRI, to find out what he’s seeing in the data.
Rising food prices slowed slightly in April over the prior month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics April Consumer Price Index released today, but they continue to climb at a brisk pace that is significantly faster than all items, allowing them...
Brazilian plant-based meat firm Future Farm is steadily making inroads into the crowded plant-based meat category in the US, where CEO Alexandre Ruberti still sees runway for growth.
As cultivated meat gets closer to market, more attention is being paid to enabling technologies, from bioreactors to growth media to edible scaffolding. FoodNavigator-USA caught up with two players trying to replicate the extracellular matrix of meat:...
As government stimulus abates, consumer savings rates are beginning to dip below pre-pandemic levels just as food prices are rising due to inflation – driving demand for less expensive private label products and helping to boost TreeHouse Foods’ net sales...
More consumers are factoring sustainability into their purchase decisions, according to data from NielsenIQ, but effectively and efficiently communicating a product’s environmental impact in less than the 10 seconds most shoppers spend deciding what to...
More work is needed to tackle heavy metals in foods & beverages, especially those consumed by young children, but we shouldn’t throw out the baby with the bathwater, said food industry executives at a public meeting held as the FDA issued new action...
Undeterred by a drop in Internet searches in North America for ‘keto’ and ‘ketogenic’ that might suggest declining interest in the high-fat, moderate-protein and ultra-low-carb diet, many packaged food manufacturers appear to be doubling down on the claim...
For many avid followers of the keto diet, compromise – be it in convenience, taste or simply going without – is an unwanted and unavoidable tradeoff for their health goals; but it doesn't have to be, especially first thing in the morning, according...
As rising temperatures push American spinach farmers farther north, late blizzards threaten US corn and soy crops and a prolonged drought in the southern plains weakens wheat production and pushes up prices, it is clear that BlackRock CEO Larry Fink was...
