As consumer demand for and sales of non-dairy milk alternatives continue to climb, so too are the number of players and variety of products in the space – making it more difficult for newcomers to standout unless, like Canadian-based YoFiit, they offer...
When most people think about curling up with a cup of hot tea they don’t think about opening their freezer first – but that is exactly what the makers of Millennia Tea are asking consumers to do, and in exchange they promise a beverage that is packed...
Rising consumer concern about climate change is a powerful – but underused – marketing lever for plant-based products, according to new research from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
Made with five ingredients: cashews, water, Himalayan pink salt, nutritional yeast, and cultures, Nuttin Ordinary is seeking to stand out in the burgeoning plant-based cheese category with a short, clean ingredients list and a product that doesn’t try...
There’s the audacity of hope, and then there’s the hard data proving that most new food and beverage brands are quickly consigned to the dustbin of history. But some do manage to ride that magical CPG skate curve. So what are they doing differently?
As the number of food accelerators and incubators has increased in recent years, the barrier for entry into the market has decreased – and while this makes launching a new product or company easier, it has made cutting through the competition and finding...
After more than a decade working in the food industry, Hector Saldivar knew the lay of the land better than most aspiring entrepreneurs when he quit the day job in 2016 to start his own food brand, Tia Lupita, and part of that was knowing the power of...
‘Authenticity’ has become a popular marketing buzz word to attract consumers who want to know more about their food and experience something ‘real,’ but for the better-for-you Mexican-American company Siete Family Foods ‘authenticity’ is a pivotal component...
The FDA has promised to provide more clarity over CBD “in the coming weeks.” But how should brands navigate the regulatory minefield in the meantime, and what options does the agency have?
Factor_, a fully-prepared meal delivery service based in the Chicago area, believes the way to get consumers to eat more healthily on a consistent basis is to remove the time and mental barriers around cooking.
Avocado leaf tea has a reddish hue and a distinct earthy - but not bitter - taste, says Scott Wibbenmeyer, who has developed a patent-pending method for producing it from leaves sourced from his avocado grove in Temecula, California.
PB&J is an all-American classic… but what about CB&J? If you combine roasted chickpeas and sunflower seeds with olive oil and a dash of coconut sugar and sea salt, the net result (‘chickpea butter’) is remarkably similar to peanut butter, minus...
With a portfolio spanning everything from refrigerated plant-based yogurt drinks to shelf-stable cans of cold brew coffee and oatmilk, Califia Farms has raised a jaw-dropping $340m+ over four funding rounds to build its plant-based empire over the past...
Entrepreneurs just starting out may think they can use all the help they can get, but as the CEO of the produce delivery service Hungry Harvest learned the hard way, hiring the wrong staff to help in the short term can be more detrimental in the long...
Entrepreneurs just starting out may feel pressured to present a façade of perfection or else risk missing an opportunity, but the CEO of Lily’s Sweets, Jane Miller, argues the opposite is true – that failing to seek help managing weaknesses or bridging...
As more entrepreneurs adopt an iterative, fail-fast approach to innovation it is increasingly tempting to compare businesses and products as a way to measure success, but according to Jane Miller, the CEO of Lily’s Sweets, a better strategy to remain...
Consumers are demanding simple, wholesome, convenient snacks and mini-meals with cleaner labels, and you can’t get much simpler – or more nutritious - than eggs, says Phoenix-based startup Scramblers, which has developed what it claims is an industry...
Crowdfunding is a popular option for entrepreneurs looking for an infusion of capital without having to handover equity in exchange, but according to Kickstarter only 25% of food-related projects successfully reach their funding goals – a discouraging...
Ongoing concern about the long-term health consequences of too much sugar has many parents turning away from classic children’s beverages, and instead serving lower-calorie options traditionally considered for adults, according to recent research from...
We know the plant-based alternatives trend is strong with adult consumers, but what about kids? Linkage Research & Consulting sees an immense untapped opportunity in plant-based food and drink products targeted towards kids.
Syndicated market data’s high price keeps it out of reach for many startups, but it is well worth the investment – even if it is means forgoing other investments that might provide shorter-term returns, according to the co-founder and CEO of the thriving...
Based on research from Canadian neurosurgeon Dr Teresa Purzner - best known for her pioneering work with novel approaches to tackle childhood brain cancer – Cerebelly seeks to give babies the key nutrients their growing brains need, exactly when they...
Foregoing purees that mask rather than highlight their vegetable and fruit content, Tiny Organics wants to help raise a generation of kids who recognize and prefer fresh, whole, and savory ingredients.
As older members of Generation Z begin to strike out on their own and those still at home gather more influence over household grocery purchases, food and beverage manufacturers increasingly are asking what do 7- to 20-year-olds want to eat and drink?
Uncomfortable with the idea that agriculture is a necessary evil with the demand for food outweighing the negative environmental impact of traditional farming and ranching, the co-founder and CEO of Bowery is expanding his revolutionary approach to food...
Recognizing that the first few years of raising a child can be filled not only with daily delights but also anxiety about providing proper nutrition, Horizon Organic offers caregivers some relief with the launch of its Growing Years organic whole milk,...
When launching a brand online, startups may be tempted to focus first on marketing direct-to-consumer from their website rather than through a third-party retailer, such as Amazon, but according to the founder and CEO of the fast-growing, plant-based...
The world probably doesn’t need another protein bar, but there is white space in the snacks category for lighter snacks that provide ‘mental fuel’ at key moments in the day, claims Chicago-based TeaSquares.
CoreFX Ingredients -- a Chicago-based supplier of dry, stable functional powdered fats and oils -- is experiencing increased demand across it portfolio, especially for its plant-based offerings such as avocado, evening primrose, and Sacha Inchi oils....
Entrepreneurs hoping to disrupt an established category dominated by large companies and well-known brands could gain a significant strategic advantage by launching first online where they can leverage positive consumer reviews and social media, advises...
One of 15 startups pitching at Rabobank’s FoodBytes! competition in Chicago last month, Spira is using CRISPR gene editing techniques to create more stable natural blue pigments from spirulina, and exploring the potential of spirulina protein isolate.
Layn Corp. has registered its hemp-derived CBD business based in Indiana as HempRise LLC, which will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the global botanical extracts and plant-based ingredients company.
Back in 2015, when former college athletes Clint Matthews and Kyle Rood started making protein-packed gluten-free waffles "by hand in a rent by the hour kitchen and delivering to stores in a pick up truck" in St Louis, they were plowing a pretty...
With online sales of food and beverage representing only a small fraction of total sales, many established brands have taken a wait-and-see approach to e-commerce – focusing instead on tried-and-true retail channels – but according to the e-commerce management...
Could a suite of microscopic microbial factories (yeast, bacteria, fungi, algae) churning out protein in huge fermentation tanks prompt the collapse of the meat and dairy industry as we know it, or are proponents of this view living in some kind of ‘vegan...
Capro-X - a spin-off from Cornell University - uses microbes to convert the organic compounds in acid whey into high-value flavor and fragrance ingredients such as caproic acid and caprylic acid, which are currently sourced from palm oil.
Mexican food is traditionally very meat-based but this means there are many dishes where plant-based proteins can be added. We spoke to market analysts and ingredient suppliers to find out more about the market potential.
Extensive distribution and strong memorability are two main drivers for CPG growth – unfortunately for most startups the first is often out of their financial reach, at least at first, forcing to them to go all in on the second.
One of 15 companies selected to pitch at Rabobank’s FoodBytes! competition in Chicago last month, Yolélé Foods is on a mission to introduce Americans to a nutrient-packed, gluten-free ancient African grain called fonio. But is this a niche opportunity...
Given the frequency of headlines touting the near vertical year-over-year growth or surging revenues of some brands in the first year, an entrepreneur or investor in the food and beverage space could easily believe that this is the norm – when in reality...
With Nielsen data showing dollar sales of plant-based foods in the US growing more than 20% in 2018 over the prior year to top $3.3bn, it is clear the industry is booming, but to sustain this momentum, a leader for the meat-alternative brand Quorn says...
Cell-cultured or ‘cultivated’ meat offers the promise of ‘real meat’ – not a plant-based approximation – without raising and slaughtering millions of animals. But is it attracting the same level of investment, and how soon might it realistically come...
How should you begin an elevator pitch, and what raises red flags for potential investors? FoodNavigator-USA editor Elaine Watson headed to Chicago to quiz the judges at Rabobank's FoodBytes! pitch competition.
From Perdue’s Chicken Plus nuggets combining chicken, plant proteins and veggies, to Tyson’s Raised & Rooted burgers combining regular and plant-based beef, a new wave of ‘hybrid’ or ‘blended’ products is hitting the meat case. But are these the meaty...
To meet the demands of today’s fast-paced, high-pressure world, consumers everywhere are looking for shortcuts to be better, faster and stronger – fueling the emergence of so-called biohacking, a term coined by the CEO of Bulletproof and made easier by...
Selling direct-to-consumer online either through a branded website or trusted ecommerce retailer has emerged in recent years as way for startups to prove a concept and lay the groundwork for eventual brick-and-mortar distribution, but this once nice-to-have...
Subtle changes to Theo Chocolate’s packaging that debuted at Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore earlier this month aim to better communicate the bean-to-bar brand’s commitment to fair trade and organic ingredients as well as help it standout in an...
