Garlic, onion, parsley, chili... and yogurt? Sweet & heat is a hot new trend, says Sensient

Americans are tucking into hotter and spicier fare by the day, but how is the trend evolving? And will savory yogurt take off? Elaine Watson caught up with Michael Swenson,...

Ardent Mills purchases Canadian flour milling plant from Mondelēz

Denver-based Ardent Mills will purchase a flour-milling plant in Ontario, Canada, from Mondelēz Canada.

60-second interview: Greg Kaminski executive research chef, Synergy Flavors

What are the hottest flavor trends for 2015/16? From Shishito peppers to Marcona almonds

What's hot and what's not in the world of flavors? Elaine Watson caught up with Greg Kaminski, executive research chef at Synergy Flavors, to get the lowdown on Marcona almonds,...

Flavor Trends

Protein players should think outside of the box for flavors, Wixon suggests

Players in the protein category – especially those focused on the center of the plate – are behind the curve when it comes to flavor and need to rethink their...

News in brief

Target to provide more ‘locally relevant’ food & beverage brands

A key part of Target’s strategy to ‘reinvent’ its food offering will involve offering more local products, from specialty foods to craft beer, chairman and CEO Brian Cornell told analysts...

Jerky is the ultimate high protein, low fat, low carb, healthy snack, says Oberto

Most Americans eat meat. But only a small percentage eats meat snacks. So does this disconnect simply reflect the fact that beef doesn’t pair too well with a mid-morning mocha-latte,...

FDA calls out Frito-Lay for possible safety breaches in Tennessee

The US Food and Drug Administration has censured Frito-Lay for a leaky roof, dirty facility and possible cross contamination of manufactured food at a Tennessee snack food facility.

“Channel agnostic” strategy helps Hain Celestial’s sales grow double-digits

Natural and organic food manufacturer Hain Celestial Group continued its five year streak of earning double-digit quarterly sales growth thanks in part to a “channel agnostic go-to-market strategy,” according to...

Insect oil: Bugs aren’t just about protein

Is it time to look beyond insect protein to… insect oil? This is the next opportunity within edible bugs, says researcher.

0.7% of shoppers drive 80% of volumes of new food & beverage products, reveals Catalina study

We’ve all heard of the 80:20 rule, but new research* from digital marketing expert Catalina shows that just 0.7% of shoppers are driving 80% of the volumes of new food...

Flavor Trends

Consumers are demanding more sophisticated blends of hot spice and flavor, Kalsec study finds

As consumer demand for spicy food increases, it also is evolving beyond that for just eye-watering and mouth-burning heat to include a desire for more complex blends of pungent flavors,...

New snacks gallery: From buffalo jerky and salad bites to superfood pouches and bean chips

From grass-fed Buffalo jerky from Patagonia Provisions; and fruit, veggie and chia-packed squeezy pouches from Happy Valley; to bean chips from General Mills; check out FoodNavigator-USA's gallery of new snacks hitting...

More grab-and-go, high-protein breakfast items needed to fight chronic diseases, researcher says

New research showing high protein breakfasts can prevent weight gain, curb hunger pangs and stabilize glucose levels reveals unmet needs in the marketplace and opportunities for packaged food manufacturers, according...

Oldways Whole Grains Council begins crafting standards for sprouted grains

Oldways Whole Grains Council is spearheading an effort to set standards for increasingly popular sprouted grains, which are popping up exponentially in more products as manufacturers try to catch consumers’...

87% of consumers globally think non-GMO is ‘healthier’. But where’s the evidence?

A large consumer study* from market researcher Health Focus International spanning 16 major consumer markets includes this pretty jaw-dropping statistic: 87% of consumers globally think non-GMO foods are ‘somewhat’, or...

Nutrigenomix expands access to personalized nutrition, outlines opportunities for manufacturers

University of Toronto start-up Nutrigenomix is a pioneer in the personalized nutrition space that is helping consumers understand how variations in their genes influence their bodies’ response to food, beverages...

Trans fats are associated with greater risk of heart disease, death, BMJ study finds

Industrial trans fats, which the Grocery Manufacturers Association recently asked FDA to allow in small amounts in certain packaged foods, are associated with greater risk of death and coronary heart...

SunOpta acquires fruit snack firm Niagara Natural for $6.7m

Organic food specialist SunOpta will stretch its fruit snacking capabilities with the acquisition of Canada-based Niagara Natural Fruit Snack Company.

Which new food and beverage products had the highest purchase intent scores in July?

Snacks dominate the July edition of Instantly's shelf score ranking of new products, with Reese's snack mix, Jif peanut butter & chocolate bars, and Clif's Berry Pomegranate Chia energy bars all notching...

Snacks now comprise 50% of all eating occasions

Eating alone, continuous snacking and the slow death of the primary shopper: 10 things you need to know about the changing American consumer

American households - and eating habits - are changing, and food marketers need to catch up, says the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) in its 2015 US Grocery Shopper Trends report....

Ackman investment in Mondelēz: ‘Maybe this is the shake up it needs,’ says innovation expert

Activist-investor William Ackman’s 7.5% stake in Mondelēz International should inject life into a sweet and snack major that has been struggling for the past two years, says the innovation head...

New CEO looks to generate 'aggressive, run-rate cost savings of $1.5bn by the end of 2017'

Heinz has slashed almost a quarter of its workforce since April 2013, SEC filings reveal

Heinz has slashed just under one quarter (23.8%*) of its workforce since April 2013 as part of a ‘restructuring and productivity’ drive at the ketchup giant, which was acquired by...

WhiteWave expands in competitive U.S. yogurt category with Wallaby acquisition

Undeterred by the ongoing “fistfight” in the U.S. yogurt category, WhiteWave Foods Co. expands its presences in the segment with the $125 million cash acquisition of California organic yogurt maker Wallaby...

Making Tasty a household name in kids’ snacks

Tasty Brand co-founders Liane Weintraub and Shannan Swanson originally had their sights set on an organic frozen baby food line, but the 2008 economic crash saw the market for premium...

Urgent need for research on maternal folate status and autism

Researchers have urged more and better quality research on the link between maternal folate status and autism.