Entrepreneurs to watch

Alternative proteins, delivery tech dominate M&A activity; supplements trail off

The Nutrition Capital Network reports that mergers and acquisitions activity in branded natural and organic food & beverage companies is on a record-setting pace for 2015. In addition, NCN reports...

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...

DRY's positioning as premium soda brand lets it prosper as sales in overall category dry up

When creating her DRY line of premium carbonated beverages 10 years ago, founder Sharelle Klaus sought to create a new niche in the beverage world.  Which was a fortuitous thing,...

Energizing Zest Tea charts high-octane growth

Many a tea lover has settled for coffee or an energy drink when desperate for an energy fix. But Zest Tea hopes to change that with its high-caffeine brewed teas. ...

Tiny plants with huge potential: Introducing two new players to the plant-based protein market

Two firms that generated a lot of buzz at the IFT show this year were Parabel and Hinoman, which are both selling brand new nutrient-packed ingredients from tiny aquatic plants....

CircleUp teams up with Amazon Launchpad to boost exposure for food entrepreneurs

A new agreement between Amazon Launchpad and select CircleUp portfolio companies promises to “promote consumer discoverability”, and give entrepreneurs significant support and advice from the online retailing giant.

Space... the final frontier for food science at Food Vision USA

To boldly go... where no food conference has gone before? Space food is on the menu at Food Vision USA (we've lined up NASA on day three), but we're just...

Dairy Innovation Forum highlights: Hip cottage cheese, gut-friendly milk, tarte asian yogurt and why fat is back

From the challenges of sourcing organic milk, to the threat 'alternatives' milks pose to the dairy sector and the 'scary' promotional dynamics of the yogurt category, the FoodNavigator-USA Dairy Innovation...

Meet the people behind a2 milk, Yasso, Smári Organics, Tarte Foods, and good culture

The FoodNavigator-USA Dairy Innovation Forum is now available on demand!

Missed our Dairy Innovation Forum? No problem, it's now available on demand to registered delegates for the next three months.

Hampton Creek CEO says letter to presidential candidates seeks 'authentic leadership on food'

For Hampton Creek CEO Josh Tetrick, food lies at the heart of the debate about what path the country should take in the upcoming presidential election. That’s why he recently...

Dave Lefkow: 'You’d be amazed how many people are obsessed with bacon...'

J&D's Foods builds a food empire: ‘Making everything taste like bacon since 2007’

The Eureka moment came on a business trip in 2007 when Dave Lefkow’s co-worker Justin Esch casually observed that bacon flavored salt might taste pretty good. The cash to make...

The woman behind Element Snacks shares how to make it as an entrepreneur in “a man’s world”

Fundraising is a major challenge for entrepreneurs regardless of their gender, but women face unique hurdles that they must proactively address early or else risk not raising sufficient money to...

Lights, camera, action! Edible insects in focus at IFT 2015

No self-respecting food conference would be complete these days without a session on edible insects. But are they a gimmick or a serious source of alternative protein? FoodNavigator-USA editor Elaine...

Talking Rain (Sparkling ICE) CEO: We might acquire brands, or build our own new brands

The Sparkling ICE brand notched up sales of more than $500m in 2014, is on course to top $600m in 2015, and has a fighting chance of reaching its well-publicized...

NightFood spearheads creation of a healthy late-night snack subcategory

The makers of NightFood nutrition bars want to create a new subcategory of food that will help late-night snackers choose healthier options that could help them sleep better. 

Summer Fancy Food Show

NonGMO verification opens retailers’ doors for I Heart Keenwah’s puffs and cluster snacks

Earning the NonGMO Project verification for every product in the I Heart Keenwah line was a “frustrating” and “taxing” year-long process, but it was worth it, said the company’s president...

Summer Fancy Food Show

Failure can be essential for success – if handled correctly, executives say

Nobody likes to fail, but in most businesses it is inevitable, and when addressed correctly, it can be a critical element to a company’s long term success, according to food...

IFT 2015 highlights: 3D printing...the killer app; lab burgers... for less than $300k, and meals with meal worms

Check out our gallery of highlights from the 2015 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) annual meeting & expo in Chicago, spanning 3D printing, edible insects and cultured meat, to the...

Summer Fancy Food Show

More players are entering the drinkable soup category, which one says is the next big thing

The founder of Tio Gazpacho, a front runner in the drinkable soup segment, welcomes to the nascent category several newcomers that he hopes will help validate the new food concept...

Food & beverage entrepreneurs to watch: From YumButter and Dang Foods to Evo Hemp

From the purveyors of toasted coconut chips to hemp bars, high-protein gelato, cricket powder, chickpea snacks and portable nut butter, here's FoodNavigator-USA's latest pick of entrepreneurs to watch in the...

Summer Fancy Food Show

Subscription snack boxes are a cost-effective alternative to in-store demonstrations

Subscription snack boxes can be a cost effective alternative to in-store demonstrations, which often are viewed as a golden standard for driving initial product trial and gathering consumer feedback.

Summer Fancy Food Show

Simply Gum offers all-natural, high-end alternative to conventional products

New York-based start-up Simply Gum offers consumers an elegant, all natural alternative to conventional chewing gums, many of which the company founder says include plastic and other synthetic ingredients.

Summer Fancy Food Show

New formats help make broccoli more snackable

Broccoli is one of the stereo-typically most hated vegetables from childhood, but now it is emerging as one of the hottest trends in snacking with new formats that promise to...

Ultra-fast-growing aquatic plant promises year-round supply of sustainable vegetable protein

A novel source of vegetable protein that promises to give rivals a run for their money in the nutrition and sustainability stakes, will make its debut at the IFT show...

Dang, that’s good! An entrepreneur’s guide to carving a niche in the healthy snacks market

A great product, deep pockets, and entrepreneurial zeal are critical to the success of any food start-up, but there’s always an element of luck, says Dang Foods’ founder Vincent Kitirattragarn,...