The Next Big Thing in CPG? Shelf-Stable Products

With grocery refrigeration space tight, manufacturers are looking at producing shelf-stable products to cut waste and improve profits.

States Are Banning Cultivated Meat; Do Consumers Want Novel Proteins?

Novel proteins including cultivated meat, mycelium, and dairy bioidenticals are advancing further into the market, and some state governments are pushing back. A new survey by McKinsey & Company explores how consumers perceive these ingredients—and their willingness to trial them.

Ten Vegan Food and Beverage Stocks to Watch

Despite persistent challenges, vegan food market revenue is poised to reach $49.6 billion globally by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 11.8% during the forecast period.

belVita – The Next Billion-Dollar Food Brand?

One thing that food industry consultants learn quickly is that public holding companies focus most of their resources on their Power Brands – the $1 billion+ revenue-generating giants whose slightest change in profit or topline …

Why Hormel Foods Employs a Cultural Anthropologist

Dr. Rodriguez is thrilled to live in a time when underrepresented voices, cultures, and cuisines can easily take the world by viral storm. She’s quick to point out that for many cuisines, blanket terms like “Mexican” or “Asian” just don’t do it anymore – the people, and the food, deserve more.

The Evolution of Ecuadorian Cuisine

When the Spanish colonized a large swath of Central and South America, they introduced new forms of foods, like pigs and goats. At the time, the indigenous land was fertile with crops like beans, avocados, and papayas, but the Spanish felt deprived of nutrients that they were accustomed to. Thus, by the 17th century, the Spanish had imported countless herds of cows, pigs, sheep and goats to Ecuador.

KEY: The Startup with Zero Sugar and $4 Million in Funding

Could a zero-sugar energy drink be the future of the heavily saturated beverage market? Possibly. KEY, an energy drink start-up, recently emerged with $4 million in funding, according to an article by AFN. The start-up, …

What’s Playing? The Role of Music in Retail

“The power of audio in retail goes beyond just music,” Elsley said. “Incorporating carefully crafted messaging and advertisements into the auditory experience can further enhance customer engagement and drive sales.”

‘Heatflation’ Threatening Olive Oil Production

Olive oil is being threatened by climate change, high interest rates and inflation that has sent prices soaring. Searing heat in Spain, Greece and Italy has been especially problematic.

Don’t Call It ‘New Sprite’ – Coca-Cola Debuts Sprite Chill

In the wild world of beverages, any edge on the competition may be enough to resurrect an LTO from the past or push it into full-time production.

Frozen Plant-Based Meals Gaining Loyalty

Shoppers seeking convenience are in the market for readymade plant-based meals — and the frozen food aisle is a prime target for innovation.

How Much Does Sustainability Influence Consumer Shopping Habits?

Consumers in the U.S. and Canada say that they are willing to pay more for products that practice eco-friendly sustainability and ethics in their development, packaging, and sale of products, particularly around animal cruelty and ocean pollution.

The Summer of Swicy

Asian cuisines like Thai, Korean, and Chinese have long used swicy foods as an enticing way to attract new and long-time patrons, and many mainstream and fusion restaurants are combining classic American fare with these staple flavors from across the world.

Kombucha: An Ancient Elixir Finds Modern Appeal

The origins of kombucha are shrouded in legend, and the drink’s murky beginnings remained in relative obscurity—at least to western palates—until its rediscovery in the 20th century in something of a cultural phenomenon.

Alcohol-Related Liver Disease Increasing Sharply Among Women

“Was it the six-pack of wine called ‘Mommy’s Little Helper?’ Or ‘Mommy’s Time Out’ wine? Was it the funny phrase, ‘The most expensive part of having kids is all the wine you have to drink?’ The clothes and other goodies branded with, ‘Who is moderation?’ or ‘This is how you adult?’ Our society thinks it’s funny when women drink heavily,” Pengov said.

Is the Future of Retail Bionic?

As more work is being published (and more health-focused products manufactured) to improve health and happiness, we may be entering an era in which the average human life can not only be improved, but extended. Are store managers ready for what that means?

Could Daiya’s Latest Alt-Cheese Innovation Be a Game-Changer?

Daiya’s newest alt-cheese recipe utilizes proprietary fermentation technology to mimic the texture and meltability of traditional dairy cheese. Could it be a game-changer for the plant-based cheese category?

United Natural Foods in Crisis: Can Distributor Recover from Stock Plunge?

United Natural Foods stock is down 86% over the last ten years—getting squeezed by its customers—shares are now at a four-year low.

Consumer Shift: Private-Label Snacks See Unprecedented Popularity

For the first time in the report’s history, the top six brands – all of them – are store brands, from retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Target.

Sustainability in the Snack Aisle: Eco-friendly Food Gains Momentum

It’s apparent in grocery store checkout lines, in social media, and in marketing campaigns: consumers demand eco-friendly food.

Peeling Apart the Complex History (and Future) of the Banana

A regular feature in shopping carts from coast to coast, the humble banana has long been a reliable source of nutrition, convenience, and affordability. Yet beneath its cheerful exterior lies a complex tale of botanical intrigue, economic uncertainty, and environmental peril.

Mountain Mike’s Pizza Plans to Reach the Upper Crust

The newly minted CEO isn’t oblivious to Mountain Mike’s challenges in its crowded sector. For example, Metevier knows he needs to be sensitive to labor costs now that his California-based chain must deal with that state’s recent implementation of a $20 minimum wage (85% of the chains locations are based within the Golden State.)

For Gen Z, Variety Packs Rule Retail

Some of the takeaways from the Circana report indicate that inflation has generally gone pretty easy on the beverage category, prompting marketing teams to “promote their relative price stability and find ways to demonstrate value, recognizing that ‘value’ doesn’t always mean lower price,” and that premium categories continue to outperform more value-based brand propositions. 

Plant-Based Milk Brands Take Aim at Coffee Category

Plant-based milks largely stole the spotlight at the recent Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago. Along with the familiar oat and almond milks, exhibitors offered plant-based milks made with bananas, chickpeas, coconut, macadamias, and pistachios.

On-the-Go Gourmet: Rapid Pace of Life Fuels Demand for Convenient Foods

Today’s consumers seek snacks that not only satisfy but also nourish, blending convenience with balanced nutrition and illustrated by the emergence of breakfast bars and protein snack boxes.

Beef. It’s Still What’s for Dinner

“A lot of people see beef as a premium meat and associate it with things like prosperity and masculinity. Beef is also incredibly rich in fat and protein, so our bodies are primed to crave it,” Rall said, noting federal subsidies, restaurant menus, and advertising all reinforce beef’s place “in our grocery stores and on our table.”

The Recipe for Success for Kodiak Cakes

Through its unique product offerings and strategic influencer partnerships, Kodiak Cakes has differentiated itself and created a strong brand persona that resonates deeply with modern consumers. 

Gen Z Teens Reducing Spend, Supporting Smaller Brands

Among CPG energy drink brands, Celsius over-indexes with teens, with 17% citing it as their favorite energy drink brand (vs. ~12% market share) while Monster and Red Bull under-index. Among snack brands, Campbell’s Goldfish are still most preferred. Teens report highest intentions to eat more or the same amount of Mondelez’s Clif Bar and Hershey’s products.

Rise & Grind: Decaf Coffee Gathers Major Momentum

While the rest of us were getting our morning jolt from a decent cuppa, decaf drinkers quietly (and deliciously) infiltrated the greater consumer market. Skyquest Technology recently predicted that the decaf coffee market will continue to grow to a $28.86 billion industry by the end of the decade.

Mac and Cheese Gets a Plant-Based Makeover

CPG producers are veganizing macaroni and cheese by removing dairy ingredients, adding gluten-free pasta and, in some cases, boosting the nutritional value of the popular comfort food.

An Evolution Explained: Mondelēz Report Reveals Changing Consumption Habits

Other noteworthy shifts include the emergence of Gen Z and Gen Alpha as influential consumer groups. These young consumers are influencing market trends such as the push for labeling transparency and ethical production.

FI Exclusive: Chef Robert Irvine Provides Guide for Restaurants to Survive Wage Hikes

The celebrity chef, who appeared on Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible show between 2011 and 2023, fears that as many as one-fifth of all American “mom-and-pop” restaurants could be forced to close by year’s end due to rising labor costs.

Premium, Ethical, and On-Demand: The New Age of Snacking Unwrapped

For starters, the global demographic landscape is undergoing a noteworthy transformation, with “second lifers” – those embarking on new chapters post-retirement – emerging as a powerful group of consumers. By 2050, the over-60 demographic is expected to double. This shift is pushing the market towards balanced nutrition.

$85 Million to the Clearance Bin – Is Magic Spoon Done?

Magic Spoon cereal is twice as expensive as most other name brands. Many regard its flavor as questionable and its better-for-you status isn’t as rock solid as consumers would like to believe.

Major Companies Make Ambitious Push for Plastic Recycling

Advanced plastic recycling remains a dream for many F&B companies, but Nestle, for one, plans to implement major changes along those lines by 2030.

Chicken Nugget Sales are Soaring. Can Plant-Based Varieties Take Flight? 

Demand for frozen chicken nuggets is strong, giving alternative varieties a significant runway for lift off — but sales remain grounded.