Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, such as Mondelez and Nestlé, are finding new opportunities to stay competitive and succeed during the pandemic. Mondelez Mondelez International has been successful in direct-store delivery (DSD)—a logistics fulfillment system …
USDA will run a $1 million research project on how COVID-19 may be transmitted through the beef supply chain, reported Reuters (Sept. 25). The two-year project, which begins in October, aims to reduce the risk …
Several crops are suffering from the effects of severe weather over the last month or so. Rice Arkansas’ rice harvest is off to a slow start because of weather not conductive to drying grain and …
PepsiCo. Inc.’s PR tease for the Driftwell sleep aid beverage represents the company’s latest new brand creation since Bubly. Launching new trademarks has a very checkered history at public firms. Most of these launches quietly …
Food companies have been in hot water recently over their product labels either misleading consumers or not providing enough product information. Frito-Lay Frito-Lay faces at least two lawsuits over the flavor of its chips. After …
CME Group Inc. and Nasdaq Inc. are planning to launch a futures contract later this year that will allow farmers, speculators, and others to wager on the price of water, reported The Wall Street Journal …
FDA proposed a new rule that lays the foundation for end-to-end traceability across the food industry. The proposed rule would create a first-of-its-kind standardized approach to traceability recordkeeping, paving the way for industry to adopt …
Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé made public pledges to cut plastic while undermining sustainability reforms behind the scenes through lobbying groups and trade associations, a report from Changing Markets Foundation claims. It accused the world’s largest plastic polluters of hypocrisy, …
Despite shortages this spring, supermarkets are now selling meat for lower prices as supplies are rebounding and exports are declining, reported The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 20). Prices for ground beef and pork loins returned …
Cargill is supporting farmer-led efforts to adopt practices and systems foundational to regenerative agriculture practices across 10 million acres of North American farmland over the next 10 years. The initiative will focus on row crop …
Cohen & Steers invested approximately $100 million in Lineage Logistics, a temperature-controlled logistics solutions company. The firm made the investment on behalf of several mutual funds with the belief that the market is in the …
CPG companies have been expanding their plant-based offerings to compete with brands such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. The Kellogg Co. partnered with Walt Disney Co. to launch Mickey-Mouse shaped Incogmeato chick’n nuggets, reported MarketWatch (Sept. …
The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating a trend towards automation, according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The report found that most job losses during the public health crisis would be temporary, …
Kraft Heinz plans to cut $2 billion in costs over five years, reported The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 15). The company will be making cuts more strategically than in the past, according to CEO Miguel …
Several beverage brands are launching new products that have a stronger focus on consumer health. PepsiCo is launching a new drink called Driftwell to aid sleep as consumers struggle with stress, reported CNBC (Sept. 14). …
The at-home coffee market is set to grow by 4.9% in 2020 to reach $15.6 billion, according to new research from Mintel. In comparison, the market experienced a total of 3.9% growth between 2015-2019. “With …
Robyn Carter, founder and CEO of Jump Rope Innovation (JRI), joined the Food Institute Podcast to discuss consumer perceptions and desires during the pandemic. With the back-to-school season in full swing, and Halloween, Thanksgiving, and …
Several plant-based meat companies are making strides in international markets. Impossible Foods is rolling out Impossible Sausage Made From Plants in Hong Kong. Consumers in Hong Kong can now buy the sausage as a breakfast …
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London named the food and agriculture industries major factors in climate change mitigation, reported Bloomberg (Sept. 9). Their study, which focuses on biodiversity loss, says expanded …
With popularity of frozen foods up during the pandemic, supply chains for frozen products are undergoing their own set of challenges. Eighty-six percent of consumers said they bought frozen food in March and April, with …
As coronavirus cases around the U.S. continue to rise, manufacturing plants—particularly poultry processing—are experiencing more closures. On Aug. 31, the U.S. topped 6 million cases of coronavirus, reported CNN (Aug. 31). The food processing industry …
In an effort to expand its health sciences business, Nestlé SA agreed to buy the rest of the partially owned biopharmaceutical company Aimmune Therapeutics Inc. for $2.6 billion, reported The Wall Street Journal (Aug. 31). …
A growing amount of large food companies—particularly in manufacturing and foodservice—are continuing to restructure, making more job cuts in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Most recently, Coca-Cola laid off thousands of workers, offering voluntary deals …
Shoppers are increasingly turning to plant-based products. The specialty plant-based segment has grown more than 27% since 2017, reaching nearly $5 billion in total brick-and-mortar sales in 2019, according to the recent State of the Specialty …
Restaurants across the U.S. are resuming operations in accordance with guidelines to ensure health and safety and patrons and employees. However, states, cities, and counties have different requirements for operating during the pandemic. In New …
Sales of chocolate and candy increased during the pandemic as consumers look for products to boost their mood and lighten perspectives, according to data from the National Confectioners Association (NCA). Overall sales of chocolate and …
Manufacturing companies are seeing increased sales during the pandemic, but some are issuing record levels of debt. Strength in the retail and deli businesses helped push sales up at Hormel Foods Corp. in its third …
KIND Healthy Snacks plans to switch to “bee-friendly” almond suppliers to encourage growth of the insect population, reported Fast Company (Aug. 25). KIND’s almond suppliers are working on two major changes: 1) stopping the use …
Food Institute Focus – Coca-Cola to Join Hard Seltzer Craze
Food Institute Focus – Meat Workers Claim Their Safety is at Risk
Food Institute Focus – Changing Food Trends Fuel Pasta Popularity
Food Institute Focus – Retailers Disrupt Milk Processing Industry
Food Institute Focus – Gen Z’s Influential Food Preferences
Food Institute Focus – Investors Bet on Plant-Based
The COVID-19 pandemic will continue to affect the manufacturing capabilities of food companies through the end of 2020, but automation, social distancing, and pivoting towards healthier products could provide avenues for future growth. Meatpackers Face …
Food Institute Focus – Food Industry Continues to Fight for Social Justice
