Nothing has been more impactful in 2020 than how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way people view their lifestyles. Consumers are becoming increasingly more cognizant of the importance of health and well-being for themselves …
Several major food companies recently reported earnings, beating analyst expectations. Chipotle Quarterly same-store sales growth was more than 8% at Chipotle Mexican Grill, with digital sales more than tripling, reported CNBC (Oct. 21). However, a shift to delivery …
Impossible Foods will use the $700 million it raised in 2020 to double its research and development team to focus on plant-based milk, steak, bacon, and fish products, reported The Washington Post (Oct. 21). The …
Six out of 10 global consumers are increasingly looking for food and beverage products that support their immune health, with one in three saying that concerns about immune health increased in 2020 over 2019, according …
Many companies in the food industry are continuing their quest to refresh their images during the coronavirus pandemic. Bumble Bee Seafoods and Nutrisystem are the two latest examples. The 120-year-old Bumble Bee is trying to …
Americans are currently drinking so many things out of aluminum cans that it’s causing a shortage. Ball Corp., the world’s largest manufacturer of metal beverage containers, even told investors this past week that the U.S. …
An insider says Nestlé SA will sell some of its American water brands, which include Pure Life, Poland Spring, and Deer Park, reported Reuters (Oct. 15). The brands being sold, which also include Deer Park, …
Vertical farming company Plenty Unlimited Inc. attracted $140 million in a Series D financing round that included existing investor SoftBank Group Corp., as well as berry producer Driscoll’s, reported Bloomberg (Oct. 14). The new raise …
Although plant-based beef is usually in the spotlight, meatless chicken is now taking center stage. Jack in the Box unveiled the Unchicken Sandwich, its first plant-based offering, reported Forbes (Oct. 15). It will be tested …
The plant-based trend isn’t going away anytime soon as more vegan-friendly companies are raising significant capital from investors. The LIVEKINDLY Collective, a global multi-brand plant-based food company, raised $135 million in capital in a round …
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is turning the world upside down as technology is advancing in leaps and bounds during these turbulent times. And AI is ever present among many areas of the food industry. Firmenich, one …
The Nobel Committee awarded the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize, reported Bloomberg (Oct. 9). The organization is being honored “for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas …
Six current and former chicken-industry executives were indicted on price-fixing charges, according to a release from the Department of Justice (DOJ). A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court in Denver, CO, returned a …
California wildfires mean Napa area wine producers are losing stored wine and warehouses, reported The New York Times (Oct. 5). Damage to vineyards has been less severe in the fires in the last weekend of …
Another wave of coronavirus-driven closures of meatpacking facilities is unlikely, according to Andre Nogueira, CEO of JBS USA Holdings Inc., reported The Wall Street Journal (Oct. 5). Nogueira noted that worker testing and safety practices …
Innovation will drive business growth in the new normal, according to Nielsen. Nielsen recently released its 2020 U.S. BASES Top 25 Breakthough Innovations List which includes several food and beverage products. Trending themes among the …
Coca-Cola is discontinuing its Zico coconut water brands, reported The Wall Street Journal (Oct. 4). The decision to halt production of the drink by the end of the year “comes at a time when [the …
Several CPG brands recently released quarterly earnings, displaying high demand for snacks and ingredients as consumers cook at home. PepsiCo Quarterly sales for PepsiCo grew by more than 5%, fueled by higher sales of …
Following the murder of George Floyd on May 25 and months of Black Lives Matter protests, many businesses have gone beyond simple statements of support to actual promises to change the way they operate, reported …
The U.S. is allowing UK beef on market for the first time in over 20 years, reported BBC (Sept. 30). The initial ban was imposed in 1996 when British cattle were infected with Mad Cow …
A federal committee working on a revision of U.S. dietary guidelines recommends cutting sugar consumption, reported The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 28). The committee suggests Americans limit their consumption of added sugars to 6% of …
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). …
