Foodnavigator-usa Podcast

After Perdue Farms received unsolicited but ultimately what it characterized as “fair” criticism for its approach to animal care years ago, the protein producer began inviting annually animal welfare advocates, farmers, academics and stakeholders from across the value chain to visit its farms to share concerns, ask questions and offer feedback after learning how the company currently approaches its business, how the broader landscape is changing and what the future may hold.

Snacking in the US continues to climb, according to data from Circana, despite predictions that a surge in the frequency and sales of snacks during the pandemic was unsustainable and would revert to pre-COVID levels as consumers returned to in-person events and adopted a hybrid lifestyle.

Nearly 150 dairy industry stakeholders, including producers, entrepreneurs and investors, gathered at a winery in idyllic Livermore, Cali., earlier this month to celebrate the winners of the 5th Real California Milk Excelerator competition, which scoured the globe to find and accelerate the best startups using milk and dairy in novel ways ranging from innovative foods and beverages to textiles and plastics to personal care.

Warning letters sent last week by the Federal Trade Commission to two food industry trade groups and a dozen online health influencers questioning the adequacy of paid partnership disclosures may not be a harbinger of impending enforcement that some believe, but they do shine a light on common social media practices that the FTC deems insufficient or is unwilling to give a pass going forward.

Contrary to high-profile headlines about sliding sales of meat alternatives, consumer demand for plant-based products across categories continues to climb, but for the segment to reach its full potential – and continue expanding its consumer base – new research suggests brands and retailers must improve access to reliable, accurate information about how their products are made, the value they offer, where to find them and how to prepare them.

According to tastemakers at the nutrition and ingredient giant ADM, consumers are ready to “unapologetically” embrace luxurious, indulgent flavors and whimsical, vivid colors in their foods and beverages after years of holding back due to limited options during the pandemic or limited financial resources in the face of inflation.

Good food is the foundation for good health, but according to the US Department of Agriculture 10% of Americans, or approximately 33.8 million people, don’t have reliable access to healthy nutrition – a sobering statistic that online grocery technology and delivery company Instacart is tackling head-on through a wide range of programs, partnerships and policy advocacy.

As grocery shoppers shift back to brick-and-mortar stores after relying heavily on ecommerce during the pandemic, food and beverage brands also are shifting their advertising from social media to in-store with many turning to retail media networks to target consumers closer to the point of purchase.

Startups with little more than an idea and a compelling founder’s story may no longer be able to secure wild valuations or enough funding to blow millions a month proving a concept, but companies that have product-market fit in competitive categories and can prove they are on the path to profitability still have options – such as from the recently launched growth equity firm Humble Growth.

More than fat or calories, the nutritional information consumers are most likely to look for on food and beverage packages is sugar, with a survey conducted by Cargill finding nearly two out of three consumers aiming to avoid it and the majority also reportedly bypassing artificial sweeteners.

The 2023 holiday season is around the corner and this year promises more good cheer – or at last more spending – than last year, but the higher inflation that will buoy sales is a double edged sword that simultaneously threatens volume and must be considered when crafting marketing campaigns for the next four months.

Inflation may finally be cooling, but prices at the shelf remain significantly higher for most products than a year ago, and certainly since pre-pandemic – leading to widespread food insecurity in the US and prompting consumers, retailers and brands to make difficult decisions about purchasing, merchandising and marketing.

The grocery industry is at an inflection point as retailers and manufacturers grapple with dramatic changes in how food is produced and sold and an increasingly diverse consumer base that is no longer willing to settle for the one-size-fits-all, supply-driven business model that has dominated the segment for decades.

Even though plant-based protein sales continued to slide in July, prompting retailers to slim down and shift offerings from the more premium placement in the refrigerated section to the freezer aisle, startup TiNDLE Foods still sees significant opportunity in the segment that it plans to seize with a full line-up of cross-category launches.

With roughly 2 billion people overweight, nearly a billion people suffering from hunger and a third of all food produced lost or waste – the current food system is “too unbalanced, too wasteful and too vulnerable,” according to Unilever, which is why the CPG giant’s nutrition division is on a mission to be “Boldly Healthier” for people and the planet.

Offering an abundant selection of fresh, high-quality, diverse fruits and vegetables is a top priority for most grocers given the produce section is often a key driver for overall store foot traffic – but according to a recent survey staying stocked is also a top pain point for many retailers.

While regulators, legislators and industry stakeholders debate whether whole, 2% and flavored milks should be offered alongside plain, low-fat and fat-free options as a required component of school meals, a growing number of students are raising concerns – and their voices – about a lack of plant-based options.

Between climate change’s negative impact on food production and ongoing supply chain challenges that threaten access to high quality nutrition, ensuring the growing population has enough to eat without further compromising the planet’s health will require significant innovation, technological advancements and funding – all of which investment and mentoring firm Techstars says its sixth Farm to Fork Accelerator program brings together.

At the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City late last month emerging and established brands were going back to basics with simplified ingredients, streamlined packaging, clear cut benefits and natural – if not always familiar – flavor profiles.

Under a new CEO and with peak-pandemic receding farther into the background, the Consumer Brands Association is “going back to the future” to focus on core values that, while still priorities in recent years, took a backseat during the chaos of COVID and rising geo-political tensions.