Plant-based protein, dairy’s efforts to regain relevance, and the continued ascent of CBD and hemp were a few of the major trends to emerge from Natural Products Expo West 2019, according to a show recap presented yesterday by market research group SPINS.

KIND Snacks is calling out the snack industry’s — and a choice rival’s — sweet tooth by taking aim at products’ sugar content with its new Sweeteners Uncovered initiative. The goal, the brand claims, is to provide more transparency to the types and amounts of sweeteners and sugar sources used in popular snacks, such as Clif Bar, its recent Twitter sparring partner.

The natural food industry showed off its humorous side today as brands took to social media to celebrate April Fools’ Day with wacky new product launches.

Talk about a bar brawl. What constitutes a “healthy” product has long been contested in the snack industry, but a recent back-and-forth on the issue between KIND Snacks and Clif Bar has expanded the debate.

Plant-based protein company Beyond Meat and cereal and gardening company Back to the Roots both announced new investors this week.

Compass Diversified Holdings (CODI) announced yesterday it has reached an agreement to sell hemp food manufacturer Manitoba Harvest to Canadian cannabis company Tilray for C$419 million.

Internationally inspired nuts, better-for-you booze and a sesame surge are among the several emerging food and beverage trend predictions for 2019 that were highlighted in a webinar hosted by data technology company SPINS on Wednesday.

In January meat snack brand Field Trip announced the launch of Everything Bagel seasoned jerky. Now the new flavor will launch nationwide. Consumers also can expect to see new brands in the Whole Foods granola category.

CB Insights has dubbed 2019 “the year of getting closer to the consumer,” predicting that the next year will see brands and corporations seek a more direct connection with consumers through e-commerce platforms and personalization.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced new mandatory disclosure requirements for labelling genetically modified foods that will take effect in 2020.