Headlines

A growing number of U.S. consumers are buying locally produced foods, and retailers are taking notice. Using localized methods to produce and distribute food, the products are praised by consumers as being as more sustainable, fresher and environmentally-friendly than alternatives.

After learning about the basics of kitchen incubators, part two of FBU’s kitchen incubator series focuses on the costs of working in such a facility, the necessary permits and certifications you will need before starting, and the inner workings of developing your product in the kitchen incubator space.

When temperatures drop, soup sales heat up. But in recent years, consumer attitudes toward the category have been chillier than winter in Alaska, and declining sales of this venerable and undeniably versatile dish have left soup manufacturers in need of some comfort themselves.

For early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs, kitchen incubators are often one of the first stops on the road to brand development.

Ask most industry trend spotters about what’s hot in food and beverage, and functional ingredients often show up near the top of the list.

A long-simmering food fight in the U.S. is about to reach a boil. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is intent on improving its labeling standards to encourage healthier eating.

We love hearing stories behind new brands, and at the 2015 Winter Fancy Food Show, FBU interviewed with a great number of entrepreneurs to find out their story. We asked them how they got started and what they did before launching their businesses, to which many replied had nothing to do with food or beverage.

When you’re one of a handful brands (or perhaps, the only one) attempting to introduce a new or innovative ingredient, how do you educate consumers about it?

While at the show, we did some polling: 1) What is trending in specialty food? 2) What advice would exhibitors give to entrepreneurs knowing what they know now? 3) How does a brand owner start building an independent retail network?

It wasn’t just food and fun at the 40th annual Winter Fancy Food Show last week. There was also learning on top. We hit a couple of sessions off the floor to see what we could bring back for the FBU crowd.