Food Industry News, Insights, and Education for the CPG Community

There’s often a clear correlation between time and quality in coffee and tea preparation: in theory, the longer it takes to prepare, the more rewarding the drinking experience should be. But if that same artisan beverage craftsmanship can be replicated in a fast and convenient format, would that idea still hold true?

The Consumer Goods Forum announced last month that it’s looking to trash current expiration date labels to help reduce food waste not only within the U.S. but around the world.

In this week’s episode of Taste Radio, Pat Brown, the founder and CEO of Impossible Foods, sat down to chat about the creation of and business strategy behind Impossible Burger, as well as his vision for the future of plant-based meat.

Under the Obama administration, brands had until July 26, 2018, to adjust all packaging. With the new extension, manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual food sales will now have until Jan. 1, 2020; manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales have until Jan. 1, 2021.

The legal saga between Snyder’s-Lance, the maker of Pretzel Crisps, and PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay, maker of Rold Gold’s Pretzel Thins, seems to be only beginning.– and the ongoing court proceedings are already serving as a cautionary tale to emerging food and beverage brands.

Just like the high-end frocks of this past month’s New York Fashion Week, across the country new packaging is strutting down their own catwalks: grocery store shelves. It may be hummus instead of Hermes, but the new designs are just as riveting to those in the industry. After time spent listening to consumers and retailers, brands including Ithaca Cold Crafted, One Degree and Hippeas all have launched refreshed designs to help them stand out in crowded categories. Here are a few examples that caught our attention.

Hummustir cofounder and CEO Rakesh Barmecha told NOSH that his team has changed its company’s name to “Stir It Up,” redesigned the packaging for its Hummustir line, and doubled its store count to about 6,000 retailers.

Job titles are changing as fast as the leaves as a variety of CPG leaders advance to new food and beverage companies. Here are some of the top moves we’ll be watching.

In an interview during Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore, Md, Skratch Labs co-founder Allen Lim spoke about his new bar line, his plan after the departure of one of the company’s partners and his “Chinese Restaurant” model for growing a business.

On this week’s episode of Taste Radio, Spindrift founder and CEO Bill Creelman discussed why the brand is pursuing a “craft” identity in an unexpected category, and how the company has taken a careful approach to retail partnerships and investment. This episode is presented by Algarithm Ingredients.

While the plant-based food’s fastest growing category remains plant-based dairy alternatives — 20 percent growth and over $700 million in sales in the past year — plant-based meat is also gaining a lot of traction– especially with refrigerated “meats.”

While children fear monsters under their beds, parents of children with allergies fear a different kind of demon: peanuts. But, according to two recent studies, peanut allergies may be avoidable with the controlled, early introduction of peanuts to babies. The FDA has taken note and its change in stance is sending waves throughout the food industry.

Last week, the Project NOSH team headed to Charm City for Natural Products Expo East. From seaweed-infused pasta to cold-pressed hummus, here are six exciting picks from the show floor.

During a discussion at Natural Products Expo East 2017 in Baltimore, Md., panelists spoke about why they look to certifications, how certifications drive many of the decisions they make and which certifications can be “deal killers” for both consumers and retailers when missing from a package.