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

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.

Whether looking back after a recent sale or describing the professional and personal circumstances that govern their day-to-day lives, exemplary entrepreneurs often serve as the primary sources for advice and knowledge.

Food and Beverage University (FBU) Austin will feature a broad look at financial options for new food and beverage companies that will match their lifecycle and needs at all growth stages.

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?

The 2015 Austin lineup draws from the region’s reputation as a hotbed of successful entrepreneurial endeavors.

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.

One of the biggest marketing issues still plaguing many food and beverage companies is how to implement a successful social media campaign. Many wonder, “what’s the secret to interacting with consumers online?”

With booming consumer demand for specialty and artisanal foods, a growing number of entrepreneurs armed with little more than a dream and recipe are turning to kitchen incubators in hopes of turning their ideas into reality.

Veteran brand manager and sales consultant Andy Stallone has joined the faculty for the BevNET FBU Austin event on Feb 10.