Covid-19

Over two years into the pandemic, demand for CPG products has changed to reflect consumers’ need for convenience, while high inflation has fueled increased demand for self-care and wellness products, according to an IRI webinar earlier this week. Analysts from IR predicted that pandemic buying trends in CPG will continue into the next year as… Read more »

Originally scheduled for late June, the Summer 2021 Fancy Food Show, renamed as the Fancy Food Show, will now be held September 27-29 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. The show will be the sole SFA in-person event for this year, after the Winter 2021 Fancy Food Show was previously cancelled.

In an email today the Specialty Food Association announced the cancellation of the organization’s 2021 Winter Fancy Food Show, which was to be held in San Francisco on January 17-19. The annual trade show and conference highlights food and beverage producers targeting the specialty food channel.

In this complicated back-to-school environment, snack brands that relied on their allergy-friendly ‘school safe’ appeal are striving to now find a place in consumers’ homes, focusing less on the lunchbox and instead trying to capitalize on the uptick in cooking at home.

Citing the “continued impact of the COVID-19 crisis on events and travel,” New Hope this afternoon cancelled Natural Products Expo East 2020, which was to be held September 23-26 in Philadelphia. The decision marks the second pandemic-related cancellation for New Hope this year, having pulled the plug on Natural Products Expo West 2020 in March.

In its Q3 earnings presentation yesterday, the Campbell’s Soup Company reported that organic net sales increased 17% year-over-year to $2.2 billion over the quarter. Looking ahead, CEO Mark Clouse outlined four trends expected to stick: “quick scratch cooking,” accelerated use of click-and-collect and home delivery, center store’s increased relevance and value.

Though the current market has been thoroughly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving uncertainty about how consumer behavior will shift long term, a new report by market research firm IRI showed that last year was marked by numerous “blockbuster” food and beverage launches as both conglomerates and smaller companies introduced new products that quickly surpassed $100 million in sales.

In light of recent supply chain issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA has adjusted its New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative, including added priorities for worker safety and predicting potential food system disruptions, and a greater emphasis on safe food delivery to consumers.

In this week’s COVID-19 news, Costco told analysts it will bring back in-store sampling, Senate Democrats proposed a $7.5 billion bill to support the food supply chain and more.

The FDA on Friday released temporary guidance to allow food manufacturers to change ingredients without updating product labels, a move aimed at preventing supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, company and industry leaders are speaking up to promote consumer safety.