Deep Dive
Industry insights from our journalists
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Permission granted by PepsiCo
Consumers and manufacturers rethink DTC's promise as pandemic alters shopping habits
PepsiCo, Mondelez and Unilever are among the companies that have deployed direct-to-consumer shipping, which offers convenience for shoppers but complicated logistics.
Christopher Doering • May 26, 2020 -
Permission granted by Blue Mountain Brewery
Once thriving craft beer industry dealt crippling blow by coronavirus
With brewpubs and taprooms shuttered and consumers less willing to experiment, thousands of brewers could go out of business or experience major changes to their operations.
Christopher Doering • May 19, 2020 -
Permission granted by Minibar
Online alcohol sales may see permanent rise as coronavirus alters shopping habits
Data insights firm Kantar estimates that 30% of new customers who try buying booze through e-commerce for the first time during the pandemic will remain long-term users.
Christopher Doering • May 06, 2020 -
Photos by Getty; photo illustration by Kendall Davis/Food Dive
Meatpacking workers wonder whether job is a 'death sentence' amid outbreaks
Many are criticizing the industry’s response for waiting too long to implement safety precautions and close processing plants as thousands have tested positive for coronavirus.
Lillianna Byington • April 28, 2020 -
Megan Poinski/Food Dive
What will a virtual IFT be like?
Companies and scientists among the 25,000 attendees and 1,200 exhibitors usually at the annual event speculate about how the experience can be replicated online.
Megan Poinski • April 23, 2020 -
Permission granted by Veestro
Food startups grapple with financial roadmap as coronavirus sows uncertainty
The pandemic has made it harder to assess valuations for companies, forcing businesses to alter strategies on how and when to raise money.
Christopher Doering • April 20, 2020 -
Permission granted by Ajinomoto
From the blacklist to the spotlight: How MSG is staging a comeback
Ever since a 1968 editorial, consumers have shied away from monosodium glutamate, but manufacturers have continued to use it. Now the ingredient is beginning to lose its bad reputation.
Megan Poinski • April 16, 2020 -
Antitrust concerns cloud DFA's purchase of Dean Foods' assets
Although the bankruptcy court approved the sale, it needs the U.S. Department of Justice to sign off. Some are hoping that roadblock will stop the deal.
Lillianna Byington • April 16, 2020 -
Emma Cosgrove
Coronavirus casts a spotlight on risks facing food workers, employers
While many CPG manufacturers have increased pay and improved safety within their facilities, some unions and employees have asked whether it is enough.
Christopher Doering • April 06, 2020 -
Lillianna Byington/Food Dive
'It's a huge blow': How businesses are moving forward after coronavirus canceled Expo West
The annual trade show is critical in helping launch products, and the loss of face time with retailers and buyers has left many companies searching for creative solutions to recover.
Lillianna Byington, Christopher Doering and Megan Poinski • March 19, 2020 -
Danielle Ternes/Food Dive
How two years of changes in dairy led to two major bankruptcies
Struggling with competition from milk alternatives, innovative startups and private label, this timeline shows how Borden and Dean Foods got here and what’s next for the industry.
Nami Sumida and Lillianna Byington • March 04, 2020 -
Emma Cosgrove
CFO in the Know: Getting acquired in a 'snack-eat-snack' market
Small food companies often form in hopes of acquisition by giants like Hershey or Mondelez. How can CFOs best help their companies prepare for such large-scale acquisitions?
Jane Thier • March 03, 2020 -
Anheuser-Busch
Farm to pint: How Anheuser-Busch cultivates its ingredients amid a changing climate and consumer
In addition to stringent farming protocols, the company is investing millions to find the next rice, hops and barley varieties that can be grown using less water or are more resilient to diseases.
Christopher Doering • Feb. 20, 2020 -
Just
Cell-based meat products are years away, so why are states making so many laws about them?
Seventeen laws about meat labeling were passed in 14 states in 2019, and nine states are considering similar legislation this year.
Megan Poinski • Feb. 12, 2020 -
Food manufacturers can put GMO labels on their products in 2020. Will they?
Large manufacturers need to disclose detectable bioengineered ingredients by 2022, and attorneys and analysts think many will wait until the last minute.
Megan Poinski • Jan. 27, 2020 -
Once a sidekick in food, the pea finds itself the star of the show
The little round legume has grown in popularity as a way to add nutrients, replace allergens and respond to consumer demand for more plant-based meats, beverages and other products.
Christopher Doering • Jan. 23, 2020 -
Christopher Doering
Big Beer quickens pace of innovation as sales of iconic brews languish
With volumes of the popular alcohol dropping for the fourth straight year in 2019, hard coffee, kombucha, spiked seltzers and flavored versions of popular brews could be the future.
Christopher Doering • Jan. 21, 2020 -
Dollar General
6 trends that will shape the food and beverage industry in 2020
What will this new year bring? We see the launch of meat substitutes that go beyond the burger, the elevation of alternative dairy products and smaller M&A deals.
Lillianna Byington, Megan Poinski and Christopher Doering • Jan. 08, 2020 -
Follow Your Heart
How to have nearly 50 years of success in plant-based food: Follow Your Heart
With unflinching ethics and a commitment to sustainability, the company that practically started the animal-free segment grew from a vegetarian lunch counter to a grocery store CPG staple, selling Vegenaise, cheeses and yogurts.
Megan Poinski • Dec. 03, 2019 -
Aleksandr Kravtsov/Getty Images
Cannabis is hot, so why are investors wary?
The regulatory gray area for the substance in food and beverage has led to hesitation, causing some brands to struggle with fundraising.
Lillianna Byington • Nov. 25, 2019 -
Yujin Kim/Food Dive; photograph by Dean Foods
How Dean Foods' bankruptcy is a 'warning sign' to the milk industry
Struggling with debt and changing consumer demands, the largest dairy producer in the U.S. filed for Chapter 11. Food Dive looks at how the company got here and what's next for the sector.
Lillianna Byington • Nov. 21, 2019 -
Christopher Doering
Behind the scenes: Data and technology bring food product R&D into the 21st century
With CPG companies under pressure to develop items faster and stretch their spending, Conagra, Mars Wrigley and Ferrara are rethinking the decades-old way of creating new things for consumers.
Christopher Doering • Nov. 20, 2019 -
Arctic Summer/White Claw/Truly
After the summer's hard seltzer spike, will the segment lose its fizz?
This year, market leader White Claw saw exploding sales and even a shortage — and legacy brewers are trying to cash in on what they hope is a lasting trend.
Lillianna Byington • Nov. 14, 2019 -
Does the beef against beef make financial sense?
As the holidays approach, plant-based protein companies are making a play for the dinner table.
Barbara Ballinger • Nov. 13, 2019 -
Getty
Why private equity firms are buying food and beverage brands
It's all about opportunity for return, helping brands get to the next level — and having something delicious in the portfolio, investors and analysts tell Food Dive.
Megan Poinski • Oct. 29, 2019
