Deep Dive
Industry insights from our journalists
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Permission granted by Cameron Hodgins
Why General Mills is embarking on a farmer-driven regenerative agriculture strategy
The CPG giant said its projects are less about setting stringent rules and more about listening to the producers who are familiar with their land.
Chris Casey • April 21, 2023 -
Photo illustration: Bazooka Candy Brands; Industry Dive
How Bazooka Gum uses nostalgia to drive sweet success
More than 75 years after the iconic pink bubble gum first launched, it’s still popular for the flavor, texture and comics that made it famous — and that isn't likely to change.
Megan Poinski • April 19, 2023 -
Permission granted by Hain Celestial
The ambitious plan by Hain Celestial’s new CEO to restore growth and evolve the better-for-you food giant
In her first interview since taking over in January, Wendy Davidson said her strategy at the Greek Gods yogurt and Terra chips maker prioritizes increasing innovation, boosting brand awareness and expanding distribution.
Christopher Doering • April 11, 2023 -
David Silverman via Getty Images
Why cage-free eggs could be on shaky ground
Industry leaders are still on a path to wider adoption of cage-free systems, but consumer expectations, bird flu and an upcoming Supreme Court decision could impact whether they continue to invest in the practice.
Chris Casey • Feb. 28, 2023 -
Courtesy of Eat Just
Will 2023 be the year food plays a role in sustainability policy?
Policymakers are starting to connect the dots between the sector — which represents roughly a third of all emissions — and climate change. But traditional ideas about food are hard to change.
Megan Poinski • Jan. 31, 2023 -
Courtesy of PepsiCo
Food companies say they can reduce their emissions this year. Experts are skeptical.
Academics and environmental groups say CPGs’ reliance on regenerative agriculture and carbon credits may not be enough to realistically hit their time-based goals.
Chris Casey • Jan. 30, 2023 -
Permission granted by Vita Coco
Here’s how CPGs are bracing for more volatility in 2023
After a year of inflation, war and supply chain disruptions, companies are taking steps to prepare their operations to weather a period of prolonged uncertainty.
Christopher Doering • Jan. 17, 2023 -
Permission granted by Mondelez International
Mondelēz launches new strategies to refresh iconic Toblerone and Milka brands
The snacking giant made changes to the packaging of both century-old chocolate offerings, and in the case of Milka, altered its shape and flavor, to keep the products relevant.
Christopher Doering • Jan. 11, 2023 -
Brandon Bell via Getty Images
7 trends shaping food and beverage in 2023
The year begins with a new focus on giving consumers what they want, from RTD cocktails to tech-enabled products to sustainability to better labeling.
Christopher Doering, Chris Casey and Megan Poinski • Jan. 10, 2023 -
Courtesy of Beyond Meat
How can plant-based meat get back to growth?
As business indicators have worsened, Beyond Meat and other companies in the space have tried new strategies — but analysts say they may have forgotten consumers along the way.
Megan Poinski • Nov. 17, 2022 -
Alex Wong via Getty Images
From science to CPG: New ventures create opportunities for startups
While many larger players in the food tech space had to build their own facilities and processes from scratch, entities are planning to give those starting out now a smoother beginning.
Megan Poinski • Nov. 11, 2022 -
Courtesy of Air Protein
From science to CPG: Finding the right team to go beyond the lab
While scientific processes and developments are core to what food tech companies do, they need employees who can turn the science into a successful business.
Megan Poinski • Nov. 10, 2022 -
Courtesy of Upside Foods
From science to CPG: Adapting R&D to regulations — and eventually consumers
As food tech startups grow, their focus needs to shift from scientific breakthroughs to meeting stringent manufacturing rules, as well as thinking a lot about the people who will one day eat their products.
Megan Poinski • Nov. 9, 2022 -
Courtesy of Future Meat Technologies
From science to CPG: How money makes the food tech startup world go round
Fundraising and understanding a realistic timeline are high barriers for these companies as they face R&D and regulatory challenges.
Megan Poinski • Nov. 8, 2022 -
Permission granted by Finless Foods
From science to CPG: How food tech companies grow into tomorrow’s food manufacturers
It’s difficult to take a scientific discovery that could change the way the world eats and get it to consumers’ plates. Startups need tenacity, money, R&D, patience and an understanding of reality.
Megan Poinski • Nov. 7, 2022 -
Retrieved from Dot's Homestyle Pretzels.
How CPGs are using M&A to boost manufacturing amid supply disruptions
While dealmaking often focuses on food or beverage brands, more companies are buying plants to ramp up production, widen an offering’s reach and lessen dependence on outside manufacturers.
Christopher Doering • Aug. 31, 2022 -
Christopher Doering/Food Dive
Small candy makers forced to rethink their business strategies
Sweets manufacturers, many of them family owned, are doing away with long-time traditions in order to survive amid labor shortages, high costs and unreliable deliveries of some ingredients.
Christopher Doering • July 18, 2022 -
Courtesy of Upside Foods
How should cell-based meat be labeled? What 1,179 comments to USDA say about stakeholders' priorities
With decision-making coming soon, players in cultivated and animal meat industries, state governments and policy groups expressed opinions about how the nascent space should be represented.
Megan Poinski • May 31, 2022 -
Natalie Behring via Getty Images
Big Food's sustainable packaging goals hit supply and demand reality
As CPGs set targets to cut virgin plastic use, chaotic forces like the pandemic, poor weather and war complicate the timeline.
Samantha Oller • May 25, 2022 -
Stockah via Getty Images
What's standing in the way of a circular food packaging economy?
As CPGs test new bottle and wrapper prototypes and set goals to cut virgin plastic use, critics warn roadblocks could trip up their progress.
Chris Casey • May 24, 2022 -
Photo Illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images
Tracking sustainable food and beverage packaging innovation
Kraft Heinz has removed the signature plastic ‘shaker’ bag from its Shake ‘N Bake products, which it says will save 900,000 pounds of plastic annually.
Updated Nov. 14, 2022 -
Permission granted by Sonoma Brands
Lost and found: Brands neglected by large CPGs thrive under new ownership
Krave jerky, Funfetti baking products and Häagen-Dazs are just a few of the lines that have flourished after being divested, with their new owners spending more on marketing, innovation and improving product quality.
Christopher Doering • May 3, 2022 -
Permission granted by Back of the Yards Algae Sciences
Beyond the blue: Interest in spirulina shifts to new applications
The microalgae can provide a desirable natural color, but it's also sustainable and nutritious — and finding its way into a wider assortment of uses.
Megan Poinski • April 14, 2022 -
Permission granted by OK Kosher
The 'silent salesman': How kosher certification went mainstream
While the seal signifies that items meet Jewish dietary laws, it increasingly represents purity, good practices and trustworthiness to non-observant consumers.
Megan Poinski • April 13, 2022 -
Permission granted by Hostess Brands
With a portfolio of iconic snacks, Hostess Brands sweetens its business for another century
Just a decade after bankruptcy, the Twinkies maker is thriving under CEO Andy Callahan, who has prioritized innovation and moving its iconic offerings into faster-growing occasions.
Christopher Doering • March 30, 2022
