Deep Dive: Page 2

Why some food and drink companies lost sales during the COVID-19 pandemic

As consumers changed, they started looking at things to eat with a more critical eye, considering their health, well-being and wallets — and bringing declines in some categories.

Megan Poinski • April 22, 2021

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo proxy clash with activist investor over sugar hints at future skirmishes

The fight may be a prelude to more battles as shareholders seek greater influence in corporate America on issues such as politics, diversity, health and the environment.

Christopher Doering • April 19, 2021

How much of a boost did food companies get from COVID-19?

Publicly traded large CPGs had long been struggling with little or no sales growth because of shifting consumer preferences and challenger brands stealing market share. The pandemic changed all that. 

Megan Poinski • April 13, 2021

By the numbers: How food sales during COVID-19 compare to the year prior

The pandemic's shutdown of food and drink away from home was a boon to some companies and a bane to others, according to data from earnings reports.

Megan Poinski • April 13, 2021

Help wanted: Food manufacturers compete over workers as big data, e-commerce stoke hiring frenzy

While employers prioritize adding people who can pivot across multiple jobs, prospective employees are placing more value in what companies stand for before they accept a job.

Christopher Doering • March 22, 2021

Plant-based cheese is full of startups. Will dairy providers get into the segment?

New companies and entrenched plant-based food makers are bringing growth and innovation to the sector, while most traditional cheese makers are hanging back. Are they missing an opportunity, or is it not worth their effort?

Megan Poinski • March 16, 2021

Let's make a deal: How Nestlé is using M&A and multibillion-dollar divestitures to shape its portfolio

With more than $30 billion in transactions since 2018, the world's largest food company is refocusing its offerings on faster-growing categories popular with consumers.

Christopher Doering • March 1, 2021

Will 2021 be the turning point for food technology?

What we eat and drink could soon change thanks to advances that allow for the creation of better ingredients, crops and animals. The biggest challenge: explaining the science to consumers.

Megan Poinski • Jan. 26, 2021

How algae's potential could make other ingredients green with envy

The one-celled organism can be cultivated anywhere — and with research and Big Food partnerships, it might be the next great sustainability story.

Megan Poinski • Jan. 21, 2021

Could 2021 be the breakout year for cannabis-infused food and beverages?

Although the pandemic slowed progress, the outlook is brighter as more companies enter the market and the regulatory environment has the potential to change. 

Lillianna Byington • Jan. 19, 2021

CPGs wake up to breakfast's new future after coronavirus shakeup

With more people at home, a less hectic pace has boosted demand for sausage, waffles and cereal — a shift food manufacturers are confident will stick around after the pandemic.

Christopher Doering • Jan. 12, 2021

5 trends fueling food and beverage innovation in 2021

Consumers will pick up their pursuit of immunity boosts, new plant-based options, global flavors and tech-enhanced foods after a tough year.  

Lillianna Byington, Christopher Doering and Megan Poinski • Jan. 4, 2021

5 questions to ask before adopting a coronavirus vaccine policy

Vaccines are still one arrow in an employer's COVID-19 quiver, an attorney said. Incentives and education may also be preferable to mandates.

Ryan Golden • Dec. 22, 2020

From science to reality: What approval of cell-based meat means for the industry

Singapore's approval of cultured meat is the beginning of a journey to bring something new to the business and potentially change how the world makes food.

Megan Poinski • Dec. 15, 2020

Breaking down Mars' maverick move for a more sustainable palm oil supply chain

Reducing its palm oil mills from 1,500 to 50 in three years to meet internal goals is a decisive move that will almost certainly work, but the impact beyond Mars' supply chain is less certain.

Emma Cosgrove • Dec. 14, 2020

'It's our Super Bowl': How food manufacturers are preparing for an unorthodox holiday season

The pandemic has upended how consumers plan to celebrate, prompting CPG companies to reduce product sizes, tout offerings for novice cooks and shift more resources online. 

Christopher Doering • Nov. 23, 2020

By the numbers: Examining the cost of the pandemic on the meat industry

Over the last eight months, some of the largest companies have spent millions to deal with the coronavirus and seen thousands of workers get infected, while meat supply and pricing fluctuate.

Lillianna Byington • Nov. 19, 2020

Talking Tofurky: How its mission and fun approach made a quirky company a plant-based leader

While the 25-year-old family-owned company may be named after its Thanksgiving roast, a diverse array of products and leadership have helped establish the now-trendy segment.

Megan Poinski • Nov. 19, 2020

OSHA comes under fire for 'paltry' fines and lax guidance to meat plants

While critics call the citations "less than a slap on the wrist," companies including Smithfield and JBS have denounced the fines, saying they followed the agency's recommendations for the pandemic once they were available.

Lillianna Byington • Nov. 17, 2020

Once mocked, nonalcoholic beer creates a buzz as traditional brew sales stagnate

New offerings from brands like Guinness and Budweiser are flooding the space as the segment, which pulls in nearly $200 million in sales, suddenly heats up.

Christopher Doering • Nov. 12, 2020

How a Monster competitor plans to be the next $1B brand in energy drinks

Fast-growing Celsius Holdings has shaken the $14 billion beverage segment dominated by deeper-pocketed players like Red Bull by eschewing questionable ingredients and promising faster calorie burning during exercise.

Christopher Doering • Nov. 9, 2020

Meat processors expedite plans to implement robotics as pandemic increases pressure

The future of meat manufacturing could include 3D scanners and automated cutting. Tyson, Smithfield, Cargill and JBS are all looking at ways to incorporate more automation.

Lillianna Byington • Nov. 2, 2020

Less sugar, more problems: How reducing the popular sweetener causes reformulation challenges

Sugar helps with the texture, structure, color and shelf-life of products — all aspects that need to be replaced when manufacturers reduce the amount of the ingredient they use.

Megan Poinski • Oct. 22, 2020

Yuengling survived Prohibition and both World Wars. But can it beat the pandemic?

Despite recent challenges, the sixth-generation leaders of America's oldest brewery are leaning into its reputation as a "traditional" beer company, while pushing ahead on new initiatives including a partnership with Molson Coors.

Christopher Doering • Oct. 19, 2020

Is coronavirus accelerating the growth of plant-based meat?

Sales for the category have exploded as the pandemic disrupts business as usual. Is this because people are turning away from animal-based eating, or is it keeping with the segment's trends?

Megan Poinski • Oct. 13, 2020