It's been an exciting — and tumultuous — year in the food business. We've seen massive c-suite changes, huge deals, trends that shift the industry and new regulations.
Here are Food Dive's top 10 news stories from 2018, a quick tour of some of what made this year so interesting.
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Campbell Soup names ex-Pinnacle chief Clouse to oversee its turnaround
The executive will be tasked with turning around the maker of Prego, V8 and Emerald Nuts all while battling activist investor Dan Loeb who has pushed for more aggressive changes at the company. Read More »
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Is marijuana food's next functional ingredient?
As Canada prepares to fully legalize cannabis and more U.S. states follow, many believe products made with cannabinoids could be a pot of gold — if the segment can survive its hurdles. Read More »
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Why an M&A storm is brewing in the coffee market
As consumer demand for premium, on-the-go java skyrockets, Big Food companies such as Nestlé and Coca-Cola are expanding their presence in the space, spending more than $12 billion this year alone. Read More »
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Plant-based food maker Beyond Meat files for $100M IPO
The California company would go public as people look to eat healthier and protect animals and the environment — spurring demand for its products. Read More »
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PepsiCo pivots away from sugary drinks with $3.2B SodaStream buy
The acquisition expands the beverage giant's reach into healthier drinks that previously included kombucha and sparkling water. Read More »
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Big Beer struggles to tap into shifting consumer trends
AB InBev, MillerCoors and other large brewers are turning to premium products, innovation and finding new drinking occasions to reverse a multi-year loss in market share. Read More »
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It's not easy being green: Romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak rattles food, grocery industries
The FDA's decision to request that the popular green gets pulled from shelves sent "a strong message" to the produce sector, according to a former agency official, while costing supermarkets millions of dollars in losses. Read More »
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FDA updates Nutrition Facts label changes, issues more guidance for industry
Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced draft and final guidance documents outlining how to meet the label requirements. He didn't address the compliance deadline. Read More »
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Start me up: How big food companies' incubator programs help new companies get going
Most manufacturers have a division dedicated to assisting young, trendy brands in their journey toward success — and maybe an eventual acquisition. Read More »
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The Honest truth: How a tiny tea company is poised to become one of Coca-Cola's next $1B brands
As more stores carried its products and sports drinks, lemonades and kids beverages were added to the lineup, revenue has soared from $38 million a decade ago to more than $500 million today. Read More »