Manufacturing
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Boston Beer fuses beer and seltzer flavors in nonalcoholic offering
The maker of Sam Adams is using the new booze-free product as a launchpad for nationwide direct-to-consumer shipping.
By Chris Casey • April 22, 2024 -
Plant-based meat sales fall to $8.1B as consumers demand lower prices and higher quality
Though the space has made strides to reach more people, only 15% of U.S. households purchased its products in 2023, compared to 19% in 2022.
By Elizabeth Flood • April 22, 2024 -
Trendline
The Benefits of Functional Food Ingredients
Between consumers increasingly focusing on wellness, and comapnies looking to improve the taste and texture of plant-based alternatives featuring better-for-you ingredients, this market is having a major moment.
By Food Dive staff -
Hydrox planning antitrust lawsuit against Oreo parent Mondelēz
The cookie’s owner, Leaf Brands, accuses the snacking giant of intimidating retailers and instructing workers who restock shelves to hide, misplace or move Hydrox to less desirable locations.
By Christopher Doering • April 22, 2024 -
Glanbia buys Flavor Producers for $300M
The Irish ingredients company said the acquisition will enhance its organic and natural flavor capabilities in the U.S.
By Chris Casey • April 18, 2024 -
Beyond Meat’s revamped burger hits shelves
As the category continues to try to reinvent itself, the company’s new generation of product is now available for consumers to try.
By Elizabeth Flood • April 18, 2024 -
Q&A
Meet the agency behind some of CPG’s splashiest brand refreshes
From M&M’s to Manischewitz, JKR has had a hand in high-profile overhauls that try to balance reverence for legacy with modernity.
By Peter Adams • April 17, 2024 -
Red Baron pizza owner looks to Korean food for its next $1B offering
Sales from its Bibigo brand, which offers everything from fried rice to frozen dumplings, have jumped more than 1,100% since 2019 amid growing demand for the East Asian cuisine.
By Christopher Doering • April 17, 2024 -
Unilever launches Knorr meal cups to attract working consumers
The brand, recognized for its sauces and broths, is launching seven rice and pasta options for people looking for healthier choices at the office.
By Christopher Doering • April 15, 2024 -
Food companies aren’t ready to comply with traceability rule, says former FDA official
Frank Yiannas, who helped the agency craft its new food safety tracking policy, said the system is not even a third of the way to meeting the 2026 deadline.
By Chris Casey • April 15, 2024 -
PepsiCo’s Quaker Oats plant in Illinois to close, laying off 510 employees
The food giant said the facility, recently impacted by a recall, would have required “an extended closure for enhancements and modernization.”
By Christopher Doering • April 11, 2024 -
Conagra Brands to close Wisconsin Birds Eye plant and lay off 252 people
The packaged food giant said it regularly evaluates its production network to ensure it is “operating as effectively and efficiently as possible” in order to remain competitive.
By Christopher Doering • April 10, 2024 -
Kraft Heinz’s Lunchables have high amounts of sodium and lead, Consumer Reports finds
The watchdog group said the popular meal kit marketed toward kids should not be allowed on school menus and urged the USDA to remove it as an option.
By Christopher Doering • April 10, 2024 -
Congress needs to up funding for food safety oversight, FDA official says
Deputy Commissioner Jim Jones said more money is key to supporting new initiatives including food safety, supply chain resiliency and modernizing its infrastructure and facilities.
By Elizabeth Flood • Updated April 11, 2024 -
Godiva names former Nike executive as president to boost sales
The appointment of Steve Lesnard comes as owner Pladis looks to significantly expand the premium chocolate brand's reach in the U.S. and globally by 2026.
By Christopher Doering • April 8, 2024 -
Q&A
How Nestlé generated $200M in additional revenue by looking within
The food giant launched a program in 2019 to better utilize ideas from its employees. Thousands of ideas have been received, leading to new products such as Stouffer’s Mac & Cheese Bite-Fulls.
By Christopher Doering • April 8, 2024 -
Debate surrounding state food additive bans heats up
Food industry executives argue the proposals lack scientific standing and could wreak havoc on the industry, while opponents link consumption of the food substances to serious health problems.
By Elizabeth Flood • April 4, 2024 -
Why Coors Banquet believes it is thriving in a flailing beer category
The brand attributed its sales growth to nostalgia and its legacy brand status, as parent company Molson Coors faces an ongoing strike at one of its plants.
By Chris Casey • April 4, 2024 -
Column
The Weekly Sip: Leinenkugel gets into Johnsonville brats | Woody Harrelson’s spirit brand infuses superfoods
The Summer Shandy Beer Brat combines two Wisconsin favorites, and Mingle Mocktails debuts a zero-proof sparkling rosé ahead of summer.
By Food Dive staff • April 4, 2024 -
Danone enters $1B yogurt mix-in category with healthy focus
The dairy giant is introducing the new Remix banner to its Oikos, Too Good & Co. and Light + Fit brands to attract consumers hesitant to try other mix-ins seen as overly indulgent.
By Christopher Doering • April 3, 2024 -
How a ‘Yellowstone’ actor helped craft an Americana-themed coffee brand
Co-founded by TV star Cole Hauser, Free Rein Coffee Company aims to stand out in the crowded category by emphasizing a rugged cowboy aesthetic and its Texas heritage.
By Chris Casey • April 1, 2024 -
Kraft Heinz, NotCo targeting deeper presence in plant-based foods, exec says
Despite a sales slowdown in the animal-substitute category, the joint venture is planning to tap into its valuable brand equity and technology to launch more items in 2024.
By Christopher Doering • April 1, 2024 -
Unilever will get up to $20.9M from US government to lower carbon footprint at ice cream factories
The Department of Energy funding will help the Ben & Jerry’s manufacturer on a project designed to cut 14,000 metric tons of emissions annually.
By Chris Casey • March 26, 2024 -
Nestlé launches pair of initiatives to decarbonize cocoa supply chain
The global food company said its new projects aim to reduce and remove more than 500,000 metric tons of carbon during a 20-year period.
By Zoya Mirza • March 25, 2024 -
Opinion
A ban on FDA-approved food additives should come from experts
John Downs, the CEO of the National Confectioners Association, said more studies should be done before banning Red 3 dye and titanium dioxide.
By John Downs • March 25, 2024 -
General Mills still dealing with elevated operating costs, CEO says
The Cheerios maker reported higher-than-normal inflation four years after the pandemic began. Input costs have increased by 32% during this time, the top executive said.
By Chris Casey • March 22, 2024