Fats & oils

Replacing oils and fats with water: Deep-tech start-up secures €4.2m

22-Oct-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Healthier food-tech business MicroLub, which uses tech to replace fats and oils with water – while claiming sensory retention – has closed a €4.2 seed investment round to commercialise.

When will the price of olive oil come down?

16-Oct-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The price of olive oil has shot up, causing headaches for manufacturers and consumers. So, what does the future hold for this costly commodity, and will the price ever come down?

EUDR and getting it right: Four lessons from the RSPO

16-Oct-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Broad unpreparedness led the world to rebel against EUDR’s enforcement. Now the clock could be reset for another 12 months, what can the global supply chain do to reach compliance?

EUDR: Answering the key questions

11-Oct-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

On the day the Commission announced it was advising a delay to EUDR, new FAQs were released to provide further clarity on the regulation.

Future Food-Tech 2024

Do consumers want alternative raw materials?

10-Oct-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Alternative raw materials aim to provide sustainable versions of commodities, including cocoa, coffee and palm oil, that are both integral to food and linked to deforestation. Will consumers accept them?

Consumers are rejecting fat-free foods and beverages – what does this mean for manufacturers?

01-Oct-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Reduced-fat and fat-free products were once embraced as the healthy option for consumers. So why have they fallen from favour and what does it mean for manufacturers?

EUDR: Are Unilever, Nestlé, Mars, Mondelēz & Danone ready?

30-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

As the clock ticks down three months to go until EUDR, FoodNavigator reviews how ready food and drink giants like Unilever, Mondelēz International and Danone are for the industry-shaking regulation.

Three months to EUDR – will there be a delay?

30-Sep-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The EUDR deadline is now just 91 days away. But is industry ready and will the EU be forced to delay? Here's the latest on the polarising piece of legislation.

Behind the boom: Trends driving Europe’s future ingredients market

27-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

A booming food ingredients market is feeding sector growth, with segments like carotenoids and botanicals ready for the biggest sales upticks. So, what is the current and future state of Europe’s food ingredients market?

How to find ingredient and packaging suppliers

25-Sep-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Ingredients and packaging materials will form the very foundation of your brand, so getting them right is essential. Here’s how to find the right suppliers and build successful relationships.

Butter, sugar and bakery prices rocket in Germany

20-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Despite Germany’s producer prices dropping overall, some commodities have risen by over a third.

EUDR delay calls mount as world turns on Commission’s plans

17-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

No fewer than 45 countries, including the USA, and industry leaders have called for an EUDR delay as the sector rattles towards a deadline many have stressed it is ill-prepared for.

Crisis timeline: How the cost of olive oil went from affordable to astronomical

16-Sep-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Olive oil prices are spiralling out of control, leaving manufactures and consumers wondering how much higher they can possibly go. But how did the crisis start, where is it headed, and what’s next?

Big Interview

Mondelēz Snackfutures’ head on staying attractive to investors

10-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

He may well be one of snacking’s most influential men. So, an audience with Mondelēz International’s Snackfutures Ventures boss, Richie Gray, could indeed be the making or breaking of a business.

EUDR watch: Discover the latest developments in this groundbreaking legislation

04-Sep-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The EUDR deadline is now just months away, yet many suppliers and manufacturers remain unprepared for the changes. We’re cutting through the noise to bring you the latest on this complex new law.

The 'carnivore' diet trend: what is it and can it be profitable?

29-Aug-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The increasingly popular carnivore diet is shaping up to be a powerful new food trend. But what is it, why has it become so popular, and what opportunities does it create for food manufacturers?

What are the drawbacks of the ketogenic diet?

08-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Despite many recorded health benefits, a new study reveals some of the drawbacks of the ketogenic diet in terms of long-term health.

Inside Europe’s fight against fake olive oil

08-Aug-2024 By Megan Tatum

Squeezed supplies and higher prices have triggered a spate of olive oil fraud across Europe in recent months, with a knock-on impact on producers and consumers.

Responsible sourcing of high-risk commodities: The latest

06-Aug-2024 By Flora Southey

From palm oil to soy, cocoa to coffee, some of the industry’s most used ingredients have strong links to deforestation. How can environmental violations best be eliminated from supply chains?

How air fryer ready foods are heating up

30-Jul-2024 By Megan Tatum

As European penetration of air fryers soars, products designed specifically for the cooking gadget are on the rise.

Five European start-ups using food tech to reimagine fats

29-Jul-2024 By Megan Tatum

How the push for ‘seed oil free’ is heading to Europe

26-Jul-2024 By Megan Tatum

Concerns around the health impacts of seed oils have migrated from the US to Europe. Could seed-oil free claims be on the rise?

How can manufacturers prepare for the next wave of UK HFSS rules?

25-Jul-2024 By Megan Tatum

It’s a little over a year before the next set of HFSS restrictions come into force in UK stores. What should UK and European food and beverage manufacturers expect?

Should extra virgin olive oil receive Nutri-Score ‘A’?

12-Jul-2024 By Flora Southey

Since extra virgin olive oil boasts multiple health benefits, is it deserving of a higher Nutri-Score ranking?

How the Swiss make chocolate, but in bioreactors

10-Jul-2024 By Flora Southey

Switzerland is one of the world’s biggest consumers of chocolate and coffee, and now it’s home to a company making both – in bioreactors.

Can food palatability be predicted?

05-Jul-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

How can you tell a food is palatable? New research uses three metrics – HFSS, UPF and HPF – to test whether palatability can be predicted.

Consumers don't want cheap plant-based meat and dairy

02-Jul-2024 By Flora Southey

Conventional wisdom would suggest if a product is priced lower, consumers would be more willing to purchase it. But when it comes to plant-based, Europeans are bucking the trend.

Could a keto diet boost brain health?

27-Jun-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The keto diet has been linked to multiple health benefits, including lowered blood pressure and reduced blood sugar. Now scientists believe it could aid brain health.

What’s the biggest trend in better-for-you snacking?

19-Jun-2024 By Flora Southey

What’s the one key trend in the better-for-you snacks category? We put the question to Mondelēz, Nestlé, Ferrero, and Mars.

OFI unveils first company-wide emissions targets: ‘It’s a stretch, but achievable’

18-Jun-2024 By Flora Southey

For the first time, OFI is setting a company-wide sustainability strategy, including Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions targets to achieve by 2030.

Early peanut exposure reduces allergy risk by 71%

17-Jun-2024 By Donna Eastlake

As the number of peanut allergy sufferers continues to rise, scientists investigate whether early exposure is the solution.

Ultra-processed food kills, says WHO

12-Jun-2024 By Flora Southey

The World Health Organization is linking ultra-processed food, alcohol, tobacco, and fossil fuel industries to millions of deaths in Europe every year.

Do vegetable crisps deserve their health halo?

06-Jun-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Colourful and classy vegetable crisps are often sought after as a ‘better-for-you’ alternative to ordinary crisps. But how accurate is this perception?

How is Ferrero balancing M&A growth with packaging sustainability?

06-Jun-2024 By Flora Southey

A strong acquisition strategy is fuelling growth at Ferrero. But inevitably, with that growth comes more packaging. How is the confectionery major working to decouple the two?

Can cultivated cocoa solve the chocolate crisis? ‘It’s like cultivating meat, but simpler’

04-Jun-2024 By Flora Southey

With climate change threatening the future supply of cocoa, could cellular agriculture offer a solution? Israeli start-up Kokomodo thinks it can, and is emerging from stealth mode to prove it.

Sustainable alternative to palm oil developed through fermentation

24-May-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

With palm oil’s links to deforestation under increasing scrutiny, a new start-up is developing an alternative through fermentation - using side streams as feedstock.

Better-for-you pizza? How Nomad cuts fat, salt and calories from Goodfella’s

24-May-2024 By Flora Southey

Every pizza in Nomad Foods’ Goodfella’s range is now non-HFSS. Here’s how.

Six start-ups rethinking cocoa for alt choc innovation

22-May-2024 By Flora Southey

Amid soaring prices and deforestation regulations, chocolate manufacturers may well be tempted to turn their back on cocoa. What alternatives are on offer?

From peas to pintos: The new ingredients being tested in plant-based dairy

21-May-2024 By Flora Southey

Researchers are looking beyond soy and oat for plant-based dairy innovation. Which ingredients are being put under the microscope?

How 'buttery' cultivated bluefin tuna is made, and served raw

20-May-2024 By Flora Southey

Wanda Fish has succeeded where most have failed; the start-up has grown ‘very challenging’ bluefin tuna cell lines for cultivated fish production.

Trust in food industry declining

20-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

As consumers become increasingly engaged in understanding the contents of the foods they’re consuming, it appears that trust in the food industry is plummeting. But can that trust be restored?

Almond growers buck the trend: Good news for food and beverage manufacturers

16-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

With reported ingredient shortages and price rises across the food and beverage industry, it appears the almond industry is bucking the trend, with prices at an 'all-time-low' with supply exceeding demand.

Heatflation: What is it and how is it impacting the food industry?

08-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

You’ll almost certainly have heard of inflation, you may well have heard of shrinkflation, but have you heard of heatflation?

Could healthy food targets imposed on supermarkets help to reduce obesity rates?

07-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

As obesity levels continue to rise across the globe, we look at whether healthy food targets for supermarkets could help to tackle the issue.

Mondelēz is hungry for snacks innovation: What’s its VC arm looking for?

06-May-2024 By Flora Southey

When Mondelēz International searches externally for savoury snack and confectionery innovation, what kinds of start-ups is it looking for?

Does tax on ‘unhealthy’ foods lower obesity rates?

01-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Rates of obesity continue to rise globally, with governments taking various measures to tackle it, but is taxing unhealthy foods the solution?

The rising price of olive oil: What’s causing it and how long will it last?

30-Apr-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Recent years have seen a steady increase in the price of olive oil. What's causing it and will this upwards trend continue?

How will the CSDDD be implemented in EU member states?

30-Apr-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The CSDDD, which aims to keep large companies’ supply chains to high standards on sustainability and human rights, has passed through the European Parliament. Next comes the tricky part: implementation.

Peanut shortage: What caused it and is it set to last?

25-Apr-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Peanuts are by far the most consumed nut (technically a legume) globally, but a recent shortage has caused concern for manufacturers. How serious is the issue and how long will it last?