With the food industry under increased pressure to promote healthier diets, address obesity and reduce diet-related diseases, more evidence emerges to suggest environmental factors, specifically screen time and poor sleep, may go hand-in-hand with overconsumption.
Despite the pandemic straining supply chains, causing food shortages and price volatility, Europe’s high-income levels and relatively low rates of inequality mean it is well placed to cope with the types of unexpected economic shocks that can drive food...
New rules on organic farming and production in the EU are set to come into effect at the beginning of 2022. In the first in a series of articles examining the update, legal experts Katia Merten-Lentz, partner at international law firm Keller and Heckman,...
Beyond Meat has secured a three-year supply agreement with McDonald’s for the fast-food restaurant’s McPlant burger. Market tests have already begun in Europe.
By René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager
The need to preserve protein functionality is prompting food makers to explore ‘milder processing’ than traditional heat treatment. In his second monthly column, René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager and member of the FoodNavigator expert advisory...
They have fed us for millennia and are critical for the food and nutrition security, livelihoods and cultures of hundreds of millions of people across the globe. But today, nearly a third of freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction.
Nestlé reported ‘strong’ growth of its plant-based brands when it delivered its full year results. But, CEO Mark Schneider stressed, the opportunity is much bigger than meat-free burgers or bangers.
What do canned baked beans, low fat fruit yogurt, ice cream, pre-packaged sliced bread, ready-made pasta sauces, and breakfast cereals with added sugar all have in common?
Givaudan’s flavour business, Givaudan Taste & Wellness, is launching a new tool that leverages artificial intelligence for the ‘next generation’ of product development. “Success comes from combining the output of the tools with the sensitivity and...
Researchers from the French National Institute for Research into Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) are hoping to buck the trend of falling white truffle production in Europe.
Voluntary codes to limit the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children ‘cannot work’, according to the Federation of German Consumer Organisations. The association is calling for tougher action.
Kerry Group’s strategic review of its dairy production and consumer food assets will allow it to free up money for acquisitions in faster growing areas, say equity analysts.
Having closed a $29m Series A, the maker of 3D-printed alt meat is looking to expand its product line and rollout its beef alternatives into Israel, Germany and Switzerland, before moving into Asian and US markets.
Traditional bricks-and-mortar retail still has “a long way to run”, but food and beverage manufacturers must embrace AI and predictive analysts to create value, according to IGD’s chief economist James Walton.
The frozen food revival will thrive post-pandemic as it offers a greater array of indulgent items and as consumers seek solutions to the problem of food waste, says the British Frozen Food Federation.
A dispute between the meat giant and the NGO over deforestation committed by rogue farmers in the Amazon illustrates the challenge faced by big businesses in identifying malpractice in deep and complex supply chains.
The UK’s advertising watchdog has received a complaint from The Vegan Society, which claims AHDB’s ‘We Eat Balanced’ campaign is likely to mislead members of the public.
Sales of organic and Fairtrade certified products continued to shine in 2020 as concerns over the climate impact of food production and the COVID-19 crisis put ethical consumerism in the spotlight.
The rapid expansion of online grocery shopping is set to continue post pandemic to become a driving force in consumer loyalty, according to Ocado CEO Mel Smith.
The newly founded European Non-GMO Industry Association (ENGA) is backing the expansion of genetically modified-free production across the bloc and supporting Member States looking to promote non-GMO labelling, says co-founder Alexander Hissting.
In the UK, 2020 saw frozen fish sales surge in retail, while premium seafood struggled to find its way onto restaurant diners’ plates. What do experts predict for the post-COVID ‘new normal’? And how can brands make the most of this changing retail landscape?...
Tesco has come under fire from a group of investors for what they characterise as the supermarket’s ‘role in the UK obesity crisis’. However, the retailer hit back, insisting it has ‘strong plans’ to make it ‘the easiest place to shop for healthy and...
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is an internationally recognised method of identifying and managing food safety risk. In an area that is both strictly regulated and highly complex, setting up an HACCP system requires a ’great knowledge’...
UK biotech start-up CellulaREvolution hopes that a new funding round will help accelerate its vision to ‘revolutionise’ the cultured meat space. The company has developed technology that offers an important unlock for so-called ‘clean’ meat producers:...
Four in 10 websites appear to be using ‘greenwashing’ tactics that could be considered misleading and therefore potentially break consumer law, according to an investigation by the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (ICPEN).
For plant-based producers to take a larger chunk out of the US$1.3trn meat market they will need to strengthen their appeal to flexitarian consumers. But how can this be achieved?
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed consumer behaviour in retail, according to Steve Challouma, General Manager UK at Nomad Foods-owned Birds Eye. “We’ve observed an acceleration of growth in the frozen category, of which frozen fish is a...
Current price tags on dairy, animal- and plant-based foods do not reflect the environmental costs associated with their production. But if they did, what would the ‘true cost’ of these products be?
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, UK artisan chocolate brand Montezuma’s commissioned food anthropologist Caroline Hobkinson to predict food industry trends over the next two decades with a specific focus on chocolate.
Health campaigners are frustrated after the European Commission unveiled plans to review – but not phase out -- funding for promotional campaigns for red meat and processed meat due to links to cancer.
A new UK centre of excellence was opened this week by partners from the John Innes Centre and University of East Anglia (UEA) to develop projects that improve global food security.
South African scientists have warned that rising demand for affordable meat and the expansion of intensive animal agriculture creates the ‘perfect breeding ground’ for the development of viruses that could spark future pandemics.
By studying the interactions between plant-based proteins and biomolecules, food biotech POW! Foods is developing a line of vegan meat alternatives. Starting with chorizo, the start-up will be a ‘game-changer in the food industry’, says CEO and co-founder...
Equity analysts predict a bright future for the mega merger, completed today (1 February), between International Flavors & Fragrances Inc (IFF) and DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences (N&B) business. They also expect more tie-ups to come in the...
Intensive farming of livestock for meat production is often criticised by environmentalists for its heavy carbon footprint. Royal DSM is working to reduce livestock emissions through a new platform it says helps improve poultry, swine, and ruminant operations.
Keto has long been tipped as the next big diet trend. But, while it has found favour in the US, consumers this side of the pond have been slower on the uptake. Could 2021 be a breakthrough year for ketogenic food in Europe?
Customers expect companies to ‘act with purpose’ beyond the pandemic, according to market research company Euromonitor. How can food and beverage brands respond?
The largest ever opinion poll on climate change has discovered almost two thirds of people around the world now view the issue as a ‘global emergency’. However, for most, switching to plant-based eating is not their desired answer.
Seventy percent of consumers in Germany, France and the Netherlands support a meat tax that includes environmental costs, if tax revenues are used to reduce VAT on vegetables and fruit, according to survey findings.
Quantis is launching geoFootprint, a digital tool that the company describes as the ‘first’ to use satellite technology to map the environmental impact of food production on an interactive map. The innovation holds the key to ‘smarter, science-driven...
Whisk, an app that allows consumers to turn recipes into shopping lists, has added UK supermarket Sainsbury’s to its list of partner companies as retailers and CPGs seek to take full advantage of the growth in online shopping.
Spanish start-up Novameat has developed what it claims to be the biggest cell-based meat prototype in the world. FoodNavigator catches up with founder and CEO Giuseppe Scionti to talk R&D, investment, and collaborating with Michelin-starred Disfrutar.
The UK has observed a temporary slowdown in the meat reduction trend, according to Mintel, who says processed meat sales are booming amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Investors look likely to applaud Unilever’s commitment to ensuring all suppliers will pay the living wage in its supply chain. But the consumer goods giant risks potential challenges if costs are passed on to end consumers, says an analyst.
Swiss biotech company Evolva is launching a natural sugar blocker for food and drink applications. L-arabinose is also a reducing sugar, the company’s head of investor and corporate relations tells FoodNavigator.
