COVID-19 has accelerated interest in the role that automation, robotics and data can play in food and agricultural production. We speak to industry leaders to learn about the latest developments.
French food brand C’est qui le Patron, which translates to ‘Who’s the Boss’ in English, asks consumers to select which ingredients, production methods, and quality of products they want…and then makes it happen.
Arla is fast tracking its plans to become European dairy market leader for e-commerce and aims to double its sales via its customers’ online platforms to €600m ($729m) across Europe.
The Spanish National Center for Food Technology and Safety (CNTA) has issued a report looking at the trends that shaped R&D in 2020 and how it expects these to define the sector in 2021.
Dutch ethical brand Tony’s Chocolonely is inviting international chocolate makers to join its transparent supply chain platform in order to create a more sustainable cocoa industry.
Operations expert Victoria Cobos joined General Mills in early November, as the company grappled with the challenges of COVID-19 and the fast-approaching Brexit deadline. We caught up with her to learn what the Supply Chain Director’s priorities are moving...
By the year 2030, trend forecaster Dr Morgaine Gaye predicts much will have changed in terms of how food is consumed: supermarkets will be forced to diversify, urban areas will be transformed by biodiversity legislation, and we will be on our to using...
Smart labels that use state of the art technology to give shoppers a host of new information about products could create a direct line of communication between consumers and producers and help foster a new era of trust between them, according to a new...
The Kraft Heinz Company’s recently released ‘transformation plan’ detailed the group’s strategy to deliver consistent growth, with top line gains led by its international business. FoodNavigator speaks to International Zone President, Rafa Oliveira, to...
In the short-term, JollyGut aims to simplify and personalise the shopping experience for consumers both in-store and online. In the long-term, CMO Dmitry Dubovik says the start-up is setting its sights further afield: “We want to become an Amazon for...
An IoT, blockchain, and AI-powered digital food supply chain platform is being developed to boost the traceability of ingredients in pre-packaged sandwiches.
UCC is the first operator in the UK to partner with the IBM Blockchain-powered platform, which aims to enhance traceability, efficiency, and sustainability in coffee and cacao supply chains.
DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences is advancing its innovation strategy through a partnership with non-profit research organisation the Institute for the Future (IFTF). The collaboration targets ‘far sighted’ innovation and will allow the company to ‘better...
Fi Europe is a red-letter event for the European food sector. This year, COVID-19 means things will be a little different. But the need to share ideas and innovation – as well as networking and business opportunities – has ‘never been more important’.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) is stepping up its programme to attract food-tech companies that are developing solutions across ‘land, sea and space’ to the region. ADIO Director General His Excellency Dr Tariq Bin Hendi tells FoodNavigator that...
The Agri-TechE REAP 2020 conference has heard the call for collaboration between international ag-tech innovators and producers to leverage ‘global scale’ to create ‘real change’ that will support the development of a more sustainable food system.
Nestlé announced this week that it has acquired a majority stake in UK meal kit service Mindful Chef. The news follows on the heels of a deal in the US to take control of recipe box supplier Freshly. What opportunities - and challenges - will Nestlé’s...
Gousto has partnered with Unilever-owned spread brand Marmite to deliver recipe innovation that the recipe box company hopes will draw in consumers new to the category.
Rabobank recently unveiled the start-ups that will take part in its virtual FoodBytes! Pitch 2020 competition. Those selected provide an interesting window into trending topics in food and agriculture. FoodNavigator speaks to Anne Greven, Global Head...
Dark kitchens, direct-to-consumer sales and online ordering have been given a significant boost by to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. It is incumbent that as food businesses innovate and find new routes to market to stay afloat in these...
Today’s consumers expect heightened levels of traceability – particularly when it comes to meat. Dutch retailer Albert Heijn is working with its suppliers and DNA testing expert IdentiGEN to provide shoppers with certainty around the meat they eat.
FTW Ventures, an early-stage VC, has launched a new fund to support food and agri-tech start-ups that it believes can disrupt the sector. FoodNavigator speaks to founder and entrepreneur Brian Frank about the tech and trends he believes will come to the...
Olam Cocoa has achieved 100% traceability for directly sourced cocoa across its global supply chain. FoodNavigator speaks to Andrew Brooks, Head of Sustainability, to learn more about reaching this milestone and the work that lies ahead to move the cocoa...
Princes is leveraging blockchain developments to improve traceability and communicate its sourcing story to customers and consumers. Starting with its Napolina brand – but with plans for a further rollout – the company is working with Provenance to communicate...
The desire to maximise health and wellbeing means that consumers are constantly on the lookout for the next innovation but they are dubious about the accuracy and safety of genetic testing kits, market research indicates.
Early life nutrition – from pregnancy to around two years – is a ‘critical period’ that can ‘positively influence health for a lifetime’, Danone Senior Medical Affairs Manager of Specialised Nutrition UK & Ireland, Zoe Ellis, tells FoodNavigator....
UK-based online grocer Farmdrop saw ‘skyrocketing’ demand during the coronavirus lockdown – and the company believes its unique business model and digital technology means this is no flash-in-the-pan.
Occupyd is an online ‘property’ marketplace that connects businesses and individuals looking to rent an inexpensive workspace with those looking to maximise their income during downtime.
Climate change is putting food safety at risk and action is needed to prepare the food system for the challenges ahead, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). FoodNavigator speaks to the FAO’s Vittorio Fattori, Food Safety and...
Latvian dairy company Food Union Group is investing to position itself for future growth, with a focus on production capabilities, food tech and market-led innovation. FoodNavigator speaks to CEO Normunds Staņēvičs to find out more.
With COVID-19 exposing fragile food chains and putting scrutiny on the ways we consume and produce foods and approach our own health, now is the perfect moment for food tech startups to step up and lead the way, says venture capitalist and entrepreneur...
The ‘world’s first’ robotic farm has attracted funding from the UK government, a move Farms Minister Victoria Prentis said would support innovation to tackle the food sector’s ‘greatest challenges’.
Technological advances are transforming the food sector – and nowhere is this more evident than in the field of food safety. FoodNavigator caught up with Alex Bromage, Food Safety and Quality Director at Tetra Pak, to find out what innovations he is getting...
Sustainability sells. This has given rise to scepticism among consumers that brands are ‘greenwashing’ their environmental claims. Radical transparency could be the cure.
A new AI platform has been created to help food businesses manage the risk of COVID-19 in their workforce. We spoke to the platform’s developer to find more.
Israeli start-up SavorEat has developed an automated, closed system that 3D prints and cooks plant-based meat alternatives for foodservice. “This robot can replace manufacturing practices,” CEO Racheli Vizman tells FoodNavigator.
Pre-COVID, food entrepreneurs were reluctant to outsource to service providers. But a ‘change in mindset’ has occurred, according to Young Foodies’ Thea Alexander, meaning founders are increasingly comfortable relinquishing control.
UK start-up Produce & Provide is launching a new service that aims to help connect farmers and consumers. The company’s founder Neil Darwent believes the transition to shorter, more local supply chains represents a ’21st century food and farming revolution’.
Israeli start-up Seebo has raised a total of $31m to help manufacturers predict and prevent food waste on the factory floor. The more complex the production line, the better, CEO Lior Akavia tells FoodNavigator.
PepsiCo established its Future Brands business in Europe in 2018 in response to the changing innovation landscape. FoodNavigator speaks to Senior Innovation Director Karen Scott to find out how the company is leveraging agile innovation and identifying...
A UK study detailing the environmental benefits of vertical farming – and in particular, aeroponics – has listed ‘strategic areas of future research’ to underpin the system’s productivity and sustainability.
Students in Demark aim to commercialise vegan alternatives to salmon and tuna in Europe, having developed 3D printing processes capable of printing plant proteins and binders in structured forms.
Working with the likes of Tesco and Albert Heijn, Spoon Guru uses its AI powered software to ease the path to purchase and transform food discovery. The company’s co-founder Markus Stripf tells FoodNavigator that the way people shop online is changing...
A cross-industry collaboration has been launched in Norway that leverages blockchain to share supply chain data across the country’s seafood sector. The aim is to provide ‘safer, better seafood’ to consumers worldwide.
Fairfood is on a mission to ‘uncover the human fingerprint in food’. And the Dutch not-for-profit’s recently launched Trace platform is doing just that, by ‘powering sustainable sourcing’, raising consumer awareness, and sharing added value with the people...
Personalised nutrition is a phrase that has attracted much attention, with futuristic visions of people consuming a diet tailored to their individual needs to deliver optimum health and wellness. But for this future to materialise it will require a complete...
The UK government has outlined a package of measures that, it says, are designed to ‘turbo charge’ UK food and drink businesses as the world recovers from coronavirus.
