Innovation & NPD

Researchers in Denmark and New Zealand have teamed up to determine whether consumers actually do prefer the taste of organic greens grown in an open field over those vertically farmed. GettyImages/LouisHiemstra

Do vertically farmed vegetables taste good?

By Flora Southey

Vegetables grown indoors, without any soil, may not sound as appealing to consumers as their sun-blushed counterparts cultivated in open fields. But according to fresh research, they taste just as good.

Image Source: RichVintage/Getty Images

NPD Trend Tracker: From wholegrain spelt to Christmas dinner pie

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In this week’s NPD Trend Tracker, we have a range of festive products, including a festive wrap, festive ice-cream flavours and a pie containing an entire Christmas dinner. We also have a new flavour from Tate & Lyle, a wholegrain spelt from Merchant...

Shopping around, buying smaller packs of food, buying more from discounters and being smart about deals are popular ways today’s consumers are shopping. GettyImages/LordHenriVoton

Food industry enters a ‘new era for pricing’

By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

While consumers are spending less, inflation continues to boost FMCG sales. A new report finds growth and resilience are possible through strategic pricing structures that support new product development (NPD) and sustainability.

GettyImages/ozlemonal

NPD Trend Tracker: From Beyond Meat pizza toppings to collagen creamer

By Flora Southey

In our latest new product development round up, we look at new launches in health and wellness such a collagen creamers and MCT powders. In plant-based, big-name brands Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat have tied up to launch meat-free pepperoni toppings, and...

The hub will be based in  Campinas, São Paulo. Image Source: Ranimiro Lotufo Neto/Getty Images

EIT Food expands to Latin America for burgeoning food tech start-ups

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), partnering with Foodtech HUB Latam, is expanding its Food Accelerator Network (FAN) to Brazil, where it will open a hub that will help develop burgeoning agrifood-tech start-ups in the Latin America...

The facility will allow cultivated meat companies to perform R&D. Image Source: Newform Foods

African cultivated meat facility to boost low-cost R&D

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

South African cultivated meat startup Newform Foods (formally Mzansi Meat Co.) has announced that it plans to open a demonstration facility for cultivated meat products in South Africa, collaborating with engineering company Project Assignments.

Beyond Meat is facing a challenging market in the US, but is expanding its presence in Europe. Image credit: Beyond Burger / Nordic Food

Beyond Meat struggles continue in US, doubles down on EU expansion

By Flora Southey

According to analysts, Beyond Meat is in ‘survival mode’, as the plant-based meat maker continues to lose share in US retail. At the same time, the company is increasing distribution across the pond, where it has observed a faster-growing market.

GettyImages/chuckcollier

NPD Trend Tracker: From wheat stalk pasta to Nestlé fish alternatives

By Flora Southey

Our latest new product development round-up looks at Nestlé’s plant-based fish alternatives, which are launching into multiple European countries. R&D leads have also been busy in the snacks category with Kallø expanding into gluten-free crackers,...

GettyImages/Henrik Sorensen

NPD Trend Tracker: From mushroom tea to ‘impulse’ vegan choc

By Flora Southey

What’s the latest in new product development? In chocolate, Ombar is rolling out a range specifically designed for impulse shopping, while WNWN Food Labs is launching cocoa-free takes on well-known classics. In plant-based, we see Juice Marbles secure...

The investment aims to turn Catalonia into a hub for alternative protein research. Image Source: agrobacter/Getty Images

Catalonia invests €7m into alternative protein research

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The government of Catalonia, Spain has invested €7m into alterative protein research, one of the largest investments into the sector in Spain’s history. It will aim to scale up Catalonia’s plant-based and fermentation-made food production.

The biorefinery upcycles coffee grounds. Image Source: malerapaso/Getty Images

Coffee biorefinery opened in Denmark to upcycle coffee grounds

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

While more than two billion coffee cups are consumed each day, according to some estimates, the oil from coffee grounds, despite being rich in nutrients, is rarely utilised. Kaffe Bueno, a new startup, has opened a coffee biorefinery in Rødovre, Denmark...

Many big players in the food industry have found regenerative AI helps them in NPD. Image Source: Hiroshi Watanabe/Getty Images

Mars, PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz, and Givaudan on how AI can improve NPD

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

NPD takes time. Long hours of R&D lie between an idea and a product launch. AI, however, is helping a range of major companies generate product ideas, as well as do market research and gain insights into the minds of consumers.

Speakers at the event in Japan House believe that sake has potential to appeal to a greater range of UK consumers. Image Source: Eriko Koga/Getty Images

The appeal of Japanese drinks to consumers in the UK and North America

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Japanese drinks such as matcha and sake are being brought to ‘Western’ countries such as the UK and North American countries. Japanese sake is mostly drunk in restaurants the UK, although an event in Kensington, London stressed that it can be more versatile....

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