Spanish food company Importaco is taking a controlling stake in Italian manufacturer Besana in a merger that will create ‘the European leader in nuts, dried fruit and seeds’.
A recent study analysed recent advances to improve the quality of gluten-free bread, focusing not only on the latest conventional ingredients and innovative approaches to replace the gluten-network, but also on technological and processes methods that...
Plant-based drink disruptor Oatly says it is planning to take on the overall dairy category after securing $200 million in new equity from an investment group led by private equity giant Blackstone and a group of celebrities.
IOFI and IFRA, the industry bodies for the flavour and fragrance sector, have launched a new Sustainability Charter. The sectorial approach ‘establishes a framework, sets a bar and raises everybody’, representatives from the two organisations tell us.
Taste and nutrition experts at Kerry Group have identified gut health as an important innovation lever for food R&D teams. More interestingly still, they argue that the opportunity around gut health and foodservice is ripe for picking.
Beneo is investing €50m to increase its rice starch production capacity. Operations MD Roland Vanhoegaerden tells us demand is growing organically and being boosted by new applications.
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...
Purition is a UK protein shake manufacturer that wants to disrupt a breakfast offering that, co-founder Edward Taylor says, is too often characterised by ‘half truths’ and ‘nutrition myths’. What makes Purition different? “We play it straight down the...
Processed meat is well consumed in Europe – but overconsumption is associated with certain health risks. An EIT Food project from the University of Reading and APB in the UK, Aarhus University in Denmark and the Spanish National Research Council in Spain...
Demand for plant-based products is booming. However, meat- and dairy-free alternatives are facing something of a challenge as the nutritional content of products comes under the microscope. We suggest that the intersection between clean label and plant-based...
Consumer attitudes toward dairy alternatives are changing, as trendy dairy-free yogurts, ice creams and milks continue to gain shelf space. According to a recent report from Innova Market Insights on the global dairy alternatives space, the increased...
ADM has a focused process in place for developing meat and poultry marinades to achieve a consumer-preferred flavor and sensory experience and is seeing a growing demand for spicy flavors like chili pepper and smokey chipotle, which bring vibrant color,...
The push to reduce sugar in products, supported by regulatory levers such as sugar taxes, has focused largely on the beverage sector. Kerry Taste & Nutrition weighs in on the challenges facing beverage formulators.
Chilean biotech Protera Biosciences is heading for the city of lights, having closed $5.5m (€4.9m) Series A financing led by Sofinnova Partners. Europe, Protera CEO Leonardo Álvarez tells FoodNavigator, is known for its ‘vast expertise’ in producing enzymes...
In this week's round-up of new product launches from around Europe, the low-sugar trend is in evidence in France and Germany as reduced sugar juice and ice cream hit the shelves. Elsewhere, innovation in the plant-protein space continues apace. Here...
Food scientist at the University of Nottingham are collaborating with local start-up Pola to develop an ambient version of the company’s frozen treats.
New research from Unilever highlights the growing importance of health, wellness and immunity for consumers. “Our Foods and Refreshment business is uniquely positioned to lead purposefully in the space of holistic health and immunity,” nutrition R&D...
US plant-based meat specialist Beyond Meat expects to begin European production by the end of 2020 after opening a new plant in Zoeterwoude and acquiring a further site in Enschede.
Ingredient supplier Corbion has secured a European patent for its fruit ferments containing natural organic acids and other flavour compounds. The company says the ingredients are a natural way to reformulate products and reduce food waste.
Consumers across Europe are willing to change their eating habits as long as buying sustainable food becomes easier with better pricing, improved information, and more options, according to BEUC, The European Consumer Organisation (Bureau Européen des...
Finnish food group Fazer has developed LOFO, an enzyme-based solution that unlocks the door to low-FODMAP baking. The first breads made using this patented innovation have hit the shelves in Finland.
Functional food and beverages that are seen to improve mental health could be set to be a ‘recession proof’ sector, claims market researcher MMR. It says its new data highlights innovation opportunities as consumers seek new strategies to manage their...
Miriam Ueberall recently joined The Kraft Heinz Company to head up research and development for the group’s international zone. FoodNavigator speaks to her about how innovation and product development is at the heart of Kraft Heinz’s turnaround plans.
US-based Kemin Industries has received a positive safety assessment from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for its algae-sourced beta glucan ingredient, BetaVia. This unlocks the opportunity for ‘innovative product developers to be the first to...
Netherlands-based GNT Group has launched two new food colorings to its Exberry range that deliver bright orange shades in powder and oil-dispersible formats.
Researchers in Norway are examining how seaweed farming can be commercialised in the country. “Seaweeds may become a profitable piece of the green transition.”
The development of fermentation technologies will help the plant-based manufacturers deliver products that are healthier and tastier, Dr David Welch, director science and technology at the Good Food Institute (GFI) suggests.
Start-up Fiid has witnessed tremendous growth in demand for its plant-based ambient ready meals in the wake of the coronavirus crisis and subsequent lockdown. “There’s potentially a silver lining for our particular category,” founder Shane Ryan tells...
Heura is one of Europe’s fastest growing plant-based brands. We spoke to CEO Marc Coloma, founder of Heura maker Foods for Tomorrow, about what is propelling the company’s success, the impact of COVID-19 and the future of plant-based innovation.
Seakura, an Israeli ag tech company, has developed a unique biomass production system that it believes will enable it to capitalise on growing demand for plant-based ingredients. We caught up with the company to find out more about its tech and international...
Fresh research out of Denmark reveals that drinking coffee changes our sense of taste, making sweet foods even sweeter. Could these findings help inform sugar reformulation strategies?
Plant-based products benefit from something of a health halo. However, the nutritional profile of these often ultra-processed foods is coming under increased scrutiny. FutureBridge forecasts four-up-and coming plant-based proteins that could disrupt the...
Danish researchers have developed a new processing method that, they say, means fava beans can be leveraged as an environmentally friendly alternative to soy.
The cultured meat sector is set to eventually be buoyed by the coronavirus crisis as consumers become more interested in food solutions seen as sustainable and safe, believes the co-founder and managing director of cultured meat supplier Peace of Meat.
Plant-based seafood specialist Kuleana is targeting seafood and sushi lovers with what it describes as the ‘next generation of raw tuna powered by plants and biotechnology’. FoodNavigator speaks to co-founder and CEO Jacek Prus about developing plant-based...
Freeze-dried berry powders have been found to act as ‘outstanding’ stabilizers, according to US research, offering manufacturers exiting clean label solutions for customers.
Turmeric, pumpkin seeds and probiotics will be the new ingredient kids on the block – especially during these uncertain times when focus is on health and snacking has become more prevalent than ever – according to Cargill’s research to find out consumer...
Non-alcoholic beer is competing in a number of categories, from conventional beer to craft ale and soft drink, Nirvana Brewery co-founder Becky Kean tells FoodNavigator. “Ideally, in the future, it will just be seen as another style of beer.”
Once again the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has moved to clarify the rules applicable to health claims. Katia Merten-Lentz, partner at international law firm Keller and Heckman weighs in with support from Manon Ombredane, associate at...
As the plant-based trend continues to grow, food manufacturers and ingredients suppliers will be forced to adapt, Ulrick & Short’s Robert Lambert tells FoodNavigator.
Alcohol-free Nirvana Brewery was born out of a love for craft beer. Three years on, demand for the category has grown ‘massively’, co-founder and director Becky Kean tells FoodNavigator: “People go crazy for it.”
Flexitarian consumers are a key segment driving the plant-based boom. But while this group might be motivated to reduce their meat consumption by health and environmental concerns, taste remains king. Could the development of ‘hybrid’ products, containing...
Demand for natural flavours and flavouring materials in food and beverages in Western Europe is up by 7.5% year-on-year and worth nearly €5bn, according to market data from Foodtrending.
