Innovation & NPD

As consumers become accustomed to time-efficient products and tools, they will be more receptive to adopting technologies like augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI). GettyImages/Bernhard Lang

Advancing food tech in 2024: The year of convenience

By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

A new era of convenience will emerge in 2024 as ever-evolving augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology streamlines consumers’ meal planning, shopping and cooking habits.

The meal was developed to be both nutritionally optimal for astronauts, and able to be efficiently produced. Image: quantic69/Getty Images

Researchers develop ‘perfect meal’ for male astronauts

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Producing the right food in space is difficult, given the particular nutritional needs of astronauts and the difficulty of growing anything in the final frontier. Luckily, researchers have developed the ‘perfect meal’ for male astronauts: a vegetarian...

Image Source: kertlis/Getty Images

NPD Trend Tracker: From LeBron James-backed tequila to Harry Kane crisps

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

As Christmas approaches, we have the launch of a Harry Kane-fronted crisp product, the UK listing of a LeBron James-backed tequila, and the release of plant based chicken nuggets to celebrate the release of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. We also have...

GettyImages/Supatman

5 start-ups that caught our eye in 2023

By Flora Southey

From upcycling ‘spent hens’ into flavour enhancers to recreating breast milk in a lab, we round-up five of the most innovate start-ups we interviewed in 2023.

Italy's government aims to protect its food quality, as well as the interests of key stakeholders such as farmers, with the bill. Image Source: benedek/Getty Images

What’s the Italian Government’s beef with cultivated meat?

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The Italian Government recently announced that it would ban cultivated meat production, at the same time restricting meat-related labels on plant-based meat alternatives. The decision has drawn significant criticism from some quarters, but from Italy's...

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,...

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars