The head of Tesco’s soft drinks buying team David Beardmore has urged aspiring brands not to turn up at the retailer’s HQ with a lengthy PowerPoint presentation but to do something different.
Our intrepid journalists sample interesting new beverage brands – to find out if the taste, texture, packaging and branding is up to scratch, or should be scratched off. Rebel Kitchen is up this week.
Premium golden rum The Duppy Share is following in the footsteps of spiced brands like Sailor Jerry’s and wants to offer millennials a great-tasting artisanal spirit at an affordable price.
Food businesses need to tap into neuroscience and understand how consumers make fast and unconscious decisions, if they are to improve their sales, says a marketing expert.
Nanotechnology offers great potential for use in the food and drink supply chain, but the public’s food safety concerns still need to be overcome, according to the head of the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA).
Everybody is chasing innovation and the next big idea, but when it comes to developing a succesful and innovative product, nine out of ten will fail. We spoke to Chris Cornyn of DINE Marketing to ask why.
A common fish that was said to have fed thousands in biblical times could feed billions of mouths in the future as food stocks struggle to keep pace with population growth.
Global food and drink giant PepsiCo’s future success will hinge on it continuing to innovate, differentiate itself from the competition and raise its operational efficiency to grow its consumer base, according to the company's executive vice president.
The growth of the Non-GMO Project verification scheme has been nothing short of explosive over the past 18 months. But does the firm serving as its technical administrator have the resources to cope, and are competing certification schemes adopting the...
Amica Chips and ICA Foods have pledged to stop advertising to under 12s and communication with primary schools unless asked as part of a voluntary EU scheme.
Finnish firm Fazer has announced the closure of two of its bakeries – a move it said was unavoidable considering a market shift from pre-packed bread to in-store baked.
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) said the horse meat incident dominated last year and it is continuing to learn lessons from what it called ‘the biggest incident in its history’.
A new testing kit will go a long way to ease fears among Malaysian Muslims that the food they are eating is halal, especially in light of a recent pork-related controversy involving Cadbury.
While there are some differences between high end catering and the large scale manufacturing of food, there is a lot of scope for both groups to learn from each other, says executive chef Gui Alinat.
Instant hot cereal is rising in Russia as urban consumers seek healthy, convenient options, but beware - indulgence remains top of mind, says an analyst from Canadean.
The FAO Food Price Index was down for a third consecutive month in June, as good supply and improved global production prospects for wheat, maize and palm oil lowered prices.
Manufacturers should look to reduce overall use and reliance on sugar and not focus on replacing fructose with glucose, while concerns over HFCS should start to disperse as newer research invalidates current thinking, says Laura Jones of Mintel.
The concept of “energy” is a multifaceted one, to be sure: it can come in bursts or slowly; via beverages, shots, biscuits or bars; with appeal that spans sports nutrition, weight management and even kids.
Dispatches from IFT 2014: 8-minute insight from Mintel innovation directors
The global breakfast cereal market faces increasing competition as consumers turn to convenient alternatives, so how can manufacturers step up to compete and stimulate often dwindling sales?
What is the future of ‘naturality’ on product labels? Are sin taxes and warning just policy tools disguised as a consumer advocacy? And should health and wellness be part of every brand’s messaging?
Snacks - particularly those using ancient grains – and baking mixes have been pushing the gluten-free sector forward, according to market research firm Mintel.
Consumers are open to fortified foods just as much as those that contain naturally occurring functional ingredients, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC).
Government must lead the genetically modified (GM) food debate and take a more co-ordinated approach to food security, with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) at the vanguard.
Researchers have questioned the practice of replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats, claiming that there is ‘much evidence’ that doing the opposite is more relevant.
The market for gluten-free children’s food will be a big area for growth, predicts market research firm Mintel – but mainstream brands are yet to capitalize on the opportunity.
US dried fruit firm Mariani will double its European business to £10M next year, before reaching up to £500M pounds in eight years, according to the company’s European md Glenn Butler.
If the cover of TIME magazine earlier this month (headline: Eat Butter) is anything to go by, it would seem that the conversation about fat, and saturated fat in particular, is changing, at least in the media. But are policymakers sitting up and taking...
Public Health England will investigate taxing sugary drinks according to the paper it issued alongside the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s (SACN’s) draft report published today (June 26).
Food and Drink Federation (FDF) members including Mondelēz International have signed up to a 250 calorie cap on single-serve confectionery sold in the UK.
The system of controls at EU borders on fruit and vegetable imports from non-EU countries is protecting consumers from potential food safety risks, according to the European Commission
ConfectioneryNews asks industry leaders if cocoa production will gradually move closer to the burgeoning chocolate markets of China and Brazil or whether West Africa will always be the king of cocoa.
There is a growing trend towards dairy alternatives in the UK, with volume sales of cow-milk alternatives such as soya, rice and buffalo milk up 155% between 2011 and 2013, according to a Mintel report.
Chocolate companies must know what truly constitutes cocoa child labor to be able to tackle the issue, according to the International Cocoa Initiative, which has unveiled a new strategy to combat the problem.
Peanuts, wheat and egg are among several allergens that continue to be a global public health issue, and so industry must act with caution when developing allergen-free products, warns a scientific expert.
Picking through ideas with Saatchi & Saatchi X on shopper behavior: Part II
Snacks have the power to drive positive emotional shopping behavior, but too much focus on health and a lack of in-store innovation could kill the joy factor, says the VP of shopper psychology at Saatchi & Saatchi X.
Euromonitor International has clocked an emerging beverage industry trend, whereby manufacturers of premium and healthy beverages are creating child oriented extensions of adult brands. The trend is gaining momentum as the ‘millennial’ generation of young...
It is vital that the yeast industry is not forgotten in European sugar and energy policies if Euro-firms are to remain competitive on an increasingly international stage, according to the Confederation of European Union Yeast Manufacturers (COFALEC).
The launch of stevia-sugar sweetened Coca-Cola Life into the UK signals a new era in sugar reduction, as it suggests stevia will soon be big in soft drinks, and may open up the use of sweeteners in foods, according to Professor Jack Winkler, former Professor...
Arla Foods Ingredients says women wrongly believe high protein products risk making them fat or overly muscly, as Mintel warns Europeans simply aren’t that interested in protein drinks.
Over 20 major food firms have signed up to health and wellness pledges on advertisement to children, consistent product information, open access to formulation policies and employee wellbeing as part of their commitment to Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) targets.
Tesco’s top soft drinks buyer has tipped collagen-based beauty drinks for the top despite the lack of EFSA-approved health claims in the area, after startup Bella Berry caused a stir last week in London.
Breakfast biscuit makers should reduce sugar and calorie content and develop healthier variants if they want to secure continued growth, says Euromonitor International.
Private label products continue to gain traction across Europe, with the exception of France, where, according to latest analysis from Nielsen, they are struggling to gain ground.
Nestlé will launch milk-rich RTD coffee brand Nescafe Shakissimo in Europe this month along with new Nescafe recipes and products to renew the $11bn+ brand and attract younger consumers.
DRINKPRENEUR LIVE! START-UP ACCELERATOR: LONDON, JUNE 11 2014
Tesco’s top soft drinks buyer has warned entrepreneurs that the category graveyard is full of promising brands that failed because they ran out of cash, despite getting their concept ‘spot on’.
![The breakfast biscuits sector needs healthy innovation to secure future growth, says Euromonitor International. BelVita [pictured] kickstarted the market.](/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/_aliases/news_teaser_medium/7/8/4/9/1789487-1-eng-GB/Euromonitor-Breakfast-biscuits-threatened-by-health-concerns.png)
