Governments, NGOs and consumers are driving change in the bakery sector, but how can industry keep up? What’s the next direction for healthy bakery? And will this future need to be regulated?
Authorities who stopped delivery of tainted strawberries as part of Germany’s biggest foodborne outbreak halted more than 11 tons reaching the consumer.
By Winnie Byanyima, executive director, Oxfam International
Food and drink companies can have a big influence over sustainability and ethical issues in their supply chains - and have the power to change them rapidly. One year on from Oxfam's first Behind the Brands sustainability scorecard, nine of the ten...
Demand for allergen-free foods is on the rise – a trend witnessed by ingredient supplier EHL Ingredients, which says sales of its allergen-free spices have climbed sharply in the past 12 months.
Food manufacturers have made significant progress in reducing the amount of waste they send to landfill, according to the results of a survey from UK trade body, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
Frutarom Savory Solutions has added a new plant extract to its Origanox range for extending the shelf life of fried foods, extruded snacks and baked goods.
Diageo should ditch lucrative rum brand Captain Morgan altogether since the real life Captain left an orgy of bloodshed and violence across the Caribbean, Ben Bouckley argues.
One of the main drivers of the gluten-free market is a desire for healthier diets and better nutrition – as opposed to medical need – but how healthy is the nutritional profile of typical gluten-free foods?
Gluten-free bakery still offers plenty of opportunity in Europe, but beer, pizza and prepared meals are the most untapped segment of the cereal-containing products, according to a Mintel analyst.
Oats, when the supply chain ensures no cross-contamination, are a gluten-free cereal grain. So why haven’t we seen a flurry of oat-based gluten-free options in the global bakery sector? Are they a missed golden opportunity for gluten-free bakery?
From ready meals to breakfast bars, lots of pulse flour-based gluten-free products are coming on stream, says Margaret Hughes from Best Cooking Pulses, Inc., with the favorable nutritional profiles and moderate costs gaining traction with manufacturers...
The chocolate industry should embrace certification to improve the livelihoods of farmers or risk losing a generation of cocoa growers, according to the head of a Fairtrade cocoa cooperative in the Ivory Coast.
The EU Commission has delayed the deadline for Crown Holdings acquisition of Mivisa, from February 28 to March 14, according to reports in the Official journal for the European Union.
Leading food and drink makers including Nestlé, Unilever and Coca-Cola have made good progress in the year since Oxfam released its first Behind the Brands sustainability scorecard – and only one company made no progress, according to the NGO.
A third of all snacking takes place at our desks and marketing professionals top the unhealthy table, with lawyers at the bottom, according to UK research from yogurt brand Fruyo.
Being overweight risks becoming the norm in Europe, says a new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which blames widespread promotion of unhealthy foods and inactivity.
The global soft drinks industry faces a ‘seesaw year’ in 2014 but the challenges posed by mature markets and categories are amply offset by opportunities elsewhere in the sector.
Nearly 90% of UK shoppers with coeliac disease say that gluten-free foods do not represent good value for money, according to a survey from Leatherhead Food Research.
Infants who eat commercially prepared baby foods tend to consume a wider variety of vegetables and more fish than those who eat homemade baby foods, according to a new study.
Customer care has come a long way since the pen and ink complaints letters of yesteryear – so how has a major company like Unilever made the transition to digital media?
Gluten-free baked products have a historically bad reputation—be it in the flavor, texture, performance or shelf life department. But the surge of demand from all corners of the market has forced bakery and snack manufacturers to respond with improved...
When PepsiCo replaced the word ‘Simply Natural’ with ‘Simply’ on some Frito-Lay lines recently, some commentators wondered if this signaled the beginning of the end of the industry’s love affair with all-natural claims. However, new data suggests otherwise.
Pupils in UK primary and secondary schools will have compulsory cooking lessons from September this year – as new research from Mintel suggests less than a third of British people aged 16-24 are confident in the kitchen.
Food manufacturers, retailers and other food industry players are failing to connect with consumers who are tuning out of mainstream messaging and infesting their own comms channels, says angel investor, business mentor and philanthropist, Mike Greene.
Palm oil supplier IOI Loders Croklaan surpassed its goal to increase volumes of certified sustainable palm oil to 30% of total European sales last year – and has certified all its plantations to Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standards.
Dispatches from Bakery Innovation Europe in Munich
One-third of all new bakery launches were sweet biscuits and cookies in 2013, the most popular on-pack claim was ‘no additives’ and the average price of baked goods rose, according to Innova Market Insights.
Arla’s lactose-free TV advert is not misleading, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has concluded after receiving complaints from dairy-allergic consumers.
As researchers uncover more about the way our mood impacts dietary choices, one research group has found that thinking about the future can help us to make better food choices.
New product development doesn’t have to be a random hit and miss exercise, but can be helped by 60 lines of thinking, says the CEO of Inventours and author of the new book Catalyzing Innovation.
Health and wellness trends have boosted fruit ingredient sales, with shapes, inclusions and snacks gaining in popularity, says veteran fruit specialist Paradise Fruits.
Food Vision launches big debate on big three issues
An advisor on edible insects to the United Nations predicts that insects on your plate is inevitable, as forward thinking restaurants like D.O.M in Sao Paulo and Noma in Copenhagen are already experimenting with the critters as food.
Businesses must commit to building, supporting and operating agriculture systems that provide enough food and proper nutrition for every person on the planet, according to a UN Global Compact review.
Stevia-derived sweeteners have given the reduced sugar beverage category a boost, as manufacturers look to appeal to consumers looking for fewer calories without artificial sweeteners, according to a Euromonitor analyst.
Rising global demand for vegetable oils has accelerated deforestation, claims a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) – but there are deforestation-free alternatives available for businesses.
Small food and drink firms and entrepreneurs can benefit from a new website that offers businesses without retail contracts opportunities to market their products.
Food product marketers have less than three seconds to grab consumer attention, and need think back to the old days of products in supermarket circulars to connect with consumers in the mobile era, says a leading marketing guru.
The US National Confectioners Association (NCA) and leading US firms say sugar has been ‘unjustly’ victimized in recent months and the public should be free to enjoy a sweet treat if they so desire.
UK-based pasty maker Ginsters wants to re-engage with its core male audience through a £4m ($6.58m) advertising campaign but said the tone does not aim to be 'laddy' or alienate female consumers.
Hurdles in food safety, taste and consumer acceptance await on the London South Bank University’s quest to join two big food innovations: 3D printing and insect-based ingredients.
