COVID-19 has accelerated interest in the role that automation, robotics and data can play in food and agricultural production. We speak to industry leaders to learn about the latest developments.
Beneo predicts to see significant growth in the market for chicory root, sugar beet, wheat and rice starches as consumers in 2021 demand cleaner but also natural easily recognisable ‘cupboard ingredients’.
Olam Cocoa is launching a new premium cocoa business, Twenty Degrees. By giving remote cocoa producers market access the company will be able to offer ‘artisanal products with a unique flavour and story’, business head Leopold Palmer told FoodNavigator.
A new sensory analysis method that assesses the quality of raw materials and food products has been developed by Norwegian researchers. Branded ‘Veritaste’, the novel test returns subjective assessments…and the occasional ‘strong opinion’!
Almost a year since the start of the pandemic in Europe, many of those infected who reported losing their sense of smell and consequently taste -- even without displaying other symptoms -- still haven’t recovered these senses. What implications could...
Tech companies have long been developing methods for a faster and more efficient shopping experience for consumers. These are all gaining traction in a new world of social distancing and sanitation, says Will Broome, CEO of retail tech app Ubamarket.
Dublin-based Valeo Foods Group has agreed a deal to buy German confectioner Schluckwerder Holding, in a bid to further consolidate its position as a major international food business across the UK, Continental Europe and Ireland.
The trend of consumers seeking out foods as medicine, one accelerated by the pandemic, is set to blossom in 2021, as is demand for locally-sourced food and beverages, believes the AI-powered food intelligence start-up Tastewise.
The European Commission has initiated a process to update EU laws governing chemicals in food contact materials (FCM). “The EU’s FCM laws are outdated and ineffective in protecting people and the environment,” according to one lobby group.
Dutch ethical brand Tony’s Chocolonely is inviting international chocolate makers to join its transparent supply chain platform in order to create a more sustainable cocoa industry.
Vegan nuggets, vegan nachos, vegan Magnums, vegan mayonnaise, vegan cream cakes, vegan Bounty bars and vegan Krispy Kremes... more food brands and retailers than ever hanker for a slice of the plant-based pie.
As the UK plans to dismantle Public Health England – in a move health expert Dr Anthony Laverty describes as ‘retrograde’ – the Government is being called on to take ‘bolder action’ to combat obesity.
As a host of food manufacturers attempt to take advantage of Veganuary, which encourages people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January, research from the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) has revealed over 60% of people say they are unlikely...
The food sector – and society more generally – needs to take a joined-up approach to issues around plastics, pollution, food safety and waste, Dow Packaging and Specialty’s Sustainability Director Jeff Wooster tells FoodNavigator. “These issues are interconnected;...
By the year 2030, trend forecaster Dr Morgaine Gaye predicts much will have changed in terms of how food is consumed: supermarkets will be forced to diversify, urban areas will be transformed by biodiversity legislation, and we will be on our to using...
More good news for the CBD industry. The European Commission has abandoned its plans to classify non-synthetic CBD a narcotic and resumed Novel Food applications for edible CBD products.
Lidl’s industry-first commitment to publish a Human Rights Impact Assessment and mitigation plan illustrates the shifting attitude towards human rights in supply chains from retailers, investors and consumers, says the charity.
Within the next decade, trend forecaster Dr Morgaine Gaye predicts we will have moved beyond the current protein craze, be eating food made from ‘the biggest ingredient of the future’, and variety will play a greater role in all things fruit and veg.
The food industry should do more to meet the nutritional needs of the ageing population, according to new research out from Barclays. This is, after all, a demographic that is only going to grow.
Britain is heading towards international isolation as several Member States impose travel restrictions on UK travellers and France suspends freight traffic across the Channel.
Spanish nut supplier Importaco Group has signalled its intention to double its share of the food ingredients market by 2024. It will achieve this through a customer-centric approach that puts the future ‘nutsumer’ at the heart of innovation.
Smart labels that use state of the art technology to give shoppers a host of new information about products could create a direct line of communication between consumers and producers and help foster a new era of trust between them, according to a new...
The emotional and physical strains caused by events in 2020 have shined a light on the need for and accelerated development of foods and beverages that not only nourish consumers’ physical bodies, but their mental health as well, according to Rabobank...
The clean label trend is evolving. Tomorrow’s consumers will not just seek out clean labels, but will want to buy from brands with a ‘clean conscience’, according to market insight firm Mintel.
Increased consumption of flavanols – molecules that are particularly abundant in cocoa beans – can increase your ‘mental agility’, fresh research suggests.
For decades fat has been the dieter’s demon. But new analysis suggests that younger consumers are shedding their fear of fat – a shift that opens ‘huge new opportunities’ for product developers across multiple categories.
While some Member States and food makers are backing a harmonised approach to nutrition labelling, others have called for coexistence between regional schemes.
BLC has launched a shea-based premium cocoa butter equivalent. It says the nutritionally balanced ingredient will support food manufacturers to meet consumer demand for health-conscious and sustainable options that don’t compromise on taste and quality.
The European Commission has said that it will recognise the six organic certification schemes operating in the UK for a year after Brexit. This averts the cliff-edge scenario facing British organic exporters if a future trade arrangement is not reached.
Swiss food giant Nestlé wants to halve its emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. “We have no time to lose,” CEO Mark Schneider told journalists at an event detailing how the company plans to get there.
With backlash mounting over ultra-processed foods, a research professor from Ghent University has balanced out the argument – making a strong case for processing where appropriate.
The pandemic presents an exciting opportunity for food manufacturers to innovate products targeting consumers who believe access to affordable food should not come at the cost of health and good nutrition.
A new report warns that 84% of companies are failing to address their largest source of carbon emissions – their supply chains. We speak to Dexter Galvin, Global Director of Corporations & Supply Chains at CDP, to find out what should be done.
It is hoped British agriculture will be transformed by the ‘biggest farming shake-up in 50 years’. But there are fears that both Britain’s move to cut farmer subsidies as it leaves the EU Common Agricultural Policy, and the EU’s reform of the CAP, could...
For today’s consumers ‘clean label’ is less about the ingredients featured back-of-pack and more about what isn’t listed, be it preservatives, genetically modified ingredients or artificial sweeteners, according to L.E.K. Consulting.
Hyperspectral imaging may not sound the sexiest of subjects. But this rapidly emerging technology is promising to help the food industry gain ground in a host of areas, from quality assurance, pathogen detection and farm management.
DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences is advancing its innovation strategy through a partnership with non-profit research organisation the Institute for the Future (IFTF). The collaboration targets ‘far sighted’ innovation and will allow the company to ‘better...
Plant-based foods have shot up in popularity over the last couple of years with the numbers of vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians increasing rapidly, although from a small base since 2016.
Europe’s CBD market is optimistic a ruling from the EU’s highest court not to classify the ingredient a narcotic – going against the European Commission’s shock preliminary view in July – will pave the way for Novel Food applications for CBD products...
Barry Callebaut is planning a global push for its La Morella Nuts business as it works to tap into growing demand for plant-based products and consumer interest in health and sustainability.
UK start-up Fellow Creatures has developed a plant-based chocolate its founder says is a far cry from the ‘sickly sweet’ vegan offerings currently on-shelf.
