Deep Dive: Page 2
Industry insights from our journalists
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How CPGs are using M&A to boost manufacturing amid supply disruptions
While dealmaking often focuses on food or beverage brands, more companies are buying plants to ramp up production, widen an offering’s reach and lessen dependence on outside manufacturers.
Christopher Doering • Aug. 31, 2022 -
Small candy makers forced to rethink their business strategies
Sweets manufacturers, many of them family owned, are doing away with long-time traditions in order to survive amid labor shortages, high costs and unreliable deliveries of some ingredients.
Christopher Doering • July 18, 2022 -
How should cell-based meat be labeled? What 1,179 comments to USDA say about stakeholders' priorities
With decision-making coming soon, players in cultivated and animal meat industries, state governments and policy groups expressed opinions about how the nascent space should be represented.
Megan Poinski • May 31, 2022 -
Big Food's sustainable packaging goals hit supply and demand reality
As CPGs set targets to cut virgin plastic use, chaotic forces like the pandemic, poor weather and war complicate the timeline.
Samantha Oller • May 25, 2022 -
What's standing in the way of a circular food packaging economy?
As CPGs test new bottle and wrapper prototypes and set goals to cut virgin plastic use, critics warn roadblocks could trip up their progress.
Chris Casey • May 24, 2022 -
Tracking sustainable food and beverage packaging innovation
Kraft Heinz has removed the signature plastic ‘shaker’ bag from its Shake ‘N Bake products, which it says will save 900,000 pounds of plastic annually.
Updated Nov. 14, 2022 -
Lost and found: Brands neglected by large CPGs thrive under new ownership
Krave jerky, Funfetti baking products and Häagen-Dazs are just a few of the lines that have flourished after being divested, with their new owners spending more on marketing, innovation and improving product quality.
Christopher Doering • May 3, 2022 -
Beyond the blue: Interest in spirulina shifts to new applications
The microalgae can provide a desirable natural color, but it's also sustainable and nutritious — and finding its way into a wider assortment of uses.
Megan Poinski • April 14, 2022 -
The 'silent salesman': How kosher certification went mainstream
While the seal signifies that items meet Jewish dietary laws, it increasingly represents purity, good practices and trustworthiness to non-observant consumers.
Megan Poinski • April 13, 2022 -
With a portfolio of iconic snacks, Hostess Brands sweetens its business for another century
Just a decade after bankruptcy, the Twinkies maker is thriving under CEO Andy Callahan, who has prioritized innovation and moving its iconic offerings into faster-growing occasions.
Christopher Doering • March 30, 2022 -
Food suppliers wade into logistics as trucking rates soar
Businesses can't evade the trucking market, but there are strategies they can adopt to lessen the impact of market forces.
Shefali Kapadia • Feb. 25, 2022 -
Once an afterthought, brand licensing reaps billions for CPGs hungry for growth
Hershey, Conagra and Post are a few companies using the strategy to expand their business, build equity and keep products relevant.
Christopher Doering • Feb. 22, 2022 -
Why famous people are joining food tech advisory boards
Hollywood A-listers including Leonardo DiCaprio and Ashton Kutcher, former government officials and other household names are working with companies, lending their expertise and cachet.
Megan Poinski • Feb. 8, 2022 -
Beef has a sustainability problem. Is this the year the industry finds a fix?
As producers explore the potential of regenerative farming and emission-busting feed additives, critics argue that more compelling solutions deserve investment.
Chris Casey • Jan. 27, 2022 -
Why fermented meat analogs will steal the spotlight in 2022
As interest in plant-based food has surged, several companies using an age-old method to grow high-quality proteins are bringing a meat-like texture and sustainability story to plates across the U.S.
Megan Poinski • Jan. 18, 2022 -
CPGs grapple with a murky 2022 outlook as inflation, supply chain weigh on operations
Uncertainty over the severity and permanence of these and other challenges is making it hard for CEOs to determine whether they should make moves such as price increases.
Christopher Doering • Jan. 11, 2022 -
For food CPGs and grocers, finding harmony online is a difficult dance
Product manufacturers face a sometimes-daunting array of requirements when seeking to sell products through e-commerce channels run by retailers.
Christopher Doering and Sam Silverstein • Jan. 10, 2022 -
6 trends shaping food and beverage growth in 2022
The lingering effects of the pandemic will continue to influence everything from consumers' meal choices to the ability of manufacturers to meet demand.
Chris Casey, Christopher Doering and Megan Poinski • Jan. 4, 2022 -
Who wins in food industry class action cases?
Litigation can be long and expensive and relief can be hard to come by, as consumers find themselves with small rewards and brands struggle with keeping their reputations intact.
Megan Poinski • Dec. 16, 2021 -
Why are so many class action lawsuits filed against the food industry?
In 2020, the number of court cases from consumers claiming that food and drink companies deceived them hit an all-time high, according to statistics compiled by law firm Perkins Coie.
Megan Poinski • Dec. 15, 2021 -
Where the dollars go: Lobbying a big business for large food and beverage CPGs
Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, AB InBev and 27 other companies spend close to $40 million a year on issues including trade and taxes in an effort to make their voices heard by lawmakers and regulators.
Christopher Doering • Dec. 6, 2021 -
Despite drought, almonds will keep on growing
California produces about 80% of the world's supply of the nut, which farmers have spent many years learning to produce more of with less water.
Megan Poinski • Nov. 4, 2021 -
Why the food and beverage industry is building toward the future in 2021
Pandemic-related increases in consumption and a revitalization of CPGs are leading to more big facility construction projects, but challenges in staffing and supply chain may cloud the industry's growth.
Megan Poinski • Oct. 25, 2021 -
Inside Farther Farms' mission: Using french fries to make the food system more sustainable
The New York startup is pioneering a unique method of making fresh food shelf stable, hoping to reduce the industry's reliance on the cold chain.
Megan Poinski • Oct. 21, 2021 -
5 ways to boost plant-based products in grocery stores
From appointing category managers to dedicating shelf space, maximizing sales of animal alternatives at retail requires a holistic approach.
Megan Poinski and Catherine Douglas Moran • Oct. 18, 2021