Member News & Headlines Blog

Five new companies have been selected to Kraft Heinz’s incubator program for upstart food brands.

Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: KHC) announced its latest Springboard incubator cohort on Tuesday, which includes startups ranging from allergen-free nutrition bars that use seeds instead of nuts, to a cold-pressed almond juice.

Kraft Heinz launched its Springboard program in 2018 and announced its first cohort in May. Among the five companies in that class were Chicago startups Poppilu, an antioxidant lemonade brand, and Quevos, a high-protein snack chip that won first place at the University of Chicago’s College New Venture Challenge.

Startups in Springboard participate in a 16-week program in Chicago where they receive business training, workspace and other resources. Companies in the program each receive $50,000, and the potential to get another $50,000 during the program.

Read the full article here

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce’s James Tyree Emerging Business Leadership Award recognizes an inspiring small business who has excelled in business while also making a lasting impact in their community. 

Applications are accepted through March 29, 2019.

This award is in memory of James Tyree, former Chairman and CEO of Mesirow Financial and Chairman of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. Jim was an exceptional business leader and dedicated to civic engagement, serving on more than 50 corporate, civic and non-profit boards of directors throughout his esteemed career.

Apply now! Click here

Kellogg Company, a leading global cereal and snacks manufacturer, has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2019 World's Most Ethical Companies. Kellogg has been recognized by Ethisphere for 11 years. The company will be listed under the Food Processing & Distribution category. 

In 2019, 128 honorees were recognized spanning 21 countries and 50 industries. The thirteenth class of honorees profoundly illustrate how companies continue to be the driving force for improving communities, building capable and empowered workforces, and fostering corporate cultures focused on ethics and a strong sense of purpose

"At Kellogg, we are proud to live our founder's values, and are committed to operating with integrity. We are honored to receive this award for an 11th time. This recognition underscores our ongoing commitment to ethical business standards," said Steve Cahillane, Chairman and CEO, Kellogg Company. "Our commitment to our K Values and our Global Code of Ethics are core to our success as we Deploy for Growth and work to win in the marketplace."

Read the full article on PR NewsWire here

The Chicagoland Food Science Foundation created a competitive scholarship program in 2016. This program awards up to $50,000 as Chicagoland Food Science Scholarships each year. Full-time students can win a $5,000 scholarship for the upcoming school year and part-time students a $2,500 scholarship on expenses not covered by a company.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Student MUST be a student member of IFT. Not a member? Join now! http://www.ift.org/membership/membership-types-2/student.aspx
2. Student must have a permanent address in the geographic region* generally applied to CSIFT membership
   OR
3. Student is enrolled at a College/University located in the geographic region* generally applied to CSIFT membership
4. Student is working towards a degree and career typical of those who are members of IFT
5. Student is eligible to eventually work in CSIFT region on a permanent basis
6. Student should be entering their Sophomore, Junior, or Senior year this Fall as an undergrad. Graduate scholarships will also be awarded.

If a student has a permanent address in the geographic area claimed by CSIFT, and is pursuing a college/university degree that will lead to a career in the food industry (typical of IFT members http://www.ift.org/about-us.aspx), that student is eligible to apply for the scholarship; if a student is attending a college/university in the CSIFT region, is working towards a degree valued in the food industry (IFT related) and is clearly building the skills/knowledge needed to be hired in the food industry, the student would be a eligible for the scholarship.

Learn more about the application on the CSIFT website here.

There’s no doubt that starting a conversation with a complete stranger can be a little intimidating, even frightening—especially if you’ve only done it a handful of times! Like anything though, networking gets easier with practice and preparation. And as any science of food professional will tell you, building new relationships is absolutely essential to advancing your career.

Luckily, the food industry is rife with networking events, conferences, and receptions that can really bolster your professional network. But it’s up to you to attend them and make your best first impression.

So, where do you begin?

Try out these nine conversation-starters and turn your next networking event into a win:

1) Find an event to attend.

It’s difficult to get a professional conversation going if you’re not in the right place. Events like supplier nights or Section events are great ways to meet professional peers. But the ultimate networking experience for science of food professionals is IFT’s annual event and food expo.

The annual event and food expo is the place. It’s easily the largest of its kind in the world—and is expected to draw more than 17,000 passionate food professionals from over 90 countries all there to learn, share, meet new people. This is a prime-time networking opportunity.

Read the full article from CSIFT here

QUESTION: What is the mission of your organization?

ANSWER: Deerfield-based Curion Insights, www.curioninsights.com, is a state-of-the-art provider of consumer insights and sensory testing for leading and emerging brands in the food and beverage, personal care, fragrance and home care industries. Brand owners leverage Curion data to uncover: key attributes for optimization, market and demographic opportunities, flavor and texture profiles, competitive landscape and more. The company’s mission is to provide clients with high-quality consumer insights in order to mitigate risk and ensure success in the marketplace.

QUESTION: What is your preferred method of marketing to your audience?

ANSWER: Our panelists serve as our “supply” of consumer insights. We attract consumer panelists via social media and shopper marketplaces. Our CPG clients are referred to Curion through word-of-mouth referrals.

QUESTION: Is there a specific focus, topic area or department that you would like to further develop through CFBN?

ANSWER: Sensory insights have a profound influence on product acceptance, and this is where we excel. Curion services include: Qualitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA®), Product Optimization (PROP™), Discrimination Testing, Consumer Acceptance Testing and Benchmarking to name a few. Invite us to speak! We look forward to sharing our knowledge with CFBN members.

QUESTION: What benefits or advantages are you hoping to gain through your membership?

ANSWER: We want to drive brand awareness. Curion was formed with the merger of Q Research Solutions and Tragon Corp. We are backed by Monroe Capital and, in addition to our headquarters in Deerfield, have offices in Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco and in the New York metropolitan area. It is our hope to share our knowledge with other CFBN members, and educate them on the latest methods and processes we use to help CPG brands achieve market success.

QUESTION: What was the main motivation for joining the CFBN Network?

ANSWER: Networking with brand owners and industry thought leaders is a win-win opportunity. We look forward to meeting and sharing expertise with CFBN member companies. Curion can help them in their efforts to launch product concepts successfully. As a Chicagoland-based company, we have a vested interest in helping the business community thrive. Our mission aligns well with yours, “To leverage the power of the food and beverage industry in Chicagoland to grow the industry and the local economy.”

QUESTION: What additional information would you like to share about your organization?

ANSWER: Curion recently launched eFive™, a sensory and product insights platform designed specifically for emerging brands. Legacy brands have long enjoyed the competitive advantage of sensory research, coupled with precise data analytics. eFive™ will give emerging brands quick, accurate and affordable consumer insights from industry-leading sensory experts. This solution democratizes access to the knowledge new brands need most to succeed with a suite of offerings at an affordable price.

 

QUESTION: What areas do you feel your organization is well versed in?

 

ANSWER:

Curion is well versed in a range of disciplines including:

• ·      Quantitative consumer preferences
• ·      Qualitative consumer testing
• ·      Sensory & Discrimination testing
• ·      Fragrance testing
• ·      Product innovation
• ·      Mitigating against product failure

Learn more about our Cornerstone member Curion here

Retailers have a new ally in the long-running struggle to get healthier food options to consumers in underserved areas.

A pilot program announced this week by health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield and its licensee Health Care Service Corp., bypasses the debate about grocery store locations and aims to deliver healthy, prepared meals to consumers in Dallas and Chicago for as little as $5 a meal.

Backers of the foodQ program hope to improve health outcomes and reduce “avoidable” emergency room visits and hospital admissions by improving consumer diets.

The program was developed by the BCBS Institute, a subsidiary of Blue Cross. It is being launched through the Affordability Cures program of Health Care Service Corp., one of the largest health insurers in the U.S. Affordability Cures works to “develop long-term solutions that address the root causes of an expensive health care system.”

Read this full article here 

ZYN CURCUMIN (from Turmeric) Holistic Wellness drink has been named Product of the Year  for Healthy Beverage Category for 2019.  Product of the Year is the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation, where winners are determined by the votes of 40,000+ consumers in a national representative survey conducted by research partner Kantar , a global leader in consumer research.  ZYN has been awarded the top honors for healthy beverages.  For over 30 years globally, and 11 years in the US, Product of the Year has guided consumers to the best products on the market by recognizing companies and brands for quality and product innovation.  ZYN is honored and excited to be in the elite company of global, multi-billion-dollar brands that are at the forefront of CPG innovation. Learn more about ZYN Curcumin here

Summary: Matthew Botos describes his experiences with the rise of food and beverage startups.  With the upward trend toward new and innovative beverages, the key is to keep food safety at the forefront of company importance.

Over the last two decades I have had the utmost privilege to work with food manufactures from every sector.  From dried goods, meats, poultry, school lunches programs, etcetera. I have seen almost everything. The leading trend I have seen over the last twenty years is the steady rise of beverage companies.  Everyone likes a different type of beverage: water, juice, cold coffee, teas, energy drinks, kombucha… the list goes on. The two most important things a small company entering the market needs to remember is to make sure, first, you can comply with the regulators, and second, that the people you are selling your products to also understand their market (buyers and retailers). 

Read more from our member ConnectFood here

Curion, announced today the launch of eFive™, a sensory and product insights platform designed specifically for emerging brands with testing facilities in Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas and New York City metropolitan areas. “Legacy brands have long enjoyed the competitive advantage of sensory research, coupled with precise data analytics. eFive™ will give emerging brands quick, accurate, and affordable consumer insights from industry-leading sensory experts. This solution democratizes access to the knowledge challengers need most to succeed with a suite of offerings at an affordable price,” says Curion CEO Sean Bisceglia.

Sensory science is a research method that gathers and analyzes consumers’ responses to products that invoke the five human senses: taste, touch, sight, smell and sound. Through its offerings, eFive uses sensory science to reduce the risk of failure. For brand owners like Gregg Latterman, co-founder of Chicago based Positive Pretzels, eFive™ delivered the consumer insights needed to take his new product to market.

Learn more about this initiative here.