Member News & Headlines Blog

Until recently, mainstream consumer perception of marijuana was largely framed by pop culture references and stigma surrounding drug use. But now that nine U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use of the substance — and 12 more states are considering “going green” this year — this sentiment is evolving.

Rather than view marijuana as just a source of THC — the active ingredient that causes a psychoactive high — a growing number of shoppers are seeking out cannabis-based food products for CBD, a compound that’s been found to ease headaches, anxiety and joint pain.

Click here to read more from FoodDive.

A cup of coffee has long been an integral step in the American consumer’s daily routine, with java providing the jolt of energy needed to tackle increasingly hectic schedules. But in the past two decades, consumers have moved from viewing coffee as merely a pick-me-up to an indulgent, experience-driven occasion — a shift that has given Big Food new paths to growth.

Gourmet coffee now represents half of all consumption for the first time in history, according to research from the National Coffee Association, with trendy chains such as Peet's Coffee and Stumptown sparking product trends ranging from nitro cold brew to internationally sourced beans.

Read the full article from FoodDive here

How can we feed our future planet safely, nutritiously, and sustainably? Through innovation, creativity, and ingenuity. This is why the institute of Food Technologists (IFT) created the IFTNEXT Food Disruption Challenge™ Competition.  IFT recently announced the launch of the second annual Food Disruption Challenge. 

This exciting competition will offer six early stage start-ups the opportunity to participate in a high profile pitching event, during a featured session at IFT19. This is an annual event hosted by IFT that brings the best of the science of food community together—including scientists, researchers, academics, ingredient, technology, and manufacturing companies—to share, network, and learn about the most recent advances in the science of food and food technology. Prestigious judges representing influential sectors of the food and related industries, will select a finalist to be the recipient of the IFTNEXT Future Food Disruptor of the Year award including a $25,000 cash prize.b IFTNEXT Food Disruption Challenge session attendees will also be asked to select an IFTNEXT Future Food Disruptor of the Year People’s Choice Award including $5,000 cash prize.

• All applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. (PST) on January 10, 2019.

As part of IFT’s mission to encourage entrepreneurism and innovation, the IFTNEXT Food Disruption Challenge^TM is a competition designed to help emerging and investment-ready food companies advance the science of food and recognize the innovations having a positive impact on our global food supply. Finalists will be chosen to share their innovations in a high-profile pitch competition at IFT19 in New Orleans, June 2-5, 2019 where they will compete to win the $25,000 competition grand prize. The audience will also select a finalist to receive the people’s choice award of $5,000.

Learn more about competition eligibility, requirements, and special application incentives by visiting the Participants webpage.

View more details on this event and apply HERE.

Our member the Kellogg Company has been mentioned as one of the Top 1,000 Companies with the strongest female leaders. See the full list here.

No one on their team knew much about the Ketogenic diet, let alone had any personal experience using it. So when these food science majors were assigned to develop a keto-friendly product, there was a lot of learning along the way. What they’ve developed is a product, Keto Kups – and a startup called Ketotizit! – that could have big business success thanks in part to a new collaboration with Gies College of Business and the Origin Ventures Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

“I don’t exactly know how the cup came about, but it did. And it just worked,” said Keelin Frank, a senior food science major and Ketotizit! team leader.

Keto Kups are individual cups with creamy buffalo filling and a crispy, low-carb crust. Originally modeled after quiche cups, they started with spinach artichoke, and eventually settled on buffalo chicken flavor. Each Keto Kup is 320 calories, 28 grams of fat, 13 grams of protein and only four grams of carbohydrates. 

Read more here.

It is estimated that over 80,000 Chicagoans are homeless and struggle to survive the brutal cold every winter. It is a tragic problem, but one we can all help to solve. To help those in need, Tiesta Tea gathers one night a year to spread our warmth through our beautiful city of Chicago - sharing tea, conversation, and kindness with those who feel Chicago’s cold shoulder the most.

Spread the Warmth is an event held by the Tiesta Tea Foundation every January to provide warmth and everyday necessities to our fellow Chicagoans in need. Each year, volunteers from across our community gather together to pass out hot tea and Warmth Kits, filled with food and warm clothing items to those in shelters, soup kitchens and on city streets.

Join us this year on January 17 at 4 p.m. at Galleria Marchetti to share a smile, share a cup and Spread the Warmth with your fellow Chicagoans!

Learn more about this event here.

Start-up food makers and challenger brands have shaken up the food industry thanks to their close relationship with rapidly emerging consumer demands. FoodNavigator spoke to five trailblazing brands to find out their top trend predictions for 2019.

Read more here 

This week, a plant that's nearly identical to marijuana is set to become legal to grow in the US.

Thanks to the US Farm Bill, which the House passed on Wednesday in a 369 to 47 vote, American farmers will be able to plant and harvest hemp, a strain of the same plant species from which marijuana originates. The bill passed the Senate Tuesday in an 87 to 13 vote, and President Donald Trump has indicated his support.

Hemp legalization has been a longtime goal of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, who believes it can help replace tobacco as a key crop for his state's farmers.

Read more here.

Ferrara Candy Company is bringing its new headquarters to the Old Main Post Office in downtown Chicago, officials announced Thursday.

The move from Oakbrook Terrace back to the city where the company first started will bring 400 new jobs, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said.

“We are welcoming a great company with deep roots in Chicago back home,” Emanuel said in a statement. “Chicago not only leads the country in corporate relocations every year for the last five years, but we lead the country in the growth of jobs in the food industry. We are glad that a company that had been part of Chicago’s past will now be part of our city’s future.”

Ferrara Candy Company was founded in 1908 when Salvatore Ferrara began selling candy-coated almonds at his bakery in the city’s Little Italy neighborhood.

Read more here.

As our final event of the 2018 calendar, Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network partnered with Mintel, a CFBN member and leading market intelligence agency here in Chicago, for an event for local start-up companies.  Hosted at their headquarters overlooking the river and across from the Merchandise Mart, the evening kicked off with a presentation by Mintel’s Director of Trends and Social Media Research, Gabrielle Lieberman and Director of Innovation and Insight, Lynn Dornblaser.  The deep dive, titled "How Consumer Trends Drive Product Innovation" explored the channel of health and good for you products, and how brands are rethinking plastic and packing - and the impact of both of these changes on the international products market.

Companies then broke out into round-table conversations with analysts exploring the following content areas:

• Using Packaging to Engage with Consumers

• Shifts in Consumer Interest in Plant-Based Food & Drink

• How On-Pack Product Positioning Statements Influence Consumers

• Flavor Trends in Foodservice

• Innovations in Beverages

• Shifts in Consumer Perceptions of “Better for You” Food & Drink

• Innovating for the i-Gen (ages 11-23):  Emerging Trends in Food Preferences

• Using Social Media to Connect with Consumers

The roundtable format, similar to a professional “speed dating” allowed companies to move amongst their five interest areas and have more in-depth, smaller group conversations about the content area.  Companies also had the opportunity to submit samples to Mintel’s Purchase Intelligence tool that provides comprehensive customer feedback on the submitted products.  The evening concluded with a bit of networking while Merchandise Mart’s light show played across the river for guests to enjoy.  

Thank you again to our member, Mintel, for hosting this great event - we are looking forward to additional collaborations in 2019!  And thank you to all of our members for your support and engagement at all of our 2018 events, stay tuned for more in the year ahead!