Member News & Headlines Blog

• Missouri was sued in federal court the day before a state law went into effect which would ban plant-based and cell-cultured meat producers from using the words "meat," "beef," "chicken" and "sausages" on their labels, even if the terms "plant-based" or "vegan" are also used, Food Navigator reported.

• The plaintiffs are the Good Food Institute, Animal Legal Defense Fund, American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri and the plant-based brand Tofurky. Their complaint argues the new state law is unconstitutional and would criminalize the word "meat." They asked the court for a preliminary injunction to stop enforcement until the lawsuit is settled.

Our member, Simple Mills is on the MSN lifestyle list of "30 cult favorite products from Target that hit the bullseye every time." We are extremely proud of Simple Mills, and completely agree with how amazing and tasty their products are! To read more, and to view the full list on MSN Lifestyle, click HERE.

American spirits company Constellation Brands has immensely increased its investment in a Canadian cannabis company, betting that recreational cannabis will be a huge market when it becomes fully legal in Canada in two months.

Constellation, the $8 billion company behind Corona and Modelo beers and Svedka vodka, will spend US$3.88 billion to increase its ownership of Canopy Growth Corp. to 38 percent and will nominate four directors to Canopy's seven-member board, it was announced today.

Read the full article HERE

PepsiCo today (Aug. 20) announced it will acquire SodaStream International Ltd., maker of "Sparkling Water Makers," for $3.2 billion in cash.

SodaStream was an early entry in the home-soda market. Its machine allows consumers to "transform ordinary tap water into sparkling water and flavored sparkling water in seconds." Regarding that last part: At the moment, SodaStream sells generic flavors for its carbonated water – "lemon fruit drops, raspberry fruit drops, diet cola and "Dr. Pete" – but those could become branded PepsiCo products.

PepsiCo offered $144 per share in cash for the Israel-based company, 32 percent above its 30-day average price.

In addition to the synergies and business talk, Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo's chairman and CEO for another six weeks, noted SodaStream fits well into her company's "Performance with Purpose" philosophy by "offering consumers the ability to make great-tasting beverages while reducing the amount of waste generated. ... Together, we can advance our shared vision of a healthier, more-sustainable planet."

And while it does help Pepsico reach consumers in their homes, rather than in grocery or convenience stores, it is a doubling-down on carbonated soft drinks, sales of which have flattened lately.

Food Processing generates annual lists of the top 100 food and beverage companies in the United States and Canada. You can find lists dating back to 2011 by clicking on each year's tab. These lists of the top food and beverage companies are one of a kind; nowhere else can you sort both food and beverage manufacturers by sales, rank or income all in one place.

Food Processing's 43rd annual Top 100© list (2018) ranks food and beverage processors based on their sales of value-added, consumer-ready goods that were processed in U.S. and Canadian facilities. Use the chart below to electronically sort each of the top food and beverage companies by name, rank, or sales

Thanks to Americans’ increasingly hectic lifestyles, sales of grab-and-go items like salty snacks, including chips, popcorn and pretzels, are increasing, according to the June 2018 “Salty Snacks: U.S. Market Trends and Opportunities” report from Packaged Facts. Convenience is cited as a top purchase driver.

“The state of the snack food market is ever-evolving,” says Amber Glover, business development manager, Asenzya, Oak Creek, WI. “More and more often, the consumer isn’t eating three square meals a day. Instead, they rely on several snacks to help them get through their busy schedules.”

Contributing to growth is the fact that salty snacks are readily available in vending machines, gas stations, and convenience stores—which only increases their appeal among rushed shoppers. Though competition does exist from chocolate confections, cookies, and crackers, Packaged Facts estimates that sales of salty snacks will exceed $29 billion in 2022.

To read the entire article from Snack and Bakery HERE

At Kellogg, I have the opportunity to work on world class brands that are made in 21 countries around the world.  I feel privileged to know that through my work, I am helping to achieve our company’s purpose of nourishing families so they can flourish and thrive.

Kellogg is a company with a Heart and Soul, passionate about fighting hunger and feeding potential for people and communities. That means ensuring that there is enough food for everyone, especially for children who might not always have access to a good breakfast. 

Breakfast is so important to success in the classroom. Without a healthy start to the day, kids simply don’t show up ready to learn. That’s why we launched Breakfasts for Better Days™, our global signature cause platform. Through Breakfasts for Better Days, Kellogg is donating 2.5 billion servings of food and expanding feeding and nutrition education programs to reach 2 million children. Overall, our goal is to create three billion Better Days by the end of 2025.

To read this entire article click HERE

• Kraft Heinz CEO Bernardo Hees recently spoke with The Wall Street Journal about the company's push to increase sales by giving its well-known brands a healthy update — without losing faithful customers.
• Hees used Capri Sun as an example, saying that because the drink wasn't organic, even consumers who enjoyed it as children would not buy the beverage now. To address this and similar issues with other Kraft Heinz products, the company introduced organic and no-added-sugar versions of Capri Sun, Oscar Mayer hot dogs without byproducts and Kraft mac and cheese with no artificial coloring, he said.
• But not all brands work with a natural or healthy marketing approach, Hees noted. It's also challenging to revamp products quickly, he said.

Check out this article from FoodDive HERE

Chicago Tribune's first ever FOOD BOWL offers a 3-week crash course in the fine art of cuisine from Tuesday, August 7 through Sunday, August 26. The festival showcases the distinct tastes and flavors of Chicago from its neighborhoods to its award winning restaurants and world-class chefs. 

The FOOD BOWL gives locals and tourists alike the opportunity to get up close and personal with Chicago's second to none food scene through 100+ events that include specialty classes, test kitchens, panels and talks, pop-up bars, neighborhood tours, fine dining and more.

Why Chicago? Why now?

Here are just a few reasons that make Chicago the city at the top for foodies:

The James Beard Foundation moved their big Awards ceremony-aka the Oscars of the food world--to Chicago four years ago and will be calling Chicago home again next year.

Condé Nast Traveler says "Chicago is the best restaurant city in America” (2017).

Bon Appétit magazine calls Chicago “America’s most exciting city to eat in right now.”

Chicago's Alinea restaurant has been named the “Best Restaurant in the World” by many, including Elite Traveler magazine.

25 Chicago establishments received one or more Michelin star in 2018.

So now's your chance to experience Chicago's finest at Chicago Tribune's FOOD BOWL. Here are some highlights--the rest of the events are listed on the website.

Read the full article HERE

LaForce Baker is the founder and executive chef at Moon Meals Inc., a company providing plant-based meals including vegan meats, cheeses, and sauces to major retailers and foodservice operators. When Black Enterprise interviewed Baker in 2014, he discussed his vision to expand to other markets, to make healthy, tasty options accessible to other time-starved, urban professionals. Four years later, his vision for Moon Meals has come to life. Thanks to the Fiesta Wrap, the company’s new vegan grab-and-go concept, the bootstrapped entrepreneur who overcame poverty is launching in all 187 Jewel supermarket locations in the Midwest.

To read the entire article from Black Enterprise click HERE