Site News

Minnesota-based Revol Greens has closed a $68m funding round led by Equilibrium Capital -- bringing the company's total financing to $215m -- to launch a third lettuce greenhouse facility in Texas, which will bring its total annual output to 33 million pounds of greens able to reach one-third of the US population within 24 hours of harvest.

A new slate of better-for-you, non-alcoholic beverage brands developed by Molson Coors and beverage incubator L.A. Libations launching over the next several months -- including a plant-based barley milk and a nootropic performance beverage -- will position the company as leader in the non-alcoholic beverage segment, says Danny Stepper, CEO and co-founder of L.A. Libations.

As plant-based protein gains acceptance with mainstream consumers, manufacturers and investors are looking beyond the flash of new brands to consider the needs â and marketing opportunities â around services and ingredients that support increased production and distribution of finished products.

Cultured meat company Mosa Meat has closed a $55m (â47m) Series B funding round. FoodNavigator asks the start-upâs Head of Operations, Sarah Lucas, exactly how it plans to use the money.

Want to present your child-focused food or beverage launch, brand, or business in front of our expert panel at FoodNavigator-USA's virtual FOOD FOR KIDS summit in the fall? The deadline to enter our annual trailblazers challenge is Monday, September 28.

US retail sales of plant-based milk rose 17% to $2.362bn in measured channels in the year to September 6, 2020, according to new data from SPINS, which shows oatmilk - a relative newcomer - edging past soymilk to take the #2 spot in the category behind market leader almondmilk.

Spiceology, Inc., a privately held, direct-to-consumer spice company, has closed a $4.7m round of financing led by retail and grocery executive Ty Bennett, with participation by the Cowles Company, Kickstart Funds III & IV, and angel investors to scale up processing operations and sales and marketing efforts.

While uncertainty around the reopening of America in 2021 complicates predicting at-home versus away-from-home consumption for the full year, General Mills expects retail sales of its CPGs to remain higher than pre-pandemic levels for at least the next quarter, and it is undertaking a three-prong plan to maintain and further drive sales as much as possible after that, executives announced Sept. 23.

A new report has criticised âlarge multinational companiesâ for backing plastic-related legislation in certain geographies while lobbying against it in others.

With most retail chains now stocking a wide selection of plant-based burgers, sausages, and grounds, retailers and investors are looking for areas of untapped opportunity in the plant-based meat space, says Berkeley-based startup Renegade Food, which is gearing up to open a new facility in Petaluma dedicated to vegan charcuterie.

The US Food and Drug Administration has announced a virtual public meeting to explore the potential sex (biological) and gender (psychosocial) differences in use and responses to cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids.

US per capita peanut consumption has risen to an all-time high of 7.6 pounds in 2020, up 3.2% on 2019 driven in part by increased demand for peanut butter and at-home snacking as food consumption has shifted towards the home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Moving forward, Uncle Benâs will be known as âBenâs Original,â says brand owner Mars Inc, which like several leading CPG players including PepsiCo (Aunt Jemima) and Conagra Brands (Mrs Butterworthâs), has been under pressure to address racial stereotypes enshrined in its legacy brands.

Brazi Bites, best known for its frozen gluten-free Brazilian-style cheese bread, is expanding its consumer reach by launching on Amazon and in 300 Walmart stores where the brand can tap into a new base of consumers, said co-founder and CMO, Junea Rocha.

As more consumers focus on health, wellness and sustainability, researchers are pointing to one botanical that has been hiding in plain sight for thousands of years.

Americans may be exhausted from months of social distancing, balancing increased family responsibilities with work and navigating economic uncertainty due to the coronavirus, but fewer are reaching for energy drinks to keep them fueled during the pandemic â gravitating instead to coffee, according to new research from Packaged Facts.

Walmart is ditching the plastic wrap on long English cucumbers in select stores after striking a deal with veggie grower Houwelingâs Group to test cucumbers coated in Apeel, an invisible plant-based edible skin proven to dramatically extend the shelf-life of fresh produce.

To create a âperfect food systemâ that can feed more people with fewer resources in the next 50 years, the food industry needs to turn 180-degrees away from long-considered âbest practices,â including focusing on high yield crops, concentrating production and offering products with mass appeal, according to three experts gathered at the Future Food-Tech Summit last week.

Venture capitalistsâ initial hesitancy to enter new deals immediately following the coronavirus outbreak appears to be easing with the most interest and activity focused on grocery CPGs and food delivery, according to an analyst with Pitchbook.

Daring Foods â a startup seeking to punch above its weight in the plant-based chicken category via a lower calorie product with a shorter, cleaner, ingredients list and bold branding â has closed an $8m Series A funding round led by VC firm Maveron, taking its cumulative funding to around $12m.