Non-GMO Project Launches New Initiative
Non-GMO Project has debuted the Food Integrity Collective, an initiative that will look to transform the food systems through an independent approach at solving its food and health crises. "The Food Integrity Collective represents a paradigm shift in our approach to food and our relationship with our Earth... It encourages everyone, from producers to shoppers, to participate in creating a renewed food system designed to nourish life," explained Megan Westgate, founder and CEO of the Non-GMO Project and Food Integrity Collective.
The Collective will incorporate minimal processing, non-GMO practices to regenerative sourcing, healthy human communities, and animal wellbeing to highlight the interconnection between human wellbeing and the health of all living systems, creating a more holistic approach to nourishing life at every level of the food system. With recent studies linking heavily processed industrially produced foods, which make up over 50% of the dietary energy in some Western countries, and increased risks of cognitive decline and mental health issues, the Collective will aim at raising concerns for food integrity and in turn enhance human cognitive and emotional wellbeing.
Brands have already begun signing on to be a part of the new program. Atlantic Sea Farms, Califia Farms, GoodSam, Heray Spice, Honey Mama's, Levelle Nutrition, Pasturebird, Snacktivist, Spicewell, and Tree-Range Farms are all part of the initial run of cosigners. Kiera Foti, brand manager at Atlantic Sea Farms, explained why they were so early in their interest for the new initiative, “We believe our future depends on food sources, like regeneratively farmed seaweed, that can positively impact the health of our planet and empower people to make meaningful, positive change. We look forward to collaborating with other brands to inspire bigger systemic changes and work to restore faith in our food systems together."
NutrifyGenie Sets AI Standards
NutrifyGenie AI has set a new standard in Dietary Supplement development by becoming the first ISO certified AI technology to successfully produce 12 commercialized products within the industry, the company announced. Nutrify Today's multi-layered AI was able to create the unique products for Jubilant Generics, Esperer Nutrition, and others using its integrated 3.5 million + curated data points which include biochemistry, botanicals, and regulatory guidelines. Created by a team of 32 experts, NutrifyGenie boasts a comprehensive data library of more than 10,000 ingredients and regulatory details, toxicology, and intellectual property data points from 6,000 approved ingredients across 11 countries. Amit Srivastav, Founder of Nutrify Today and primary catalyst of Nutrify India, shared his thoughts on the company's milestone, "NutrifyGenie continues to set the bar for new product ideation, development, and commercialization... Through NutrifyGenie we are committed to enhancing the supply chain to improve the dietary supplement landscape.”
Recently, NutrifyGenie AI garnered attention from the industry for its capabilities and innovations. The Current Developments in Nutrition (CDN) scientific journal, the International Congress on Natural Products Research in Poland, and the NBJ Summit have spotlighted the platform for its product development and role in the creation of Cepham's SheVari4. “Our biggest challenge in the industry is to create differentiated products, utilizing the most economical budgets and the quickest turnaround time... There is really no other way to foster this process without first using AI, along with your imagination, so that we can essentially create more value for this market," said Anand Swaroop, Founder and President of Cepham, during NBJ Summit’s AI mainstage presentation.
Circana Reports on the Future of Dinner
The Future of Dinner is Circana's latest report on consumers current evening meal behavior trends. Their findings include projections for the dinner options of several consumer generations: Gen Z consumers will look to build on their cooking skills while opting for quick dinner meals, Gen Z will focus on center-of-plate proteins, breakfast foods, ready-to-eat snack foods, and Gen X will continue choosing dinners that satisfy both their cravings and tastes, lean towards their favorite dishes, and opt for more diverse meal options that offer a blend of flavors and ingredients. Other stats include:
- US consumers source 81% of their dinners at home and most often enjoy dinner with others
- Gen X prefers dinners that require minimal prep and few ingredients
- Gen Z increasingly invests in special occasion dinners and seek no-prep dinner solutions
“More than one-third of dinners are motivated by a need for connectedness, and how consumers meet this need depends on various factors,” said Darren Seifer, industry advisor, Consumer Goods and Foodservice, Circana. “With the shifting demographics of our population, such as Gen Z entering adulthood, we can expect corresponding shifts in dinner foods and preparation methods. It’s crucial to take a closer look at these varying consumer behaviors to meet their growing needs."
Stratum Nutrition Signs Exclusive Distribution Agreement
Science-backed ingredients supplier, Stratum Nutrition, has announced it has entered an exclusive distribution agreement with Korean based, advanced oral probiotics specialist, OraTicx. Under the new agreement, Stratum Nutrition will be the sole distributor of OraTicx products including the live strains oraCMU (Weissella cibaria CMU) and oraCMS1 (Weissella cibaria CMS1), and the postbiotic form of oraCMU across North America. "OraTicx's high-quality oral probiotics will further strengthen our portfolio of clinically proven ingredients,” said Micah Osborne, CEO of Stratum Nutrition. “We are pleased to offer more diverse and effective health solutions to North American consumers in both human and pet markets through this partnership."
OraTicx products are meant to support oral and overall health through well researched and scientifically validated probiotic strains. In a recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled published clinical trial, oraCMU showed significant improvements in participants breath scores and a reduced presence of compounds that produce bad breath. The same benefits were recorded in two canine clinical trials. In addition to its oral health support oraCMS1 has shown to provide immune system support in human clinical trials.
Safety Shot Releases Q2 Financials
Safety Shot, Inc. has released its financial results and corporate highlights for its second quarter which ended on June 30, 2024. Highlights from the report include:
- Q2 Revenues increased 40%
- Q2 Operating expenses decreased 17.7%
- Recent clinical trial confirms dramatic reduction of blood alcohol content
- Product will soon be available in convenient 4-ounce bottles
- Powdered version of alcohol-reducing nutraceutical will be released in Q4
- Partnerships announced with Capital Drugs, Mr. Checkout, GoPuff, and BevMo will expand product offering to 300 pharmacies across the US
"We are very excited about our financial performance and our achievements for the second quarter of 2024. A dramatic increase in our revenues with a dramatic decrease in our operating expenses only showcases Safety Shot’s determination to bring value to stakeholders,” shared CEO Jarrett Boon.
ADM and Farmers Business Network Expand Tech Platform
Gradable is the new company created by ADM and Farmers Business Network to expand the Gradable technology platform. The 50-50 initiative will allow Gradable to expand and reach new partners and customers at every stage of the grain supply chain including growers and grain buyers. “Gradable is rapidly becoming one of the industry’s leading and largest technology platforms enabling sustainability scoring at scale. We welcome all partners from the CPG and grain buying industries and look forward to serving new markets and more farmers,” said Steele Lorenz, the newly appointed CEO of Gradable.
Currently, the North American grain procurement platform has over 20,000 farmer users across over 12 million acres, has scored more than 200 million bushels of corn and soybeans, analyzed 48 million acre-years of agronomic events, and facilitated over $30 million in financial incentives for sustainable practices since its introduction in 2020. Developed as a modern digital framework to build on the relationship between grain buyers and farmers, increased demand for sustainably produced crops has led to Gradable's expansion especially throughout ADM's facilities across the U.S. and Canada, increasing the number of commercial partners and countries it serves while providing assistance to supply chain members looking to meet the global demand for more sustainable food, feed, fuel, and industrial products. Greg Morris, President of ADM's AG Services and Oilseeds business, shared his thoughts on the growth, “The continued expansion of this work requires a strong technology platform that enables farmers to easily participate and provides farm-level data for grain buyers and end customers. This new joint venture paves the way for the continued growth of Gradable, opening the door for even more farmers, commercial grain partners, and end customers to benefit from regen ag practices and the growing demand for sustainably sourced products.”
IFF Receives R&D Center Certification
The Türkiye Ministry of Industry and Technology has recognized IFF's Creation and Design Center in Türkiye as a key innovation center. Located in Gebze, the facility was designed to support Turkish food and beverage manufacturer customers from conceptualization to commercialization with state-of-the-art technology and dedicated labs for beverages, bakery, confectionery, meat and snacks, analytical labs and pilot plants supported by 29 application scientists. This new accreditation will increase food manufacturers access to the company's innovative solutions and create faster turnaround times for new products to reach target markets.
“For our customers, this accreditation significantly streamlines their application process which means faster access to our innovative solutions, helping them to bring new products to market swiftly. It’s a seal of trust that inspires us to raise the bar even higher in quality and service as we collaborate with our valued customers and research partners," shared Armand Engelen, Regional Creation & Design Director, AMETI at IFF.
Clorox Sells Better Health Vitamins Division
Clorox has agreed to sell its Better Health Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements business to Piping Rock Health Products. The deal is expected to close as part of the first quarter of the current fiscal year which ended on June 30th. The sale, which includes the Natural Vitality, NeoCell, Rainbow Light and RenewLife brands, its relevant trademarks and licenses, and the company's manufacturing and distribution facilities in Sunrise, Florida, will result in a one-time charge of $114 million to $134 million to Clorox in the first quarter which is roughly $1.00 to earnings per share.
No financial terms have been disclosed at this time.
WIN Attends VitaFoods Asia
On September 19, Women in Nutraceuticals (WIN) will facilitate the Driving Gender Equity Across the Global Nutraceuticals Industry panel discussion at Vitafoods Asia. Hosted by Gillian Fish, Founder & CEO, The 6AM Agency - Australia, panelist Rungphech Chitanuwat, CEM - Informa Regional Portfolio Director, ASEAN/Country General Manager (Philippines), Jeannie Kwa – Marketing Manager, The 6AM Agency (Malaysia), Salman Mehkri – Head of Business Development, Bio-gen Extracts (India), and Amy Sie-Yik Lau - Business Development & Marketing Lead, Kyowa Hakko Bio (Singapore), will examine why breaking down barriers like "bamboo ceiling" is crucial to the promotion of women in the workforce.
PLMA Trade Show is for Everyone
From November 17-19, the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago will host PLMA’s “The Store Brands Phenomenon 2024 – Empowering the Retail Industry” Private Label Trade Show. Nearly 1,800 exhibitors are registered for the Private Label Manufacturers Association event, ready to display the latest in food, beverage, wine and spirits, flavors, ingredients, authentic international foods and nonfoods, refrigerated and frozen foods, sustainable packaging, beauty and cosmetic products, pet products, self-care, baby care, household goods, kitchenware, general merchandise, and services to attendees from every generation, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z. “The show floor will be filled with nearly 1,800 exhibitors and more than 3,000 booths, making it a premier event for retailers in all channels to discover products that appeal to the unique needs and preferences of multiple generational groups,” shared PLMA Corporate Vice President, Anthony Aloia.
PLMA will also be hosting two new speaking engagements under its popular Lunch and Learn PLMA Online Speaker Series:
- September 12th, Sara Williamson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Marketing at SUNY Old Westbury, will share details about the unique shopping traits of Baby Boomers and reveal where private label can provide value.
- September 19th, Laurie Demeritt, owner and CEO, The Hartman Group, will discuss Gen Z and provide insight on how to target the group through product innovation and branding.
Additional details are available here.
KinderFarms Ranks Second Year in a Row
KinderFarms has been ranked amongst the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies for the second consecutive year. Companies ranked in the Inc. 5000 list have driven rapid revenue growth while successfully dealing with inflationary pressure, rising costs of capital, and intractable hiring challenges.
Co-founded by Jessica Biel, the company offers clean and effective over-the-counter medicines, under its KinderMed brand name, that have been formulated with the help of doctors and scientists and use the same proven active ingredients as leading conventional brands minus artificial additives like dyes, parabens, artificial sweeteners, or flavors. Additionally, the company offers KinderLyte, a clean and effective oral electrolyte solution (OES) that hydrates three times faster than water without the use of artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors.
Jeremy Adams, Parent, Co-founder and CEO of KinderFarms, spoke on the company's reaction to the news, "We are thrilled to be ranked on this year's Inc. 5000 list for the second consecutive year. What began as a strong belief in creating a cleaner future for the kids' over-the-counter (OTC) medicine aisle has grown into a movement of parents choosing effective health treatments without unnecessary artificial fillers or additives. As a team of parents, we are proud to provide values-driven options in the medicine aisle and plan to continue making 'kinder' medicine and health products accessible to as many families as possible through our KinderMed and KinderLyte product lines available nationwide at Walmart, CVS, Walgreens among other retailers."
Dr. Bronner's Publishes Annual Impact Report
Dr. Bronner's has delivered its tenth annual All-One! report—the brand's individual version of a corporate social responsibility report, outlining the company's philanthropic giving, environmental impact, and other important company developments in 2023. Highlights from the report include:
- The company’s total to-date contributions to philanthropic and advocacy causes surpassed $100 million in 2023.
- Six sections explaining how the company sought to fulfil each of its six Cosmic Principles to positively impact global communities
- Essays discussing the support and solidarity for Dr. Bronner's olive oil supply chain partners in Palestine; health care programs for mint farmers in India; community housing construction for Haitian refugees in San Diego; Dr. Bronner’s ongoing efforts to reduce plastic consumption and improve sustainability with the launch of its Soap Refill Cartons; expansion of dynamic agroforestry for palm and cocoa farmers in Ghana.
- $199.6 million – total revenue in 2023.
- 206.9 – Dr. Bronner’s B Corp Impact Score, among the highest in the world.
- 65.85% – percentage of Dr. Bronner’s employees who identify as BIPOC.
- $25.93 – starting salary for full-time employees (67% higher than California minimum wage.)
- 151 – acres of dynamic agroforestry installed.
- 774,724 – number of trees planted in dynamic agroforestry systems.
- $1.43 million – total USD spent on social community projects throughout Dr. Bronner’s supply chain.
- $5,675,697 – total USD given to charitable and activist causes in 2023
“At Dr. Bronner’s our mission is community. Our greatest work is to bring people together for the greater good. It isn’t a marketing shtick. It’s in our DNA and it’s our business model. Everything we do is guided by our core values, as outlined in our Cosmic Principles,” shared Dr. Bronner’s Cosmic Engagement Officer, David Bronner and President, Michael Bronner in the introduction to the report.
A full version of the report can be read here.
GRMA Reaches GFSI Benchmarking Milestone
The Global Retailer and Manufacturer Alliance (GRMA) Inc Certification Program v1.2, NSF/ANSI 455-2 Dietary Supplements has achieved recognition against the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Benchmarking Requirements v2020, Scope K. The GFSI is the Consumer Goods Forum's (CGF) Coalition of Action on food safety, by achieving this breakthrough, the GRMA—a nonprofit, global organization, focused on developing and advancing quality and safety standards for health and wellness products, has set new standards for Dietary Supplement GMPs and established a benchmarking requirement for which food safety Certification Program Owners (CPO) to be assessed and recognized.
"Reaching this milestone of GFSI benchmarking is a moment of pride for all GRMA members and a significant step forward in our mission to harmonize quality standards across the consumer product industry... This achievement is more than a recognition; it's a testament to our collective commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of consumers worldwide," shared Allyn Shultis, Executive Director of GRMA.
GC Rieber VivoMega Leans on AI
GC Rieber Vivomega is driving efficiency, quality, and improved sustainability through the use of its Intelecy, the no-code AI solution that creates machine learning models for real-time predictions. The AI tool is able to create anomaly detection machine learning models without the use of manual coding. As historical data is fed into the Intelecy platform, the models begin to learn and understand the patterns of an efficient production process. When a real-time deviation is detected in the production data, an anomaly is generated within the platform's cloud-based, comprehensive, centralized data reporting system. Companies like GC Rieber VivoMega using the technology can use the anomaly data to analyze energy consumption in real-time, identify ways to reduce its energy use, proactively plan maintenance and minimize unexpected downtime.
“With Intelecy’s platform, we can significantly improve our production process and strengthen our environmental initiatives. Previously, we focused on addressing faults as they occurred and took preventive measures based on those time intervals. Now, we have increased focus on predictive maintenance, which enables us to anticipate future issues and address them before they become a concern,” said Torbjørn Saltkjelvik, Process Optimizer at GC Rieber VivoMega.
The End of Fake Organic Rice Protein
Axiom Foods says the enforcement of USDA's Strengthening of Organic Enforcement regulations has marked the end to the fake organic Rice Protein problem within U.S. markets. As a result, Axiom, the Organic Oryzatein Brown Rice Protein standards creator, has had to triple its production to meet the demand from food and beverage manufacturers looking to find alternatives for their previous Rice Protein sources. "The truth is finally out there, as we have been telling food and beverage manufacturers for years that they can’t trust fake organic certificates primarily from Chinese suppliers, just because the price was better... If a price sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” One of the telltale signs of fake organic ingredients is when they don’t reflect the higher cost of growing organic crops," shared David Janow, Founder and President of Axiom.
With the global Rice Protein market valued at $134.12 in 2023, there is an expected growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.75% through 2031 according to the Organic Rice Protein Market Report published by InsightAce Analytic in August of 2024. Its rise in popularity is due to its suitability for a wide range of dietary needs including dairy-free, vegan, celiac, and sports nutrition, as well as published research on its effectiveness as a quality protein content providing the same clinical benefits of whey, neutral flavor, allergen and gluten free profile, and 100% digestibility. As it stands, Axiom is part of a small list of verified organic certified suppliers of Rice Protein and the only FDA GRAS certified.
QualiTech Acquires Ellison Bakery
Global manufacturer of plant nutrition, animal nutrition, and food ingredient products and services, QualiTech, has announced its acquisition of Ellison Bakery, a cookies, snack bars, crunches, toppings, and inclusion ingredients company serving the retail, food service and private label end markets. The addition of Ellison, which is headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, not only pushes forward QualiTech's plans to expand the platforms capabilities with products and ingredient solutions that will drive future growth but also marks the company's first major acquisition following its 2023 investment from MidOcean Partners.
Rick Pedersen, CEO of QualiTech, spoke on the acquisition, "Bringing Ellison into the QualiTech family will be beneficial for both companies as well as our customers... Both organizations have rich legacies of bespoke R&D, differentiated customer service, and superior product quality. As a combined platform, we will be able to scale services, build additional product capabilities, and unlock access to a larger addressable market. The acquisition accelerates QualiTech’s efforts to lead the industry in providing specialty ingredients that enhance the sensory components of consumers’ favorite foods and positions our business for long-term success.”
Mission MightyMe Closes First Round of Funding
Mission MightyMe reported that it raised $2.35 million after the company's first ever round of funding closed in March of 2024. Co-founded by Catherine and JJ Jaxon, the science-backed, children's food brand, will use the raised capital and its new partnership with retailer Target to expand access of its Nutty Puffs product line. “Closing our first capital raise and launching in Target are monumental and strategic steps in our growth plan,” said JJ Jaxon. "These accomplishments move us closer to our goal of making Nutty Puffs a pantry staple, which will have a transformative impact on children's health."
The direct-to-consumer e-commerce company has been offering parents and their kids, nutritious quick-dissolve nut butter puff snacks featuring the pediatric feeding recommendations for early and regular peanut consumption since 2018. “When we first introduced Nutty Puffs more than four years ago, our goal was to develop a healthier snack option that would also be a game changer for families trying to follow the pediatric feeding guidelines,” said Catherine Jaxon.
