Category: Innovation

June 15, 2021

Global Village Foods Wins 2021 NEXTY

Emerge member team Global Village Foods’ Allergy-friendly African-inspired Frozen Meals has been awarded a 2021 NEXTY Award for their full meal line and their Ethiopian Lentil Combo in the Best […]

May 13, 2021

Seaweed Farms Help Fisherman & Help Fight Climate Change

Hear how Emerge member team, Atlantic Sea Farms, partners with seaweed farms to source kelp, which dramatically improves ocean water quality and absorbs one of the main greenhouse gases warming […]

February 10, 2020

What is Key To a Safe Food Supply? Collaboration.

Selling safe and wholesome food is a top industry priority. To maintain consumer trust and protect public health, retailers can build stronger food safety coalitions that work toward preventing contamination throughout the supply chain.

The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) invited FMI to a meeting to develop data-driven goals for the Healthy People 2030 initiative, a national effort that sets objectives to improve the health and well-being of all people in the United States. This meeting brought together food safety professionals to support these Healthy People objectives in order to reduce infections caused by major foodborne pathogens, reduce severe allergic reactions and increase the proportion of consumers who follow key food safety practices.

Stakeholders from public health and regulatory departments, consumer groups, academia and industry participated in numerous workshops to identify areas of shared food safety responsibility. It is through this shared responsibility that food safety professionals can coordinate strategies for reducing foodborne illness.

In a presentation titled, “Industry Led Intervention Strategies,” FMI highlighted the efforts food retailers are taking to protect public health. Participants learned how FMI resources:

Reduce food safety risk factors.
Strengthen cleaning and sanitation practices.
Improve food safety training and certification programs.
Reduce pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella contamination in leafy greens.
Mitigate Listeria, Norovirus, and Hepatitis A contamination.
Over the next decade, food retailers will play an important role in achieving the 2030 Healthy People objectives to reduce foodborne illness. While technological advancements are revolutionizing outbreak investigations and responses, sustaining strategic partnerships with regulators and consumers will be key to improving food safety behaviors and practices.

November 20, 2019

The Surge of Plant-Based Foods

FMI’s 2019 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report finds a rising number of households (33%) have at least one member following a non-medically prescribed diet such as vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or flexitarian. Increased demand for personalization is challenging the food shopping experience, and a growing number of shoppers are turning to plant-based proteins to help meet their unique household needs. The Power of Meat 2019 report finds plant-based meat alternative sales increased 19.2% last year and account for $878 million in annual sales.

So what does this all mean for retailers and CPG manufacturers? It’s clear that consumers across the board have a growing interest in plant-based foods, including plant-based protein – and they are buying more of these items.

October 4, 2019

Shoppers are Hungry for Stories

David Taylor shares his key takeaways from the recent Food Marketing Institute Private Brand Summit 2019. Read more in the  latest  SR4B blog post.   by David Taylor David Fikes, US-based Food […]

October 3, 2019

Nuttin Ordinary Eyes Next Stage of Growth

The Emerge community is in the news! Adam Hamilton, COO of Nuttin Ordinary, an Emerge subscriber company crafting delicious cashew cheese, was interviewed in the Elevator Talk series by NOSH, […]

October 1, 2019

Natural Products Growth Outpaces Total Food and Beverage

The past few years have seen a massive transformation in the world of natural food products as more and more people become conscious of how the food on their plates […]

September 26, 2019

Where Do Plant-Based Proteins Fit in The Grocery Store?

The FMI 2019 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report finds a rising number of households (33%) have at least one member following a non-medically prescribed diet such as vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or flexitarian, and this trend is higher for Gen Z and Millennial households. Increased demand for personalization is challenging the food shopping experience, and a growing number of shoppers are turning to plant-based proteins to help meet their unique household needs. FMI’s Power of Meat 2019 report finds, plant-based meat alternatives sales increased 19.2% last year and account for $878 million in annual sales.

September 13, 2019

7-Eleven Hosting Event to Find Brands With a Heart

7-Eleven Inc. is searching for up-and-coming brands to attend Brands with Heart, the convenience store retailer’s annual emerging brands event.
Brands can apply before Sept. 20 for a chance to showcase their most innovative products while engaging with leaders from the world’s largest convenience store retailer, according to 7-Eleven. The second annual event will take place Oct. 22-23 at its Store Support Center in Irving.

September 8, 2019

Walmart Wants Shelves Stocked with Small Brands

With 90% of U.S. households having visited at least once in the past year, Walmart is an ideal location for consumers to discover new and innovative food products — and not just ones from established CPG giants.

Despite being one of the world’s largest retail chains, Walmart has made helping emerging brands a key piece of its growth strategy. This includes offering early stage companies the ability to launch in as few as 10 stores, or access to buyers who can guide young brands as they prepare to enter the market.