Month February 2025

Keychain expands AI-powered platform | Food Business News

NEW YORK — Keychain is expanding its artificial intelligence (AI) platform capabilities beyond search and discovery to now include packaging and ingredients options. The new offerings come as the company received an additional $5 million in funding from Bright Pixel Capital, the…

MeliBio wins AHN’s inaugural pitch competition

ITASCA, ILL. —MeliBio, the parent company of plant-based honey startup Mellody Foods, has won Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc.’s (AHN) inaugural pitch competition — Next Generation Taste & Texture Technologies (NGT3) event. MeliBio competed against six other companies at…

US restaurant industry forecast to reach $1.5 trillion in sales

WASHINGTON — Foodservice operations are projected to generate $1.5 trillion in sales in 2025, according to the National Restaurant Association (NRA). The record-setting sales forecast comes from the association’s recent State of the Restaurant Industry report, an annual publication that…

Entrepreneurs ‘brand battle’ in pitch slams

BATTLE CREEK, MICH. — Brandjectory, an online platform dedicated to connecting early-stage consumer products entrepreneurs to investors co-founded by Tom Malengo and Susan Bryenton, and Jeff Church, founder and chief executive officer of Suja Juice and Rowdy Energy, are coming together…

Children-focused plant-based beverage startup valued at $20 million

MARIN, CALIF. — PlantBaby, Kauai, Hawaii, has closed its series seed equity financing round, led by B2 partners, to expand distribution and continue its R&D efforts in the plant-based milk categories and beyond. Other investors included Big Idea Ventures, Everywhere Ventures,…

TreeHouse Foods’ new plan to boost profitability

OAK BROOK, ILL. — TreeHouse Foods Inc. unveiled a broad plan to boost profitability in reporting 2024 fourth-quarter and fiscal year earnings that fell short of Wall Street’s consensus forecast. And in an update, the private label food manufacturer said its…

Food safety outlook | Food Business News

KANSAS CITY — Determined to continue to reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses, regulatory agencies such as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have moved to strengthen oversight of food manufacturers, particularly…

Balancing Consumer Appeal and Shelf Life to Stay Ahead

Today’s food manufacturers face a unique challenge—how to meet growing consumer demand for simpler, cleaner labels while ensuring products remain safe and fresh throughout their shelf life. According to the International Food Information Council (IFIC), 63% of consumers are paying…

Nestle continues to struggle in North America

VEVEY, SWITZERLAND — Underperformance in frozen food and coffee creamer capacity constraints weighed on Nestle SA’s performance in North America during 2024. “… In North America, our growth was disappointing,” said Anna Manz, chief financial officer, during a Feb. 13…

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