Over the past decade, the alternative protein industry has seen rapid growth in investor interest, with a total of $14.2 billion invested globally. Despite a high variance, investment in alternative proteins has doubled on average year over year. Amid challenging market conditions, alternative protein investment decelerated over the past year (alongside the 35% decline in overall global venture funding), decreasing from $5.1 billion in 2021 to $2.9 billion in 2022.

Bread and bread products posted the biggest decline with launches down nearly 11% during the first 11 months of 2022. Crackers launches dipped just more than 2%. Innovation trends around specific health claims softened in 2022.

The Award, honoring Califia Farms and Odwalla founder Greg Steltenpohl, seeks to encourage and support innovators, entrepreneurs, and change makers building a more positive, plant-centric food system.

Driven by consumer desire for wholesome food options that deliver on taste, Dole is launching new innovations across every category – snacking, beverages, ingredients and frozen treats – and entering new categories like functional supplements and probiotic sodas under a new brand.

The majority of the trends focus on sustainability, which is proving to be the primary motivator for many new and emerging entrepreneurs, a key factor in corporate commitments and an important “why” behind radical transparency and impact assessments.

Innova Market Insights’ 2022 Snacking Survey found that more than 54% of Americans say they snack two or more times a day. Nearly one-fifth of Americans say they snack four or more times a day.

You have a great tasting food you want to commercialize. What claims can you make? One of the first things on your to-do list should be to define a few basics: Who will buy your food? What’s important to them when it comes to your food category?

It’s always good to start a dairy report with a tall glass of milk. While it’s safe to say reports of dairy milk’s demise in the face of the plant-based boom are premature, unit sales slipped again in 2022 by 3.3%. Luckily for the industry, dollar sales increased by more than twice that percentage (7%) due to price-per-unit increases of 11 cents.

Last December saw Chicago retail data tracker IRI release its “November 2022 Retail Food and Beverage Price Check” report. Published on December 8, it noted that food inflation finally moderated after August and hit its slowest rate last October, at +0.3%.

Key industry players are focusing on reducing food waste by about 50% through the adoption of several methods to extend the shelf-life of food. Top companies are paying strict regulations on food waste. FDA supports the food industry regarding food safety, packaged foods, and clean labeling. In the coming period, food manufacturers are likely to develop smart technology that may reduce the wastage of food items.