Emotional wellbeing is emerging as a top health concern for consumers across the generations, according to new research by the Hartman Group, which also found an increasing portion of people prefer to manage their moods with food, beverages and supplements than over-the-counter and non-prescription medications.

Delivering on whitespace innovation can propel a CPG food and beverage startup into mainstream success, and filling a gap in the market might be simpler than some startups think, explained Karen Anderson, CEO of Purple Peak Marketing, during a recent Founders’ Fundamentals podcast.

Emotional wellbeing is emerging as a top health concern for consumers across the generations, according to new research by the Hartman Group, which also found an increasing portion of people prefer to manage their moods with food, beverages and supplements than over-the-counter and non-prescription medications.

A broadly-supported new definition for “pasture-raised” poultry proposed by USDA this fall could help level the playing field for small, independent farms and brands competing in the increasingly important, crowded and confusing humanely-raised chicken category.

Research and advocates for 100% grass-fed dairy suggest the practice is better for people, the planet and animals – but is it better for business?

After a year of “unapologetically” embracing luxury, indulgence and whimsy through vivid colors and unexpected flavor combinations, consumers will rediscover and recenter themselves in 2025 by choosing taste profiles and hues that more realistically represent their individual needs and support their emotional wellbeing, according to tastemakers at the nutrition and ingredient giant ADM.

Successful CPG startups not only strike the right balance between delivering on product claims and branding aesthetics — the head and heart of building a food and beverage business — but also provide consumers easy ways to learn about their brand when they spot the product on shelf, Christy Lebor, partner and director of brand development at SmashBrand, told FoodNavigator-USA.

Consumer interest in products made with ingredients from regional smallholder farmers or those practicing regenerative agriculture is on the rise, but CPG companies and suppliers are struggling to meet their demand in part because most farmers are unable to access sufficient capital on their own to scale specialty crops and sustainable growing practices.

Food and beverage industry stakeholders and consumer advocates are lauding FDA’s commitment to enhance its post-market assessment of chemicals in food, but they worry the agency’s proposed process is “thin on details,” including lacking sufficient transparency about how it would select ingredients for review, how it will assess their safety and the extent to which the public can contribute.

As US consumers embrace a wider variety of seasonings to flavor their food they increasingly want to know where spices come from, their safety profile and environmental and social impact – prompting the industry stakeholders to rethink spice supply chains, which historically have been purposefully opaque to hide widespread inequity and exploitation.

Food and beverage CPG startups can set themselves up for long-term business success by slowly and strategically growing their retail footprint, focusing first on product-market fit, unique branding and wisely allocating marketing dollars to build loyalty with customers, Jordan Buckner, founder of online CPG food and beverage community Foodbevy, shared on a recent episode of FoodNavigator-USA’s Founders’ Fundamental podcast.