Latin American consumers want to buy better, safer food and companies need to react, according to R&D company AINIA. 'The dual forces of consumer awareness and legislation are evolving the market,' says its director of international projects.
Brazilian craft chocolate brand Mestiço was founded by a Bahian cocoa farmer who saw artisan chocolate as a way to escape the uncertainty of the fluctuating cocoa commodity market. We spoke to its founder and CEO.
FoodNavigator-LATAM caught up with the president of the Round Table on Sustainable Soy to discuss Latin American supply, demand and how farmers can save money by switching to sustainable soy.
Chile's strict food regulations are helping mothers - and even children - make healthier food choices for the family, according to a study. The findings are “overwhelmingly positive”, say the researchers.
Specialty nut and seed oils from the Amazon, such as murumuru, could be used to replace cocoa butter or to boost the nutritional profile of products such as margarine, Brazilian researchers say.
With a healthy growth rate, boosted investor confidence and government commitment to innovation, Colombia is re-branding itself as a nation open to business - and, despite challenges, it is "well positioned to move forward", says a report by...
Young Argentinians' and Ecuadorians' perception of ultra-processed food is closely aligned with the original definition, recent research suggests, and the results can help manufacturers with successful new product development.
Mexico is on a drive to boost cocoa production and wants to position itself as Latin America's top producer of added-value fine, flavor cocoa. We spoke to trade group ASCHOCO.
Neogrid's cloud-based supply chain management tools allow manufacturers to react to consumer demand in real-time, meaning fewer product shortages or excesses. "We allow companies to put the right product in the right place and in the right quantity,"...
Latin American manufacturers are interested in cleaning up food labels but the region's lack of harmonization is limiting uptake, says Chr. Hansen’s LATAM vice president.
There is a high level of public support for front-of-pack nutrition warning labels among the Uruguayan public, according to a 1,400-strong survey. “In the Latin American context, the Chilean scheme seems particularly appropriate," write the researchers.
Producing sugarcane according to Bonsucro sustainability standards can halve greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and boost crop yields, according to recent research. "A clear case" for seeking certification for this "very thirsty crop",...
By commercializing the Amazon's precious food resources through responsible supply chains, rainforest-to-table movement Cumari hopes to protect the rainforest. "We’ll only conserve what we value," it says.
ConMéxico reacts: 'Our lobbying is legal, legitimate and transparent'
Mexico's lack of action to tackle its obesity crisis over the past six years may be due to policymakers' close ties with the food and drink industry, according to a report by consumer rights group El Poder del Consumidor.
Israeli ag-tech firm Taranis says its precision agriculture tools can boost yields and cut costs - and is already doing so for millions of hectares of farmland in Latin America. “This is a one-of-a-kind patented technology," says its CEO.
Natural Habitats is one of the world's biggest producers of certified organic palm oil, and almost all its supplies are grown in Ecuador. We caught up with its sustainability director to find out more.
Argentinian start-up The Food Market is an e-commerce platform for local and regional brands, giving producers "an unthinkable growth opportunity" and consumers the chance to buy "honest, transparent" brands.
Many critics of the NOVA food classification are biased due to close ties to the food industry, according to Brazilian researchers - but are the lines between criticism of NOVA and support of food processing becoming blurred?
Appearing in Mexican street food, Argentinian coffee shops and Brazilian chocolate, hibiscus flavors are conquering the Latin American continent in categories as diverse as beverages, confectionery and dairy. We spoke to supplier Firmenich to find out...
Smallholder cocoa farmers in Ecuador can match the yields of CCN-51 with Nacional fine flavor, says the world's largest fine flavor cocoa plantation Hacienda Victoria.
Kallari Chocolate, an Ecuadorian cocoa farmer group that also produces branded chocolate, is to open a chocolate factory near its plantations in Tena next year.
From the growth in meatless meat (plant-based meat) to Nestlé’s ambitious palm oil satellite tech and Mondelez stockpiling chocolate in the UK ahead of Brexit, here’s a round-up of the top seven global food and beverage news items from the past seven...
Regenerative farming is said to enhance crops and make the most of limited land resources while reducing the use of chemicals. In the third part of this series we look at how this translates into cacao production, and other crops.
Regenerative agriculture is slowly making inroads into the consumer mindset but still remains a mystery to most. To get to grips with the concept this article takes a look at the most important element: the soil.
The rise and rise of the organic and naturals trend in the food and health and wellness industry is putting increasing pressure on farmers to produce pesticide-free, sustainable and efficient crops for raw materials.
As Brazil slowly emerges from its four-year economic recession – the worst in the country’s history, economists say – there is a fundamental and intrinsic growth opportunity in most food and beverage categories but it remains a challenging environment...
A cross-sectional, population-based survey assessed in the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS) found a high consumption of total and added sugar intake among 9,218 individuals from eight Latin American countries with Argentina registering...
Chocolate giant CasaLuker has developed a method to make cocoa powder with a high polyphenol content that can be used in cocoa-based food and beverage products and even supplements.
Advertising of food and beverages around schools in Mexico often features unhealthy products, with almost 70% not in compliance with recommendations from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
When it comes to sugar, fat and salt reduction, Latin America can learn a lot from Europe and the US as most of the complex, technical aspects have already been refined, says a formulation expert.
Colombia and Ecuador currently export most of their palm oil but demand in Latin American is growing, and the oil crop has the advantage that consumers' minds are "a beautiful white page", according to trade group Fedepalma.
Continuing its expansion across Latin America, Barentz International has established a joint venture with Sao Paulo-based Tovani Benzaquen Ingredients. The JV marks Barentz’s first real entrance into the Brazilian market.
A partnership between Nestlé-Garoto and Uber Eats to deliver chocolate eggs to São Paulo has led to an increase in chocolate Easter eggs sales of 100% over the same period last year.
Brazil must shift its organic strengths towards secondary production, the animal sector and functional ingredients if it wants to secure a brighter future, says the executive director of Organics Brasil.
