European birch water startup ÖselBirch has received interest from purchasers in Mexico and Brazil and one expert believes the product could work with the right entry strategy, but there are numerous challenges facing such a long-distance expansion of...
Food security and nutrition experts from around the world gathered in Costa Rica this week for the Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) conference. FoodNavigator-LATAM brings you the highlights.
Chile is on a drive to increase investment and innovation by offering tax breaks for research and development (R&D) in any sector. “Chile is the natural laboratory for companies who want to see how the market responds to a product," says InvestChile
Brazil’s traceability law makes origin information for fresh fruit and vegetables mandatory, and is a boost for consumer transparency – but could make small producers less competitive, stakeholders warn.
Chile's Gelymar is developing a "completely new" range of apple fiber products and making seaweed sourcing more sustainable. "Natural, unique and sustainable are the three pillars that will dominate the future hydrocolloid industry,"...
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.
Reformulating to remove warning labels by cutting salt and fat makes a product seem healthier than creating a health halo by adding fiber or vitamins, Chilean researchers have found.
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.
Brazil's beverage market has been declining for the past three years, according to Kantar Worldpanel. "The market in Brazil is significant, complex and experiencing challenging times. However, there are opportunities to grow," it says.
The caramel and fruity notes of sapote make it ideal for both creamy dairy and acidic beverage applications, and can help manufacturers appeal to Latin American consumers, says supplier Aromatech.
Brazilians are hungry for meat-free foods with the taste and texture of meat - and quinoa patties won't cut it anymore, says the Good Food Institute (GFI). It shares advice for new product development and marketing strategies for plant-based products.
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",...
Juçaí's juçara berry sorbet may appeal to health-conscious millennials but it also has a more serious agenda: taking the juçara palm off the endangered list by growing demand for its superfruit berries.
Mexican students are transforming acidic agave waste from tequila production into a nutritious high-fiber flour. “We will create a new product to combat obesity and also have a cleaner Mexico,” they say.
Unified standards and regulations on the production and sales of beverages across Latin America and the Caribbean should happen within five years, says the International Council of Beverage Associations' (ICBA) regional group.
From jabuticaba-flavored yogurt to guacamole mayonnaise, processed food firms are catering to Latin Americans demand for natural, healthy, and authentic foods, according to a survey by ingredient supplier Kerry.
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.
Harvested wild from the Chilean forest, maqui berries have seven times more antioxidants than rival superfood açaí and their global popularity is growing, says supplier Arauco Nutrientes Naturales.
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.
Brazilians are confused about which food and drink is good for gut health - but this is an opportunity for manufacturers to offer premium solutions, according to health consultancy New Nutrition Business. 'Focus on value rather than volume,'...
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.
In addition to being 'on-trend', sprouted quinoa flour can improve the taste, texture and nutritional quality of gluten-free baked goods, according to Argentinean researchers.
Under its Leão brand, Coca-Cola Brazil has launched a range of yerba maté pods it says will meet Brazilian demand for practical and convenient healthy drinks.
An extract derived from natural fruit and vegetable compounds can extend the shelf-life of fruit by up to 250%, drastically cutting food waste, says the Peruvian start-up behind it.
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?
Danone has given its Argentinean yogurt brand La Serenísima a sustainable packaging revamp to make it easier to recycle. “We have the opportunity to be the first yogurt in Argentina to speak about the circular economy," it says.
Brazilian engineers say it is possible to create spicy tomatoes through genome editing, paving the way for healthier and cheaper foods that could benefit "the whole of society".
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...
Nopal cactus is a native vegetable commonly eaten fresh in Mexico. But it's the high-fiber, high-calcium powder format that has true superfood status, says one Mexican supplier.
From Chobani's new coconut-based range of spoonable and drinkable products to US food tech firm JUST aiming to take its plant-based product, JUST Egg, into China, a lot has happened over the past seven days. Here’s a round-up of the top seven global...
Price, time and product choice are key reasons Brazilians find healthy eating hard to maintain, but industry can overcome these barriers through added value products with clear on-pack claims, says Mintel.
The 2016 law aims to restrict the exposure of children to advertising ofpre-packaged foods high in energy, saturated fats, sugars and/or sodium (HEFSS). A new study explores how much of an impact that could be.
Food trendspotting is a round-the-clock practice for Campbell’s executive chef, Maria Gamble and her culinary team, who are tasked with finding ways to incorporate new flavors, textures, and ingredients into the company’s product portfolio that will spark...
Nestlé has developed non-dairy coffee creamers with improved mouthfeel using a blend of red seaweed extracts and high oleic vegetable oils that have an extended shelf life of up to six months.
From the continued growth of the organic category in the US to Roquette's optimism around plant-based milk for pea protein and regulatory developments to watch in APAC, a lot has happened over the past seven days. Here’s a round-up of the top seven...
Extracts from the skin of Granny Smith apples may help produce edible films to boost quality and preservation of food during processing and/or storage, says a new study.
Analyzing social media posts may offer food, beverage companies a quicker, and more resource-efficient method of identifying flavor pairings across Latin America, suggests a new study that looked at flavors in beer pairing.
Mexican households with higher untaxed beverage purchases before the country introduced its soda tax in 2014 had the “largest absolute and relative reductions in taxed beverages”, according to a new analysis.
Internationally recognized academic experts are calling for Brazil to adopt the warning sign system pioneered by neighboring Chile, and not traffic light labels favored by many industry groups.
Latin America and the Caribbean face many social, economic and environmental issues, all of which must be addressed collectively by regional stakeholders, including food and beverage manufacturers, says the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United...
Nestlé is investing $154 million USD in a new coffee factory in Veracruz, Mexico: which will process 20,000 tons of locally sourced green coffee a year.
Becoming Latin America's most valuable brand – like Corona achieved in 2018 – is no easy feat, but there are five consumer-driven attributes that are key to such success, says Kantar Consulting.
From the stevia specialist PureCircle looking to move beyond sweeteners to Nestlé’s new Institute of Packaging Science and Cargill’s big Asian food system mega-trends to watch, a lot has happened over the past seven days. Here’s a round-up of the top...
By ABIMAPI - Brazilian Manufacturers Association of Biscuits, Pasta and Industrialized Breads & Cakes
From sugar reduction to nutritional labeling and a focus on international markets, 2018 was an intense year for the Brazilian food industry. In this guest article, ABIMAPI (Brazilian Manufacturers Association of Biscuits, Pasta and Industrialized Breads...
Brazil will soon hand power over to president-elect Bolsonaro and food and beverage manufacturers must be ready to 'act quickly' to any impending change, says a LATAM consulting expert.
Grupo Bimbo will invest in technologies, circular economy best-practices and recycling programs to reduce plastic use and ensure all packaging is compostable or made from recycled materials by 2025.
Consumers across Latin America care greatly about environmental issues and a high percentage expect corporate engagement and will forfeit non-environmentally friendly brands, particularly in Colombia, finds Nielsen.
