Frito-Lay has developed a method to manufacture tortilla chips without oven toasting or fresh corn processing, providing a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional production.
Producing probiotic beverages made with pineapple juice and the yeast Meyerozyma caribbica leads to good sensorial characteristics and high consumer acceptance.
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.
Grupo Bimbo has started 2018 extremely strong in Mexico but its CEO says there are concerns around potential volatility and change in the market in light of the significant, upcoming general election.
In response to the growing demand for protein, California-based plant-based meat pioneer Beyond Meat has announced it is expanding globally, with plans to enter Chile, Mexico, and more countries throughout Latin America.
A new digital health information system is aiming to study the dietary habits and nutritional status of the Mexican population, with the ultimate goal of helping to guide Mexico’s public nutrition policies.
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).
Replacing some of the sugar in cookies with an aqueous stevia extract produced high consumer liking scores, while also boosting fiber content and showing good metabolic benefits, report Mexican scientists.
The Argentinean snack market is brimming with growth opportunity as consumers seek out high-quality, healthy products that are either good value or positioned as premium, according to Nielsen.
Buenos Aires, Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital, is a hotbed of innovation around food and beverage. FoodNavigator-LATAM caught up with food industry consultant, Agustín Camps, to find out about this year’s hottest trends.
Latin America consumes large amounts of unpackaged artisanal dairy products but brands can innovate and sophisticate consumption to grasp new business, and the success of cheese is a good point of inspiration, according to Euromonitor International.
Yogurt sections in grocery stores across LATAM are growing as consumer demand for the products increase. In response, brands are innovating with on-the-go and high protein versions increasingly in demand.
Obrigado hopes its barcoded trees, patented extraction method, and zero-waste goal will buoy strong global growth as it cracks deeper into the increasingly competitive coconut water category.
An inventor from Peru has developed a sweetening formulation that enables calorie reduction but also targets disease prevention through functional ingredients like prebiotic fibers and omega-3s.
Making the Peruvian dessert mazamorra morada using only potato starch led to the most desirable sensory attributes, says a new study that is said to be first to assess the sensory characteristics of the dessert.
Ecuador’s traffic light labeling system is having an impact on consumer food and beverage purchases, says a new study from scientists at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito.
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.
The Mexican government should monitor the use of label claims on breakfast cereals, according to the researchers behind a study that found there is a lack of consistency between front of pack labeling and the nutritional quality of the products.
Food firms need to think small to be big in today's consumer market, using personalized marketing and investing on a regional level, says Rabobank's global consumer foods strategist.
Protein is hot, and nowhere more so than in Latin America, where the percentage of high protein new product launches per year is almost double the global average.
Denmark-based Novozymes is seeing significant opportunity in a number of sectors in Latin America, with significant opportunities in low-lactose applications and artisanal-baked goods in Brazil, says the company’s VP for food and beverages, Americas.
Quaker aligns well with increasing nutrition concerns throughout Mexico, so it will play a key role in growing presence in this important market, says PepsiCo Mexico's corporate affairs head.
Nim's Fruit Crisps wants to source directly from Colombian fruit farms to ensure better quality and consistency in its products and cater to growing production demands, its founder says.
Grupo Bimbo has launched a line of sprouted grain breads in Brazil, a move it says reinforces its commitment to innovation and investment in a country brimming with growth potential.
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.
Researchers from Colombia have developed avocado solids from blended pulp, lemon juice and water, providing stable, nutrient-dense and year-round access to the fruit for food manufacturers.
The Argentinian National Commission of Foods (CONAL) has approved Beneo’s functional carbohydrate, Palatinose (isomaltulose), for use in all food and drink categories in the country.
Nestlé Brazil is venturing into organics with a line of certified oats, marking the start of a wider plan the food giant has to develop the organic supply chain in the country.
Engaging and interactive packaging in Latin America is a must for food and beverage brands because consumers are highly connected digitally, says Tetra Pak's global marketing head.
Synergy Flavors continues its global expansion with a new broker partnership with DCA FoodTech in Mexico City, giving the company an “ideal entry strategy” for Mexico and beyond.
BRF has developed a method to make a low-fat animal protein hydrolysate using enzymes and acids that can be used in condiments and seasonings, as well as functional foods for sports and weight loss.
Cost-effective formulations are a must in Latin America where the majority of end consumers still have a limited disposable income and are seeking out low-cost products, says Ingredion.
Starch from the seeds of loquat (Eriobothrya japonica) showed stability to heat than conventional starch sources, and could “represent a promising alternative to chemically modified starches”.
Health and wellness must be collectively addressed and space must be made for improved dialogue and policy development between industry and the public sector, says the president of the Alliance of Food and Beverage Associations in Latin America (ALAIAB).
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.
Nestlé Waters has accepted a proposal from Indaiá proposal | Minalba, of the Edson Queiroz Group, to acquire its water business in Brazil, including the local brands São Lourenço and Petrópolis.
Potatoes tocosh – an ancestral fermented food product from the Central Peruvian Andes – may offer food scientists with novel bacterial cultures for the production of fermented starchy products.
Peruvian beverage manufacturer Industrias San Miguel (ISM) has been able to significantly reduce energy usage due to new lines producing PET bottles, with the company hailing the impact of equipment supplied by Sidel.
Consumers in Latin America want healthy food and beverages made in a sustainable and transparent way and expectations are much higher than the global average, says consulting major Edelman.
The United Kingdom wants to drive up food and beverage exports to Latin America but high tariffs and complex trade barriers may make market penetration hard, says UK industry head.
A new project from the Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming is aiming to create a huge organic food production hub around Rio de Janeiro by enabling smallholder farmers to adopt a 100% chemical-free agriculture.
Industry and governments must unite to address the astonishing problem of obesity in Latin America and a focus on early-life nutrition must be prioritized, says a food policy expert.
Male and female consumers in Brazil have different tastes and priorities with bakery products and manufacturers must consider this when innovating, says Mintel.
Polyphenol extracts from four Myrtaceae species native to Brazil may exert potential anti-obesity effects and protect against obesity-related complications, according to scientists at the University of São Paulo.
Mexico's National Institute for Forest, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP) has developed a blue dough from native maize varieties that it says contains up to twice the amount of antioxidants than traditional maize dough.
While Argentina’s salted-snack consumption is low at one kilo per person compared with the nine kilos in the US in 2017, the market has plenty of potential, says Pablo García, general manager for foods at PepsiCo Argentina.
