Blog

Fancy Foods Show: Why Brands Should Exhibit

March 16, 2020

Finding ways to market an up and coming food brand to new customers is one of the biggest challenges that entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry face. Despite the huge amount of revenue that floods into the food industry (everyone does have to eat, after all), the industry is highly competitive. In fact, one recent study found how 10 multi-billion dollar food corporations control vast amounts of the overall food and beverage industry. Fortunately, consumer trends are showing a...

Why Should You Get Keto Certified?

March 16, 2020

Wandering through the aisles of your grocery store, the hundreds of food labels that shout for your attention are different than they were a decade ago. Traditional “visual branding” strategies focused on bright colors, innovative names and logos, and other eye-grabbing effects that were designed to vie for consumer attention. Remember the Trix Bunny, anyone? Our industrial food system, however, has played an enormous part in the obesity crisis gripping the country. According to the Center for...

Itraconazole: An Affordable Treatment for COVID-19?

March 14, 2020

I spend most of my time reading studies and textbooks on diets, ingredients, and human diseases. However, last year I was forced into a position where I had to do some extensive research into Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV) and stumbled across a rather unconventional, but noteworthy treatment. But why does that matter to you? To be upfront— it may, or may not matter. COVID-19 is not the same as FCoV, nor can humans get FCoV from cats. However,...

Ayoba South African Biltong Company: An Organic Adoption of Third-Party Certifications

February 25, 2020

[vc_row disable_element="yes"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Who is Ayoba? Ayoba is a family company based out of the Washington DC Metro area that has brought the South African tradition of Biltong to the United States. Through adding value and innovation to an established part of the food industry, investing in eye-catching and attractive packaging, and investing in third-party certification programs, Ayoba has positioned itself for economic success and long-term growth. Below, we analyze...

Why Food Brands should consider the RangeMe Platform

February 22, 2020

So you have created a unique grain-free, paleo, or keto food brand that obviously fills a niche in the market. Your research reveals that there is definitely a high market demand for what your brand (literally) brings to the table, and an opportunity for future growth. Market testing has been a success and your online sales are consistently growing. How can a small food brand like the one described above take the leap from independent sales to nationwide exposure through major retailers? In...

Why Brands Should Exhibit At Natural Products Expo West

February 21, 2020

With the advent of social media marketing and advertising, many small food brands might be tempted to think that face to face marketing is no longer necessary or crucial for targeting customers and growing a business. While it is true that social media channels offer a relatively straightforward path of connecting with customers specifically interested in your market niche, taking a business to the next level requires face to face interactions with industry professionals looking for suppliers...

Grain-Free, Paleo, and Keto Certified Brands at Expo West 2020

February 21, 2020

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We are less than two weeks away from Expo West 2020 and the energy is building as we anticipate an amazing trade show for our Certified Grain-Free, Certified Paleo, and Keto Certified brands! From the trade show floors to education sessions, and outdoor concerts to yoga sessions, you don’t want to miss all that Expo West 2020 has to offer! At Expo West 2020 you can discover more from the brands you love, and meet face-to-face with YOUR TRIBE! Here are the...

Is Grain-Free the New Gluten-Free?

February 5, 2020

[vc_row full_width="stretch_row_content" equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" bg_type="image" bg_override="1" parallax_content="parallax_content_value" first_background_type="image" first_background_image="85138" css=".vc_custom_1669703505477{margin-top: -35px !important;background-color: #ff4c00 !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}" el_class="hide-on-mobile"][vc_column width="1/3"...

Is propylene glycol alginate a safe food additive?

February 1, 2020

Propylene glycol alginate (PGA) is an ester of alginic acid, derived from brown seaweed, and food additive used to stabilize, thicken, and emulsify [1]. Brown seaweeds have been used as a food for centuries but it is only since 1929 that alginates have been manufactured on an industrial scale [2]. Chemically, propylene glycol alginate is an ester of alginic acid, which is derived from kelp. Alginic acid, also referred to as algin or alginate, is a hydrophilic or anionic polysaccharide...

Is MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) Paleo or Keto Friendly?

January 29, 2020

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is composed of sodium and the amino acid glutamate. Sodium is an essential mineral, and glutamate is the most abundant amino acid in the human brain and the most common neurotransmitter in the body [1]. MSG is a popular food additive due to stimulating savory taste receptors and giving food a “meatier” flavor [2, 3]. From a purely chemical standpoint, MSG is simply degraded into sodium and glutamate during the digestive process. The MSG food fears were born from a...