When it comes to innovation, the dairy foods industry continues to flourish. From new flavored cheeses to unique dairy ingredients, the benefits of dairy are now available in a plethora of delicious products. In particular, the past 30 years has seen tremendous innovation in dairy ingredients, a trend that was a theme at the 2017 Dairy Ingredients Symposium in February. There, industry members gathered to discuss the past, present and future of dairy ingredients including …

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Going into 2018, the global dairy industry is looking at a number of challenges. On the commodity side, lower pricing — thanks to an oversupply of skim milk powder, particularly in the European Union (EU) — and weakened demand in the fourth quarter certainly have been concerns, said Thomas Bailey, senior dairy analyst for Rabobank, a global cooperative bank.

Three key factors

He pointed to “three key things” his firm’s analysts are watching that could …

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Check out this information on FSMA implementation dates, FDA ‘swab-a-thons’, and the new Canadian food safety law.

• The FDA increased environmental swabbing as it began focusing in on its Preventive Controls inspections in 2017. Thus, a new term assailed the industry: swab-a-thons. We don’t see the agency’s focus on this form of environmental monitoring decreasing any too soon. Rather, we’d expect an increase in 2018 as FDA’s requirement for inspections increases as well.

Additionally, …

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When it comes to cheese trends with staying power for 2018, think all natural, artisanal and organic. Those are the top three cheese-related trends, according to Dairy Foods’ 2018 Cheese Outlook Study. Almost nine out of 10 respondents (89%) selected each of those trends as being “in style” for 2018. Following close behind were specialty cheeses, including flavored cheeses (87%), aged cheeses (85%) and snacking/portion-controlled cheeses (85%).

What’s not so hot within the cheese arena …

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One of the most obvious trends in marketing today is that consumers are seeking assurances about how their food is produced, and consumer goods companies, as well as restaurants and retailers, are working hard to deliver those assurances to their customers. But providing assurances is no longer as easy as generating an image and creating a story; instead, dairy customers are looking for documented, verifiable evidence that their food is being produced in a responsible …

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Predicting the future is by no means a science, but here’s a best guess as to what trends in the food and beverage industry may gain traction in 2018.

Innovation and Investment

Consumers continue to drive innovation in the food and beverage industry by demanding more from the brands that they consume. The data shows that consumers increasingly prefer brands that embrace authenticity, social engagement, traceable sourcing, clean labels, healthier ingredients and functional benefits. Smaller …

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