Cooking inspiration and education are emerging as powerful marketing tools for food and beverage brands and retailers as consumers who are tired of preparing the same-old, same-old at home for the past seven months of the pandemic look for new recipes, techniques and ingredients to mix-up their menus.

Frustrated that many of the underlying health conditions that increase the risk of contracting COVID-19 disproportionately impact black, indigenous and people of color, the founder of Uplifting Results Lab wants to help close the race-related health disparity gap and empower all consumers to take control of their health “from the inside out” with accessible, science-based nutrition solutions.

Over the last two weeks of September, members of the Organic Trade Association met virtually with 30 legislators on both sides of the aisle from 19 states to advocate for policies that they say will help all farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change, which the trade group characterizes as an “existential threat to our world.”

With last week’s launch of the community building and mentoring organization Project Potluck, three food and beverage industry executives hope to improve access and diversity in the CPG industry by tackling fundraising limitations, networking gaps and “good old fashion bias” that they say have held back entrepreneurs who are Black, Indigenous and people of color.

At six months into the pandemic, we are well-past the frantic pantry stocking days that left many store shelves bare, and yet, the broad product selection available in stores before the coronavirus outbreak has not returned – prompting questions about whether this slimmed down selection is the new normal and what it means for industry.

Last Friday marked six months since the coronavirus pandemic was declared, which for many Americans means six months of either risking exposure to go to work as essential employees or six months of working remotely from a repurposed kitchen table or other spot in their homes while also potentially balancing family care or isolation.

As many schools negotiate how to teach children safely during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, they also must navigate how to feed them – a challenge that will require creativity and cooperation from regulators, legislators, and school nutrition professionals as well as food & beverage brands and service providers.

After years of declining sales, dairy milk is on the rise again thanks in part to the coronavirus driving a resurgence of baking, cooking and eating at home, but to keep the momentum going during and after the pandemic, industry stakeholders are reviving the iconic and wildly successful ‘got milk?’ campaign.

An unexpected partnership between one of the largest dairy cooperatives in America and a technology powerhouse that is more often associated with cubical farms than actual farms is taking on some of the biggest threats to the US food system to help farmers produce more food, more profitably and more sustainably.

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s recent recommendations that children under 2 years avoid all added sugar to ensure they consume the nutrients they need without excessive caloric intake may not go far enough to drive a significant change in children’s diets and taste preferences as they age.