Targeting increasingly adventurous consumers will be key to developments in the food and beverage industry, the company said.

What’s hot in the ice cream category? Author Rachel Murkett sees more descriptive flavor labels, increased use of natural sugars and higher purchase rates of non-dairy ice cream.

The Summer Fancy Food Show came to New York this summer. The Jacob Javits Convention Center was filled with the latest chocolates, cheeses, charcuterie and snack foods. 

Highlights from the Dairy Council of California’s Top 10 Nutrition Trends for 2014 report include: dairy fat may no longer be a villain in heart disease risk; milk and dairy foods are promising in prevention of metabolic syndrome and diabetes; and consumers’ interest grows in natural, functional, fresh foods.

A panel of trendspotters selected by the show organizer named chocolate teas, seaweed chips, and truffle ketchup as representative of a larger trend towards "thoughtful indulgence." The Specialty Food Association says sriracha (a fiery Thai chili sauce) was one of the biggest flavor trends. It is used in snacks, chocolates and jams.
 

A convergence of consumers' growing appetite for Greek yogurt coupled with their declining interest in fresh milk and changes farmers have made in animal feed have resulted in increased supplies of butterfat.

Tetra Pak forecasts that flavored milk consumption will grow at more than double the rate of white milk globally between 2012 and 2015.

Blue cheese is a food trend, according to a panel of experts at the 38th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. 

New products in the cheese aisle include shredded cheeses paired with breadcrumbs and spices; and more varied flavors of cream cheese, such as black pepper, salmon and lemon-herb. 

The public relations industry goes into overdrive this year, with press releases about baking, roasting and recipe ideas. Two such releases crossed my desk this week. Sterling-Rice Group of Boulder, Colo., dusted off its crystal ball and made forecasts for 2013. McCormick & Co., Spear, Md., dusted off its cookbooks with recipe ideas for the holidays.