Making Butter from Thin Air, Bill Gates-style
Betsy Fox Betsy Fox

Making Butter from Thin Air, Bill Gates-style

While everyone's debating plant-based meat and lab-grown chicken, a California startup backed by Bill Gates has quietly solved a problem that could make all of that look quaint: they're literally making butter out of air and water.

Savor officially launched its commercial butter in March 2025, making it the world's first animal- and plant-free butter created directly from carbon without conventional agriculture.

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Why Simple is Crushing Complex
Betsy Fox Betsy Fox

Why Simple is Crushing Complex

We're living in peak enhancement mode right now. Your morning coffee needs adaptogens, your cookies need protein, and apparently, your water needs electrolytes, probiotics, and probably a meditation app subscription. Everything has to be optimized, biohacked, and turbocharged.

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Saltbox: The Warehouse Co-Working Space I Wish I'd Had
Betsy Fox Betsy Fox

Saltbox: The Warehouse Co-Working Space I Wish I'd Had

Ideas whose time has come - Saltbox is a co-warehousing and logistics company that provides flexible warehouse space and services for e-commerce businesses. Saltbox helps small brands scale with integrated logistics and workspace solutions something small entrepreuers have needed for a long time. Great idea.

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Why Everyone's Going Premium…
Betsy Fox Betsy Fox

Why Everyone's Going Premium…

Premiumization is on the rise, with brands offering higher-quality, higher-priced products to boost value, margins, and customer perception, driving growth through better ingredients, design, and positioning. Flamingo Estate is an outstanding example.

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Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels
Betsy Fox Betsy Fox

Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels

Let's be honest—diet food innovation is usually where CPG dreams go to die. Sure, Atkins and a few others survived, but the category is mostly a cautionary tale. GLP-1 drugs are flipping the script, though, putting satiety and weight management support front and center. Kate Moss was right!

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Los Angeles Retail Safari: What Two Days of Store Visits Taught Me
Betsy Fox Betsy Fox

Los Angeles Retail Safari: What Two Days of Store Visits Taught Me

In March 2025, in preparation for Expo West, Forklift Foods partnered with Bord Bia on a retail and food service safari in Los Angeles and Anaheim to uncover new trends and retail opportunities for 10 Irish Food companies. The group visited 12 retailers and several food service locations.

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Key Takeaways from Expo West 2025
Betsy Fox Betsy Fox

Key Takeaways from Expo West 2025

Expo West 2025 revealed the future of food: sharper claims, functional benefits, bold global flavors, and clean-label innovation. With tight capital, cautious consumers, and relentless cost pressures, brands have to work harder and smarter just to stay relevant. See where consumers — and smart brands — are moving next.

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NYC Pizza Gets a Makeover - Pizza Futures 2025
Betsy Fox Betsy Fox

NYC Pizza Gets a Makeover - Pizza Futures 2025

This research which was not about just putting hot honey on a pizza, demonstrated how traditional food categories can evolve without losing their soul. NYC pizza is staying authentically NYC pizza while adapting to what consumers actually want: community, sustainability, personalization, and genuine innovation.

Sometimes the most interesting trends happen in the most unexpected places. Who knew pizza slices could teach us so much about where food is trending?

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