Today, we are going to review some of the trends in the natural food industry over the last few years.

There’s a lot of data surrounding the natural food industry showing how it’s growing. As food manufacturers, however, you’ll want to know which product claims are growing and declining and why — so that you can make educated decisions about your future product lines and how they will be marketed.

We are going to review some statistics based off of the product claims that are being used on packaging — and how the use of those product claims have changed over time. We’ll also review how natural grocery stores are growing and more importantly, why.

Do you use non-GMO canola oil in your food products, or are you considering using it in the future?

Today we will overview of the popularity and availability of this oil. It will help you get a better picture of why manufacturers like you are using this oil and the state of the supply chain, both short and long term.

With the non-GMO trend in full swing, it’s important to understand which oils are naturally non-GMO and which ones you’ll need to specifically search out (and make sure that all of the quality certifications are in place) to ensure that they are non-GMO.

Sometimes it seems that as an insider to the oil industry, we are privy to little tricks or information that others aren’t. For example, I know that if I see Extra Virgin Olive Oil, I don’t have to look out for a non-GMO seal or logo — it’s all non-GMO! On the flip side, I know that any soybean oil I see (unless it’s specifically called out as non-GMO) will definitely contain GMOs. How do I know? It’s just a little extra knowledge and experience.

So today we’re creating a easy-to-review oils list.

The article was originally published on FoodDive here, and was written by Carolyn Heneghan.

The industry is exploring how organic and non-GMO products are impacting sales for major manufacturers, particularly those that produce processed foods. Announcements from major manufacturers like McCormick, which has committed to transitioning 80% of its products to organic and non-GMO by 2016, and Campbell, which will begin labeling GMO ingredients and already offers organic products, have turned the spotlight back on what organic and non-GMO products mean for bigger food and beverage companies.

But how do the sales of organic and non-GMO foods impact each other? Do they grow in tandem, or does the growth of one segment stifle the growth of the other? Knowing these answers could help manufacturers decide whether they want to pursue producing organic products, non-GMO products, or neither.

The USDA Organic and the Non-GMO Project Verification are two distinctly different quality seals, though they both address somewhat related quality control concerns.

Chances are that if you work in the food industry (or if you’ve gone grocery shopping in the last year), you’ve seen the non-gmo project’s colorful butterfly seal.

But… in case anyone is new to the food industry, or you are just now looking at getting your product Non-GMO Project Verified, I’d like to do a quick review of this quality seal — what it means, and what you can expect if you want to get your product Non-GMO Project Verified™.

Two fast food restaurants have made waves in the healthy food industry over the last year. Organic and non-gmo waves, that is.

Chipotle took a national stand on GMOs earlier this year, and last month, the first organic restaurant called Amy’s Drive-Thru officially opened.

Take that McDonalds!

What in the world are GMOs and why do consumers care about them?

Those are two big questions posed to many business owners, marketing managers and purchasing directors in the food manufacturing industry today.  

For many businesses, the storm of consumers talking about GMOs came on so quickly in the last two years that they had to start making strategic business decisions before they really had a firm understanding of what GMOs were, and all of the how, what and why surrounding the GMO debate.

Understanding GMOs from your customers' perspective

Today, we're taking it back to ground zero -- understanding GMOs and why consumers feel so strongly about them in the first place.

Think there's room for your business in the natural food industry?  The short answer is yes.

All numbers show that consumer preference towards natural and organic foods is up.  There is both a large and fast growing consumer market for your products.  

But to be able to make educated business decisions, you'll need more specific data than that.  You'll need information on the consumer market in detail; understanding where the opportunities are and what specific target markets are growing can help you understand how you want to develop, position and market your healthy products.

If you’re a large food manufacturer, you’re probably debating if going non-gmo is the right move for your business. Like most manufacturers, your decision will have to be based on real business numbers — not just personal values or ideals.

Will this decision benefit our company? Does it serve our target market? Will we be able to survive and continue making profits after a change like this? Is this change to non-gmo sustainable in the long run?

Before you can make this kind of a large and strategic business decision, it’s helpful to get a clear understanding of the steps or “mini-evaluations” you’ll need to address along the way. All of these are big questions, but they can be approached tactfully and smartly by breaking the larger question down into 7 individual parts.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published by Fast Casual, a news source for the food service industry, and it has been syndicated here.  Like Centra Foods, Fast Casual is focused on sharing pertinant information to the food and beverage industry that will affect business decisions and strategy.

While the food service industry is moving rapidly toward transparency, removing additives and noting GMO-free products to meet customers’ preferences, the government has taken a step in the opposite direction with the most recent GMO legislation.

On July 23, the U.S. House of Representatives took a measured and bold move to block any mandatory labeling of foods made with genetically engineered crops.

Whole Foods is officially requiring all of their vendors to label GMOs or preferably, switch to non-gmo ingredients by 2018.

The supermarket chain has driven the industry’s trends on GMO transparency, and they have set the precedence for the natural food market standards. As a result of their requirements laid out in March 2013, most of their vendors and brands are switching to non-gmo ingredients and making customer’s happy in the process. In just the first 6 months after their original announcement, the Non-GMO Project received over 900 inquiries from food producers as a result of their decision.

Whole Foods has also laid out a secondary requirement for their vendors: if you’re going to switch to non-gmo ingredients, you’re going to need to back up your non-gmo claim with the Non-GMO Project Verification Seal displayed on your products.

How do you know if your company should switch to non-gmo ingredients and get Non-GMO Project Verified™?

The general rule is that if you’re selling to the natural or whole foods sector, you should make the switch. Your marketing department will probably fight the cause for going non-GMO, because it helps maintain sales in places like Whole Foods, and because those ingredients appeal to your target market. In cases like this, your sourcing decisions have also become a form of PR or social procurement.

If you’re weighing the pros and cons right now for your company, understanding some hard facts about how many consumers are looking at non-gmo products, and what the rest of the natural industry is doing may help you decide.

The Non-GMO movement is in full swing here in the US, but for years, GMOs have been banned in many other countries. Their bans have prevented the growth, use and import of products that contain any genetically modified ingredients.

Understanding where GMOs are banned is an important discussion for any brands that are selling their products overseas or are importing ingredients to their home country.

Use the comprehensive list below to know if a state or country you’re working with requires you to avoid GMOs or not: