Tag Archives: future

A new wave in nutrition: Meet the company behind the rise of ‘Smart Foods’

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A new wave in nutrition: Meet the company behind the rise of ‘Smart Foods‘

In a country where 40% of people resort to junk foods when hungry, Smart Foods are set to revolutionize our relationship with nutrition

Noel Bollman, CEO of food-tech innovators, yfood, discuss the importance of Smart Foods as an alternative to junk foods 

‘Smart Foods‘ are the forward-facing answer to our national nutrient deficit. Their popularity has seen a stratospheric rise in both Europe and the UK. With the smart food market in Germany, the UK, France and the Netherlands alone is estimated to be worth around €10-20 billion in the medium- to long-term, with annual growth rates of up to 50 percent. Having tripled their revenue in 2020 and doubled the figures in 2021, yfood recently announced their run-rate of €100 million in just four and a half years of trading.

A future facing concept being ushered into the mainstream – Smart Foods are nutritionally complete ‘meal alternatives’ that supplement 26 key minerals and nutrients. Having all of the caloric and nutritional benefit of a full meal, but in the form of a shake, powder or protein bar. Instead of feasting over a soggy midday sandwich or snacking on crisps to keep satiated, ‘Smart Foods‘ provide a viable alternative for those of us who are on-the-go. If we are to stick to the age-old adage that food is fuel – why not choose foods that actually fuel us as opposed to sugar-laden snacks and sodium-saturated sandwiches.

European food tech innovator, yfood, has recently hit supermarket shelves – introducing its range of protein bars, powders and shakes to the British diet. Aiming to reform the country’s relationship to unhealthy eating, yfood has launched their Classic Choco and Smooth Vanilla with Co-Op, with the drinks retailed at £3.50. The meal alternatives offered by the smart food innovators comes complete with 26 key nutrients and is available in a variety of flavours and plant-based options, with one serving (500 ml) of yfood providing consumers with around 34 g of protein, 68% of your daily protein needs.

yfood, smart eating

Why ‘meal alternatives’? 

yfood‘s nationwide launch leverages the benefits of having a nutritionally complete, yet delicious, product that is not meant to replace all your meals – but compliment a healthy and varied diet. The concept of the ‘meal alternative’ slots in with our faced-paced lives – in between work, school and personal responsibilities it is unrealistic to have perfectly planned meals for every occasion. yfood‘s modern approach to nutritional nirvana aims to work around speedy lifestyles that lend themselves to poor eating habits. A survey conducted by yfood revealed that 40% of Brits only resort to junk food when on-the-go, indicating a huge gap in the market for a product that not only comes in delicious flavours like Classic Choco and Smooth Vanilla, but contains essential nutrients and vitamins to keep us going throughout the day.

Noel Bollmann, CEO and co-founder of yfood comments:

“Smart food is not intended to replace classic eating with fresh and high-quality foods – on the contrary: a varied and diverse diet is and remains essential. Nevertheless, the reality is that many people do not always manage to eat a balanced diet due to lack of time or availability problems. In these situations, Smart Food helps people to eat better in the long term. Thus, Smart Food is a completely new category of food that competes with junk food and bad eating habits, but not with conventional food.”

I tried Smart Food on a busy week working while also taking care of my toddler. They are filling, delicious and made me feel healthy. Highly recommended.

Future Publishing Acquires Stake In Handpicked Media

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handpickedfutureSome very exciting news from Handpicked Media, which Frost Magazine is a part of, here it is in their own words:

Future has acquired a stake in Handpicked Media – a marketing agency for independent digital publishers – creating Handpicked Future Future plc, the international media group and leading digital business, today announces a strategic partnership with Handpicked Media.

The partnership sees Future acquire a 35% stake in Handpicked Media, which represents over 500 independent websites and blogs, reaching over 3.5 million unique users a month in the UK and six million globally. The Handpicked Future partnership provides Future with access to Handpicked’s roster of influential blogs and independent sites across a range of lifestyle channels including Fashion, Beauty and Entertainment. And in return Future will drive the effective commercialisation of those sites.

As a pioneering agency working in social media, Handpicked Media has curated a growing portfolio of influential sites across a range of lifestyle channels since it was launched in 2009 by entrepreneur Krista Madden. It manages the interaction between its community and a range of consumer brands, offering clients an array of opportunities to reach a very targeted and highly engaged audience.

Mark Wood, CEO of Future plc, says: “Handpicked has created a powerful social media proposition, curating a portfolio of leading independent sites and blogs across a range of sectors including beauty, fashion, lifestyle and entertainment. Our partnership grows Future’s digital audience in attractive new sectors and is another signal of Future’s intention to deliver greater audience engagement and diversified revenue opportunities from digital platforms.”

Handpicked Future solutions include social media strategy, blogger outreach, content creation, events and integrated campaigns for a range of brand partners including Gucci, Karen Millen, Vodafone, Nivea and Intel. Future will drive the next phase of commercialisation across the collective, with an initial focus on developing the women’s lifestyle offer, under Future Women Managing Director, Jo Morrell.

Jo says: “Future is all about digital innovation and creative content, and Handpicked Media shares that sensibility. Krista and her team have created a really powerful social platform, which Future can support, expand and commercialise. Our award-winning digital excellence offers tremendous opportunities for lifestyle, fashion and beauty brands to deeply engage their audiences through Handpicked Future. I’m thrilled to seal this partnership.”

Krista adds: “We are very excited to be working with Future to expand our audiences, while supporting and developing the talent we have. The combined expertise of the new Handpicked Future team brings innovation and a unique proposition across social and digital platforms.”

Future reaches 58 million global unique users a month online and in the last year so over five million digital editions of its products for tablet and smartphone devices.

Future is the PPA and AOP Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year and the BMA Media Company of the Year.

Be Part of Art!

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Have you ever wondered who the Mona Lisa was? Or perhaps imagined what it would be like to see your likeness on display in a gallery?

Next month, Gérard Rancinan is offering attendees at his Wonderful World exhibition the chance to be immortalised as part of the final composition in the series, which will be shot entirely on-site at the Londonewcastle Project Space.

Presented by The Future Tense in association with Opera Gallery and Londonewcastle, Wonderful World is the concluding part in Rancinan’s seven-year Trilogy of the Moderns.  Fresh from La Triennale di Milano, photographer Rancinan brings this revolution in three acts to a close, debuting the complete Wonderful World series to the UK public.

With galleries one and two housing the main exhibition of 15 large format works from Wonderful World, gallery three will feature a purpose-built set and studio, offering a voyeuristic glimpse behind the scenes of a fine art photo shoot. Repeat visits will reveal the organic nature of studio life – part art installation, part film set, part soap opera – as the shoot moves from concept, through production and postproduction, to the climactic unveiling of the finished work at a special reception on Wednesday 20th June.

To celebrate the completion of Trilogy of the Moderns, The Future Tense will publish a new print edition by Gérard Rancinan. Limited to a signed edition of 20 + 4 Artist Proofs, the work will be available only to those attending the show. A pop-up store will also sell related merchandise including the supporting books.

Wonderful World will open to the public at a launch reception from 6.30pm on Thursday 7th June 2012 (part of East London’s First Thursday late night art openings) and will remain on view until Sunday 24th June 2012.  Photoshoot auditions will be held on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 June, from 11 am to 6pm, with the shoot itself being on Monday 11 June.

Wonderful World runs from 7 – 24 June 2012 at Londonewcastle Project Space, 28 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DP:  Tuesday to Saturday, 11am-7pm; Sunday, Noon-6pm; closed on Monday.  There will be an artist signing on 16 June from 12 – 1.30 pm; curator-guided tours on 17 June at 12, 2 and 4pm; and an unveiling reception on 17 June from 6.30 – 9.30 pm.  For more information visit the artist’s website at www.rancinan.com.