Nostalgia meets better-for-you soda
No Cap! Soda Pop and Icee team up to reimagine iconic frozen flavors as zero-sugar, better-for-you sodas, aiming to attract both nostalgic fans and next-generation consumers
Brands & manufacturers
Hershey Q3 earnings: Sales rise but profits plunge amid cost pressures
The confectionery giant beat expectations in Q3, but soaring costs and shrinking profits reveal deeper industry troubles
AI helps Hovis, Mars and PepsiCo cut factory downtime
From bread lines to snack plants, manufacturers are turning to artificial intelligence to predict breakdowns and keep production running at full speed
Kraft Heinz fights weak demand with marketing blitz
The food manufacturing giant plans to divide into two companies by the second half of 2026
Danone’s Q3: Healthy hydration thrives as creamers tumble
Waters slid again in Latin America as consumer sentiment in Mexico remained ‘pretty muted’
Conagra all in on Taco Bell, Buffalo Wild Wings and pickles
CPG giant showcases co-branded launches and adventurous snacking trends at NACS, targeting flavor-driven demand
Mondelēz rethinks new product development and distribution strategy as US consumers cut back on snacks
The snack giant will expand value offerings, boost innovation in better-for-you products and indulgent items, and refine promotions to reignite growth
Hormel sells Justin’s brand to private equity firm
Founder Justin Gold and former CEO Peter Burns return to lead next phase of growth
Instacart’s 2025 health policy agenda signals new opportunities for CPG brands
Grocery delivery service Instacart’s renewed policy agenda isn’t just a roadmap for public health – it’s a signal to CPG brands that the future of grocery is increasingly digital, nutrition-driven and integrated with healthcare
Inside discount retailer Lidl US’ recipe for success: Fresh, value and focus
From SKU rationalization to supplier partnerships and front-line empowerment, CEO Joel Rampoldt is reshaping Lidl US’ playbook for sustainable growth and earning consumer loyalty along the way
Protein and creamers hold back Danone in Q3
Danone is struggling to meet demand for high-protein yogurt while coffee creamers continue to be a drag on performance in North America
Staying true while scaling up: The evolution of breakfast bar brand Olyra
After finding early success in the natural channel, Olyra revamped its packaging, flavors and formulation to resonate with mainstream consumers while preserving the ancient Greek roots at the heart of its story
Government shutdown threatens CPG brands tied to SNAP and WIC
As the shutdown nears its fourth week, the SNAP and WIC funding crisis is rippling through retail supply chains, jeopardizing access to food and CPG category stability
What Unilever can learn from Froneri’s success in ice cream
The Magnum Ice Cream Company’s biggest global rival has gone from strength to strength in the face of market challenges – here’s how the Nestlé co-owned company drives growth
News Bites
From vegan collagen to smart sweeteners: FDA and CPG shifts shape food innovation
FDA accelerates precision fermentation, General Mills refocuses on overlooked consumers and innovators redefine the role of sugar
Can AI finally stop bakeries from getting burnt by price spikes?
An AI-powered insurance tool is giving bakeries a way to cap chaos in wheat, butter and packaging prices – finally turning forecasts into action
Hellmann’s and Knorr show food still has life at Unilever
Despite major moves away from categories like plant-based meat and ice cream, food remains central to Unilever’s business
UPF awareness rises but confusion reigns over what’s healthy, Non-GMO Project finds
Consumer concern about UPFs has surged, but understanding still lags far behind, according to new research from the Non-GMO Project
Filippo Berio unveils premium packaging redesign to connect with modern consumers
The Italian olive oil brand updates its packaging with bold design and clear flavor cues as it embraces a strategy to attract multicultural and multigenerational shoppers
Cargill, ADM tap growth in natural, low-calorie sweeteners
As sugar reduction merges with functionality, global ingredient leaders are betting on advanced stevia solutions to hit the sweet spot
Coca-Cola leans into protein, ‘zeros and diets’ as GLP-1 users reshape beverage habits
Even as appetite-suppressing drugs dampen full-sugar soda sales, the beverage giant reports higher revenue and market share gains powered in part by its ‘reinvigorated sparkling portfolio’ thanks to no- and low-calorie options and its protein offerings,...
Unilever ice cream demerger delayed
With just weeks remaining before its planned spin-off, the demerger of The Magnum Ice Cream Company has been postponed
General Mills bets big on overlooked consumers to drive next wave of growth
The CPG giant is adapting products, pack sizes and marketing to place aging consumers, GLP-1 users and Hispanic shoppers at the center of its fiscal 2026 plans
What if memories had a flavor…
Mondelēz’s latest State of Snacking report explores how memory and emotion have become the new currency of snacking
Soup-to-Nuts Podcast
Finding comfort in chaos: How food will help consumers cope in 2026
After a year marketed by rising prices, food safety confusion and supply chain fears, ADM predicts consumers in 2026 will gravitate toward nostalgic, sensory-rich foods and beverages that help restore their resilience
Acme Smoked Fish champions sustainability and climate action across the seafood supply chain
From traceable sourcing to employee engagement, Acme’s Citizens of Seafood initiative and Climate Awards demonstrate how seafood companies can align business success with environmental responsibility
Smithfield leverages honey trend with Mike’s Hot Honey Bacon
Smithfield and Mike’s Hot Honey use honey’s flavor versatility to create bold, on-trend products that engage millennials, Gen Z and sweet-and-spicy enthusiasts
Sweeteners in focus
Liquid I.V., IQMIX and G Fuel lead zero-sugar drink mix shift
The $38.7 billion category’s momentum reflects consumer appetite for natural sweeteners, energy and focus
Startup Spotlight
Startup Elavi doubles down on high protein brownies – and retail notices
While a national buy from Whole Foods is the dream for many startups, often a ‘no for now’ will bide time and resources to land on more shelves in the future
Nestlé targets 18 underperformers in major marketing and efficiency push
“What we’re doing is working but it’s not good enough,” CEO Philipp Navratil told investors during the CPG major’s Q3 FY25 results presentation
No trick: Halloween 2025 candy sales to hit record highs
After Summerween comes the real deal: Halloween, which expects to see recording spending
Most CPG ads miss the mark with video gamer players: Here is how to fix it
CPG marketers can’t afford outdated strategies when it comes to connecting with video game players. Learn what works now in FoodNavigator-USA’s free webinar Fueling Fun: Connecting with Esports Enthusiasts and Everyday Gamers FTW
Lay’s enters ‘a new era’ with its largest brand fresh in nearly a century
The potato chip brand spotlights its ‘humble potato’ and cleaner labels for its global brand refresh
Chobani hits back at Danone in trademark infringement case
Danone is ‘weaponizing’ the law to hurt Chobani’s ‘superior’ position in RTD coffee, according to a motion to dismiss filed by La Colombe’s owner
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Inside Kellanova’s clean room: How a new AI data strategy drove 36% gains for Special K
Kellanova’s pilot offers a blueprint for using data clean rooms to bridge gaps between brands and retailers, unlock deeper shopper insights and rebuild brand value amid inflationary pressure
Godiva’s cinematic short showcases new Masterpiece Collection
Revamped line offers three varieties and sizes, with accessible price points
Winter is coming: Is holiday shopping here already?
A Wisconsin entrepreneur launched a new business during the pandemic to keep herself afloat – now it supports independent foodmakers
Startup Spotlight
From console to convenience store: How Bangers! Snacks converts videogame buzz into real-world retail sales
By connecting with millions of Roblox players across 200 video games, the caffeinated snack startup is scaling distribution at a fast pace
Press start to snack: Inside the $200 billion gaming boom brands can’t ignore
Ahead of FoodNavigator-USA’s free webinar ‘Fueling Fun: Connecting with Esports Enthusiasts and Everyday Gamers FTW’ (October 15), we look at how brands from Doritos to Heinz are stepping inside the $200bn gaming economy
Coca-Cola’s Power Water takes on PepsiCo’s Propel
Functional bottled water wars continue between US beverage goliaths
McCormick sticks to volume-growth recipe despite unexpected uptick in tariff costs
The spice giant plans to absorb as much of tremendous tariff hit as possible to maintain sales volume growth but warns surgical price increases may be necessary as many ongoing mitigation efforts are unsustainable into the new year
Ferrero’s WK Kellogg takeover has everyone talking
With Ferrero’s $3.1 billion deal for WK Kellogg done and dusted, the cereal aisle is buzzing again and competitors are scrambling to figure out what this means for the rest of Big Food
Mexican flavors dominate with Gen Z
McCormick unveils spicy product line while Jarritos launches zero-calorie soda to meet consumer cravings
Nestlé’s Q3 results: What to look forward to
The CPG major will report its nine-month financials later this week – here’s what to look forward to
Powdered beverage brand TRUWILD’s growing pains and path forward
Rapid growth and supply chain hurdles prompt the outdoor-focused brand to consider new strategies and possibly investors
‘No Coffee Tax Act’ offers potential reprieve for US roasters
Coffee stakeholders say the No Coffee Tax Act could ease rising costs, stabilize supply chains and protect consumers from price spikes
Startup Spotlight
Fresh Fizz brings clean label soda back to basics
By sticking to herbs, spices, juices and natural sweeteners like honey, maple and date syrup, Fresh Fizz’s ingredient list is informing every aspect of its business strategy
Danone takes lead on dairy methane reduction through new partnership
Environmental and economic headwinds make stewardship crucial for dairy industry
Ice cream startup takes off with soft serve in a pouch
RoseBud Ice Cream started out as a cannabis company, but now it caters to messy kids
Tech startup raises $3.8m to modernize the food supply chain with agentic AI
By layering an “AI watchtower” over existing enterprise resource planning systems, startup Burnt claims to automate tedious order management in seconds without forcing distributors to change how they work