Natural Products Expo West 2026
New beverage launches to watch at Expo West 2026
Pura Soda, Beyond Meat, Nixie, Malk, Tractor Beverage and more unveil their latest innovations in natural and organic drinks
Markets
Innovation in functional coffee creamers takes off
The rise of the US coffee creamer category has been largely fuelled by flavour innovation and brand collabs. But functional creamers represents a rapidly growing area.
Cocoa whiplash: How a record price spike turned into a demand slump
The market has swung from historic shortage to surplus projections for 2025/26 in under two years
Iran Conflict: What does this mean for global food sector?
The ongoing tensions in Iran could disrupt supply routes and drive volatility across key food commodities such as rice and meat
GLP‑1s are quietly rewriting the grocery list
GLP-1 drugs are reshaping food demand, spending patterns and packaging strategy across the CPG landscape
Global formula fallout: The crisis that’s redrawing an industry
The cereulide contamination crisis sent shockwaves through the global infant formula market, accelerating a sector‑wide reckoning on quality, transparency and brand resilience
Private equity doubles down on private label with launch of Keep It Real Foods
CIC Partners-backed manufacturing platform launch follows sales of TreeHouse Foods and Great Kitchens
Baking NPD: Protein muffins, pistachio nostalgia and cookie culture
Smaller households, impulse occasions and better-for-you cues are driving a new wave of baking innovation
Functional dairy’s next phase: From gut health to stress relief
Dairy is the largest segment in functional foods – so where is the category headed?
How food retailers and suppliers are driving health and affordability
Grocery retailers and food suppliers are reformulating products, leveraging dietitian expertise and integrating health services to meet rising consumer demand for nutritious, affordable food
Celsius’ $722M Q4 signals surging energy drink growth as Alani Nu, Rockstar join PepsiCo network
As Celsius absorbs Alani Nu and Rockstar into PepsiCo’s distribution system, the three‑brand portfolio is grabbing shelf and cooler space nationwide
Archer accelerates meat snack growth with $100M from JPMorgan Chase
Backed by a new manufacturing plant and rapid sales growth, the brand behind the “Stick to Real” campaign positions for $500M in sales as it scales meat stick production
A tale of two shoppers: How CPGs price in a K‑shaped economy
In a K-shaped economy where spending power splits in two, CPG brands must rethink pricing, value and channel strategy to win both high- and low-income grocery shoppers.
Blurred lines: Confectionery and sports nutrition collide in snacking revolution
From protein‑packed chocolate bars to big‑brand collaborations, sports nutrition and confectionery are merging fast
At what point does ‘transparency’ become operational chaos?
In the US, the drive for ingredient transparency is beginning to feel less like steady progress and more like a stress test for the modern food system
Food inflation will cool in 2026 but grocery bills may continue to rise
USDA data show food-at-home prices growing far slower than food away from home, creating uneven pressure across categories and opportunities for packaged food makers
Industry, brace for change: Momentum builds behind Global Plastics Treaty
After negotiations failed to finalise a global treaty on plastic pollution last year, new hope is on the horizon
Protein is the price of entry at Expo West 2026
Expo West lands in Anaheim this March, and protein isn’t just a trend – it’s the baseline. The real fight is over taste, texture and who can make functionality feel effortless
Inside the $330bn functional food frenzy fuelled by PepsiCo, Coke & Nestlé
From PepsiCo to Nestlé, global giants are racing to cash in on the booming functional food craze, but with trends shifting fast, the stakes have never been higher
Nestlé bets big on ‘healthy longevity’: Inside its new launch
Which ingredients make Nestlé’s new drinks suitable for healthy ageing?
Gen Z is rewriting the value playbook for bakery and snack brands
Gen Z’s mix of wellness, value-seeking, and indulgence is reshaping global bakery and snack strategies, demanding brands adapt fast to stay relevant.
Why food giants are pivoting to beauty
FMCGs and ingredients suppliers see the beauty market as an attractive alternative
Cereulide in infant formula: 6 revelations in 24 hours
The infant formula contamination crisis continues to unfold. Here’s what we’ve learnt since yesterday
Conagra bets on active aging adults to drive the next wave of CPG growth
As competitors chase Gen Z, Conagra Brands is targeting the fastest-growing cohort in the US: active adults seeking protein, portion control, value and health-forward convenience – all of which overlaps with other emerging demographic groups, including...
Has dairy lost its health halo - and can brands bring it back?
Dairy was once inherently linked with health and wellness, but some consumers doubt the category’s clean image. How can brands rebuild trust?
What is yerba mate and why is this natural energiser going global?
Yerba mate is breaking out from its South American roots, fuelled by soaring exports, innovation and booming global demand for natural energy beverages
Mondelēz charts next growth wave across North America, Europe and emerging markets
The company is tailoring its strategy by region, courting value‑seeking US shoppers, fixing European chocolate margins and using Oreo‑led biscuits and cakes to unlock runway across China, India, Brazil and Mexico
Food-tech solutions for a more sustainable and secure food system
Letter from the editor: Food-tech tackles today’s threats, but creates new challenges
From AI-powered grocery pricing and agentic commerce to predictive supply chains, cultivated meat regulation and alternative protein funding, technology is helping CPGs manage disruption while reshaping the industry’s risk landscape
Food-Tech Solutions For A More Sustainable And Secure Food System
Where countries stand on cultivated meat regulation in 2026
A global regulatory snapshot of cultivated meat, explaining who is moving first, why approvals vary by country and what comes next for the category
Food-Tech Solutions For A More Sustainable And Secure Food System
Retailers and brands turn to AI for help as grocery shoppers feel financially squeezed
With 73% of US shoppers stressed about grocery costs, retailers are turning to tools like Algolia’s Intelligent Grocery Solution to balance affordability, margins and evolving consumer behavior
Food-Tech Solutions For A More Sustainable And Secure Food System
Alternative protein funding diverges as investors prioritize scale and bankability
Investors favor scalable operations and bankable contracts as funding tightens across fermentation, cultivated and plant-based proteins
Plant-based meat isn’t dead, but it is in a reset
Plant-based meat faces a slowdown as price, foodservice strategy and manufacturing innovation shape the next phase for the sector
Food-Tech Solutions For A More Sustainable And Secure Food System
Why CPGs need to design for AI discovery now
CPG brands must restructure product data and APIs to stay visible as AI pushes deeper into agentic commerce
Fancy Faire
6 trends redefining spicy beyond extreme heat to reach new consumers
From sweet-heat pairings and clean-label innovation to global flavor exploration and softer packaging cues, brands are transforming spicy into an everyday, elevated experience
The hottest need states driving functional food and drink
The next wave of functional innovation is coming. Here are four key need states to watch
Comfort isn’t enough anymore: Why nostalgia now needs a thrill
Comfort food now needs an edge
Functional drinks hold mass market appeal – but there’s work to do
Functional beverages are popular with wellness enthusiasts: but how wide is their appeal?
Functional ingredients powering dairy’s next growth wave
As consumers chase smarter nutrition, functional ingredients are shaping up the next frontier of dairy innovation
Cottage cheese disruptor Good Culture lands $55M investment underscoring shift to healthier dairy
The new investment, coming on the heels of L Catterton’s majority stake, signals growing private-equity appetite for clean-label, better-for-you dairy
Is aquaculture sustainable? It depends on the system around it
A deeper look shows aquaculture’s climate impact depends less on fish and more on governance
5 trends powering chocolate’s $245bn boom
Trends shaping the future of chocolate and the opportunities they create for the confectionery industry
Europe embraces blended proteins faster than the US, report finds
Blending animal and plant ingredients is emerging as a pragmatic path to scale protein diversification, says Food System Innovations
Fiber is entering its protein moment – and it’s more multi-faceted than we think
How advances in fiber chemistry and sourcing may influence the next generation of food products and health
Cheap virgin plastic and imports squeeze US PET recyclers
Experts warn low-cost virgin PET and rising imports are hurting US recycling programs and driving prices to record lows
Cocoa prices collapse following record highs
Cocoa prices plunge to two‑year low as surpluses reshape the market
From breakfast staple to cultural treat: The reframing of sugary cereals in a MAHA era
Sugary cereals are no longer breakfast staples, but they’re not disappearing either
Is breakfast still a meal? How consumer behavior is reshaping the category
Mintel research shows breakfast evolving from a product category into a flexible, behavior-driven eating occasion
Permissible indulgence powers better‑for‑you boom
Explore the new supertrend that’s reshaping snacking
Why consumers don’t trust healthy indulgence
Consumers think some healthy products are too good to be true. Here’s what F&B brands can do to make healthy indulgence believable
The GLP-1 wake-up call for food makers: Appetite loss is exposing ‘weak’ products
As GLP-1s suppress appetite at scale, manufacturers are running into an awkward reality: when people eat less, nutritionally weak products are exposed fast