Private-equity firm acquires $1.6 billion Irca as Dubai chocolate trend fuels growth
The Italian baking, chocolate and ice cream ingredients maker will focus on M&A, supply chain optimization and international expansion
Suppliers
Mexican flavors, value packs and Unilever deal power McCormick’s Q2 performance
At‑home cooking, Latin‑inspired launches, a larger McCormick de Mexico stake and the ongoing Unilever integration shaped the quarter
The state of fermentation and cultivated ingredients: Where are we now?
Precision fermentation reshapes how sweetness is made
The future of sweetness may not be about replacing sugar with a single ingredient, but about redesigning how sweetness itself is built
Whole Foods’ top supplier says natural and organic grocers gaining ground on national chains
UNFI highlights two decades of growth for natural and regional retailers while rolling out AI supply chain tools and its Endless Aisle platform
Monster chases global energy drink growth with Coca-Cola distribution muscle
Monster executives say the company still has a long runway outside the US as it rolls out market-specific products, affordable brands and female-focused lines such as FLRT, while international sales climb to 45% of revenue
Coca-Cola navigates K-shaped economy with AI
President and CFO John Murphy says the company is moving beyond a pre-COVID volume mindset to stay relevant with both premium and value shoppers
Nestlé’s global footprint extends reach of startup Helaina’s protein
The partnership is a crucial milestone toward meeting infants’ nutritional needs in larger populations given Nestlé’s global footprint that would be difficult for the startup to achieve independently
Behind the rise of protein-rich peanut butter snacks
Global peanut butter sales are projected to reach $8.5B as CPG brands roll out better-for-you, portion-controlled innovations
IFF sells bulk of food ingredients business to refocus on health and wellness
The global ingredient supplier’s deal reflects a broader trend of how companies are streamlining their businesses to meet shifting health and wellness preferences
Unilever McCormick deal under pressure as backlash builds
Unilever’s $40bn Foods deal with McCormick is facing mounting backlash as questions over strategy and valuation put the deal under pressure
Inside the science of making healthier food consumers will actually buy with ADM
ADM argues food makers can no longer tackle sugar, sodium or clean label goals one at a time without risking taste, texture and cost
Sweet proteins gain global momentum with latest regulatory win
Amai Proteins’ sweet protein secures regulatory approval in Singapore after recent US nod
Grocers scale private label portfolios with protein, fiber claims
New launches from Kroger, Meijer, AWG and Natural Grocers highlight health benefits as Walmart overhauls Great Value
Mainstream chocolate sales take a hit, super-premium punches back
Super-premium chocolate is gaining share and recruiting new buyers, signaling a shift toward fewer, higher-value indulgences
Aldi ramps up clean-label push with 44 new ingredient bans
Move affects 90% of store assortment as private-label-focused retailer responds to consumer ingredient concerns
Private-label consolidation continues with CK Snacks’ purchase of Keystone Food Products
From Axium to Keystone, CK Snacks is stitching together a manufacturing network as private‑equity dollars pour into store‑brand suppliers
Can biopeptides reclaim weight loss from GLP‑1 drugs?
As GLP‑1 drugs reshape how people eat, food‑based bioactive peptides are emerging as a potential way to support satiety before, during and after drug use
3 standouts in Whole Foods’ 14th annual Supplier All-Star Awards
Whole Foods Market recognizes trailblazing suppliers advancing transparency, innovation and ethical sourcing across food and beverage categories
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Clean label drives protein innovation – from seaweed stabilizers to yeast‑based alternatives
Ingredient innovators are using macroalgae and microbial fermentation to reshape the future of clean‑label, high‑functionality protein products
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Fortification vs processing: Why the line is blurring in food design
How are food leaders rethinking fortification and processing to deliver nutrient‑dense, functional – and joyful – foods?
Scaling precision fermentation: Why capital and collaboration remain the biggest hurdles
Industry experts cite massive CapEx, supply bottlenecks and regulatory complexity as key barriers
Rooted in Chicago and Nepal, two pet food brands share a strategy with simple ingredients
It’s a family affair for Nak Chews and Ava’s Pet Palace. Though their clean-label pet treats are developed on opposite sides of the globe, the two independent pet food companies share a common non-negotiable for today’s pet parents: no mystery chemicals...
Up the food chain
Cargill’s CTO on AI, innovation and where R&D is going
From AI to reformulation, the agribusiness giant’s CTO Florian Schattenmann talks future tech, passing fads and where Cargill is stepping up focus
Whole Foods’ small-format stores could boost CPG startups
The grocer’s UK small-format rollout, together with its US LEAP accelerator and UK Brand Pitch Day events, is creating new opportunities for emerging brands
New light-scattering additive to replace shunned titanium dioxide
Safer whitening may be on the horizon for confectionery, bakery and dairy, thanks to a new alternative to one of food’s most controversial additives
IFF to sell off food ingredients - the supplier’s biggest earner
One of the world’s biggest suppliers wants to offload its food ingredients division
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
DGA sweetener warning sparks industry pushback
Dietary Guidelines pose a challenge for formulators around non-nutritive sweeteners
Ingredients Compendium No 2: Trehalose
The little-known functional sugar gaining ground across food categories
As manufacturers grapple with sugar reduction, texture loss and longer shelf-life demands, trehalose is emerging as a functional ingredient to watch in 2026
Kroger, Hy-Vee and UNFI make better-for-you private-label plays in 2026
Store brands nearly triple the dollar sales growth of national brands, as grocers position wellness-focused products to capture health-conscious shoppers
The real tariff impact on food is still ahead – here is what to expect
Industry data shows manufacturers have delayed price hikes through promotions and portfolio pricing, but analysts warn those tools will weaken as tariff costs finally flow through in 2026
Barry Callebaut appoints ex‑Unilever boss as new CEO
Barry Callebaut shakes up its leadership as Hein Schumacher steps in during a pivotal moment for the world’s largest chocolate maker
Cocoa crunch: How shortages are rewriting chocolate’s future
As climate, disease and regulation strain global cocoa supply, manufacturers are turning to low‑cocoa and cocoa‑free innovations to protect margins and future-proof their portfolios
From media to scaffolding: How plant-based materials are reshaping cultivated meat
Within a narrow funding landscape, plant-based inputs are emerging as one of the most pragmatic ways cultivated meat companies can reduce costs and move toward commercialization
$500m for cottage cheese? What Good Culture’s deal means for F&B investors
Good Culture’s multi-million dollar backing highlights why cottage cheese may be investors’ next big bet
Exclusive: Can biotech break monk fruit’s supply constraints? Manus thinks so
As demand for natural sweeteners grows, Manus moves monk fruit production in the US
2026 Trendspotting
Palate predictions: Sweet, spicy and beyond in 2026
From dark sweet cherry and black currant to smoky, swicy profiles, flavor leaders predict globally inspired tastes to define the year ahead
Can AI solve the cocoa crisis? Barry Callebaut is betting on it
Barry Callebaut partners with NotCo AI and Planet A Foods to tackle soaring cocoa prices and regulatory hurdles, leveraging digital formulation tools to future‑proof chocolate
Healthy beverages
Celsius enters a new era with Rockstar, Alani Nu acquisitions
New flavors, female-forward brands power energy drink company reboot
7,000-plus truckers blocked by English requirement add to supply chain stress
Executive order places non-English speaking commercial drivers out of service
The Every Company closed $55 million in Series D to make alt proteins ‘accessible to everyone’
The producer of animal-free egg whites and egg white proteins plans to scale to the mass market, starting with Walmart
Alt Protein Watch: Updates from Bel, Tetra Pak, PepsiCo and more
Updates from Bel, Tetra Pak, PepsiCo and more feature in this edition of Alt Protein Watch
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
Sweeteners in focus
Sugar isn’t the only sweet solution: How modern sweeteners are changing the game
Kerry Group and NotCo show how advanced sweetening systems can overcome many of the technical, sustainability and cost barriers with sugar reduction
Bettani Farms bets on its star ingredient to scale allergen- and animal-free cheese
The company’s proprietary ingredient Caseed mimics dairy casein without the allergenic effects of dairy, nuts and soy for B2B partners
Mondelēz-backed Celleste Bio debuts cell-cultured chocolate-grade cocoa butter
The new ingredient is positioned as an ‘insurance policy’ against cocoa supply chain volatility and says the bio-identical ingredient could stabilize supply as climate change strains traditional crops
Kerry turns consumer insights into sustainable food solutions
Kerry’s sustainable nutrition spectrum guides CPG brands in reformulating foods that meet evolving consumer expectations for health, sustainability and taste.
FDA ‘no questions’ letter for Verley’s whey proteins unlocks new functionality for high-protein foods
The French startup’s FermWhey Native and FermWhey MicroStab expands formulation options for RTD beverages, shots and plant-based hybrids to better meet demands for consumers using GLP-1s and seeking support for active lifestyles and healthy aging
Danone takes lead on dairy methane reduction through new partnership
Environmental and economic headwinds make stewardship crucial for dairy industry
Why Kerry exited hybrid dairy and pivoted Smug to snacking
Once heralded as a category disruptor, Kerry’s hybrid dairy brand Smug is being reinvented into a 100% dairy affair. Here’s why