Nestlé and Danone: Baby food pouches under fire as microplastics found
Microplastics detected in Nestlé and Danone baby food pouches spark safety concerns
Brands & manufacturers
Will cocoa alts ever be sexy? Hershey backlash opens the debate
As cocoa markets fluctuate, Hershey’s controversy shows that while alt-chocolate is advancing fast, taste and transparency remain make-or-break for consumers
Wonka returns as Ferrero taps into experiential marketing boom
Ferrero is bringing Wonka back in bold new strategy – blending limited-edition treats, cross-category innovation and a major new Netflix partnership
Mondelēz, Unilever, FrieslandCampina and others commit to regenerative agriculture acceleration
Forty major food companies pledge to accelerate regenerative methods across their supply chains
Danone walks away from Lifeway with $67.4m stake sale
The two companies are drawing a line under a long-running and fractious relationship
The most creative beverage packaging innovations
Looking for beverage packaging inspiration? We explore some of the most innovative ideas from across the beverage universe
FBIF 2026
Not Just a Flavour Strategy: How KitKat Embedded Itself in Japanese Culture
From ‘Japanisation’ to deep cultural alignment, Nestlé KitKat is one of the few foreign brands to have thoroughly cracked Japan’s competitive chocolate market
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Why consumers pay more for certain brands even in a tight economy
Kantar BrandZ’s Ellie Thorpe explains why brands like Coca-Cola, Red Bull and Walmart continue gaining loyalty, pricing power and market share despite inflation, cautious spending and growing consumer uncertainty
Beyond Meat: Why is foodservice doing worse than retail?
The plant-based major has seen severe divergence between channels
New product development
Just launched: Maggi ready meals, Quorn, Ella’s Kitchen and more…
Plant-based innovation, next-generation kids food and elevated snacking are all key themes in this week’s NPD roundup
Mars signals new era for confectionery with bold launches and digital focus
Mars redefines confectionery with innovative flavours, new formats and a digital-first shopping strategy
Why Danone invests millions in regenerative agriculture
Danone has made regenerative agriculture a central pillar in its sustainability strategy. What value does it bring?
Kroger sees surge in better-for-you sales – but who is winning and why?
Evergreen founder Emily Groden quit law to make veggie-packed frozen waffles her daughter would actually eat. Now she’s reshaping the kids’ breakfast category
Luna Bar returns to reclaim women’s snack bar set
What does it take for a legacy brand to win over Gen Z and Millennial women?
Big Food’s leadership crisis: Why CEOs are falling faster than ever
C-suite exits are mounting across Big Food, but behind the scandals lies a deeper performance and innovation problem
Bel’s Brainiac buy signals next wave in kids’ snacks
The Bel Group acquisition of Brainiac highlights a fast-growing category where nutrition science, parental anxiety and marketing ambition are converging
Chicken of the Sea tests sustainability waters, but will consumers bite?
Chicken of the Sea rolls out sustainability certification across its entire tuna portfolio, marking a milestone for a mainstream US brand – but the move is about more than environmental credentials
Tariff refunds are available - here’s how to get them right
High rejection rates and a tight 80-day filing window are turning what should be straightforward IEEPA tariff refunds into a high-stakes, error-prone process for small and mid-sized CPG brands
Unilever shaken by investor exit as McCormick deal unsettles shareholders
Unilever’s $40bn Foods merger with McCormick is facing mounting backlash, as shares slide and investors divest
Kraft Heinz split in doubt as weak performance blunts break-up case
With performance still lagging, Kraft Heinz’s paused split looks increasingly uncertain
Iran conflict drains the colour from snack packs
Calbee’s decision to strip colour from its packaging amid naphtha shortages is an early warning that the Iran conflict is beginning to fracture the petrochemical supply chains underpinning the global food industry
Premium standards power seafood brand’s push into frozen foods
Safe Catch’s ethos of rigorous mercury testing expands into its new frozen portfolio aimed to deliver on nutrition, quality and convenience
Grupo Bimbo commits $1bn to US despite growing unease over Trump-era business climate
At a time when many manufacturers are slowing investment plans or waiting out economic uncertainty, Grupo Bimbo is doing the opposite in the US.
Hershey’s bets on AI to power growth
From marketing spend to manufacturing and innovation, AI is quietly reshaping confectionery
Horizon Organic plays down impact of multi-state milk recall
The largest US organic dairy brand pulled thousands of flavoured milk cases across four states
How cottage cheese reinvented itself
Cottage cheese is being reinvented through new formats, younger consumers and rising global demand – and brands are only just getting started
Monster Beverage Corp may raise prices as aluminum costs surge amid global tensions
Monster executives warned aluminum and freight costs are expected to climb sequentially through year-end, but said category demands remain healthy even after price hikes last fall
Celsius now controls a fifth of the US energy drink market
The company announces that one out of every five energy drinks purchased in Q1 2026 was from Celsius, Alani Nu or Rockstar
The snack barometer: The Iran conflict and the limits of consumer resilience
Food companies are becoming some of the clearest observers of the economic fallout from the Iran conflict as fuel volatility, inflation fears and changing spending habits begin reshaping behaviour across the supermarket aisle
The next gen in produce moves beyond fresh to ‘alive’
Wild About Sprouts’ campaign aims to rethink fresh produce and reconnect consumers with the origins and functionality of their food
Beyond Meat prepares for drinks launch as losses begin to slow
Sales continue to fall, particularly in foodservice, but the company sees some signs of recovery
Kraft Heinz defies CPG cost-cutting playbook and bets on investment for turnaround
As other food and beverage companies cut costs and slash staff, Kraft Heinz is investing $600 million in people, pricing, promotion and innovation – offering an alternative blueprint for growth in a turbulent period
Mars: The global heavyweight setting the snacking agenda
The world’s biggest confectionery and snacking company is driving change across the industry
From clicks to cart: Online grocery drives the next wave of growth
As omnichannel shopping becomes the norm, ecommerce, retail media and retailer apps are reshaping how and where grocery growth happens
Confident but constrained: How small businesses are navigating a fluctuating economic environment
Between shifting consumer demand and economic instability, small businesses can still compete as long as adaptability remains part of their core infrastructure
The world’s oldest food and drink brands and how they’ve survived
Is there a recipe for long-term food and drink brand success? Let’s explore…
Beef downturn hits Tyson and local economies as prices rise and supply shrinks
A 75-year low cattle cycle is taking a toll on Tyson’s beef volume leading to plant closures and job losses, even as other protein segments post gains
Is the retail media network gold rush over?
In this next phase, marketers aren’t abandoning retail media – they’re simply demanding that it grow up
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
FBIF 2026
Kraft Heinz insights: Is the concept of consumer brand loyalty dead?
In an era where consumers are bombarded with new products at every turn and purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced by technology, is brand loyalty no longer a thing? There is hope yet, says Kraft Heinz
Bel North America’s CEO talks strategy and growth ambitions
Peter McGuinness has led challenger brands into mainstream success. Now, he wants to revitalise Bel’s iconic brands in North America
Nestlé returns to growth but recovery remains fragile
Nestlé’s Q1 results reassured investors, but uneven volumes urge caution
Time’s ‘10 Most Influential Food Companies’ list misses some of the real disruptors
The 103-year-old magazine’s latest picks highlight companies on the move, but some of the forces genuinely reshaping food in 2026 sit beyond that shortlist
Mondelēz warns of anxious consumers as Middle East conflict threatens spending
While sales rise and cocoa stabilizes, the company keeps guidance steady amid fears of inflation and weakening confidence
How Coca-Cola is winning in a K-shaped economy
Coca-Cola enjoyed a strong start to the year with net revenues up 12% in Q1. What is the beverage giant doing right?
CPG gears up for Cinco de Mayo on Taco Tuesday
A rare ‘Taco Eclipse’ is prompting Mexican brands to spotlight limited-edition tacos, new protein-rich beans and cheese-led recipes for celebrations
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Hershey’s new sustainability strategy offers blueprint for balancing business & ESG needs
Hershey breaks lofty ESG ambitions into practical, data-driven strategic steps that help embed sustainability into sourcing, operations and product innovation
From ambient to plant-based: Where Danone is taking protein next
Danone leads the high-protein yogurt space in the US. Now, it’s branching into new categories and formats
Shoppers embrace personalization – but draw the line at AI taking control
While personalized pricing and in-store tech gain approval, nearly half of consumers reject fully agentic AI shopping experiences, according to a new Dunnhumby report
Tariffs on trial: Pending ruling could impact supply costs and grocery prices
Burlap & Barrel’s challenge to the Trump administration’s tariffs in the US Court of International Trade could define how far presidents can stretch decades‑old trade statutes