PepsiCo embraces dirty soda trend with Dirty Mountain Dew and Mug Root Beer Floats
As consumer interest in indulgent, creamy sodas surges, major beverage brands are ditching the DIY approach for convenient, ready-to-drink formats
Beverage
What are the 7 flavour trends set to impact US beverages in 2027?
Beverage flavour trends are changing fast and consumer demands are shaping innovation.
Summer Fancy Food Show 2026
Bone broth breaks out of the soup bowl
Bone broth’s versatility across beverage formats reveals there’s more to it than a functional, savory drink
Summer Fancy Food Show 2026
What’s driving the protein surge?
Consumers are cutting sugar with confidence and chasing protein with confusion, while generational divides over where protein belongs are reshaping the trend
News Bites
How CPGS are rewriting ‘better-for-you’
Cleaning up labels is no longer enough – value-driven consumers are forcing the industry to rethink the balance of price, health and convenience
Federal court blocks food benefits ban on soda and candy
The decision in Aragon v. Rollins vacates USDA waivers in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia and sets up a likely appeal
Agentic commerce could crack personalization but only for data-ready brands
Will agentic commerce deliver on the personalization food and beverage has been trying to achieve?
US beverage giants roll out QR codes to boost ingredient transparency
America’s leading beverage companies have made a commitment to integrate global ingredient safety data directly into QR codes on cans and bottles
Clean protein shakes up RTD beverages
Elmhurst 1925 extends clean-label portfolio with RTD plant protein shakes
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
How are Nestlé, Danone and Muscle Milk rethinking reformulation?
Additives and artificial colors and flavors continue to be axed from formulas as the industry balances a meeting consumers’ health goals with nutrition policy
Ashwagandha and mushrooms fuel rise of relaxation beverages
Data shows mood drinks gaining ground as consumers seek calm, sleep and alcohol-free social options
Flavor and format are fueling specialty coffee
Specialty coffee is more than a caffeine fix for younger consumers as the category is driven by flavor, format and customization
Is ‘healthy enough’ the new ‘better for you?’
Winning brands balance health, indulgence and convenience
Clear whey drives functional drinks boom amid tightening WPI supply
Active consumers want high-protein drinks that are both nutritious and refreshing. Clear whey has become a key ingredient for such formulations
Are reformulation demands moving faster than brands can respond? Hear from PepsiCo and industry leaders
As the reformulation goalposts continue to move, experts from PepsiCo, the European Snacks Association, the American Bakers Association, 210 Analytics and FDF Scotland’s Reformulation for Health Programme ask whether manufacturers can keep pace
Can Ebola disrupt coffee prices and stocks?
The border closure between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo has raised concerns over potential disruption to coffee trade - but is there a risk to global coffee prices?
Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Mars and DoorDash among CPG brands chasing $7.5 billion World Cup spend
Nearly 90% of World Cup viewers plan on food and beverage purchases, fueling $7.5 billion in spending
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
Energy drink company Celsius faces investigation over youth marketing
Texas attorney general’s office is looking into whether the energy drink giant misled customers, following death of teenager
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
Kids’ juice looks to protein as next frontier
With sugar reduction now table stakes, brands in the kids’ juice aisle are pushing into functional nutrition to differentiate and drive the next phase of growth
Unilever CEO defends $40bn McCormick megamerger
Unilever stands by $40bn McCormick deal as scrutiny grows over whether streamlining will strengthen the group or weaken it
Keurig Dr Pepper’s meteoric rise in energy offers blueprint for CPG category expansion
From partnerships to acquisitions, Keurig Dr Pepper’s ‘build-buy-partner’ model underpins its rapid rise in energy drinks and signals how large beverage companies may enter future growth categories
Muscle Milk undergoes it’s ‘biggest transformation’ with Pro lineup
For Muscle Milk, the challenge – and opportunity – is to meet consumers’ varied needs with simplicity and nutrient density
Confectionery trends: Balancing better-for-you trends and indulgence
Can candy revive RTD tea?
Candy-inspired nostalgia could give RTD tea a much-needed spark, as brands like Ryl Tea use confectionery flavors to attract younger, health-conscious consumers into the category
Energy drink trends: US startup PHX blends hydration and energy
Florida-based functional drinks firm PHX has launched a hydration-energy drink designed to meet growing demand for multifunctional beverages
Does cultivated coffee have a future?
With pressure on conventional coffee production, coffee grown in a lab is one alternative that could ease demand
Processed foods aren’t going away, but they are evolving
In the gap between consumers’ intention and reality, is there room for processed food in a healthy diet?
Why coffee is make-or-break for alt dairy
To appeal to coffee aficionados, alt dairy brands must prove barista-level functionality, compete on taste and flavour innovation, and look beyond sustainability
When an ingredient goes viral, can the supply chain keep up?
As ingredient hype cycles accelerate, so do the risks of shortages, consistency and cost
Sweet proteins gain global momentum with latest regulatory win
Amai Proteins’ sweet protein secures regulatory approval in Singapore after recent US nod
The most creative beverage packaging innovations
Looking for beverage packaging inspiration? We explore some of the most innovative ideas from across the beverage universe
Why thinking like an AI agent matters to marketing
Generative engine optimization is reshaping how brands get discovered
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
Oral GLP-1 breakthrough: What it means for impulse-driven food categories
Food and beverage brands face consumers staying on appetite-suppressing drugs for longer
A new wave of food inflation is building across the supply chain
Economists warn that rising fertilizer, fuel, packaging and tariff costs tied to global conflicts and trade policy could push grocery inflation above historical norms by late 2026
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
Keep it simple: Why functional beverages are in danger of overwhelming consumers
With so many choices, could consumers be put off the category entirely?
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
Can coffee weather the storm?
Extreme climate events are now a huge challenge for the coffee industry.
Iran war fallout hits grocery aisles as food inflation surges and shoppers pull back
Higher fuel and fertilizer costs tied to Strait of Hormuz disruptions pushed at-home food prices up 0.7% in April, while consumers increasingly weigh purchases item-by-item in search of value
Hain Celestial bets on functional-food innovation to power next phase of turnaround
After years of cost cuts and portfolio pruning, the better-for-you baby food, beverage and yogurt business is focusing on functional wellness innovation, including protein- and immunity-forward products to reignite growth of a simplified portfolio
Tea among the stars: Space sakura and decaf drive Japan firm exports
Space sakura tea and decaffeinated teas are part of Japan GreenTea’s export push, combining novelty, aesthetics and healthier beverage options
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
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
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
Rethinking the coffee replacement
Coffee alternatives are rising not as replacements, but as functional upgrades
Resealable cans shake up California’s beverage market
L.A. Libations Water claims a first with resealable, recyclable cans