From Hi‑Chew to mochi: Morinaga America bites into the US frozen treats scene
Layered flavors and texture continue to shape Morinaga America’s ambitious business goals with the acquisition of My/Mochi frozen treats
Confectionery
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Inside the race to reinvent food color: Global Food Tech Awards Americas heat winner pioneers new approach to natural dyes
Award-winning biotech Michroma is using fungi-based fermentation to tackle the cost, supply and performance challenges holding back natural colors
New product development
What’s hot in confectionery? Cadbury refresh, Potter Peeps and beauty cakes
From organic gummies and dessert‑inspired sweets to licensed seasonal launches and confection–beauty crossovers. Brands are leaning on format innovation
Ferrero’s Bold Snacks deal signals strategy shift
Ferrero’s Bold Snacks acquisition hints at where industry is headed
Future chocolate: Mondelēz, Lindt and Barry Callebaut reshape taste
From Mondelēz and Barry Callebaut to Lindt, the future of chocolate is being defined by bold flavour innovation, smarter formulations and a refusal to compromise on indulgence
Hershey: Strategy shake‑up and leadership reset
Hershey is shaking up its strategy and its structure
4 market opportunities revealed by Mintel Most Innovative winners
When supply chain snarls and cautious consumers dominate, winners focus on health, convenience and mindful indulgence
How GLP-1s are reshaping product innovation
For product developers, designing GLP-1 friendly foods will require new sensory approaches, emotional metrics and new nutritional architectures
Treating culture drives US confectionery sales
Americans’ love of nostalgic, sensory-rich treats is boosting confectionery sales as brands balance innovation, tradition and mounting regulatory pressures
The clean label chocolate revolution has begun
Clean label chocolate is gaining momentum, and reshaping indulgence
Mondelēz’s meteoric rise: The strategy behind the superpower
Strategic deals, powerhouse brands, and disciplined growth – inside Mondelēz’s journey to global leadership, and its vision for the future
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
Food cravings on GLP-1s? What formulators need to know
It’s a common misconception that GLP-1 drugs erase food cravings. Actually, they alter them
Ferrero’s next move: Reshaping confectionery and snacking
From premiumisation to supply-chain control, Ferrero’s strategy is redefining the competitive landscape
Mars launches Impact Fund with cocoa farmers first to benefit
Mars invests in community resilience worldwide, starting with cocoa growers
Nestlé’s new power play: Four Pillars, one direction
Swiss food and beverage giant unveils bold new strategy for the future
Opinion
The ultra-processed foods debate has nuance - let’s recognise it
To understand how processing affects food consumption, don’t caricature either side of the debate
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
Why Mars is powering up M&M’s as it reshapes its global growth strategy
As Mars expands through mega‑deals, sustainability pushes and portfolio diversification, the company is placing a bigger strategic bet on M&M’s to anchor growth and relevance in a changing global snacking landscape
Mars, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Hershey, and Lindt team up to transform future of cocoa
The world’s biggest chocolate makers are working together to futureproof cocoa and support growers
Is Hershey in trouble? Profits plummeting and ingredients under fire
Hershey’s rocky start to 2026 has raised questions about its long‑term direction
Comfort isn’t enough anymore: Why nostalgia now needs a thrill
Comfort food now needs an edge
Hershey blasted by Reese’s family over core ingredient changes
Reese family sends open letter to Hershey, challenging whether the confectionery giant is protecting the Reese’s legacy
Functional ingredients powering dairy’s next growth wave
As consumers chase smarter nutrition, functional ingredients are shaping up the next frontier of dairy innovation
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
Nestlé, Mondelēz, Mars, Barry Callebaut: Which chocolate giants are diversifying?
The cocoa crisis is winding down, but the biggest producers of chocolate still want to protect themselves in a volatile sector
Permissible indulgence powers better‑for‑you boom
Explore the new supertrend that’s reshaping snacking
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Chocolate at a Crossroads: Inside the industry’s response to supply shocks
Climate change, disease pressure and record cocoa prices are forcing the chocolate industry to rethink ingredients, processing, and the future role of cocoa – but how will potential solutions impact farmers and consumers?
Food companies further limit advertising to children across digital media
Coca-Cola, Campbell’s, General Mills and other CPG and fast-food companies expanded voluntary advertising restrictions across digital platforms after research found most children encounter unhealthy food branding on YouTube
Schumacher’s strategy: Five moves to revive Barry Callebaut
New CEO Hein Schumacher enters a company in decline. Here are the five decisive moves that could put the world’s biggest chocolate maker back on track
Mondelēz puts hopes in volume growth as cocoa prices ease
The company’s 2025 full-year earnings point to substantial challenges, but changes in the cocoa market could be cause for optimism
Mars: The making of a confectionery powerhouse
The confectionery giant is changing fast, and setting the pace for the entire sector
Boardroom clash behind Barry Callebaut CEO shake‑up
Leadership shake‑up at Barry Callebaut reveals deeper strategic tensions at the world’s biggest chocolate maker
News Bites
Top 5 stories reshaping grocery value in 2026
The grocery value equation is evolving beyond simple price tags
Mondelēz’s CoLab Tech accelerator shines light on the biggest stress points facing the global snack system
As the company reopens applications for its R&D-led accelerator, the focus areas highlight mounting pressure around climate resilience, packaging constraints and shifting consumer expectations
Mondelēz names new EVP, COO and CFO
Mondelēz International reshapes top team, elevating CFO Luca Zaramella to powerful dual role
Candy in the crosshairs
‘Elevated’ arsenic in candy reveals industry-wide food safety and regulatory risks
Even without enforcement action, publicly released contaminant data could fuel lawsuits, consumer confusion and regulatory scrutiny, while also undermining federal oversight
Winter Fancy Faire
3 trends revitalizing the sleepy nut butter and seed spread category
From swicy flavors to squeezable pouches, emerging brands at the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Faire are pushing a mature category into its next growth phase
Nestlé ramps up regenerative agriculture with global partnerships
Nestlé’s new sustainability partnerships could redefine regenerative agriculture for the wider industry
News Bites
How consumers are redefining food value beyond price, health and hype
From sensemaxxing and nutrition policy to freeze-dried candy, consumers are reshaping what ‘value’ means in food - moving beyond price, binaries and one-size-fits-all health claims
When trust turns toxic: Mars exec jailed in $28m fraud case that exposed insider risk
Former Mars executive Paul Steed’s 63-month prison sentence for stealing more than $28m exposes how insider fraud can persist inside global food companies – and why scale can magnify risk
Mars-Kellanova: The $36bn merger transforming the snacking sector
Mars’ $36bn takeover of Kellanova is reshaping the global snacking landscape, combining two powerhouse portfolios and igniting innovation
Diet Trends
Rethinking sweetness in an age of sugar skepticism
As shoppers scrutinize labels and headlines, brands are rethinking sweetness strategies to deliver lower sugar, clearer messaging and commercially viable reformulations
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
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
6 food trends giving consumers more of what they want
At the Winter Fancy Faire, the Specialty Food Association revealed six emerging trends reshaping how consumers engage with food and beverage as they seek more value as inflation and GLP-1 use cut into volume and dollar sales
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
News Bites
From dietary guidelines to cocoa shortages, pressure mounts on CPG brands
This week’s top stories show how nutrition policy debates, shifting views on processing and cocoa supply disruptions are reshaping formulation and sourcing decisions for CPG brands
How the Dietary Guidelines may shape product strategy and development
The latest Dietary Guidelines may not reinvent the wheel, but they offer manufacturers a roadmap to balance nutrition, consumer preference and formulation strategy across sweeteners, grains and processed foods, according to one expert