Brain boom: 3 ingredients boosting cognitive health
Functional ingredients are aiming to boost brain health and wellbeing
Confectionery
Startup Spotlight
AI that speaks the language of CPG
What the food and beverage market needs isn’t just another AI model — it needs artificial intelligence that understands CPG-specific business
What’s coming after stevia? 4 new sweeteners on the horizon
From Finland to Italy, Peru to the UK, four start-ups are on a mission to transform the sugar reduction landscape
A new era of premium chocolate emerges
As consumers redefine premium chocolate through taste, ethics and wellness, everyday indulgence is replacing special-occasion luxury – opening the door for brands and retailers to grow margins, build loyalty and differentiate in a tightening,...
What’s next for chocolate? Key trends shaping a $184bn market
Chocolate is changing fast - premium indulgence, health-driven treats, and even cocoa-free innovations are rewriting the rulebook
Candy Kittens owner in talks to buy Unilever snack brand Graze
Unilever is set to offload Graze for a fraction of its 2019 purchase price. Can Katjes revive the struggling snack brand?
What’s popular this Thanksgiving? Brining, baking and brand buzz
From budget-friendly feasts to playful twists, brands are blending affordability, nostalgia and creativity to win over holiday hosts
Top 5 F&B ingredients trends driving market growth towards $560bn
The global food and beverage ingredients market is booming. But what are the trends powering industry growth?
New product development
Hershey’s Reese’s unwraps Christmas NPD with bold festive launches
Reese’s is ramping up its Christmas offer for 2025, revealing a raft of new products and returning best-sellers
Emulsifiers in food and beverage: Market growth and health risks
New research linking omnipresent emulsifiers to gut damage and obesity is raising tough questions for manufacturers
Nestlé builds cocoa ‘Noah’s Ark’ to futureproof chocolate
Nestlé is exploring cutting-edge genomics and sustainable sourcing to safeguard cocoa supplies
UPFs surge unevenly across global markets - where’s next?
Ultra-processed diets aren’t equally dominant worldwide - but in some countries, they’re rising fast
Cost discipline drives growth: How Conagra, General Mills and Celsius are navigating inflation and tariffs
Targeted pricing, selective promotions and strategic investments help brands protect margins and capture share in a high-cost environment
Non-UPF Verified debuts standard for CPG brands
The standard includes ingredient criteria and processing intensity that align with nutrition research and food system realities
Nestlé R&D head on how the world’s biggest CPG innovates
Inside Nestlé: Rania Abou Samra on crafting the future of food and beverage
Sugar prices to 5-year low: When will they rise again?
The price of sugar will not stay low forever
Top 5 Christmas confectionery trends 2025
Holidays are coming! Discover the confectionery trends driving festive sales in 2025
Nestlé, Mondelēz, Hershey - How chocolate giants are coping with price hikes
The largest players in food are making bold decisions in an effort to boost growth
Hershey’s convenience-focused launches highlight c-store strategy and shopper insights
Hershey doubles down on the convenience channel with bold flavors, strategic pack sizes and data-driven innovation aimed at capturing Gen Z and driving repeat purchases
Mondelēz’s travel retail playbook: A blueprint for sweets and snacks success
Travel retail is no longer just about luxury - confectionery is taking off. Discover how Mondelēz is turning airports into brand-building playgrounds
Hershey Q3 earnings: Sales rise but profits plunge amid cost pressures
The confectionery giant beat expectations in Q3, but soaring costs and shrinking profits reveal deeper industry troubles
Mondelēz rethinks new product development and distribution strategy as US consumers cut back on snacks
The snack giant will expand value offerings, boost innovation in better-for-you products and indulgent items, and refine promotions to reignite growth
UPF awareness rises but confusion reigns over what’s healthy, Non-GMO Project finds
Consumer concern about UPFs has surged, but understanding still lags far behind, according to new research from the Non-GMO Project
Sweeteners in focus
Letter from the editor: Sweeteners in focus - navigating the taste, tech and trade-offs
Consumers’ evolving preferences, clean-label demands and political debates are reshaping sugar and alternative sweeteners - and challenging brands to innovate without compromise
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
Sweet shift: Low- and no-sugar candy sales surge as Halloween revelers seek mindful balance
84.51° data shows households – especially those with children – are driving double- and triple-digit gains in candy made with less sugar and alternative sweeteners
Sweeteners in focus
Whole Foods crowns ‘sweet, but make it mindful’ a trend to watch in 2026 – opening the door for real sugar’s comeback
The retailer predicts that consumers will embrace real sugar, but less of it in the new year – driving demand for products sweetened with cane sugar, honey and fruit instead of other alternatives
Finally, a vegan collagen: FDA’s ‘no questions’ letter for Geltor’s animal-free collagen opens doors to new markets
‘The beauty and longevity revolution demands both breakthrough science and the infrastructure to deliver it,’ according to Geltor CEO. ‘PrimaColl is the first ingredient to nail both’
No trick: Halloween 2025 candy sales to hit record highs
After Summerween comes the real deal: Halloween, which expects to see recording spending
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.
Winter is coming: Is holiday shopping here already?
A Wisconsin entrepreneur launched a new business during the pandemic to keep herself afloat – now it supports independent foodmakers
Video
NotCo on boosting F&B innovation in challenging times
Food and beverage is ripping up the rule book to innovate for the future
Oobli builds out sweet protein platform with third FDA ‘no questions’ letter
FDA acknowledges brazzein-54, advancing Oobli’s nature-identical sweet protein toolkit to reduce sugar
Nestlé’s Christmas 2025 NPD: KitKat Gingerbread, Green Triangle bar
Nestlé confectionery has unwrapped a broad Christmas 2025 range, featuring seasonal flavours, gifting formats and shareable packs. Sustainability and retail exclusives also return to the line-up
Healthy snacking surges – Conagra and Mondelēz taking notice
Savvy consumers are seeking better-for-you options with functional benefits, according to Spate
Cocoa market stable for first time since 2022
Cocoa prices have finally cooled after a historic surge - but will the calm last?
Hershey doubles down on s’mores as a seasonal growth engine with caramel innovation and retail partnerships
By extending its seasonal leadership and tapping consumer nostalgia with a modern twist, Hershey is driving incremental sales and household penetration
FDA greenlights Onego Bio’s bio-identical egg white protein that could ease supply constraints and volatile prices
Onego Bio says its animal-free, precision-fermented Bioalbumen is functionally identical to the protein found in chicken egg whites, and is gearing up for large-scale production following FDA’s ‘no questions’ GRAS letter
Candy crush: 5 ways confectionery is staying sweet amid pricing pressure
Consumers may be under financial pressure, but candy remains one of the most resilient categories in the store
Eat, drink and be scary
Holiday treats, spices and baking goods are back in stores
GRAS under the microscope: FDA eyes reform as consumer trust wavers
CPG brands could face greater regulatory oversight, higher expectations for transparency and new risks if ingredient safety communication falls short
UPF litigation: What brands need to know now
Early preparation, thorough documentation and proactive governance remain the best defense in a landscape where litigation and regulation related to ultra-processed food are still evolving
Nestlé chairman Paul Bulcke resigns amid CEO scandal
Nestlé fast-tracks leadership change following investor pressure
Ferrero chooses New York cupcake disruptor for spooky collab: ‘This is a pinch me moment’
For Melissa Ben-Ishay, teaming up with Ferrero is a Halloween treat. But the Baked by Melissa CEO knows collabs are more than fun – they’re fueling serious business growth
California’s UPF school ban heads to Gov. Newsom’s desk, sparks divided reactions
The legislation received bipartisan support to ban ultra-processed foods in California public schools and is on its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom, while industry stakeholders express mixed support on economy, school infrastructure and nutrition
Nestlé investors demand early exit of chairman Paul Bulcke amid CEO scandal
Investors want chairman Paul Bulcke out now. With trust shaken and shares slipping, pressure mounts for Pablo Isla to take the reins early
Unilever, Mars, Ferrero & Kraft Heinz: A story of spin-offs, splits, mergers & acquisitions
From Kraft Heinz’s split to Mars and Kellanova’s mega-merger, the world’s biggest food brands are reshaping the industry
Scientists crack cocoa’s consistency conundrum
A breakthrough in cocoa fermentation could finally deliver consistent, high-quality flavour every time
Mars-Kellanova: Merger update
Is the clock still stopped on the $35.9bn deal?