EU bioeconomy strategy: What it means for food
The wide ranging strategy touches on both packaging and novel foods
Meat
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?
Middle East Focus: Food sector AI, coconut nectar, trout and more
Food sector AI, coconut nectar, trout and more feature in this edition of Middle East Focus
Patents plummet in alt proteins: Has innovation ground to a halt?
Alternative proteins have lost a lot of popularity in recent years, and this is reflected in IP activity
Farmed cod gets Aquaculture Stewardship Council stamp, offering consistency for retail and CPG
The ASC is shifting its focus downstream, working with retailers and foodservice partners to make responsibly farmed seafood the industry standard – not the niche
Guest Article
Beyond Meat and Meati 2.0: How D2C can help their recovery strategies
As plant-based pioneers navigate financial hurdles, direct-to-consumer channels are emerging as a key tool for reconnecting with shoppers and testing new products
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
Private sector steps in as USDA funds partial SNAP benefits
With federal resources stretched thin, private and retail sector efforts grow critical to sustaining access and demand across SNAP shoppers
Top 5 Christmas confectionery trends 2025
Holidays are coming! Discover the confectionery trends driving festive sales in 2025
News Bites
Gen Z trends, UPF debate & Coca-Cola’s beverage pivot
Younger consumers redefine “healthy,” experts warn UPF rules may backfire and Coca-Cola bets big on protein and zero sugar
Consumers want better sleep: 5 ingredients for nighttime nutrition
Sleep is a key health goal among consumers globally. The food industry now has an opportunity to meet consumer demands
Government shutdown threatens CPG brands tied to SNAP and WIC
As the shutdown nears its fourth week, the SNAP and WIC funding crisis is rippling through retail supply chains, jeopardizing access to food and CPG category stability
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
Acme Smoked Fish champions sustainability and climate action across the seafood supply chain
From traceable sourcing to employee engagement, Acme’s Citizens of Seafood initiative and Climate Awards demonstrate how seafood companies can align business success with environmental responsibility
Smithfield leverages honey trend with Mike’s Hot Honey Bacon
Smithfield and Mike’s Hot Honey use honey’s flavor versatility to create bold, on-trend products that engage millennials, Gen Z and sweet-and-spicy enthusiasts
What happens when nutrition science collides with politics? Kevin Hall found out
New book explores what the science really says about metabolism myths, UPFs and misinformation
Groceryshop 2025
Shoppers hit a breaking point: How will price and value play out in 2026?
NielsenIQ’s latest outlook warns consumers are hitting their spending limits and are desperate for relief – opening the door for promotions, private-label and health-claims to drive sales
Video
NotCo on boosting F&B innovation in challenging times
Food and beverage is ripping up the rule book to innovate for the future
AI-powered humane fishing startup expands with $22M in venture capital
Shinkei Systems, launched in 2021, is growing rapidly with a new headquarters in metro Los Angeles
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
Quorn cuts additives and embraces health trend
The legacy brand is responding to consumer demand for clean label foods
Archer gives snack meat market something to chew on
Premium protein company carves its niche in the rapidly evolving jerky industry
Kraft Heinz split: What happens now?
Kraft Heinz is officially splitting into two companies. What does this mean for its iconic brands, shareholders, and the future of the food industry?
Global guidance on meat and dairy consumption in the works
What’s the optimal intake of animal-source foods?
News Bites
Energy drinks, snack trends and a big split
Energy drinks, snacking behaviors and corporate restructuring made headlines this week, underscoring how rapidly the food and beverage landscape is shifting under competitive and consumer pressures
Cultivated meat innovators UPSIDE and Wildtype sue Texas over new law
The Lone Star State is the seventh in the nation to ban cultured meat
Sustainable September
Compostable packaging gains ground: What CPGs should know about PHA
Innovations in compostable packaging are moving towards a commercial reality, and CPG brands that engage early with PHA solutions will be better positioned to meet sustainability and compliance demands
Top food and beverage disruptions in 2025
From labour shortages to climate chaos, the food and beverage industry is fighting fires on all fronts
Is food and drink failing the planet? Share your view now
The global food and drink industry’s biggest sustainability call to action has kicked off in the first month-long Sustainable September event
Meat stick brand Singing Pastures leans into clean nutrition and joy
The company’s storytelling piques the interest of consumers who crave ethical protein and expands appeal to women consumers
Hormel joins other CPG giants in raising prices to offset inflation
Pork, beef and nut costs worsened beyond company’s second quarter projects
From stockouts to shelf strength: How retail data can boost CPG sales
AI-driven retail insights firm Crisp Data helps seafood brand Safe Catch recover lost sales and fuel double-digit growth
In struggling alt-protein scene, The Better Meat Co. raises $31 million in series A, plans to beat beef on price by 2026
Better Meat Co. raises $31 million series A to scale mycoprotein ingredient
News Bites
From deregulation to reformulation: MAHA draft, consumer trends and California’s UPF ban in schools
From Washington’s deregulatory MAHA draft to consumers reshaping shopping habits and California move to curb ultra-processed foods in schools, this week brought pivotal shifts for food and beverage stakeholders
Protein quality essential consideration for consumer health
Not all protein sources provide equal health benefits
Sustainable squid snacks: How The Hermit is disrupting the jerky category
Squid jerky startup targets the clean-label snack market
Tariffs in flux: What CPG brands need to know about ‘unavailable natural resources’ and cost pressures
The uncertainty and volatility of the US tariff environment are pushing CPG brands to navigate higher input costs while waiting for potential relief on essential commodities
Retail realities: Modest food and beverage growth amid shifting consumer priorities
Divergence across income and demographic groups, heightened health consciousness and evolving definitions of value are reshaping retail strategies
News Bites
Shifting plates: Ultra-processed food declines as protein innovation and labeling transparency rise
Consumer demand is pushing the food industry toward cleaner labels, greater transparency and innovation that balances nutrition, sustainability and taste
More trips, tighter budgets: How is inflation influencing grocery shoppers?
Circana sales data from July reveals US consumers are buying groceries more often, but where they shop and what they buy is shifting – with winners and losers emerging across bakery, protein and frozen
Are tariffs to blame of select food price hikes even as overall inflation for groceries cools?
July’s CPI data reveals notable upticks in the price of everyday staples subject to new tariffs, while consumer data reveals increasingly grim attitudes about the economy
Positively Groundfish’s Catch+Create Accelerator seeks startups to scale sustainable west coast seafood products
The new accelerator empowers early-stage seafood innovators to develop and launch value-added products that meet growing consumer demand for sustainable, traceable West Coast seafood
Could plant-based chicken brand Daring’s sale to v2food revive US alt-protein?
Acquisition pairs Daring’s retail reach and clean-label appeal with v2food’s tech stack to tackle taste, texture and nutrition challenges holding back sales of plant-based protein in the US
Summer Fancy Food Show 2025
What makes charcuterie premium?
From sourcing and ingredients to production methods, Marco Ortolani, CEO of Italian cured meat producer Rovagnati North America, shares the key elements the company prioritizes for its Italian and North American markets
Top proteins trends in 2025: From cell cultivated to plant-based
A deep dive into the consumer shifts, ingredient innovations and market opportunities redefining the global protein landscape
Beyond Meat’s troubles continue as alt-meat major feels bite of sector’s decline
Once a leader in the category, Beyond Meat has been hit by consumer sentiment against alternative meat and dairy in its Q2
Tyson Foods’ turnaround tactics hit their stride – and their mark
‘We’re driving efficiencies across all businesses while delivering growth with world class service and value for our customers and with innovation for our consumers,’ CEO Donnie King says of the company’s 4% sales increase in Q3
IFT FIRST 2025
Methylcellulose’s match? ICL’s Rovitaris offers clean-label binding alternative in plant-based meat and seafood
Powered by Plantible Foods’ Rubi Protein, ICL’s binder system outperforms methylcellulose’s gelling capabilities in plant-based meat and seafood and delivers better nutritionals
Future Food Tech Chicago
Mission Barns charts next steps after winning USDA & FDA nods for cultivated pork fat
Following the greenlight from USDA last week, Mission Barns is not wasting time bringing its animal-free cultured pork to market – it is targeting a Sprouts Farmers Market launch this summer, while simultaneously pursing B2B partnerships