Alfalfa-based egg white alternative inches closer to market
With a WeFunder campaign and institutional raise underway, Fudi Protein is positioning its alfalfa-derived Rubisco as a cost-competitive egg white replacement
Policy & legislation
Are some ultra-processed foods good for you?
Not all UPFs are created equal, and a new expert panel says federal regulators should draw a clear line between those that are harmful and those that doctors recommend
Nestlé and Danone: Baby food pouches under fire as microplastics found
Microplastics detected in Nestlé and Danone baby food pouches spark safety concerns
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
Food-as-medicine hindered by lack of community buy-in, long-term investment
Experts say prevention programs are promising – but getting patients, payers and policymakers on board is a challenge
Sweet proteins gain global momentum with latest regulatory win
Amai Proteins’ sweet protein secures regulatory approval in Singapore after recent US nod
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
What will it take to stem diet-related deaths?
From culinary medicine programs to Medicaid managed care, stakeholders at the 2026 Food as Medicine summit outlined a multi-pronged push to make nutrition a cornerstone of US health care
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
FDA issues request for information on BHT and ADA
The two embattled food chemicals are the first two under review, following the launch of FDA’s new post-market assessment review program
FDA’s leadership shakeup elevates food program insider amid questions over science, staffing and MAHA influence
With Marty Makary’s abrupt exit, acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas faces skepticism from industry and public health stakeholders over whether he can steer the agency through political pressure, staffing losses and food policy reform
FDA takes aim at BHT and ADA in new post-market food chemical safety program
With BHT and ADA already on their way out of the food supply, some experts question whether FDA’s “swift” action is too little, too late
From cereulide to botulism: Exposing the fault lines in infant nutrition safety
From recalled product remaining on shelves to weak marketing guidance, regulatory gaps across infant nutrition remain stark
US government spends hundreds of millions on biotech pilot plants as national security priority
Defense Department and state matching grants fund BioMADE’s three pilot plants as precision fermentation infrastructure gap forces US companies to manufacture overseas
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
Calm in the chaos: How US bakers are fighting back on regulation, reformulation and a restless consumer
At the recent American Bakers Association Convention (ABA), industry leaders made one thing clear – in a volatile market, credibility, collaboration and consumer connection will decide who thrives
Strategies to decarbonize the supply chain
Partnerships to cut methane emissions from rice offer a blueprint for reaching Scope 3 goals across the food system and underscore the importance of pre-competitive partnership across the supply chain
The pushback against personalized grocery pricing begins
Maryland becomes the first state to restrict data-driven grocery pricing, but it likely won’t be the last as more than two dozen other states consider similar legislation
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
FDA’s largest infant formula test yet finds ‘low’ contaminants – but no new rules
FDA’s infant formula test found mostly trace contaminants, but without standards, enforcement or pre‑market testing, the data leaves critical questions unanswered
News Bites
GLP‑1 nutrition, Nestlé’s reset and the rising reformulation crunch
Food companies are being pushed to rethink everything from product design to portfolio strategy and ingredient standards
Food financial assistance restrictions fuel fight in 2026 budget debate
As Congress moves closer to a floor vote on the 2026 Farm Bill, a proposed amendment has ignited a high‑stakes debate over whether the federal government should restrict what SNAP benefits can buy nationwide
What a new bill could mean for small businesses shut out of SBA loans
Democrat-led legislation aims to restore Small Business Administration (SBA) loans for immigrant‑owned small businesses
SNAP restrictions are reshaping sugary food purchases
Ibotta data shows states prohibiting the use of SNAP funds to buy ‘unhealthy’ products are reshaping sugary beverage and snack demand
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
Post–Liberation Day tariff fight shifts to refunds, courts and Congress
The post–Liberation Day tariff fight now centers on refunds and who ultimately keeps the money
How big a problem are microplastics?
The first global study of its kind quantifies the problem in the food and drink industry
FRESH Act of 2026 explained: FDA, GRAS reform and industry pushback
Should reform expand FDA’s pre‑market authority or narrow it in exchange for uniformity and predictability?
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
Nestlé weathers formula crisis to deliver strong Q1 growth
Nestlé overcomes infant formula recall to deliver solid Q1 growth, powered by Coffee and Confectionery
Sustainable sourcing: From upcycling to carbon neutral to sustainable packaging
Certified giving emerges as a quiet sustainability strategy driving brand growth
As companies scale back public climate commitments, third-party verified programs, like 1% for the Planet, could offer a safer, credibility-backed path to stronger consumer trust, and higher revenue
Sustainable sourcing: From upcycling to carbon neutral to sustainable packaging
Bel Group accelerates the shift to paper packaging by taking a holistic transition approach
As plastic comes under growing scrutiny, Bel Group is redesigning its iconic Babybel packaging around a 5Rs framework, with paperization pilots highlighting both opportunity and technical complexity
FTC to rein in hidden grocery delivery fees after multimillion-dollar settlements with Walmart, Instacart, Grubhub, Amazon
Public comment period opens after investigations found misleading pricing, subscription tactics and driver pay practices
CEO churn exposes growing cracks in Big Food’s growth model
Leadership changes across Big Food are starting to look less like succession and more like a response to cracks in the growth model.
USDA creates Office of Seafood to boost US seafood competitiveness
The new office will streamline access to USDA programs for seafood producers and align efforts across federal agencies to strengthen the domestic seafood sector
Looming deadline for state packaging laws places reporting pressure on CPGs
Seven states now require producers to track and report packaging data under extended producer responsibility laws, creating a fast-moving compliance challenge for food and beverage brands, importers and distributors
Albertsons’ digital strategy helps hold sales steady even as shoppers pull back
Targeted pricing, AI-driven personalization and loyalty gains help offset demand pressure from rising fuel costs, higher prices due to tariffs and shifting consumer behavior
How the Iran conflict could reshape our shelves
High oil prices hit prices at gas pumps straight away. But how long will it take for food and beverage prices to rise?
Future Food Tech San Francisco
MAHA push accelerates reformulation, but leaves food industry in limbo
Companies race to meet shifting policy signals without formal rulemaking, raising concerns that costly changes could be reverse by future administrations
Grocery inflation eases for now, but rising energy and fertilizer prices threaten rebound
A dip in supermarket prices in March offers a brief respite, but surging fuel and fertilizer costs tied to the Iran conflict could reverse the trend
Iran conflict: The 5 biggest pressure points for food and beverage
The price of oil and transport dominates headlines: but food and beverage companies need to anticipate other potential impacts
Mould, microbes and the $10m mistake food companies keep making
As climate shifts and supply chains stretch, food safety failures are becoming faster, costlier and harder to contain
FDA extends deadline as hidden gluten puts regulatory fine-tuning under the spotlight
A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consultation on gluten labelling – now extended – raises fresh questions about how clearly food makers communicate risk
California pushes ‘non-UPF’ seal as certifications multiply and confusion grows
A proposed state-backed label aims to simplify ultra-processed food choices, but could competing definitions and private certifications risk muddying the message for consumers and complicate reformulation efforts?
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
CPGs can’t wait for biotech to scale up – they need to help build it
Scale-up infrastructure is broken and it won’t fix itself
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
How corporates, startups and farmers can share risk and drive resilience
A case for rethinking how the food system invests, scales and strengthens its most essential ingredients
FDA delays beetroot red and spirulina color approvals amid stakeholder safety and labeling worries
Agency delays effective dates for color additives after GMO/Toxin Free USA and Obelisk Tech Systems challenge safety reviews and ‘no artificial colors’ labeling
Scaling precision fermentation: Why capital and collaboration remain the biggest hurdles
Industry experts cite massive CapEx, supply bottlenecks and regulatory complexity as key barriers
Fermentation growth collides with manufacturing shortage – iFAB aims to fix it
As Europe and Asia outpace the US in precision fermentation investment, an Illinois-based consortium backed by ADM and a $51 million federal grant aims to catch up
Rising grocery costs loom as Middle East conflicts disrupt supply chains
As oil and fertilizer prices squeeze margins, farmers and manufacturers must make tough decisions on pricing, pack sizes and innovation