Who’s winning the World Cup before kick-off?
With FIFA forecasting a record $13bn in revenue from World Cup 2026, snack manufacturers are betting that football’s biggest tournament can deliver equally outsized returns
Manufacturers
New product launches: Jaffa Cakes, Pukka and PAUL lead a great British summer of bakes
From Bakewell Tarts and football cupcakes to pie pop-ups and potato buns, brands are serving up a distinctly British mix of nostalgia, innovation and indulgence this season.
IFF sells bulk of food ingredients business to refocus on health and wellness
The global ingredient supplier’s deal reflects a broader trend of how companies are streamlining their businesses to meet shifting health and wellness preferences
Hormel’s Q2 earnings beat fueled by Jennie-O, Applegate, SPAM and Pepperoni
The Skippy and SPAM maker beat consensus EPS and revenue estimates, with its stock climbing nearly 13% on the news
Sweets & Snacks Expo 2026
4 forces forging the future of sweets and snacks
The latest innovations in candy and snacks reveal how consumers are redefining fun, flavor and function
Unilever McCormick deal under pressure as backlash builds
Unilever’s $40bn Foods deal with McCormick is facing mounting backlash as questions over strategy and valuation put the deal under pressure
The F&B jobs AI is targeting, but is it really that dire?
AI is accelerating reformulation, automation and data-led decision making at a pace that is already reshaping roles across the food and drink workforce
Hershey’s profit surge masks deeper struggles
Hershey’s profits surge may look like a comeback, but rising prices, falling volumes and volatile cocoa costs reveal a more complex story
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?
5 CPG brands fueling the regenerative agriculture surge
With major food manufacturers pledging support and new certifications taking root, brands like Simple Mills and Tractor Beverage are accelerating their regenerative organic product rollouts
Up the food chain
Europe’s copy-paste problem in US bakery
Why European bakery brands keep getting the US wrong and what it really takes to compete
Mars: The global heavyweight setting the snacking agenda
The world’s biggest confectionery and snacking company is driving change across the industry
The world’s oldest food and drink brands and how they’ve survived
Is there a recipe for long-term food and drink brand success? Let’s explore…
Italy’s antitrust watchdog slaps €23.3m fines on snack makers over alleged private label cartel
The country’s regulator says leading suppliers coordinated private label deals instead of competing for them
CPG gears up for Cinco de Mayo on Taco Tuesday
A rare ‘Taco Eclipse’ is prompting Mexican brands to spotlight limited-edition tacos, new protein-rich beans and cheese-led recipes for celebrations
From Nestlé to Mondelēz, alt chocolate is gaining real ground
When the biggest names in the business get on board, it’s a clear sign the trend has legs
From ambient to plant-based: Where Danone is taking protein next
Danone leads the high-protein yogurt space in the US. Now, it’s branching into new categories and formats
Anzac or Tim Tam: Who runs Australia’s $3.8bn biscuit aisle?
They’re protected, traditional and have barely changed in a century, but Anzac biscuits still hold their ground in a highly competitive market that’s shifting fast around them
The next matcha? Ube surges in popularity
Health, clean-label status and recognisability have made the ingredient stand out
Hershey stock sell-off: Key stakeholder sells 30,000 shares
Major Hershey stakeholder sells shares following profit shock and leadership shift
How fibre went from forgotten nutrient to consumer obsession
Once dismissed as dull, fibre is now reshaping global food and drink innovation
Is microwave popcorn ready for disruption? Opopop thinks so
Next-generation microwavable popcorn brand Opopop got a big boost in March with nationwide distribution at Walmart, a launch that has kept the company innovating
10 iconic food and drink brands that flopped worldwide
From New Coke to Crystal Pepsi, even the biggest brands can fail fast
How AI is reshaping product discovery in F&B
Algorithms are increasingly deciding if a product flies or flops. Here’s how food and beverage companies can wow a new customer: agentic AI
PepsiCo, Nestlé and Coca-Cola double down on Mexico as food players chase growth and stability
Mexico is drawing billions from the world’s biggest F&B companies, but behind the investment wave sits a more complex mix of cost pressure, regulation and an increasingly competitive domestic landscape.
Inside Häagen‑Dazs’ global manufacturing hub
General Mills’ Arras ice‑cream plant plays a central role in the company’s sustainability strategy. Here’s what goes on behind the scenes
Stagflation is food manufacturing’s worst-of-both-worlds scenario
Costs are rising again just as consumers start to hesitate and that’s a far more difficult mix than inflation alone.
The ‘cookie economy’ in 7 bites
Premium bakery is booming as indulgent formats, viral brands and shifting consumer habits push prices and expectations higher
ABF-Hovis deal clears hurdle, exposes bread market strain
The CMA has provisionally cleared Associated British Foods’ merger with Hovis in Great Britain, while flagging competition concerns in Northern Ireland, underlining pressure on traditional bread models
British Pie Week meets Pi Day: The pies stealing the spotlight this March
Two pastry-themed celebrations are putting pies firmly on the global menu this month
The tale of two spin-offs: What the Kellogg breakup really achieved
Kellogg’s 2023 split was sold as a focus play. Less than two years later, both companies had been sold. So what was the split really for?
How Kerry’s B2B strategy is evolving in its post-dairy era
A year on from its dairy divestment, Kerry continues to reinvent itself as a pure-play taste and nutrition major. Here’s what the industry should know
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
Smucker sues Trader Joe’s, as Uncrustables shifts from freezer to fridge
Smucker is retooling its $1B Uncrustables line for ready-to-eat convenience while battling knockoffs in the frozen PB&J arms race
Protein is the price of entry at Expo West 2026
Expo West lands in Anaheim this March, and protein isn’t just a trend – it’s the baseline. The real fight is over taste, texture and who can make functionality feel effortless
Kraft Heinz details $600M investment plan to reignite US growth, scale global ‘blueprints’
Kraft Heinz outlined a $600 million investment plan across pricing, R&D, marketing and sales to revive US market share, accelerate innovation and scale successful models from Canada, Europe and emerging markets.
Nestlé bets on four key categories as it separates ice cream
Nestlé celebrates strong results and a sharper strategy, but crisis casts shadow over the food and beverage giant’s future
Automation’s promise falters as skills gap hits bakeries hard
Automation is reshaping bakery production, but new skills demands and training gaps are limiting the productivity gains manufacturers expected
Kraft Heinz hits pause as Berkshire Hathaway eyes exit – what now?
A paused split, a new CEO and Berkshire Hathaway heading for the exit – all eyes are on Kraft Heinz’s next move
DGA sweetener warning sparks industry pushback
Dietary Guidelines pose a challenge for formulators around non-nutritive sweeteners
Africa’s dual bakery market surges as bread demand rapidly rises
Industrial and informal bakeries across Africa are expanding and adapting fast as bread solidifies its position as a critical, high‑volume breakfast staple
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
The ‘untapped potential’ of functional chocolate
Functional chocolate is stepping into the spotlight. Discover the ingredients, trends and early innovators reshaping the future of indulgence
Unilever commits to food growth after strong 2025 performance
After shedding much of the food portfolio, Unilever is championing its remaining business in the segment
Opinion
The GLP-1 tsunami isn’t a diet trend – it’s a stress test for the food system
GLP-1 drugs are shrinking appetites at scale, but they’re also exposing how thin modern nutrition really is and the food industry can’t dodge the consequences
Unilever faces a pivotal year as strategy moves to execution
Unilever enters a transition year as the company seeks to accelerate growth after its ice cream spin-off
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
What does Hain Celestial’s sale of its North American snack business signal for the category?
After years of acquisitions and declining sales, the health-focused food company is narrowing its portfolio and using the proceeds to shore up its balance sheet
Pepsi, Michelob Ultra and more: The big beverage ads at Super Bowl LX
From Peyton Manning to a polar bear, there’s plenty in store for Super Bowl LX
Why South Africa’s bread giants are going mega
SA bread makers are investing in mega-bakeries to cut costs, boost efficiency and serve rising regional demand while navigating price sensitivity and infrastructure constraints