World’s biggest snack companies: who’s really got the crunch in 2026
In a near-$700bn global market, a handful of companies now decide what scales, what sticks and what survives, and in 2026, the power gap is only widening
Kellanova & WK Kellogg Co
Fiber, FOMO and famous faces: Why brands are all-in on the Big Game
From cereal brands breaking decades-long silence to snack giants doubling down on celebrity and spectacle, Super Bowl 2026 is becoming a referendum on where brand marketing goes next
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
Crack it, snack it, recycle it: Packaging that’ll rule 2026
Snack packs are finally starting to look like they belong in 2026 instead of 2006, and the pressure to keep evolving isn’t letting up
Sugar, stocks and scrutiny: Mondelez, Kraft and General Mills caught in Trump’s nutrition reset
The market reaction to Donald Trump’s dietary overhaul isn’t about kale versus cookies – it’s about whether Washington has finally decided the packaged food sector needs firmer rules, not friendlier guidance
Scandals, shockwaves & shakeups: 12 of 2025’s most standout moments
From billion-dollar brinkmanship to red-dye revolts and zero-gravity corn chips, 2025 proved nothing in bakery and snacks is too big, too weird or too controversial to make headlines
Mars completes Kellanova acquisition in deal set to reshape snacking
Mars and Kellanova join forces in a landmark deal set to reshape the global snacking industry
Mars-Kellanova merger “approved unconditionally”
Mars seals €31bn Kellanova deal after EU approval - what does this mean for snacking’s future?
San Francisco sues Kellogg, General Mills, PepsiCo, Mondelez and more over ‘engineered’ foods
City officials say some of America’s biggest brands helped shape eating habits that are now coming back to haunt public health budgets
Biscuits, cookies & crackers: What’s trending now and into 2026
Premium treats, grab-and-go minis and a burst of festive innovation are giving the aisle more energy than it’s had in years
General Mills, WK Kellogg & Ferrero spark a fresh fight for the breakfast bowl
Once the poster child for easy mornings, breakfast cereal has been losing shelf swagger. Now a new wave of innovation, investment and protein-packed reinvention is pushing the category back into the spotlight
NPD: Feel-good snacking gets serious as brands go big on nostalgia, kindness & chaos
From colorless chips to collectible crisps and gooey skillet cookies, this season’s launches show how playful storytelling is reshaping what shoppers expect from a simple snack
Sustainability gets real: It’s crunch time for Europe’s snack makers
New ESA president Christopher Gosau says the region’s snack makers must turn bold sustainability promises into measurable progress or risk losing credibility
Halloween: The White House gets spooky, Pringles begins to glow and McVitie’s brings back Jaffaween
From the White House lawn to your local supermarket, brands are pulling out all the tricks this Halloween with glowing crisps, monster bakes and desserts to die for
Opinion
The snackdown: Apparently, we forgot what potato chips are made from
Turns out, more than half of us didn’t know chips are made from potatoes – and now food brands are scrambling to remind us what we’re actually eating
Opinion
The snackdown: Mars may win EU approval but retailers will decide Pringles’ fate
The European Commission may be ready to wave through Mars’ $36 billion takeover of Kellanova, but in Europe’s snack aisles, the regulator isn’t the kingmaker. The retailers are
Press start to snack: Inside the $200 billion gaming boom brands can’t ignore
Ahead of FoodNavigator-USA’s free webinar ‘Fueling Fun: Connecting with Esports Enthusiasts and Everyday Gamers FTW’ (October 15), we look at how brands from Doritos to Heinz are stepping inside the $200bn gaming economy
Ferrero’s WK Kellogg takeover has everyone talking
With Ferrero’s $3.1 billion deal for WK Kellogg done and dusted, the cereal aisle is buzzing again and competitors are scrambling to figure out what this means for the rest of Big Food
GLP-1-friendly snacks: protein-packed NPD
Weightloss drugs are changing the way people snack and brands are answering with protein-packed launches designed to keep cravings at bay while delivering serious flavor.
Done deal: WK Kellogg now a subsidiary of Ferrero
Less than three months after the acquisition announcement, WK Kellogg is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrero
Opinion
The snackdown: Trump calls ESG a scam – why snack giants call it survival
ESG’s under political fire in Washington, but the snack giants keep flexing. From Oreos to Doritos, their reports show that in today’s food industry, trust’s as valuable as profit.
From Oreos to Ozempic: Inside the $100bn Free From race
Gluten-free cookies, sugar-free chocolate and GLP-1 diets are colliding. The world’s biggest food makers are scrambling to stay relevant
Buffalo Wings, Stranger Things and greener packs: Chips NPD heats up
A wave of global flavors is storming the snack aisle. Yet research shows that for many consumers, the crunch on the outside matters just as much as the crunch inside the bag
Final countdown: Ferrero-Kellogg merger one step closer to completion
Following a landslide shareholder vote, the merger deal is expected to close within days
Banks, bakers and brands bet on Africa’s supply chain
Erratic weather and rising costs are forcing Africa’s food sector to rethink how it sources grain and dairy – and how to keep bakeries and cereal lines running
Mars-Kellanova Deal: Commission restarts the clock
The EU has resumed its investigation into Mars’ $35.9bn merger with Kellanova, following a stop in July
Opinion
The snackdown: Can bread ever be clean with glyphosate in the mix?
Bayer’s latest push for legal immunity puts the future of ‘clean’ bread and cereal under the spotlight
Pumped for pumpkin NPD: Fall’s favorite flavor is back in force
From cookies and coffee to yogurt and popcorn, pumpkin spice is once again ruling the shelves
Sustainable September
What shoppers really think of climate-smart chips and planet-saving pastries
Shoppers swear they care about sustainability, but in the snack aisle it’s still price, taste and convenience that decide what goes in the basket. So are ‘climate-smart’ breads and biscuits set to stay niche or can they crack the mainstream?
Opinion
The snackdown: MAHA throws a Froot Loop at Kellogg’s
Once the pride of America’s breakfast table, Kellogg’s now finds itself in the crosshairs of Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Make America Healthy Again crusade. The fight over Froot Loops isn’t just about dyes – it’s a test of whether Big Food can survive a...
The UPF lawsuit that fizzled – and why the next one might not
A US judge tossed the first big UPF lawsuit, but with mounting science and regulators circling, bakery, snack and cereal brands shouldn’t breathe easy just yet
Flavor bombs: 11 snack launches that push the taste envelope
From swicy seaweed to smoky crisps and cupcake bites, these NPD show flavor is still the ultimate snack currency
From Pringles cookies to bread in a suitcase: 15 snacks redefining fun
Beckham-backed honey snacks, Pringles-topped cookies and even a suitcase built for sliced bread — the latest wave of NPD pushes boundaries of fun, flavor and fandom
Kellogg’s artificial colors deal marks a turning point for cereal’s corporate accountability
WK Kellogg Co.’s binding deal to drop petroleum-based dyes marks a turning point for a $10bn US category, raising the bar on trust, regulation and corporate accountability
The snackdown
Snacklash: Why Big Food’s boldest deals are being rethought
As scrutiny mounts over Bimbo’s stalled bid for Wickbold, Mars’ frozen takeover of Kellanova and Smucker’s costly Hostess misfire, the M&A playbook in bakery and snacks is under serious pressure - from regulators, consumers and the market itself
Mars scales up for snack domination with $2bn power play
With a new $240m Nature’s Bakery plant opening in Utah and a $36bn Kellanova deal underway, Mars is laying the groundwork for a US snack empire
Mars-Kellanova deal in jeopardy as Commission ‘stops the clock’
European Commission pauses review of $35.9bn Kellanova deal, citing “missing information”
Texas AG targets Mars over continued use of artificial colours
Despite making a public commitment nearly a decade ago to phase out artificial colours, the M&M’s and Skittles maker is in hot water over its continued use of synthetic dyes in the US
Can Ferrero breathe new life into breakfast?
The Italian confectioner is buying into breakfast cereals, hoping to stir up a category that’s seen better days
GROWTH ASIA SUMMIT 2025
Mars Wrigley taps consumer obsession to fuel brand growth in APAC
New tactics emerge as a global giant rethinks how to win hearts, minds – and wallets – across a complex region
Synthetic dyes are out. Here’s who’s in and how they’re achieving it
Major food companies like General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Conagra and Smucker are leading a sweeping shift away from synthetic colours. Here’s where the US food industry stands right now
It’s official: Ferrero buys Kellogg in $3bn deal
The rumours are true. Ferrero Group in Europe is acquiring cereals major WK Kellogg in North America
Ferrero reportedly closing in on $3bn Kellogg takeover
Italy’s Ferrero is nearing a deal to buy WK Kellogg in the US, sources say
Berry much in season: A strawberry-studded NPD roundup
From pink pretzels to protein-packed doughnuts, here’s your ultimate roundup of strawberry-inspired products perfect for summer snacking and tennis viewing
The snackdown
Same deal, different rules: How two regulators saw the Mars-Kellanova deal so differently
Mars’ $36 billion takeover of Kellanova has been waved through by US antitrust regulators with barely a pause. But across the Atlantic, the same deal has triggered a full-scale investigation by the European Commission
Mars-Kellanova deal cleared in US, faces EU showdown
Mars’ $36 billion takeover of Kellanova has been given the green light from US antitrust regulators but Brussels pushes forward with antitrust investigation
Is the $36 billion Mars-Kellanova merger at risk of collapsing?
Mars wants to rule the snack aisle but Brussels may have other ideas. A full-blown EU antitrust probe now threatens to derail the confectionery giant’s biggest-ever bet
David Beckham, Andy Murray & the Fantastic Four walk into the snack aisle…
Celebrity-fuelled snacking is the summer’s hottest trend. From tennis courts to comic book universes, these 15 collabs are where fame, flavour and fandom collide
Buckle up & munch on: Cheez-Its, crêpes and canine treats fuel this year’s ultimate road trip
Summer road trip season is in full swing and snacking is riding shotgun. Which new treats are worth packing for the journey ahead?
From candy giant to snacking powerhouse: the new Mars playbook
With an ambitious growth target for the next five years, vice president of new innovation territories at Mars, Greg Hocking, explains how it’ll achieve it through fun formats, functionality and fostering sustainable start-ups