Future chocolate: Mondelēz, Lindt and Barry Callebaut reshape taste
From Mondelēz and Barry Callebaut to Lindt, the future of chocolate is being defined by bold flavour innovation, smarter formulations and a refusal to compromise on indulgence
Mondelēz
Oreo, Lucky Charms and Barbie lead a new wave of celebration-driven launches
From Nutella pastries and Marvel cookies to Barbie smoothies and Irish oats, brands are rolling out limited-time products designed to turn everyday eating occasions into something special
Why Lay’s, Oreo and M&M’s are engineering consumer experiences
PepsiCo’s Lay’s restaurant in Madrid highlights a growing strategy among snack giants to extend blockbuster brands beyond the supermarket shelf and into cafés, retail attractions and immersive consumer experiences
Chocolate without trees? The science racing to reinvent cocoa
From cacao cells grown in bioreactors to fermentation-built chocolate flavours, scientists and startups are experimenting with ways to produce cocoa ingredients without growing cacao trees
Dole Whip, Lucky Charms, Cookie Pop and SuperPretzel kick off March’s spring snack surge
From tropical frozen desserts to stadium-style pretzel bites, brands are leaning into brighter flavours, playful formats and seasonal moments.
National Snack Day: Inside the billion-dollar brands refusing to slow down
From Oreo’s $4bn global machine to Uncrustables’ rapid ascent, the snack aisle’s biggest names are banking billions and still investing like challengers
Mondelēz’s meteoric rise: The strategy behind the superpower
Strategic deals, powerhouse brands, and disciplined growth – inside Mondelēz’s journey to global leadership, and its vision for the future
Cocoa whiplash: How a record price spike turned into a demand slump
The market has swung from historic shortage to surplus projections for 2025/26 in under two years
Is Gen Z rewriting the rules of value?
Financially stretched but digitally fluent, the world’s youngest adult consumers are forcing food and drink brands to explain themselves
Mars, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Hershey, and Lindt team up to transform future of cocoa
The world’s biggest chocolate makers are working together to futureproof cocoa and support growers
Mondelēz charts next growth wave across North America, Europe and emerging markets
The company is tailoring its strategy by region, courting value‑seeking US shoppers, fixing European chocolate margins and using Oreo‑led biscuits and cakes to unlock runway across China, India, Brazil and Mexico
Cocoa prices collapse following record highs
Cocoa prices plunge to two‑year low as surpluses reshape the market
Nestlé, Mondelēz, Mars, Barry Callebaut: Which chocolate giants are diversifying?
The cocoa crisis is winding down, but the biggest producers of chocolate still want to protect themselves in a volatile sector
Barry Callebaut ploughs €250m into world’s biggest chocolate factory
Barry Callebaut plans to modernise Wieze and Halle sites, bolstering reliability and efficiency across its European supply network
Valentine’s Day NPD from Cadbury, Paris Baguette and Wisconsin Cheese
Chocolate still anchors Valentine’s Day, but 2026’s launches show how brands are pushing the holiday further through format, experience and gifts that feel less predictable
Mars, Danone and Mondelēz roll out star-studded Super Bowl ads
From celebrity cameos to cashback promos, food and beverage brands are pulling out all the stops ahead of kickoff
Mondelēz’s CoLab Tech accelerator shines light on the biggest stress points facing the global snack system
As the company reopens applications for its R&D-led accelerator, the focus areas highlight mounting pressure around climate resilience, packaging constraints and shifting consumer expectations
Mondelēz names new EVP, COO and CFO
Mondelēz International reshapes top team, elevating CFO Luca Zaramella to powerful dual role
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
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
From Snickers Ice Cream Minis to Oreo’s Marvel: Situational snacking takes shape
Big brands are rethinking formats, flavors and channels as snacks are redesigned for specific moments, tighter rules and more intentional eating
The 3 nutrients quietly shaping mainstream snacks
Fiber, protein and whole grains aren’t new ideas but in 2026 they’re doing more than any superfood to reshape snack portfolios
World’s biggest bakery companies: who’s really got the proof in 2026
Bakery looks like a steady, staple business, until you follow the money. In 2026, a small group of companies controls an outsized share of the world’s bread, buns and baked goods, and the distance between the leaders and the rest is still growing
Cocoa crunch: How shortages are rewriting chocolate’s future
As climate, disease and regulation strain global cocoa supply, manufacturers are turning to low‑cocoa and cocoa‑free innovations to protect margins and future-proof their portfolios
Mondelez, Uncle Saba’s: Nostalgia and mindfulness shaping snack trends
Sentimentality and health are increasingly influencing consumer snack choices, as they seek comfort, tradition and emotional connection in their purchases
Oreo goes zero sugar, General Mills goes playful and January gets interesting
From Oreo’s first zero sugar sandwich cookie and General Mills’ breakfast reset to £2 pie pop-ups, protein-packed cereals and Burns Night limited editions, January’s launches show how brands are using comfort, culture and clever marketing
Barry Callebaut: The rumoured split that could change chocolate
Could Barry Callebaut’s next move reshape the future of chocolate and snacks?
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
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
Trendspotting 2026
Beyond taste: The rise of the experiential treat in 2026
Flavor still rules bakery and snacks, but in 2026, the way they feel is fast becoming the new measure of delight
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
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
Mondelēz toys with price cuts as choc sales melt
The snacking multinational is dealing with high cocoa prices
What if memories had a flavor…
Mondelēz’s latest State of Snacking report explores how memory and emotion have become the new currency of snacking
Halloween candy sales soar: Trends & treats driving growth
Halloween is no longer just for kids, it’s a confectionery goldmine
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.
Opinion
The snackdown: Europe dithers while chocolate-linked deforestation grows
Brussels has kicked the can down the road on its flagship deforestation law again – blaming IT problems while forests fall and compliant companies foot the bill.
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
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
Sustainable September
The ingredient squeeze: How wheat and cocoa could rewrite the food chain
At first glance food trends seem led by flavor, convenience and price – but sustainability, climate change and cleaner supply chains are now the real drivers
Campbell’s feels the crunch as America’s snack appetite slows
Campbell’s latest results show America’s once unstoppable appetite for crackers, cookies and pretzels is stalling – leaving Campbell Snacks under pressure
Sustainable September
130 seconds to destroy a forest unless the EUDR holds the line
Snack giant Mondelez wants more time before the EU’s landmark deforestation law kicks in – but campaigners say the clock has already run out
Mondelēz bets on collaborations as M&A costs climb
From Oreo x Reese’s to Biscoff tie-ups, partnerships are delivering the consumer buzz and sales lift that price cuts and big-ticket acquisitions no longer guarantee
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
Inside the $1.1bn pumpkin spice economy: Fall’s flavor forecast for 2025
Pumpkin spice still anchors autumn, but fatigue is setting in. With cinnamon, caramel and citrus surging, makers must balance nostalgia with novelty to win fall 2025
Top of the class: Back-to-school snacks that make the grade
Lunchbox legends are back and this year’s lineup is smarter, cleaner and more fun than ever. From pizza-flavored crunch to fruit-packed favorites, these snacks earn full marks from kids and parents alike
Snack lab confidential: The breakthrough innovations every brand should be watching
Startups are rewriting the snack rulebook with science, sustainability and serious shelf appeal. From fiber-hacking enzymes to protein-rich ice creams, these are the bold ideas catching the industry’s attention
Opinion
Chocolate at a crossroads: does Nestlé face peak price?
Big food has consistently increased chocolate bar prices as input costs rise, but what do Nestlé’s revenues say about consumers’ appetite to pay more?