A bakery & snacks survival guide for 2026
10 texture trends that will define bakery & snacks in 2026
Crunch isn’t enough anymore. In 2026, texture becomes the main event, not the supporting act
Industry voices
Mythbusting Dry January: What brands need to know about the alcohol-free movement
Think you know Dry January? Think again. The movement is now a worldwide phenomenon: yet it’s not always completely understood...
Opinion: The snackdown
UPFs enter a new phase of scrutiny in 2026
Ultra-processed foods have been debated endlessly. In 2026, they’re being regulated anyway and food makers are discovering that definitions matter far less once policy gets involved
Did Joe Wicks kill off demand for protein bars?
Joe Wicks’ protein bar takedown may have stirred controversy, but did it change what consumers are buying?
Better-for-you claims in the crosshairs: Advertising watchdog scrutinizes health claims
National Advertising Division cases shine light on marketing missteps, making the case for food and beverage brands to rethink health-focused advertising
How to rethink visibility as HFSS advertising bans take effect
The UK’s HFSS ad restrictions are now live – forcing many producers to rethink how they stay visible, relevant and competitive
A bakery & snacks survival guide for 2026
10 top trends resetting consumer appetite in 2026
From GLP-1-driven taste shifts to protein pressure and portion realism, 2026 won’t kill indulgence – it’ll demand that bakery and snacks work harder for every bite.
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
3 food predictions that came true in 2025 (and 3 that didn’t)
What predictions were right, and which ones didn’t come to pass?
Meet the social media sensation dragging bakery into its hot, high-drama era
The Donut Daddy’s latest creation shows how pleasure, heat and high drama are reshaping the bakery landscape
Beckham’s snack play: How BEEUP plans to sting the competition
Forget celebrity sidelines, David Beckham’s actually in the test kitchen: CEO Peter Stearns lifts the lid on how that shapes BEEUP’s next phase
Africa’s new appetite: Inside the rapid rise of convenience snacking
Africa’s booming youth population is transforming the bakery and snacks landscape, creating opportunities for brands rooted in local culture and convenience
GLP-1 has changed the snack game: Here’s how to win it back
GLP-1 users are rewriting the rules of appetite, texture and indulgence. Tate & Lyle’s latest research shows exactly where producers are missing the moment
The gluten glitch hiding in compostable packaging
Some compostable packaging made from cereals has been shown to shed gluten into gluten-free food, a problem the sustainability push never thought to look for
Brands are sitting on a YouTube goldmine – so why isn’t anyone posting?
A sweeping analysis shows food brands are sitting on huge untapped YouTube potential and missing basic optimization steps that could transform their reach
Festive, fabulous and gone in a flash: The LTOs everyone should be chasing
This year’s festive one-offs range from a cult trifle to resurrected ‘80s snacks and a Christmas sandwich that thinks it’s royalty
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
Could Brussels really crumble the humble UK oatcake?
As the UK-EU reset deal inches forward, new mycotoxin limits threaten to turn the much-loved British oatcake into unexpected Brexit collateral.
Why water might be the biggest threat to the snack sector’s future
PepsiCo’s latest pep+ update centers on water and the message should make the whole snacks sector pay attention
The ‘radically simple’ sweet snack revolution that’s getting juicy
Sweet snack trends are tilting toward simpler, fruit-forward formulations – and Solely’s approach is drawing fresh attention from retailers
Mars Snacking’s methane playbook: Lessons from Bovaer and a focus on next-gen tech
Paying premiums alone isn’t enough to get producers to embrace sustainability, Mars Snacking’s VP of R&D says as he reflects on emerging methane mitigation solutions and the Bovaer fallout
What’s next for chocolate? Key trends shaping a $184bn market
Chocolate is changing fast - premium indulgence, health-driven treats, and even cocoa-free innovations are rewriting the rulebook
Smucker’s Sweet Baked Snacks take a hit as Hostess reset bites into Q2
The J.M. Smucker Co.’s latest results show a business broadly on track, but its Sweet Baked Snacks segment is clearly in the painful middle of a reset
Cocoa’s gone wild: Could malted barley flour be the calm in the chaos?
With cocoa costs spiraling, Briess is pitching malted barley flour as a reliable, clean label lifeline for bakers and snack makers
Up the food chain
EFSA’s new boss: Why faster risk assessments are my guiding light
The newly appointed Dr Nikolaus Kriz has ambitions to optimise European food safety
Top 5 F&B retail trends for 2026
Discover the five trends that will define 2026, and why agility, authenticity, and technology will determine who succeeds and who fails
Industry takes aim at Lancet’s deadly UPF report
The Lancet’s latest series linking ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to harm across multiple organs has reignited debate over their role in public health
UK health watchdog slams hidden sugar in ‘healthy’ snack bars
A nationwide survey shows huge sugar and calorie spikes in UK snack bars marketed as healthy, prompting Action on Salt & Sugar to call for tougher rules.
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
Grupo Bimbo shakes up its top ranks in Mexico and the US
The world’s biggest bakery group is ushering in a new era, installing a new chief at the helm in Mexico and announcing a major handover at Bimbo Bakeries USA
Popstar Robbie Williams warns of GLP-1 vision loss - here’s why it matters for F&B
Vision fears are the next shockwave to hit GLP-1 drugs
Breaking the Christmas bog standard
Once the star of the Christmas table, the cranberry is stepping out of the bog and into bakery innovation – from upcycled seeds to tangy syrups – proving it’s anything but standard
Why Brits are ditching Christmas cake for panettone and stollen
The Great British fruitcake is losing its crown. Lighter, glossier European bakes are stealing the show – and the nation’s tastebuds – this Christmas
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
Quaker is fighting global hunger with food science
PepsiCo’s Quaker brand is using science, local know-how and a bit of stubborn optimism to tackle one of the toughest global challenges
Snack to the future: How startups go from local crave to global shelf
Building a snack brand people love is one thing. Scaling it globally without losing your grip – or your supply chain – is another
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
Trendspotting 2026
Crunch, cream, contrast: Texture takes the spotlight in 2026
Forget flavor fatigue – next year will be all about how snacks feel. From crisp layers to creamy centers, texture is fast becoming the biggest lever of indulgence and loyalty
Canada’s bakers are done playing defense
The Baking Association of Canada’s new Executive Council isn’t just another talking shop – it’s a wake-up call for the nation’s $21.5bn bakery sector to stop firefighting and start leading
‘Advertising is a weak force’: Busting CPG marketing myths
Does spending more improve sales? Why do brands fail? Do consumers ever go back to weak brands?
How to turn ingredient chaos into market advantage
Cocoa’s up, eggs are unpredictable and consumers still want it all. Ardent Mills’ Matt Schueller reveals how data – not luck – is driving the next wave of bakery innovation
Inside discount retailer Lidl US’ recipe for success: Fresh, value and focus
From SKU rationalization to supplier partnerships and front-line empowerment, CEO Joel Rampoldt is reshaping Lidl US’ playbook for sustainable growth and earning consumer loyalty along the way
The silent revolution bubbling in your dough
Microbes are moving from background biology to bakery’s next big advantage - driving cleaner labels, longer shelf life and smarter sustainability
Food and drink split on sustainability progress, exclusive survey reveals
Looking back at our Sustainable September initiative, where does the food and drink industry thrive and fall?
Gen Z and Millennials redefine wellness: Protein, fiber and flavor drive food choices
Spins data reveals how younger consumers are reimagining nutrition around functional benefits, global flavors and ingredient transparency
The UPF contradiction: What consumers really do
The anti-UPF noise is getting louder, but behind it lies a quieter truth about what people actually buy, eat, and believe
Can AI finally stop bakeries from getting burnt by price spikes?
An AI-powered insurance tool is giving bakeries a way to cap chaos in wheat, butter and packaging prices – finally turning forecasts into action
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
Why emulsifiers deserve a second look
They’ve been branded unnecessary by the clean label crowd, but their role in texture, stability and sustainability is hard to ignore
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