News & Analysis on the Bakery and Snacks Industries
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
Activist investors have developed an appetite for food-to-go and SSP Group, the company behind Upper Crust, is suddenly on the menu
A leading insolvency expert warns that while the Roberts brand may live on, the 138-year-old family bakery is likely to be broken up and dissolved as administrators move in
Younger consumers seek energy; older counterparts prioritize preventative care
A new lawsuit claims the citric acid in Frito-Lay’s Poppables isn’t natural but brewed from black mold and that PepsiCo misled consumers with its ‘no artificial flavors’ promise
Brain food is booming. As consumers seek sharper focus and long-term cognitive health, the food industry is responding with powerful ingredients and smarter nutrition
Las Vegas became a proving ground for AI, automation and sustainability. ABA and BEMA argue the industry’s future depends on marrying technology with tradition
Better-for-you options, viral trends and flavor innovation fuel growth, but policy shifts around SNAP, ultra processed foods and labor could weigh on the industry
The White House’s plan to make America healthy takes a swipe at gluten. And what looks like a win for consumers could leave food companies tangled in costly compliance and spark a new political fight over what belongs on a label
Opinion
Joe Wicks is launching a “Killer” protein bar to expose ultra-processed foods – but his rhetoric risks misleading consumers more than the ingredients ever could
Once just a bottle shaker staple, protein is taking on new forms and finding its way into everything from soda to chips to macaroni and cheese.
Fair Trade leaders discuss challenges and wins in ethical, organic, sustainable sourcing
ADM’s Kelsey Cambruzzi insists regen ag isn’t about soft sustainability claims but building a resilient supply chain, linking farm-level practices to consumer trust
England’s October 1 ban on multibuy deals for HFSS foods has shoppers set to cut back
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.
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.
Gluten-free cookies, sugar-free chocolate and GLP-1 diets are colliding. The world’s biggest food makers are scrambling to stay relevant
At IBIE 2025, Dawn Foods used a combination of donuts, data and demos to show operators how to turn consumer buzz into real-world results
The Environment Commissioner hopes lawmakers will agree to postpone the deforestation regulation yet another year
Weight-loss drugs threaten to cut calorie consumption, but General Mills sees opportunity in a leaner consumer, betting big on protein, fiber and smarter supply chains
PepsiCo and Unilever have decided it’s time to get serious about soil: their new STEP up for Agriculture program throws money and muscle behind regenerative farming
Fi Asia 2025
AI is driving food innovation and marketing strategies – here are four major ways experts at Fi Asia 2025 say it is shaping production and improving relevance
Sustainable September
Flip-flopping on policy and a lack of targeted funding for sustainability interventions is putting dairy’s green effort at risk
Bakers and snack makers talk a big game on upcycling but scaling ideas beyond pilots needs sharper strategy, stronger partnerships and a clear consumer hook
Africa’s food sector is turning to upcycling to cut waste, lower costs and build resilience amid climate and supply chain pressures
From a University of Bristol researcher’s track designed to make chocolate sweeter to studies showing how pitch, tempo and timbre can season food like sugar or salt, music is fast becoming the next frontier in flavor
Campbell’s latest results show America’s once unstoppable appetite for crackers, cookies and pretzels is stalling – leaving Campbell Snacks under pressure
The global food and drink industry’s biggest sustainability call to action has kicked off in the first month-long Sustainable September event
Sustainable September
Snack giant Mondelez wants more time before the EU’s landmark deforestation law kicks in – but campaigners say the clock has already run out
Smucker didn’t spend $5.6bn on Hostess to watch margins collapse. With Twinkies under pressure, it’s cutting SKUs, shutting plants and leaning on Donettes to prove its biggest snack gamble isn’t a sugar crash in the making
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
Sustainable September
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?
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...
Sustainable September
Regulatory priorities may be shifting but climate risks, investor trust and consumer demand make industry action non-negotiable
Forget sugar for a moment. A new analysis shows kids’ cereals are steadily losing the very nutrients that once made them worth eating at all
Practical strategies from industry voices show how generative AI can enhance ideation, protect intellectual property and create “first-time right” product launches
With GLP-1 users eating less often, chewy and long-lasting snacks like jerky, protein bites, gummies and gum are stepping up as the formats that make every portion count
One of the hottest summers on record is drawing to a close. How are major players adapting to rising temperatures?
IBIE 2025 lands in Las Vegas this October with fresh pavilions, global talent, big competitions and the innovations set to shape baking’s future
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
The EU has agreed US commodities pose ‘negligible risk to global deforestation’
Weight-loss drugs are billed as a $150bn threat to bakery and snacks, but so far the impact looks more hype than reality.
The $85m New York protein bar startup from RXBar’s Peter Rahal is battling a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York over its control of a key fat substitute
With baby food guidelines launched and HFSS rules proving effective in the UK, pressure is building for broader action on ultra-processed cereals and snacks.
The findings of the first independent evaluation of HFSS legislation show a marked reduction in purchases since the rules were put in place.
After years of negotiations, no global regulations to tackle plastic pollution have been agreed
For CPG manufacturers and foodservice operators, California’s sweeping reforms signal an era of tighter scrutiny on ingredients, marketing and supply chains
Scientists in Nottingham say they’ve found the ‘secret sauce’ behind fine chocolate. By isolating nine key microbes, they can now steer cocoa’s fermentation in the lab – a discovery that could ripple across confectionery, bakery, and snack aisles worldwide.
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
The uncertainty and volatility of the US tariff environment are pushing CPG brands to navigate higher input costs while waiting for potential relief on essential commodities