Pistachio pressure compounded by Iran War squeeze
Disruption from the conflict in Iran adds to existing pressure from weather and high demand from social media virality
Ingredients
Is hojicha the next flavour megatrend?
Is hojicha quietly positioning itself as matcha’s successor? From drinks to desserts, this green tea is gaining momentum and the industry is taking notice
The Portuguese tartlet that’s conquering the world
Santa Nata’s 10 millionth sale shows how the pastel de nata has evolved from a Lisbon monastery pastry into one of bakery’s fastest-growing global opportunities
Inside the science of making healthier food consumers will actually buy with ADM
ADM argues food makers can no longer tackle sugar, sodium or clean label goals one at a time without risking taste, texture and cost
7 ways GLP-1s are driving the freeze-dried snack frenzy
Smaller appetites, clean label cravings and the internet obsession with crunch are turning freeze-dried snacks into one of the hottest categories in global food
Alfalfa-based egg white alternative inches closer to market
With a WeFunder campaign and institutional raise underway, Fudi Protein is positioning its alfalfa-derived Rubisco as a cost-competitive egg white replacement
Added fibre: Why fortification is harder than it looks
Adding fibre to foods and beverages could help close the ‘fibre gap’, but reformulation challenges threaten taste and texture
What if chocolate’s flavour was never really about cocoa?
As cocoa markets spiral through another year of chaos, cocoa-free alternatives are shifting from novelty to necessity
Will cocoa alts ever be sexy? Hershey backlash opens the debate
As cocoa markets fluctuate, Hershey’s controversy shows that while alt-chocolate is advancing fast, taste and transparency remain make-or-break for consumers
Sweet proteins gain global momentum with latest regulatory win
Amai Proteins’ sweet protein secures regulatory approval in Singapore after recent US nod
Mood enhancers and munchies: The science behind cannabis cravings
Cannabis snacking has gone from counterculture cliché to booming business, fuelled by clinical appetite studies, THC treats and changing consumer habits
What sustainability looks like in olive oil today
How does a sustainable supply chain work in a category rooted in ancient agriculture but facing modern global demand?
Less sugar, more pressure: Scotland’s HFSS rules force a food industry rethink
With Scotland’s HFSS restrictions arriving in October, food manufacturers are under mounting pressure to reformulate products without sacrificing taste, texture or brand identity
From cereulide to botulism: Exposing the fault lines in infant nutrition safety
From recalled product remaining on shelves to weak marketing guidance, regulatory gaps across infant nutrition remain stark
From protein to prebiotics: 11 launches tapping into longevity nutrition
Brands are reformulating everyday foods with more protein, fibre and functional ingredients as consumers look to support strength, digestion and long-term wellbeing through daily eating habits
How cottage cheese reinvented itself
Cottage cheese is being reinvented through new formats, younger consumers and rising global demand – and brands are only just getting started
The snack barometer: The Iran conflict and the limits of consumer resilience
Food companies are becoming some of the clearest observers of the economic fallout from the Iran conflict as fuel volatility, inflation fears and changing spending habits begin reshaping behaviour across the supermarket aisle
The simple sandwich is pushing boundaries like never before
What was once the easiest thing to grab is now one of the hardest formats to execute well and one of the most commercially important to get right
TikTok-fuelled food shortages: How industry can respond
TikTok-led demand for products like ube and pistachio is straining global supply
Mars takes first step into cocoa-free category
The world’s biggest confectionery company is making its cocoa-free debut
Time’s ‘10 Most Influential Food Companies’ list misses some of the real disruptors
The 103-year-old magazine’s latest picks highlight companies on the move, but some of the forces genuinely reshaping food in 2026 sit beyond that shortlist
‘Healthy’ has moved on – have snacks?
From fibre and protein to texture and sensation, the new rules of healthy snacking go far beyond cutting sugar, salt and fat
Next-gen potatoes: Why crisp makers are getting serious about what’s in the ground
New potato varieties are being designed to meet the snacks industry’s exacting demands on yield, storage and fry performance
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
As fibre goes mainstream, can it reshape bakery innovation?
Fibre is fats becoming food’s next big growth driver, but especially in bakery
Aldi ramps up clean-label push with 44 new ingredient bans
Move affects 90% of store assortment as private-label-focused retailer responds to consumer ingredient concerns
Why overwhelmed shoppers may drive a reset in natural food marketing
Go Raw’s first brand campaign starts with a simple premise: snacks have become too complicated
The butter price crash: Winners, losers and what comes next
As butter prices collapse, farmers are feeling the sting – but it’s not all bad news for the industry at large
As EUDR looms, is the world’s most controversial ingredient ready?
Despite significant progress in the sector, barriers to compliance remain for palm oil
Earth Day 2026: ‘Food’s problem isn’t supply – it’s commitment’
Eighth-generation UK miller Bertie Matthews says regenerative farming is already proven, so if it’s still niche, the failure sits with retailers, manufacturers and the wider supply chain
World’s first cell-based chocolate bar developed with Mondelēz
The first-ever milk chocolate bars made with cell-cultivated cocoa butter have been produced
How fibre went from forgotten nutrient to consumer obsession
Once dismissed as dull, fibre is now reshaping global food and drink innovation
What Fonterra’s next CEO needs to do to turn strategy into results
Fonterra has built momentum while navigating a major organisational transition - but sustaining it will depend on how the co-op executes its simplified strategy
Sales stall, shares fall: What’s next for Barry Callebaut?
Barry Callebaut’s size has long been its strength. But with volumes down and shares under pressure, cracks are starting to show
FIC 2026
Flashy and sweet: Brands tap health trends in artificial sweetener push
Leveraging weight loss, gut and dental health trends, Chinese firms are increasingly creative in reframing artificial sweeteners as a health aligned choice
Artificial sweeteners: Why the science war is raging on
New health studies are reigniting a global battle over artificial sweeteners, leaving brands, regulators and consumers divided
FDA extends deadline as hidden gluten puts regulatory fine-tuning under the spotlight
A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consultation on gluten labelling – now extended – raises fresh questions about how clearly food makers communicate risk
Opinion
Nestlé’s alt chocolate bet is make-or-break for cocoa-free
This is no ordinary product launch. The stakes are high for cocoa-free chocolate
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Clean label drives protein innovation – from seaweed stabilizers to yeast‑based alternatives
Ingredient innovators are using macroalgae and microbial fermentation to reshape the future of clean‑label, high‑functionality protein products
McCormick’s results take a back seat as Unilever deal nears
Sales are steady and margins remain under pressure, but attention has shifted firmly to a potential tie-up with Unilever.
California’s tortilla rule underscores the shift in market power
The Golden State’s folic acid mandate for corn masa shows how one state is once again reshaping national manufacturing
FDA delays beetroot red and spirulina color approvals amid stakeholder safety and labeling worries
Agency delays effective dates for color additives after GMO/Toxin Free USA and Obelisk Tech Systems challenge safety reviews and ‘no artificial colors’ labeling
Can enzymes really reduce bitterness in industrial bread?
With reformulation exposing bitterness and flattening flavour in industrial bread, enzymes are now being tested as a targeted way to rebalance taste at source – but how far they can go remains unclear
Rising grocery costs loom as Middle East conflicts disrupt supply chains
As oil and fertilizer prices squeeze margins, farmers and manufacturers must make tough decisions on pricing, pack sizes and innovation
Gut instinct: The 10 functional ingredients gaining ground in 2026
Dietitians’ latest data points to a more grounded approach to functionality, where gut health, cost and credibility matter as much as claims
Are calorie counts wrong or just outdated? David Protein lawsuit sparks debate
A lawsuit challenging the nutrition claims of David Protein bars is putting calorie counts under the microscope and highlighting a deeper debate over how those numbers are determined in the first place.
Why the food industry can’t innovate alone anymore
As cocoa volatility, fat replacement and GLP-1 trends reshape demand, startups are becoming critical partners in ingredient innovation
Who really controls the world’s food? The superpowers shaping supply
From wheat and soy to rice and sugar, global food power is increasingly concentrated and understanding who really holds the leverage has never mattered more for manufacturers
Sweet proteins promise a sugar reset but new questions are emerging
Oobli’s CEO is betting on protein-based sweetness to cut sugar at scale, but the shift raises uncomfortable questions for regulators, manufacturers and the supply chain