Are consumers really asking AI what snacks to eat?
From protein targets to dietary restrictions, shoppers can now describe what they need and get a shortlist of snacks in return but the effect on sales is still unclear
Snacks
Up the Food Chain
Foodex Ingredients on why flavour still matters in snacking
Foodex Ingredients sees flavour as key to snack innovation, with ube, matcha and peach among the profiles it is exploring across markets
Oreo, Wonka and Yasso take snacking off script
Protein guacamole, croissant-topped drinks and fantastical confectionery reveal an NPD pipeline refusing to play safe
Can brands beat private label with feelings?
Food can give more to consumers than just taste and texture
Food’s fight for the evening snack gets serious
From game nights to movie marathons, evening snacking has become one of food and drink’s most valuable occasions
PepsiCo, Hormel and Knorr turn up the heat
As chiliheads and flavor-seeking consumers gravitate toward sweet heat and bolder sensory experiences, CPG brands are introducing spicy collaborations and limited-edition products
General Mills pairs cost cuts with cautious capital strategy
The food giant plans $3 billion in cost cuts over four years, favoring debt reduction over stock buybacks and acquisitions
McVitie’s, Snickers, Cadbury and Cheez-It turn snacks into something bigger
Nine brands are using launches to enter new markets, create experiences, revive rituals and even give people a second chance
Can AI unlock your factory’s hidden capacity?
Pringles claims artificial intelligence has lifted capacity by 10% without new machinery – but can other food producers replicate it?
Allulose-containing products claiming zero sugar threatened with growing litigation
A wave of proposed class actions targeting “zero sugar” and “sugar free” claims is putting allulose-containing products in the crosshairs, following a pivotal Seventh Circuit ruling involving Chobani
Is the snack market slowing? How changing habits are reshaping the industry
Despite strong growth forecasts, questions are emerging over the future of the snacking sector
Does sponsoring one team turn its rivals against your brand?
Sports sponsorship can turn fan loyalty into sales but brands may also inherit the rivalries, anger and controversies surrounding the teams they support
How Pringles has engineered the physics of the perfect dip
Pringles has strengthened its famous crisp to show why dips, toppings and fillings can’t be treated as finishing touches
Better-for-you kids snacks expand at Target, Whole Foods and beyond
The global kids snack market is projected to exceed $168 billion over the next decade as brands including cadootz!, Häppy Candy and Earth’s Best introduce cleaner-label, lower-sugar and organic options
PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Hershey & more drop into the spirit of Halloween with FOMO-inducing launches
From Fanta’s Haunted Universe and Mountain Dew’s Trolli collaboration to Alani Nu and Reese’s, brands are borrowing scarcity, exclusivity and collectibles to turn seasonal beverages into coveted releases
Why relevance is shaping the snacking category
Relevance, not reinvention, is driving innovations in snacks as brands aim to meet consumers’ dynamic lifestyles
IQBAR, Fox’s and Paris Baguette fuel pumpkin spice’s autumn takeover
Starbucks’ famed Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) is now turning up in biscuits, bars, pancakes, yoghurt and tortilla chips
Pork rinds boldly go where no fried pork snack has gone before
Houston, we have a crunch
Avo oil under pressure: Science and lawsuits challenge the premium halo
A major authenticity study and proposed class actions against Utz and Campbell’s are exposing the risks behind snacks’ costly avocado oil makeover
Can culturally rooted snacks survive industrial scale?
As regional flavours go global, manufacturers risk engineering away the very character that made them valuable
Gen Alpha’s early eating habits offer a roadmap for the future of snacking
NIQ research finds that children are already thinking about ingredients, nutrition and the benefits they want from snacks, which could shape the category as they gain purchasing power
Oreo, Pringles and Pepperidge Farm turn scarcity into snack theatre
From chicken-and-waffle cookies to huckleberry potato gummies, brands are using limited runs to make seasonal launches feel unmissable
Back-to-school 2026: Pringles Minis, Sockerbit and Nairn’s lead the lunchbox charge
From playground-ready protein bites to a welcome-back gift for a favourite teacher, here’s what’s filling trolleys as term begins
Tyrrells crisps strikes union deal after site closure
Potato crisps manufacturer Tyrrells has struck a deal with GMB Union that gives workers the right to negotiate for better pay and conditions.
Roasted edamame taps high-protein, clean-label snack demand
As demand grows for high-protein and clean-label snacks, Zenko is betting roasted edamame can offer consumers a natural alternative to processed protein products
Mars bets on Summerween as Halloween becomes a season
The confectionery giant is producing Halloween candy in the spring and bringing products to shelves in summer as consumers increasingly treat Halloween as a multi-month occasion
5 lessons from the start-up that’s seen an 85% spend uptick from GLP-1 users
Jackson’s CEO delves into why GLP-1 users are spending more with it, not less
Utz to go private in $2.9 billion Intersnack deal as shares surge
Stock nearly doubled after Intersnack agreed to pay $14.24 per share in cash, a 91% premium over its prior close
From Ozempic to oat bars: Can peptide science cross into food?
Consumers already associate peptides with dramatic weight loss thanks to drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, and that’s sparking curiosity about whether a food-grade cousin could follow
The great fragmentation of snacking
The biggest opportunities in snacking no longer lie in broad categories, but in owning one highly specific eating occasion
Why some food startups succeed while others never leave the classroom
Riff may still be in its infancy, but the lessons four students learned while turning a university assignment into a registered snack business could help other founders avoid making the same mistakes
Barbecue flavors abound in CPG brands, marking the beginning of summer
Meat on the grill is only part of the story for brands across the food and beverage landscape bringing bold flavors to outdoor cooking
Fermentation turns up the heat in snacks
As consumers demand hotter, more complex flavours alongside cleaner labels and lower sodium, fermentation is emerging as an increasingly valuable tool for snack formulators
Red, white and chew: The limited edition treats marking America’s 250th birthday
America’s biggest birthday party is inspiring a summer of patriotic flavours, nostalgic treats and celebratory packaging
Mondelēz reveals taste is no longer king in snacking
Consumers aren’t simply looking for something tasty. Mondelēz International’s latest report suggests they increasingly want food that entertains, comforts and gives them something worth talking about
Beech-Nut bets on the overlooked preschool snacking market
US rollout aims to fill gap between toddler food and traditional snacks for kids 4 years-plus
Protein crisps, cereal milk ice cream and matcha cookies: Meet snacking’s new shape-shifters
From pizza-flavoured protein bars in the US to matcha cookies in the UK, brands are blurring the boundaries between indulgence, functionality and convenience
Taste still rules, but may no longer be enough to win in the snack aisle
New Circana data shows consumers increasingly expect functional benefits alongside flavor, driving a shift from ‘better-for-you’ to ‘nutritious and delicious’ snacks, like those showcased at Sweets & Snacks Expo by Barebells, Belle’s Gourmet Popcorn and...
Protein ice cream, EPG and the future of food: Why David’s Peter Rahal is betting on tech over branding
David’s protein ice cream sold out in 28 minutes of launching, but founder Peter Rahal says the real story isn’t frozen dessert – it’s how proprietary food technology could reshape the future of indulgence
Snack bar startups draw capital around protein, function and format
Stars + Honey’s recent funding to scale its collagen protein snack bars reflects broader capital investment towards nutrition, functionality, clean label and format innovation in the snack bar category
Behind the rise of protein-rich peanut butter snacks
Global peanut butter sales are projected to reach $8.5B as CPG brands roll out better-for-you, portion-controlled innovations
Who’s winning the World Cup before kick-off?
With FIFA forecasting a record $13bn in revenue from World Cup 2026, snack manufacturers are betting that football’s biggest tournament can deliver equally outsized returns
The great snack paradox: 7 lessons from snack’s biggest brands
Lay’s, Doritos, Lindt and Oreo are worth billions despite growing pressure from health trends, private label and changing consumer habits. Here’s what they’re getting right
Functional stacking: the new nutrition obsession you haven’t heard of yet
Matthew Balkin, Huel’s former nutrition lead, Registered Nutritionist and founder of Balkin Nutrition, looks at the future of nutrition as its focus moves from just ingredients to biological systems.
How PepsiCo plans to grow a 220-year-old nut brand
PepsiCo is betting on premiumisation, protein, new consumption occasions and younger consumers to fuel Duyvis’ next chapter
New product launches: Jaffa Cakes, Pukka and PAUL lead a great British summer of bakes
From Bakewell Tarts and football cupcakes to pie pop-ups and potato buns, brands are serving up a distinctly British mix of nostalgia, innovation and indulgence this season.
Sweets & Snacks Expo 2026
4 forces forging the future of sweets and snacks
The latest innovations in candy and snacks reveal how consumers are redefining fun, flavor and function
Has the ‘better-for-you’ boom gone too far in kids’ snacks?
As wellness claims flood the kids’ snacks aisle, some brands warn parents are becoming more sceptical of ‘better-for-you’ marketing and more focused on what products actually contain
Processed foods aren’t going away, but they are evolving
In the gap between consumers’ intention and reality, is there room for processed food in a healthy diet?
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