McDonald’s India’s millet bun is a smart, subtle fix for the fiber gap
A quiet change to a burger bun in India says more about where fiber is heading than any claim ever could
Health
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...
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
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
The Big Shift: Five trends transforming food and beverage
Discover the breakthrough ideas redefining how food is created, regulated and trusted
From kings’ cake to crunchy corn: Comfort snacks get a smarter glow-up for 2026
Indulgent treats aren’t being replaced – they’re being refined. This latest wave of NPD upgrades familiar formats with cleaner labels, global flavor cues and subtle functional gains
Performance nutrition booms as ‘everyday athletes’ take over
How the ‘everyday athlete’ is powering up performance nutrition
Top beverage trends for 2026
What are the top trends defining soft drinks in the coming year and beyond?
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.
The snackdown: Peanuts are the humble ingredient we’re too trend-obsessed to notice
A lifesaving therapeutic food made of peanuts should be a wake-up call to every snack developer still chasing novelty over impact
Conagra absorbs $968M impairment as outlook holds
A nearly $1 billion write-down and soft Q2 weigh on the stock, yet management reaffirms its focus on frozen, snacks and value-led innovation
Meet the futuristic functional ingredients reshaping human health
From the mental health crisis to keeping an ageing population active, state-of-the art ingredients promise to help humanity bio-hack its way to peak performance. Here’s how
Why is there a whey protein shortage?
High demand and limited supply, in part due to its use with GLP-1 prescriptions, are leading to shortages of the protein
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
From mithai to mochi: The rise of the fusion-forward bakery trend
Heritage meets hustle as bakers turn cultural mashups into mainstream must-haves
USDA policy update: “Product of USA” labeling rules, SNAP waiver expansions and nutrition-focused purchases
Recent policy moves reflect USDA’s broader direction toward nutrition-focused food assistance, domestic sourcing transparency and support of American agriculture
Dark chocolate’s anti‑ageing link unlocks big opportunities
Could dark chocolate become the next big anti‑ageing ingredient? New research suggests it might, and the opportunities for brands are huge
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
How protein turned from trend to necessity
Protein fortification continues to dominate the food and beverage space – but how is ingredient innovation evolving to meet the need for more protein?
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
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
Brain boom: 3 ingredients boosting cognitive health
Functional ingredients are aiming to boost brain health and wellbeing
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.
The big December drop: Snack season starts now
From gingerbread nostalgia to chocolate trolleys and limited edition winter snacks, here’s what’s new this festive season
A new era of premium chocolate emerges
As consumers redefine premium chocolate through taste, ethics and wellness, everyday indulgence is replacing special-occasion luxury – opening the door for brands and retailers to grow margins, build loyalty and differentiate in a tightening,...
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
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
Kaya Rebel: Singapore brand bucks tradition with healthier fusion coconut jams
Kaya Rebel, a Singapore start-up, makes lower-sugar, higher-protein coconut jams infused with global flavours as it eyes growth in tourism retail
Hershey’s salty strategy
The confectionery giant’s latest move – snapping up LesserEvil – pulls it deeper into the everyday snacking landscape it’s been circling for years
Natural or not? Cape Cod Chips called into court over citric acid
Cape Cod Chips now faces two lawsuits alleging the brand’s ‘no artificial’ claims don’t square with its use of synthetic citric acid
Ingredients in flux: Beneo’s CEO on what’s changing and what’s next
The ingredients sector is weathering some of its toughest headwinds yet - but beneath the turbulence lie clear, compelling opportunities for growth
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
Opinion
The snackdown: The Lancet just declared war on UPFs
The Lancet’s new UPF Series doesn’t politely enter the UPF debate – it kicks the door open and bakery and snacks are suddenly standing in the blast zone
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.
Why brands are dropping synthetic dyes ahead of regulation
Synthetic dyes may still be legal but shifting consumer trends and rising US state-level pressures mean bakery and snack brands aren’t waiting for mandates to start cleaning up their color palettes
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
NPD: Feel-good snacking gets serious as brands go big on nostalgia, kindness & chaos
From colorless chips to collectible crisps and gooey skillet cookies, this season’s launches show how playful storytelling is reshaping what shoppers expect from a simple snack
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
New lipid gets EFSA novel food approval, and it cuts cholesterol
Food and drink manufacturers now have a new lipid to add to their formulation toolbox – one that boasts health and sustainability credentials
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
The snackdown: The great UPF witch hunt
When the food industry finds itself smeared as guilty by association – it’s not just the definition of ‘processing’ that’s under fire – it’s the entire business model
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
Fruitist continues expanding packaged fresh fruit business with $150 million capital raise
The fresh fruit producer plans to invest in fruit genetics and AI to boost its positioning in the healthy snacking segment
Functional food craze: What are the next breakout ingredients?
After a year of protein and fibre dominance, what’s the next big thing?
Non-UPF Verified debuts standard for CPG brands
The standard includes ingredient criteria and processing intensity that align with nutrition research and food system realities
Healthier Choices: GABA rice, mood candies, gut supergrain and more
GABA rice, mood candies, gut supergrain and more feature in this edition of Healthier Choices