Will the UPF lawsuit be successful?
The ultra-processed foods lawsuit could completely shake-up the food and beverage industry, if successful. But will it be?
Bakery
Biggest trends of 2024 and what to expect in 2025
What defined consumers’ plates in 2024, and what’s next for 2025?
From Swedish candy to marry me pasta, consumers’ palettes stretched across the globe in 2024.
Can Nestlé’s new snack strategy rival the soaring demand for weight-loss drugs?
The maker of Kit Kat, Haagen-Dazs and Cheerios is once again addressing the growing popularity of weight-loss drugs with a protein shot designed to curb appetite. But can it hold its own in the booming market for targeted health-focused solutions?
9 mouthfeel trends to watch in 2025
Mouthfeel is a vital element in developing successful NPD, but what are the trends to watch in 2025 and how can food and drink makers utilise them?
How brands can balance health, indulgence & convenience in the morning
Convenience wakes up the morning routine for consumers, with 90% of morning meals prepared in under 15 minutes, according to Circana.
Three new sustainability initiatives transforming the cocoa and sugar sectors
Are brands and organisations sweetening their climate conscious efforts to win over concerned consumers?
Unilever, Nestlé, EUDR, UPF and commodity hikes. FoodNavigator reviews 2024
Food and beverage was not short of drama or two in 2024, with some of the biggest stories gripping the sector almost from day one.
Aesthetic appeal: Social media culture driving increasing demand for ‘better-looking’ food and beverage products
The importance of social media and online food photography have rapidly increased consumer demand for ‘better-looking’ food and beverage products in the Asia Pacific region, with a focus on elements such as clarity and colour.
Opinion
Mondelēz’s Hershey interest is a defensive move against Mars Kellanova
Mondelēz International’s rumoured bid for The Hershey Company would create a big business, but would it be big enough to counter the potential threat of a dominating Mars Kellanova?
Where does innovation stand in dairy, deli and bakery?
Deli, dairy and bakery innovation has focused on pack sizes, flavorful options and functionality over the last two years, according to insights shared during an International Dairy Deli Bakery Association webinar.
Legal clash intensifies: Grupo Bimbo pursues C$2bn claim against Maple Leaf
The Canadian bakery industry’s legal tensions are heating up, with Grupo Bimbo filing a CAD $2 billion counterclaim against Maple Leaf Foods over the controversial 2014 sale of Canada Bread
New products: From limited-time holiday offerings & everything mint-chocolate to garlic & gluten-free
New product launches this holiday season are all about limited time offerings, including a barrage of peppermint-chocolate flavor extensions, and a smattering of inclusive allergen-friendly and better-for-you options.
What’s next for bakeries? Insights from ABA’s 2024 Playbooks
American Bakers Association’s inaugural Bakery Playbooks unveils the hottest trends shaping how consumers shop, eat and savour baked goods. Are you ready to turn these insights into your bakery’s next big win?
Nestlé’s top six 2025 food and drink innovation trends revealed
Nestlé has revealed the top food and drink trends that will drive its research, development and innovation in 2025, with speed, personalisation and fusion taking centre stage.
FDA grants more time for Phase II sodium reduction feedback – but is it enough?
FDA is giving the food and beverage industry an additional two months to respond to its request that they slash sodium in their products over the next three years to help Americans reduce their risk of diseases associated with overconsumption of the...
FDA’s Human Foods 2025 goals: Microbiological safety, food chemical safety & nutrition
FDA’s fiscal year 2025 priority deliverables for the Human Foods Program emphasize transparency and accountability amid state funding cuts and resource constraints.
Kellanova shareholders approve $35.9bn Mars merger amid shifting snack industry trends
The transformative takeover by Mars Inc. has been overwhelmingly approved, marking a pivotal moment in the snack industry. What does this mean for the future of snacking?
Is the Nordic Diet the next major food trend?
Health trends are big business for food and beverage brands. So, will the new Nordic Diet take the industry by storm or be a foodie flash in the pan?
Love + Chew navigates cocoa price hikes to expand Whole Foods partnership
Cocoa shortages cannot stop vegan superfood cookie brand Love + Chew's retail growth as the company expands its Whole Foods store count from 135 to over 500 stores and tees up product innovation in 2025.
Future of grocery: Consumers demand shelf-stable & frozen innovation, digital apps, 84.51° reports
Young and old consumers are divided on their top desires for future product innovation — with the former wanting cleaner labels and the latter wanting more high protein foods and beverages — but both agree that digital tools are crucial to keeping...
November Launch Pad
Holiday-themed launches for 2025 tap into nostalgia, balance health & indulgence
The holiday season is here bringing a slew of food and beverage launches to help consumers celebrate with seasonal products featuring nostalgic fall and winter flavors that make entertaining easier and warm consumers as the weather cools.
Belly Brand taps into functional, clean-label trends with gluten-free baking mixes
Belly Brand Foods is delivering gut and skin health benefits with its collagen-infused and gluten-free bakery mixes, as the company gears up to spread brand awareness in 2025 with trade shows.
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic set to shake the global food industry
Originally intended as a treatment for diabetes, GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic could be set to turn the food and drink industry upside down.
Can plant-based overcome UPF links to avoid future trust issues?
Plant-based diets remain popular, but associations with UPF and low-quality ingredients has shaken consumer trust in alt meat, fish and dairy brands. So, what can the sector do to restore public opinion?
Brand Alchemy
How F&B brands can boost their ROI with a diversified media strategy
Today’s marketing strategies need flexible adjustments and a blend of channels to keep pace with rapid shifts in media consumption, unlike the fixed annual media plans of yesteryear.
Donut brand Drumroll adds fuel to ‘rocket ship year’ with $3m in capital from 7 Mile Brands
Drumroll Snacks received $3 million in capital from CPG incubator 7 Mile Brands to fuel growth after a "rocket ship year," as the better-for-you sweet baked goods brand gears up to go after large national accounts like Whole Foods and Sprouts, the two...
How to identify and engage with your target market
Creating and building brand awareness, with potential customers, is essential to success. Here’s how to recognise and connect with your target market.
NOVA reform: The flawed UPF classification system requires change
Some nutritious foods under the current NOVA system could be demonised alongside unhealthy variants. Industry's calling for reform, but what would the next generation look like?
Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
How would eliminating ultra-processed foods and products high in sugar, fat impact diet, health?
Diets that exclude foods high in added sugar and saturated fat, like sugary drinks, snacks and processed meat, still provide sufficient levels of essential nutrients, like vitamins, minerals and fiber, according to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
11 startups disrupting dairy across categories from the farm to store shelf
Dairy’s nutrient density and decadent eating experience create a powerful canvas for startups innovating across categories to offer better-for-you moments of permissible indulgence while simultaneously supporting the health of consumers, the planet and...
Hot finds from SIAL Paris: From purple sourdough to immunity bars and beyond
From bread crisps to puffs made from drought-resistant, gluten-free sorghum, along with a sourdough that stood out with its deep purple colour, which of these trendsetting products will be the next big hit?
JM Smucker remains committed to Hostess, sweet baked snacks despite Voortman sale
Peanut butter and jelly maker JM Smucker continues to refine its portfolio with the sale of better-for-you cookie brand Voortman to Brownie Brittle-maker Second Nature in a $305 million deal that follows a slew of divestments across its portfolio in the...
LanzaTech’s partnerships accelerate commercialization for proprietary protein production
Biotech company LanzaTech is making strides in global microbial fermentation protein production with the launch of its proprietary LanzaTech Nutritional Protein (LNP), in collaboration with organizations like the US Navy to accelerate commercialization.
Standard serving size levels the playing field, NAD finds in tortilla advertising case
Size matters – at least when it comes to crafting nutrient content and health claims for food based on servings, according to a recent BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division decision for a challenge brought by Olé Mexican Foods against...
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
4 flavor, color trends for 2025 that focus on simplicity, comfort & rediscovery
After a year of “unapologetically” embracing luxury, indulgence and whimsy through vivid colors and unexpected flavor combinations, consumers will rediscover and recenter themselves in 2025 by choosing taste profiles and hues that more realistically...
Gut health: What’s next for this major F&B trend?
Consumer demand for ‘gut-friendly’ foods and beverages is growing fast, and industry is innovating just as quickly to meet it. So, what’s next for this seemingly unstoppable trend?
Why shoppers are turning towards costly organic food and drink
More consumers are buying pricier organic food and drink, despite continuing cost-of-living pressures, with sales expected to rocket as governments push to make organic farming central to future sustainability strategies.
FDA pushes for progress in sodium reduction target, aims to cut average intake to 2,750 mg/day
The FDA's phase two draft guidance on sodium reduction, released on August 15, sets new voluntary targets for food manufacturers to reduce average consumption to 2,750 milligrams per day by 2024, as nearly three-quarters of Americans' sodium intake...
Reformulation is rife in F&B but consumers aren't sold yet
Brands are reformulating to improve nutritional value and reduce or remove ‘unhealthy’ ingredient levels. But this is not always a vote winner with customers. Why?
Future Food-Tech 2024
Do consumers want alternative raw materials?
Alternative raw materials aim to provide sustainable versions of commodities, including cocoa, coffee and palm oil, that are both integral to food and linked to deforestation. Will consumers accept them?
ADM: 83% of GLP-1 users are ‘very interested in products specifically marketed as supportive of their needs on these drugs’
A new platform designed by ADM to help food and beverage manufacturers better understand and meet the needs of weight-loss drug users brings together proprietary consumer research and science, a portfolio of targeted ingredients and more than 25...
UPF linked to type 2 diabetes - what does this mean for industry?
New research has linked ultra-processed foods to type 2 diabetes. How will this latest blow impact the food and beverage industry and is reformulation the only solution?
Is consumer input shaping the future of snacks?
Colorado-based Myna Snack’s latest launch is a prime example of how consumer input can drive successful product innovation. But just how effective is giving consumers a voice in NPD in staying competitive?
Could anti-inflammatory effects of sweetener boost sales?
Health concerns have put the sweetener industry in jeopardy. Could new research help to restore its reputation?
How running with Grupo Bimbo is fighting global hunger
The Mexican bakery giant is using the power of running to make a global impact, donating over 3 million slices of bread to food banks through its Bimbo Global Race.
Policymakers call on Coca-Cola, General Mills, PepsiCo to address pricing practices
Letters sent by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.) to the CEOs of Coca-Cola, General Mills and PepsiCo express concern over pricing and tax practices that, according to the policy makers, “squeeze profits out...
Top need-to-knows about cocoa ahead of the new season
A round-up of the cocoa sector as we move into the 2024/2025 season.
Soup-to-Nuts Podcast
Steward’s novel lending model reinforces supply chains for regenerative, regionally produced ingredients and products consumers want
Consumer interest in products made with ingredients from regional smallholder farmers or those practicing regenerative agriculture is on the rise, but CPG companies and suppliers are struggling to meet their demand in part because most farmers are unable...
How food and drink is finally focusing on women’s health
Women’s health continues to grow as a hot food and drink topic, with brands embracing the increasing NPD opportunities available
EVERY patents hero protein in egg whites using precision fermentation to introduce ‘new class of product applications’
Food-tech business The EVERY Company recently secured a patent for ovalbumin produced via precision fermentation, which has potential to introduce a “new class of product applications,” and “expand the size of the overall egg market,” CEO and Co-Founder...