General Mills sees soft demand ahead, but also pockets of opportunity
Executives expect consumers to remain value-conscious, but believe investments in “remarkability” can boost growth across key categories
Snacks
Campbell and Walmart in court over SpaghettiOs contamination claim
A Florida family is seeking damages after claiming it discovered moving worm-like organisms in a can of SpaghettiOs that had already been partially consumed
Food assistance bans pose $830M risk to soda, candy and energy drink sales
A new report by data analytics firm Numerator reveals that new restrictions will reach 7.5 million households by 2027
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
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
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Inside the race to create the next viral flavor in snacking
Executives from Just Born, Hawaii Host, SNAX-Sational Brands and Xaca Cantina share how they use heat, global flavors, strategic collaborations and accessible formats to turn consumer curiosity into repeat purchases
News Bites
How consolidation, new sweeteners and retail pressure are redefining food
Companies are getting bigger, ingredients are getting smarter and the definition of “better-for-you” is getting narrower
Confectionery trends: Balancing better-for-you and indulgence
Barry Callebaut bets on cocoa-free chocolate
The launch of ChoViva in North America at the Sweets & Snacks Expo last week reflects a growing push to diversify beyond traditional cocoa amid climate and pricing pressures
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
Is shrinkflation illegal now?
A recent court case involving Mondelēz suggests FMCGs could be penalised for reducing pack sizes. But is this really the case?
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
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
GLP-1s and anhedonia: the death of dopamine snacking
The emergence of ‘Ozempic personality’ is intensifying questions about how GLP-1s are changing cravings, impulse eating and reward-seeking behaviour
PepsiCo, Jack Link’s, Chomps racing to own better-for-you meat snack boom
Clean labels, grass-fed beef and chicken sticks are reshaping a market expected to reach $21.67 billion by 2035
Food retail trends 2026: Why Gen Z no longer shops by aisle
Younger consumers aren’t just swapping meals for snacks – they’re tearing apart the traditional rules that have shaped food retail, product development and brand strategy for decades
Why thinking like an AI agent matters to marketing
Generative engine optimization is reshaping how brands get discovered
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Why consumers pay more for certain brands even in a tight economy
Kantar BrandZ’s Ellie Thorpe explains why brands like Coca-Cola, Red Bull and Walmart continue gaining loyalty, pricing power and market share despite inflation, cautious spending and growing consumer uncertainty
New product development
Just launched: Maggi ready meals, Quorn, Ella’s Kitchen and more…
Plant-based innovation, next-generation kids food and elevated snacking are all key themes in this week’s NPD roundup
Oral GLP-1 breakthrough: What it means for impulse-driven food categories
Food and beverage brands face consumers staying on appetite-suppressing drugs for longer
A new wave of food inflation is building across the supply chain
Economists warn that rising fertilizer, fuel, packaging and tariff costs tied to global conflicts and trade policy could push grocery inflation above historical norms by late 2026
Luna Bar returns to reclaim women’s snack bar set
What does it take for a legacy brand to win over Gen Z and Millennial women?
Big Food’s leadership crisis: Why CEOs are falling faster than ever
C-suite exits are mounting across Big Food, but behind the scandals lies a deeper performance and innovation problem
Bel’s Brainiac buy signals next wave in kids’ snacks
The Bel Group acquisition of Brainiac highlights a fast-growing category where nutrition science, parental anxiety and marketing ambition are converging
Tariff refunds are available - here’s how to get them right
High rejection rates and a tight 80-day filing window are turning what should be straightforward IEEPA tariff refunds into a high-stakes, error-prone process for small and mid-sized CPG brands
Kraft Heinz split in doubt as weak performance blunts break-up case
With performance still lagging, Kraft Heinz’s paused split looks increasingly uncertain
Iran war fallout hits grocery aisles as food inflation surges and shoppers pull back
Higher fuel and fertilizer costs tied to Strait of Hormuz disruptions pushed at-home food prices up 0.7% in April, while consumers increasingly weigh purchases item-by-item in search of value
Candy makers roll out bold new flavors and functional twists ahead of summer snacking season
New offerings spotlight caffeine-infused candy, globally inspired fruit pairings and spicy-sweet mashups as brands chase novelty and function
Iran conflict drains the colour from snack packs
Calbee’s decision to strip colour from its packaging amid naphtha shortages is an early warning that the Iran conflict is beginning to fracture the petrochemical supply chains underpinning the global food industry
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
Kraft Heinz defies CPG cost-cutting playbook and bets on investment for turnaround
As other food and beverage companies cut costs and slash staff, Kraft Heinz is investing $600 million in people, pricing, promotion and innovation – offering an alternative blueprint for growth in a turbulent period
From clicks to cart: Online grocery drives the next wave of growth
As omnichannel shopping becomes the norm, ecommerce, retail media and retailer apps are reshaping how and where grocery growth happens
The world’s oldest food and drink brands and how they’ve survived
Is there a recipe for long-term food and drink brand success? Let’s explore…
The death of the free airline snack
Delta’s decision to scrap complimentary snacks and drinks on hundreds of flights is exposing a bigger shift across global aviation.
FBIF 2026
Kraft Heinz insights: Is the concept of consumer brand loyalty dead?
In an era where consumers are bombarded with new products at every turn and purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced by technology, is brand loyalty no longer a thing? There is hope yet, says Kraft Heinz
News Bites
GLP‑1 nutrition, Nestlé’s reset and the rising reformulation crunch
Food companies are being pushed to rethink everything from product design to portfolio strategy and ingredient standards
Chicago named home of Candy Hall of Fame Experience
The Windy City’s long history in confection helped it beat out New York City and Orlando
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
Rip Van sees opportunity as rising snack prices narrow gap for better-for-you treats
The low-sugar stroopwafel brand is using price parity and portion control to win over health-conscious consumers
Food financial assistance restrictions fuel fight in 2026 budget debate
As Congress moves closer to a floor vote on the 2026 Farm Bill, a proposed amendment has ignited a high‑stakes debate over whether the federal government should restrict what SNAP benefits can buy nationwide
SNAP restrictions are reshaping sugary food purchases
Ibotta data shows states prohibiting the use of SNAP funds to buy ‘unhealthy’ products are reshaping sugary beverage and snack demand
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Hershey’s new sustainability strategy offers blueprint for balancing business & ESG needs
Hershey breaks lofty ESG ambitions into practical, data-driven strategic steps that help embed sustainability into sourcing, operations and product innovation
How big a problem are microplastics?
The first global study of its kind quantifies the problem in the food and drink industry
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
Sustainable sourcing: From upcycling to carbon neutral to sustainable packaging
Certified giving emerges as a quiet sustainability strategy driving brand growth
As companies scale back public climate commitments, third-party verified programs, like 1% for the Planet, could offer a safer, credibility-backed path to stronger consumer trust, and higher revenue
Sustainable sourcing: From upcycling to carbon neutral to sustainable packaging
Bel Group accelerates the shift to paper packaging by taking a holistic transition approach
As plastic comes under growing scrutiny, Bel Group is redesigning its iconic Babybel packaging around a 5Rs framework, with paperization pilots highlighting both opportunity and technical complexity
As food brands tweak child marketing rules, UNICEF’s playbook still holds
As food brands rewrite child‑marketing rules, experts say voluntary action isn’t enough
The 7 nutrition trends redefining food and drink
From emerging ingredients to protein power, discover the nutrition trends shaping the future of food and beverage
PepsiCo proves new playbook works as price cuts and innovation drive sales
Price cuts, cleaner ingredients and bold flavors drove Q1 gains for PepsiCo as consumers seek affordability, function and comfort