FDA delays beetroot red and spirulina color approvals after 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
Health, wellness & nutrition
Natural Products Expo West
Letter from the editor: Can packaged food rediscover its innovative edge?
Natural Products Expo West reveals an industry playing it safe, while searching for its next big breakthrough as economic pressures, shifting consumer expectations and regulatory uncertainty converge
Scaling precision fermentation: Why capital and collaboration remain the biggest hurdles
Industry experts cite massive CapEx, supply bottlenecks and regulatory complexity as key barriers
Fermentation growth collides with manufacturing shortage – iFAB aims to fix it
As Europe and Asia outpace the US in precision fermentation investment, an Illinois-based consortium backed by ADM and a $51 million federal grant aims to catch up
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Peptides move from fringe biohacks to functional food frontier
As demand surges for targeted health solutions, Nuritas’ Nora Khaldi discusses how AI is transforming peptide discovery, and why food and beverage may be the industry’s next big play
Future Food Tech San Francisco
AI assists, but active ingredients still lead in wellness innovation
Industry leaders at Future Food Tech said AI tools are helping product developers, yet rigorous ingredient science continues to set the pace for better-for-you foods and beverages
News Bites
From war‑driven inflation to GLP‑1 eating trends: What mattered in food this month
From international supply instability to GLP‑1s reshaping eating habits and a booming condiment category, this month’s roundup tracks the forces rapidly reshaping how food is made, priced and enjoyed
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
From climate shocks to GLP-1 impacts: Why the food chain must adapt now
Industry and public-sector leaders say stronger collaboration and smarter policy are essential to building a sustainable, data-informed food system
Natural Products Expo West
Predictive data reveals the next wave of performance-driven wellness trends in food
Insights from Spate reveal consumers want functional, low-sugar and benefit-packed food and beverages that fit easily into their lives
Can brands cut sugar without killing taste, texture or trust?
As sugar shifts from ingredient to liability, food and drink manufacturers are rebuilding sweetness from the ground up using rare sugars, fibres and fermentation-driven innovation
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Collaboration, not capital, is driving the next wave of food innovation
Industry leaders at Future Food-Tech San Francisco say lower investment levels are giving rise to an era of deeper cooperation among stakeholders focused on creating healthier products
Mushroom boom in food and beverage faces shakeout as growth collides with inflation, consolidation
Functional mushroom products surge across beverages and snacks, but rising competition, consumer pullback and a wave of acquisitions signal a more challenging next phase
Can fermented bean protein be the new ‘it’ category?
Wildbrine bets big on creating a new category with its fermented chickpea salads
Seed oils are out, avocado oil is in – and snack brands are leading the switch
Chip makers are transitioning to avocado oil, due to backlash against seed and vegetable oils
Relaxation drinks boom as consumers seek calm
The global market for functional ‘chill out’ beverages is growing by more than 8% annually, driven by adaptogen-fueled brands like Recess, Hiyo, Brēz and Trip
Unbottling hydration drinks: A need-to-have or nice-to-sell?
Innovation in electrolyte hydration drinks is exploding - but the trend may be attempting to fix a problem that doesn’t really exist
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Is there room for CPGs under the new Dietary Guidelines and RFK’s ‘eat real food’ mantra?
Amy’s Kitchen President Paul Schiefer says the call to “eat real food” should recognize the role packaged products play in accessibility, while pushing the industry toward cleaner labels and better ingredients
Rooted in Chicago and Nepal, two pet food brands share a strategy with simple ingredients
It’s a family affair for Nak Chews and Ava’s Pet Palace. Though their clean-label pet treats are developed on opposite sides of the globe, the two independent pet food companies share a common non-negotiable for today’s pet parents: no mystery chemicals...
Whole Foods’ small-format stores could boost CPG startups
The grocer’s UK small-format rollout, together with its US LEAP accelerator and UK Brand Pitch Day events, is creating new opportunities for emerging brands
How alcohol-free drinks can become the life of the party
Alcohol was once what held social occasions together. Now alcohol-free has the opportunity to take up the mantle
High-fiber konjac could be the next big competitor in better-for-you foods
From noodles to “inner beauty” drinks, konjac is moving beyond Asia to challenge established categories across the US functional food landscape
Global seaweed snack sales could double to $4.66B by 2030
North American and European markets are experiencing the fastest growth in seaweed snacks
How GLP-1s are reshaping product innovation
For product developers, designing GLP-1 friendly foods will require new sensory approaches, emotional metrics and new nutritional architectures
Regenerative Organic Certified emerges as one of food’s fastest-growing labels
‘The bottom line is, if we don’t have healthy soils, we are not going to have healthy plants … and we are not going to be healthy ourselves’
Expo West brands embrace ‘sensemaxxing’ with layered textures, bold flavors and playful formats
Brands at Expo West showcased snacks engineered for crunch, chew and snap, layering textures and subtle flavors to deliver bigger sensory experiences in smaller bites
Wisecode gives brands a new way to claim they’re non-UPF
Built on an ingredient-level ultra processed food standard and a database of more than 840,000 products, the app’s new Non‑UPF Shield lets food and beverage manufacturers quickly verify products
Natural and organic food & drink poised to hit $427 billion by 2029
With most shoppers buying natural and organic but many unsure what it really means, brands must better explain health benefits and value, according to experts
Half of US shoppers worry about artificial ingredients, want EU-style bans
A new Acosta Group study finds growing demand for transparency and cleaner labels as consumers push for stricter rules on artificial ingredients
Snack sales hold steady despite GLP-1 weight loss surge
USDA data shows snack units sold remain stable through 2024, even as prescription rates for GLP-1 drugs climb, suggesting opportunity – and caution – for snack manufacturers targeting shifting consumer diets
GLP‑1 drinks take off as brands race for $3.5bn functional growth
From protein shakes to collagen coolers, brands are reinventing beverages for the GLP‑1 era and the race for dominance in this fast‑growing $3.5bn category is just beginning
RFK Jr targets food dyes, SNAP and UPFs in MAHA rally keynote
The MAHA Rally for Real Food echoed RFK Jr’s agenda to clean up US food, including a formal definition of UPFs expected next month, but critics worry a lack of evidence-based policy will confuse consumers and impact companies’ bottom lines
Natural Products Expo West 2026
New beverage launches to watch at Expo West 2026
Pura Soda, Beyond Meat, Nixie, Malk, Tractor Beverage and more unveil their latest innovations in natural and organic drinks
GLP‑1s are quietly rewriting the grocery list
GLP-1 drugs are reshaping food demand, spending patterns and packaging strategy across the CPG landscape
How food retailers and suppliers are driving health and affordability
Grocery retailers and food suppliers are reformulating products, leveraging dietitian expertise and integrating health services to meet rising consumer demand for nutritious, affordable food
Celsius’ $722M Q4 signals surging energy drink growth as Alani Nu, Rockstar join PepsiCo network
As Celsius absorbs Alani Nu and Rockstar into PepsiCo’s distribution system, the three‑brand portfolio is grabbing shelf and cooler space nationwide
News Bites
News Bites: Are food policies getting clearer — or more confusing?
America’s food system is facing growing confusion as shifting definitions, patchwork state laws and controversial federal guidelines leave consumers and brands searching for clarity and consistency
Opinion
The ultra-processed foods debate has nuance - let’s recognise it
To understand how processing affects food consumption, don’t caricature either side of the debate
How Kerry’s B2B strategy is evolving in its post-dairy era
A year on from its dairy divestment, Kerry continues to reinvent itself as a pure-play taste and nutrition major. Here’s what the industry should know
Lancet critique of 2025–30 Dietary Guidelines highlights health and policy gaps
The Lancet critique of 2025–30 Dietary Guidelines spotlights SNAP, equity and a widening policy divide
At what point does ‘transparency’ become operational chaos?
In the US, the drive for ingredient transparency is beginning to feel less like steady progress and more like a stress test for the modern food system
Inside the $330bn functional food frenzy fuelled by PepsiCo, Coke & Nestlé
From PepsiCo to Nestlé, global giants are racing to cash in on the booming functional food craze, but with trends shifting fast, the stakes have never been higher
Why food giants are pivoting to beauty
FMCGs and ingredients suppliers see the beauty market as an attractive alternative
JM Smucker resets strategy with leadership shake-up, sharper brand focus
The snacks and spreads giant plans to boost profitability through margin expansion in coffee and Uncrustables while stepping back from acquisitions
PepsiCo plays ‘offense’ to transform portfolio for health-conscious consumers
CEO Ramon Laguarta outlines plans to reduce sugar and sodium, boost protein and fiber, and “restage” core brands to drive higher value per consumption
Has dairy lost its health halo - and can brands bring it back?
Dairy was once inherently linked with health and wellness, but some consumers doubt the category’s clean image. How can brands rebuild trust?
Mondelēz charts next growth wave across North America, Europe and emerging markets
The company is tailoring its strategy by region, courting value‑seeking US shoppers, fixing European chocolate margins and using Oreo‑led biscuits and cakes to unlock runway across China, India, Brazil and Mexico
General Mills lowers sales expectations but expands its playbook to win back consumers
The packaged food giant is banking on bolder taste, functional nutrition and smarter packaging to offset weak cereal and snack demand
Ingredients Compendium No 2: Trehalose
The little-known functional sugar gaining ground across food categories
As manufacturers grapple with sugar reduction, texture loss and longer shelf-life demands, trehalose is emerging as a functional ingredient to watch in 2026
Cottage cheese disruptor Good Culture lands $55M investment underscoring shift to healthier dairy
The new investment, coming on the heels of L Catterton’s majority stake, signals growing private-equity appetite for clean-label, better-for-you dairy
Europe embraces blended proteins faster than the US, report finds
Blending animal and plant ingredients is emerging as a pragmatic path to scale protein diversification, says Food System Innovations