FRESH Act of 2026 explained: FDA, GRAS reform and industry pushback
Should reform expand FDA’s pre‑market authority or narrow it in exchange for uniformity and predictability?
Policy & legislation
Tariffs on trial: Pending ruling could impact supply costs and grocery prices
Burlap & Barrel’s challenge to the Trump administration’s tariffs in the US Court of International Trade could define how far presidents can stretch decades‑old trade statutes
Nestlé weathers formula crisis to deliver strong Q1 growth
Nestlé overcomes infant formula recall to deliver solid Q1 growth, powered by Coffee and Confectionery
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
FTC to rein in hidden grocery delivery fees after multimillion-dollar settlements with Walmart, Instacart, Grubhub, Amazon
Public comment period opens after investigations found misleading pricing, subscription tactics and driver pay practices
CEO churn exposes growing cracks in Big Food’s growth model
Leadership changes across Big Food are starting to look less like succession and more like a response to cracks in the growth model.
USDA creates Office of Seafood to boost US seafood competitiveness
The new office will streamline access to USDA programs for seafood producers and align efforts across federal agencies to strengthen the domestic seafood sector
Looming deadline for state packaging laws places reporting pressure on CPGs
Seven states now require producers to track and report packaging data under extended producer responsibility laws, creating a fast-moving compliance challenge for food and beverage brands, importers and distributors
Albertsons’ digital strategy helps hold sales steady even as shoppers pull back
Targeted pricing, AI-driven personalization and loyalty gains help offset demand pressure from rising fuel costs, higher prices due to tariffs and shifting consumer behavior
How the Iran conflict could reshape our shelves
High oil prices hit prices at gas pumps straight away. But how long will it take for food and beverage prices to rise?
Future Food Tech San Francisco
MAHA push accelerates reformulation, but leaves food industry in limbo
Companies race to meet shifting policy signals without formal rulemaking, raising concerns that costly changes could be reverse by future administrations
Grocery inflation eases for now, but rising energy and fertilizer prices threaten rebound
A dip in supermarket prices in March offers a brief respite, but surging fuel and fertilizer costs tied to the Iran conflict could reverse the trend
Iran conflict: The 5 biggest pressure points for food and beverage
The price of oil and transport dominates headlines: but food and beverage companies need to anticipate other potential impacts
Mould, microbes and the $10m mistake food companies keep making
As climate shifts and supply chains stretch, food safety failures are becoming faster, costlier and harder to contain
FDA extends deadline as hidden gluten puts regulatory fine-tuning under the spotlight
A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consultation on gluten labelling – now extended – raises fresh questions about how clearly food makers communicate risk
California pushes ‘non-UPF’ seal as certifications multiply and confusion grows
A proposed state-backed label aims to simplify ultra-processed food choices, but could competing definitions and private certifications risk muddying the message for consumers and complicate reformulation efforts?
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
CPGs can’t wait for biotech to scale up – they need to help build it
Scale-up infrastructure is broken and it won’t fix itself
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
How corporates, startups and farmers can share risk and drive resilience
A case for rethinking how the food system invests, scales and strengthens its most essential ingredients
FDA delays beetroot red and spirulina color approvals amid stakeholder 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
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
Rising grocery costs loom as Middle East conflicts disrupt supply chains
As oil and fertilizer prices squeeze margins, farmers and manufacturers must make tough decisions on pricing, pack sizes and innovation
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
Inside Burlap & Barrel’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump
A small US-based spice importer is taking the Trump administration to court over sweeping tariffs it says threaten small businesses and global farming partners
Crackdown on immigrant truckers could threaten supply chains and drive up grocery prices
Trump administration policy will remove up to 5% of the trucking workforce – threatening freight capacity and food prices as litigation and state pushback unfolds
The packaging crisis about to hit food and beverage
Attacks on the world’s busiest oil shipping channel are set to drive unavoidable spikes in plastic packaging prices
Farm Bill moves closer to House floor after committee vote
The 2026 Farm Bill moves out of committee amid bipartisan support, industry praise and mounting consumer and environmental pushback.
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
Stricter certification aims to bring higher quality to extra virgin olive oils
For NAOOA’s brands, the message is clear: certification now represents more than authenticity; it aims to improve quality, transparency and consumer trust
SNAP’s next chapter could redefine product eligibility across states
The next era of SNAP reform targets how nutrition policy, retail compliance and product eligibility quietly reshape the CPG playbook
Farm Bill markup sparks debate over nutrition and rural policy
The House Agriculture Committee began marking up the 2026 Farm, Food and National Security Act this week, which will impact federal nutrition programs, farmers and rural communities nationwide
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
Iran Conflict: What does this mean for global food sector?
The ongoing tensions in Iran could disrupt supply routes and drive volatility across key food commodities such as rice and meat
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
What do CPG brands need to know about the updated FSMA 204?
FDA’s latest FSMA 204 updates give CPG brands clearer guidance on digital traceability, compliance timelines and new exemptions impacting dairy processing.
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
A new California bill could change how food ingredients get FDA green light
In the absence of swift federal action, California is proposing to ban food additives it deems unsafe or poorly tested
FDA’s new ‘healthy’ rules are shifting power in the food supply chain
As manufacturers race to meet the FDA’s new ‘healthy’ definition, the real pressure point isn’t reformulation – it’s sourcing, leverage and timing
Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariff policy
The decision is likely to spark a wave of lawsuits from businesses across the food and beverage industry and beyond
FDA greenlights plant-based egg protein as industry rebuilds after bird flu
The FDA’s GRAS notification clears Plantible Foods to scale production of its RuBisCO-based egg alternative as demand for sustainable, functional proteins grows
FDA allergen threshold guidance could reduce liability for food brands
FDA guidance on allergen thresholds may help brands label products more consistently while reducing risk
Cereulide in infant formula: 6 revelations in 24 hours
The infant formula contamination crisis continues to unfold. Here’s what we’ve learnt since yesterday
As FDA leadership shifts, observers warn of rising food safety risks
A wave of leadership changes at FDA and HHS is testing whether reform efforts will strengthen oversight - or leave the food system more vulnerable
Food-tech solutions for a more sustainable and secure food system
Letter from the editor: Food-tech tackles today’s threats, but creates new challenges
From AI-powered grocery pricing and agentic commerce to predictive supply chains, cultivated meat regulation and alternative protein funding, technology is helping CPGs manage disruption while reshaping the industry’s risk landscape
Food-Tech Solutions For A More Sustainable And Secure Food System
Where countries stand on cultivated meat regulation in 2026
A global regulatory snapshot of cultivated meat, explaining who is moving first, why approvals vary by country and what comes next for the category
DGA sweetener warning sparks industry pushback
Dietary Guidelines pose a challenge for formulators around non-nutritive sweeteners
Is aquaculture sustainable? It depends on the system around it
A deeper look shows aquaculture’s climate impact depends less on fish and more on governance
Trump purge at FDA and USDA triggers food safety ‘brain drain’
Government data shows deep staff cuts as food safety leaders warn of fewer inspectors, loss of institutional knowledge and delays in lab and outbreak work
Cheap virgin plastic and imports squeeze US PET recyclers
Experts warn low-cost virgin PET and rising imports are hurting US recycling programs and driving prices to record lows