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
Startups & entrepreneurs
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Beyond disruption: What Big Food actually needs from startups
What separates startups that move forward from the ones that stall?
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
16 trends at Expo West: Convenience, function and ‘feel good’ food redefines innovation and marketing
From packaging breakthroughs and GLP-1-friendly formulations to regenerative claims and sensory-driven products, brands are balancing health, sustainability and indulgence in a rapidly evolving market
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
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
From 67 no’s to nationwide: How Magic Mind built its functional shot business
Positioned to upgrade coffee, Magic Mind rapidly is scaling its nootropic shot after turning early rejections into nationwide retail traction
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
6 tips to raise capital in 2026 for food-tech
The expectations, red flags and structural hurdles shaping food‑tech fundraising in 2026
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
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Inside the race to reinvent food color: Global Food Tech Awards Americas heat winner pioneers new approach to natural dyes
Award-winning biotech Michroma is using fungi-based fermentation to tackle the cost, supply and performance challenges holding back natural colors
How snack brands can stay resilient in an era of disruption
From GLP-1 drugs and AI to fast-shifting shopper preferences, founders and experts urge snack brands to double down on focus, purpose and agility
3 takeaways on capital fundraising from JPalmer Collective
Capital is returning to CPG, but on new terms: smarter growth, stronger fundamentals
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
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
Global seaweed snack sales could double to $4.66B by 2030
North American and European markets are experiencing the fastest growth in seaweed snacks
Smucker sues Trader Joe’s, as Uncrustables shifts from freezer to fridge
Smucker is retooling its $1B Uncrustables line for ready-to-eat convenience while battling knockoffs in the frozen PB&J arms race
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
PepsiCo cuts prices on Lay’s, Cheetos and Tostitos ahead of Super Bowl
CEO calls the move a ‘surgical investment’ as the company integrates Siete Foods, Poppi and its expanded Celsius partnership while preparing relaunches of Gatorade and Quaker Oats
Trends vs fads: What’s shaping CPG in 2026?
In 2026, longevity – not hype – is the real differentiator
Mondelēz’s CoLab Tech accelerator shines light on the biggest stress points facing the global snack system
As the company reopens applications for its R&D-led accelerator, the focus areas highlight mounting pressure around climate resilience, packaging constraints and shifting consumer expectations
Hellmann’s, Heinz and McCormick dominate the mayo market – but for how long?
Mayonnaise giants are squaring off against better-for-you upstarts like Graza and Chosen Foods in the race to reinvent a creamy classic
Delayed gratification: Will Once Upon A Farm IPO bring investors back to the CPG sector?
As dealmaking slows and capital shifts to AI, the premium children’s food company is testing whether investors still have room for growth-stage CPG by touting its diverse portfolio, household penetration and steady year-over-year growth
What CPG investors want now: Growth, proof points and founders who won’t quit
Top VCs share what gets CPG brands funded
Startup Spotlight
How early-stage food and beverage brands are navigating tight capital in 2026
Early-stage founders share how they’re reinventing indulgent foods while navigating one of the toughest fundraising environments in recent years
Freeze-dried candy craze grows – but not everyone’s winning
Mars, Ferrara ride TikTok-fueled demand while Sow Good restructures to survive
Rethinking ‘clean’ water in the bottled water aisle
For startup Loonen, water isn’t just water - it’s spring-sourced and filtered with an emphasis on minimizing plastic across the supply chain
Startup Spotlight
Whole-cut technology emerges as plant-based meat’s next proving ground
Backed by a $1 million investment from Global Brain, Baltimore-based startup Offbeast is scaling a proprietary fiber assembly process to tackle texture, one of the category’s toughest challenges
AI goes mainstream in food and beverage in 2025
This year’s wave of tools – from trend‑spotting engines to autonomous R&D agents – turned AI into everyday infrastructure for food and beverage
Can AI solve the cocoa crisis? Barry Callebaut is betting on it
Barry Callebaut partners with NotCo AI and Planet A Foods to tackle soaring cocoa prices and regulatory hurdles, leveraging digital formulation tools to future‑proof chocolate
IFT taps AI ‘co-scientist’ to advance food and beverage R&D
CoDeveloper platform mines 85 years of research to help food scientists formulate and reverse-engineer products
What’s coming after stevia? 4 new sweeteners on the horizon
From Finland to Italy, Peru to the UK, four start-ups are on a mission to transform the sugar reduction landscape
Coca-Cola eyes return of bolt-on deals, but is there a viable pipeline?
CEO James Quincey says bolt-on M&A will become a ‘bigger feature’ for Coca-Cola and the larger industry, but the timing hinges on innovation cycles and the beverage giant’s prolonged IRS dispute
Tractor Beverage cultivates new business model with Haymaker
The farmer-focused vinegar-based sparkling tonic launches in 2026 at Sprouts Farmers Market
Cómo No fires up bar culture with caffeinated seltzers
Backed by the minds behind Ilegal Mezcal, Cómo No’s zero-sugar sparkling waters are formulated for cocktails or a sober night out
Pucker mania is spicing up snack shelves … and powering pickle sales
Pickles are big business and experiencing rapid growth through savvy startups and private-label expansion
Big results for small budgets: How Crave Ventures helps emerging CPG brands scale
Service-for-equity model gives founders access to marketing, branding, PR and retail expertise without upfront capital
Better-for-you beverages take the stage at private-label trade show
FedUp Foods and FrshBev exemplify contract manufacturing’s role in functional beverage development
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
What will the M&A landscape look like in 2026 for CPGs?
Seasoned deal advisors share the emerging trends shaping valuations, investor expectations, and what founders must do now to stay competitive
Startup Spotlight
Yough! scales gut-friendly frozen pizza with clean ingredients and specialty retail strategy
From Greek yogurt crust to store shelves, Yough! is navigating the hurdles of scaling a healthier frozen pizza
Startup Spotlight
Third wave hydration: Plink! sparks shift toward flavor-first daily wellness
By putting consumer enjoyment ahead of its sustainability mission, the fizzy electrolyte tablet brand has ushered in an era of daily hydration and in doing so doubled its velocity, expanded distribution and outpaced legacy competitors in natural grocery...
The future of functional food is female: Startup The Cycle taps into huge whitespace with PMS and period relief beverages
Targeting the growing demand for functional products designed by and for women, the startup blends clinical science, tradition and taste to normalize self-care during menstruation
Justin Gold’s second act: Back at Justin’s after Hormel sell-off
Nut butter pioneer hopes to recapture the entrepreneurial spark that made his snack company a category trailblazer
AI helps Hovis, Mars and PepsiCo cut factory downtime
From bread lines to snack plants, manufacturers are turning to artificial intelligence to predict breakdowns and keep production running at full speed
Hormel sells Justin’s brand to private equity firm
Founder Justin Gold and former CEO Peter Burns return to lead next phase of growth
Startup Spotlight
Startup Elavi doubles down on high protein brownies – and retail notices
While a national buy from Whole Foods is the dream for many startups, often a ‘no for now’ will bide time and resources to land on more shelves in the future
Mondelēz-backed Celleste Bio debuts cell-cultured chocolate-grade cocoa butter
The new ingredient is positioned as an ‘insurance policy’ against cocoa supply chain volatility and says the bio-identical ingredient could stabilize supply as climate change strains traditional crops
Winter is coming: Is holiday shopping here already?
A Wisconsin entrepreneur launched a new business during the pandemic to keep herself afloat – now it supports independent foodmakers