Sweeteners and the microbiome: What do we know?
Sweeteners are under growing scrutiny as research explores their impact on the gut microbiome. What does the science currently tell us and should F&B be worried?
Trends & Analysis
Do consumers actually like pumpkin spice?
The ingredient signals the arrival of autumn every year
UPF meta-analysis lands as industry debates definitions
UPF risks mount, but safe consumption levels remain unclear amid divided definition debate
CP Foods taps protein boom with chicken and egg push
As protein demand grows beyond traditional categories, CP Foods is still determined to grow conventional chicken and egg sectors via format innovation and accessibility enhancement
5 ways GLP-1s are reshaping how consumers eat
The way people eat is changing. This is only the beginning
Nestlé Russia vows to continue despite state intervention
Nestlé Russia to continue operations under state-appointed management after Kremlin seized control of assets
5 ways the EU is transforming food and agriculture
The EU is committing to food innovation and boosting the adoption of new technologies
Rising food inflation to hit hard as impacts of Iran War and El Niño converge
Climate and geopolitical pressures are set to drive UK food inflation upwards into 2027 and beyond, according to the latest figures from the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).
Move out the whey, egg white protein is coming
Manufacturers may need to look beyond the typical proteins that have dominated the food and drink sector in recent years as demand for natural, high-protein products continues to grow. Having taken off in the US, could egg white protein be the next big...
Leading manufacturers commit to reporting on healthy food sales in letter to Downing Street
Five of the biggest names in UK food and drink manufacturing have committed to introducing healthy food sales reporting from next year.
Tesco distribution workers secure pay rise amid strike threat
Thousands of Tesco distribution workers have secured a pay rise after accepting an improved offer from the retailer.
Speed obsession is killing food innovation
There is no question that R&D teams need to move faster, but speed cannot come at the expense of product quality. To succeed, R&D innovation needs to be both faster and deeper, writes R&D expert Deirdre Walters.
McVitie’s latest global brand to bet on localisation for China growth
McVitie’s is expanding beyond biscuits in China with local-specific snacks, customised flavours and tailored formats
4 common additives in plant-based meat (and potential clean-label alternatives)
With plant-based meat under pressure to clean up its labels, what kind of benefits could alternatives offer?
Is food investing enough in climate adaptation?
As heat and drought hit production, climate change is no longer a future threat to prepare for, but a present reality to adapt to
GLP-1 prescriptions for young children up 310-fold
GLP-1 use among US children has risen rapidly, signalling a shift that Europe should watch closely
Nestlé shifts strategy from scale to execution
Coffee, Petcare and emerging markets at centre of Nestlé’s new strategy as the food giant moves away from growth through scale
FDF tells Downing Street to prioritise existing reforms and shelve new advertising plans
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is sounding the alarm over the UK’s food resilience, with inflation set to rise further ahead of Christmas.
What could an EU UPF definition look like?
Not much is known about how the definition will turn out, but there are a few indications
Science vs politics: Kiwi’s long road to EU health-claim approval
It took four years after Europe’s food-safety scientists backed green kiwifruit’s digestive-health claim for regulators in Brussels to approve it, raising the bigger question: What happens when the science is settled, but the politics are not?
Tesco bets on Redefine Meat: Is plant-based meat making a comeback?
Between 2019 and 2021, the plant-based market saw a period of rapid growth, before taking a sharp nosedive just a couple of years later. But with Tesco expanding its range and sales returning to growth, is the sector finally on the road to recovery?
Defra warned over lack of readiness for major food supply chain disruptions
A new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) is calling on the government to work more closely with households, communities and industry to bolster food resilience.
3 ways A-brands can win in a private label world
Sales for private labels are outperforming branded products across Europe, growing more than 50% faster. While that may be a worrying figure for brand owners to digest, there are still ways to win.
Mondelēz, PepsiCo and pladis to take part in circular packaging trial
The trial aims to prepare the industry for PPWR recycled packaging minimums that will be introduced in 2030
Should food businesses stay private?
Many food giants have not gone public, but there are advantages and disadvantages to this route
Will M&S venture into pet food pay off?
Marks & Spencer is branching out into the pet food sector for the very first time in its illustrious 142-year history as a retailer.
Two dead as UK salmonella cases rise to almost 500
Almost 500 people have now fallen ill as a nationwide outbreak of salmonella continues to spread via imported eggs.
Has matcha met its match?
While matcha’s proliferation continues, with the vibrant green tea appearing in almost every iteration imaginable, there’s a new kid on the block. Could this be the new mega trend?
Opinion
Climate change is an existential threat to food
The threat that heat poses to crops is a global problem
Global Top 100 Most Valuable Food Brands 2026 announced
Which food brands are leading the way in 2026? Brand Finance’s latest ranking reveals the biggest names, fastest risers and strongest brands across the global food sector
UK food consumers increasingly shun on-the-go impulse buys
UK consumers are increasingly preparing food at home for on-the-go occasions, according to the latest research from the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).
Why the former McVitie’s boss is betting on private label
Cem Karakaş once ran one of the world’s biggest branded snack groups; now he’s buying into the manufacturers helping retailers challenge them
Will Iraq become PepsiCo’s next Middle East manufacturing hub?
Despite ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, PepsiCo is doubling down on expanding its regional production, with Iraq emerging as a strong focus market
Mondelēz accelerates premiumisation drive
From Cadbury and Oreo to Toblerone and Côte d’Or, Mondelēz encourages consumers to trade up as it doubles down on premiumisation
Premier warned that planned plant closure could cut South African canning capacity in half
Fruit producers in South Africa have spoken out against Premier FMCG’s plans to close a major processing plant.
Russian firm petitions Putin to put Nestlé assets under ‘temporary administration’
A small logistics firm has petitioned Russian president Vladimir Putin to temporarily run the Russian-based assets of Nestlé.
Overturning 7 industry assumptions about the GLP-1 consumer
The newest evidence challenges some of the food industry’s most comfortable conclusions about GLP-1 consumers
Can culturally rooted snacks survive industrial scale?
As regional flavours go global, manufacturers risk engineering away the very character that made them valuable
What do consumers call GLP-1s?
Manufacturers must understand how consumers talk about the drugs to improve marketing effectiveness, product discoverability and consumer engagement
Record drought lays bare the fragility of the UK’s food system. What now for the industry?
With temperatures set to soar to 37°C in London and the South East today, the stark reality of Britain’s drought can no longer be ignored.
Gut health made Yakult famous. Now it must prove it can stay relevant
Yakult helped to create the gut-health category, but it faces stiff competition in an ever-crowded functional market.
Why Nestlé’s factory closure could be first of many
Nestlé’s chocolate factory closure could be a sign of what’s to come for global confectionery production, as manufacturers prioritise scale, flexibility and efficiency
Is speculoos the new Dubai chocolate? Inside Biscoff’s €500m boom
Lotus Bakeries is making its biggest-ever investment to turn soaring demand for speculoos into lasting global growth
Why so many new product ideas are failing
Brands relying on large language models (LLMs) for innovation ideas are serving up a recipe for blandification, writes Dr Nicki Morley, global MD of innovation solutions for Kantar.
Mars-Kellanova: What Brussels really decided about brand power
The EU cleared Mars’ $36bn Kellanova deal without conditions and its reasoning reveals how much bargaining power a brand really has left.
Disastrous drought could leave UK farmers £390M out of pocket
The UK is set to experience its worst cereal and oilseed harvest since national yields were first recorded in 1984.
Why Nestlé Waters chose joint venture over full exit
Nestlé’s decision to sell 50% of its Waters business to Platinum Equity ends months of speculation. But why opt for a joint venture and what does it mean for the future of Peranel?
Protein Ball CEO: Brands must ‘dance with the devil’ on own label
As retailer own label continues to claim a significant portion of the market, we hear from Matt Hunt, CEO of Protein Ball, on how brand manufacturers can turn a threat into an opportunity.
The seasonal launch is dead. What comes next?
Faster trend cycles, retailer demands and shrinking product lifecycles are reshaping food and beverage innovation
From Nestlé to Mars: Why Big Food is embracing contract manufacturing
Outsourcing becomes a priority as CPGs seek greater flexibility, speed and resilience