Big food M&A: when is it a threat to competition in the EU?
Mergers face scrutiny over whether they prevent competition
Innovation & NPD
Chewy, gooey, crunchy or creamy: do consumers value texture?
Texture is being prioritised in much product innovation, especially in confectionery
Top 5 flavour trends in dairy
From dessert-inspired indulgence to tropical wellness, where is flavour innovation headed? A look at the latest releases charts the path forward
Up the food chain
Mosa Meat’s Mark Post on the first lab-grown burger and the future of cultivated meat
The Mosa Meat CSO talks about the early days of cultivated meat, overcoming its technical challenges and why the world needs it
How texture is elevating dairy and alt dairy
From playful crunch to decadent smoothness, brands are increasingly leaning on textural cues to give their products a premium feel
Is big business done with food?
Unilever and IFF are not the only companies viewing food segments as less attractive
Doritos without drivers? PepsiCo’s autonomous truck rollout sparks logistics debate
PepsiCo’s driverless truck experiment promises faster, cheaper deliveries, but it’s also exposing a growing battle over jobs, safety and the future shape of food supply chains
Up the food chain
The secret duo shaping global FMCG innovation
They don’t front the brands, but this Nottingham duo is quietly shaping what the world eats next
Fibre surge driven by gut health and functional boom
Once neglected in favour of protein, fibre love has entered the mainstream
Do GLP-1s dull taste or enhance it?
How GLP-1s influence taste is a complex picture. Here’s what food and beverage manufacturers need to know
Climate Smart Food: Is sustainability good for business?
FoodNavigator and AgNavigator’s new event will explore the business case for sustainability
Mondelēz ignites airport buzz with Milka x Monopoly campaign
Mondelēz teams up with Monopoly for limited-edition Milka campaign to drive category growth
Up the food chain
Mondelēz International R&D VP Ian Noble: Food must innovate or decline
The snacking giant’s innovation lead talks sustainability, the future of cocoa and his love of ‘how things work’
Kraft Heinz ploughs investment into major brands as split remains paused
The company is putting money into pricing and reinvesting in its biggest names
Mars vs Hershey: Snickers takes cheeky swipe at Reese’s
Mars turns confectionery rivalry into content gold, with bold new Snickers campaign
Nestlé doubles down on growth in bold strategy shift
Nestlé resets growth strategy with shift away from price hikes and back towards volumes, brands and execution
Barry Callebaut sharpens strategy amid cocoa volatility
Barry Callebaut shifts strategy with new Focus for Growth plan
Mars doubles down on premiumisation to drive growth
Mars is ramping up its premium strategy as demand for high-quality indulgence accelerates
Is hojicha the next flavour megatrend?
Is hojicha quietly positioning itself as matcha’s successor? From drinks to desserts, this green tea is gaining momentum and the industry is taking notice
Mars taps reality TV for experiential M&M’s push
Confectionery brands are ditching traditional ads for immersive experiences as culture‑led campaigns reshape how sweets engage shoppers
Confectionery trends: Balancing better-for-you trends and indulgence
Cargill joins alternative chocolate race with Barry Callebaut and Nestlé amid cocoa volatility
By upcycling grape seeds, Cargill’s new NextCoa offers CPG brands a vegan, allergen-free option as major manufacturers hedge against soaring cocoa costs
Does cultivated coffee have a future?
With pressure on conventional coffee production, coffee grown in a lab is one alternative that could ease demand
Where brands should focus their AI strategy now
AI’s real value may lie in helping consumers choose – not discover
Can renewable energy make food production easier?
In Iceland, geothermal energy powers the food sector
Is the Magnum Ice Cream Company ready to thrive?
Recent chatter about private equity interest has brought the company’s performance into focus
Will cocoa alts ever be sexy? Hershey backlash opens the debate
As cocoa markets fluctuate, Hershey’s controversy shows that while alt-chocolate is advancing fast, taste and transparency remain make-or-break for consumers
Wonka returns as Ferrero taps into experiential marketing boom
Ferrero is bringing Wonka back in bold new strategy – blending limited-edition treats, cross-category innovation and a major new Netflix partnership
Can foods make consumers feel full like GLP-1s?
Many hope to replicate the impact of GLP-1s on satiety through food
Confectionery’s biggest new innovations for 2026 announced
Ferrero and Hershey among winners of the 2026 Most Innovative New Product Awards
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
Mars signals new era for confectionery with bold launches and digital focus
Mars redefines confectionery with innovative flavours, new formats and a digital-first shopping strategy
Personalised taste: Is this the future of food?
The food sector aims to target consumer by geography and by demographic, giving them the flavours they want
Mars powers production growth with $253.6m smart factory investment
Mars bets on smart manufacturing, using £190m UK factory upgrade to boost output and strengthen grip on global confectionery and snacking market
Big players in cultivated meat: Who are the survivors?
Many cultivated meat companies have gone under – which ones are left?
Mars, Mondelēz, Ferrero, Nestlé and Hershey: Rethinking confectionery innovation
From viral chocolates to cultural collaborations, confectionery innovation is entering a new experience‑led era
Hershey’s bets on AI to power growth
From marketing spend to manufacturing and innovation, AI is quietly reshaping confectionery
Why is plant-based dairy doing so much better than plant-based meat?
While the two formats both provide vegan alternatives to animal-sourced products, one is a clear winner in terms of market share
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…
Mars rewrites confectionery marketing playbook with NYX partnership
Confectionery giant Mars signals new era of culture-led marketing campaigns with latest collaboration
Mosa Meat and Vow supplier bets on barley to cut cultivated meat costs
Orf Genetics supplies growth factors to many key players in the industry
5 food and drink innovations shaping the industry’s next growth wave
Smart insight is driving innovation to the next level, whether it’s how to better tap into GLP-1 nutrition or the rise of frozen snacks, manufacturers are getting clever
The next matcha? Ube surges in popularity
Health, clean-label status and recognisability have made the ingredient stand out
New product development
Just launched: Aldi, meat-free, avocado pots, protein cheese and more…
Functional dairy, hybrid comfort foods and plant-based reinvention showcase how brands are leaning into nutrition-led indulgence, playful formats and new consumption occasions
Amazonian cocoa’s untapped health benefits revealed
Could cocoa fermentation be doing more than shaping flavour? New research hints at untapped nutritional potential in Amazonian beans
Meat substitutes are only a small part of the plant-based market
Plant-based meat gets all the attention, but it’s actually traditional foods that dominate the sector
10 iconic food and drink brands that flopped worldwide
From New Coke to Crystal Pepsi, even the biggest brands can fail fast
Parima gets green light for cultivated duck
The French company has achieved its second regulatory approval in Singapore
Gen Alpha and Beta: Functional food and beverage’s next big bet
Kids and teens power next growth phase for functional foods and beverages
Opinion
Fermentation waste could be food industry goldmine
What if fermentation waste became the most valuable fibre source yet
Flavour trends in 2026: What’s up and what’s down?
Consumers are seeking bold and brash flavours and combinations