Look ahead: What does 2025 have in store for Europe's food and drink?
2024 proved another turbulent year for EMEA food and drink
Packaging & labelling
Why was the UN plastic pollution treaty postponed?
Talks in South Korea to develop an international framework on plastic pollution were pushed to next year. Why?
How microplastics affect gut health
How, and why, do microplastics alter the microbiome?
COP29: Was food sector progress made?
COP29 has drawn to a close. How significant was its progress towards making food more sustainable?
Raft of expensive food labelling requirements could hit sector
The European Commission is expected to favour a series of new food labelling recommendations set to pile additional costs onto food and drink makers.
Big Interview
Innovation is not dead - Mars Food and Nutrition R&D head on the future of big food
“There’s no better time to be in food than now,” believes Mars Food & Nutrition global VP for R&D Karina Zimerfeld
The 3 big focus food and drink ingredients trends
Three macro trends will dominate the food and drinks sector – and ingredients landscape – in the year ahead, as FoodNavigator reveals.
Start-up pitch
How Senoptica Technologies is fighting food waste with smart packaging
Food waste is a serious issue for the planet and a major threat to food security. Senoptica Technologies claims to hold a solution to one of the many flaws in the food system – ‘use by’ dates.
Why understanding allergens should be top priority for F&B manufacturers
Undeclared allergens in food and beverage products can be deadly. So why are allergen-related recalls still happening? What is industry doing to prevent them? And what NPD opportunities are being missed?
NPD Trend Tracker: From Royal whisky to festive fun
Discover the latest innovations from the world of food and beverage.
Silver economy: Ultimate growth market sparking NPD in F&B
The ageing population is growing fast, leading to a flurry of NPD, as F&B brands innovate to cater to this growing consumer group.
How to identify and engage with your target market
Creating and building brand awareness, with potential customers, is essential to success. Here’s how to recognise and connect with your target market.
Nestlé cuts profit predictions amid weak market and board reshuffle
Nestlé is making senior leadership and operational changes as the global food behemoth trims its full-year sales forecast again due to a weak market.
From black lime to Celtic salt: 10 radical F&B trends for 2025
These new top food and drink trends for 2025 are off the wall, featuring dramatic dried citrus, exotic spices for coffee and hormone-balancing cuisines. So, what will consumers be chowing down on next year?
EUDR and getting it right: Four lessons from the RSPO
Broad unpreparedness led the world to rebel against EUDR’s enforcement. Now the clock could be reset for another 12 months, what can the global supply chain do to reach compliance?
Brands risk forgoing their cultural research – as Heinz recently learned
The slightest sniff of cultural insensitivity will generate social uproar, as Heinz recently experienced with a now withdrawn pasta sauce advert. But what is the real risk to FMCG brands of not doing their culture homework?
Future Food-Tech 2024
How two start-ups are improving food safety and quality with innovation
Food safety and quality are two sides of the same coin. But how is the process of making food not only safe but beneficial for the consumer being made more efficient?
NPD Trend Tracker: From alcoholic advent calendars to protein ball multipacks
This week, classic brand Innocent Drinks redesigns its packaging, the Protein Ball Co. releases its products in multipack form, and the Craft Gin Club releases a range of advent calendars for Christmas. Plus, Sauce Shop fuses east and west with its new...
How Diageo is cutting Scope 3 emissions through packaging
Diageo is aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions through changes and reductions in packaging.
Why did the food industry oppose ‘not for EU’ labelling in GB?
Plans to extend the ‘not for EU’ labelling across the whole of Great Britain have been dropped after opposition from the food industry.
EUDR: Are Unilever, Nestlé, Mars, Mondelēz & Danone ready?
As the clock ticks down three months to go until EUDR, FoodNavigator reviews how ready food and drink giants like Unilever, Mondelēz International and Danone are for the industry-shaking regulation.
How to find ingredient and packaging suppliers
Ingredients and packaging materials will form the very foundation of your brand, so getting them right is essential. Here’s how to find the right suppliers and build successful relationships.
Can microchipping make people recycle more? Tech company's chips can be used for intelligent packaging
One Tech company's silicon-free chips can both store information to tell consumers how to recycle a product, and tell manufacturers how often the product is recycled.
Is food and beverage doing enough to combat climate change?
The food and beverage industry is a major contributor to climate change. So, what is it doing to prevent it, and is it enough?
Governments urged to push reusable packaging policies
Local governments are being pressed to push reusable packaging mandates on food and drink businesses across European towns and cities.
EUDR delay calls mount as world turns on Commission’s plans
No fewer than 45 countries, including the USA, and industry leaders have called for an EUDR delay as the sector rattles towards a deadline many have stressed it is ill-prepared for.
Rustic food trend leaves fine dining in the dark
Consumers are turning away from fancy foods in favour of more hearty meals. So, what’s sparked this new trend and what does it mean for the industry?
Why is Danone removing Nutri-Score?
After a change in Nutri-Score’s algorithm, Danone has announced it will remove the front-of-pack labelling from some of its products. Why?
Consumer pressure for certification is driving regulation change
Certifications and regulations put pressure on industry to conform to certain standards. But why do they occur in the first place? Consumer demand may be the key.
What are the barriers to innovation in food and beverage?
Many of food and beverage's greatest innovations are born from from start-ups. But why is innovation on a decline and what's the future of food and drink NPD?
Opinion
Penny’s new packs brilliant for shoppers but brutal for manufacturers
Penny Germany’s new eye-catching, special-edition price-marked packaging of five own-label products is bold and brilliant for consumers. But for manufacturers, it’s a slap in the face.
Big Interview
Mondelēz Snackfutures’ head on staying attractive to investors
He may well be one of snacking’s most influential men. So, an audience with Mondelēz International’s Snackfutures Ventures boss, Richie Gray, could indeed be the making or breaking of a business.
How food and beverage is innovating to safeguard food security
The food and beverage industry is throwing out the rule book to create new, sustainable systems, which will protect food security for future generations. Discover how at Climate Smart Food 2024.
Which cheeses still use animal rennet?
Animal rennet is still prevalent in many of Europe’s cheeses, despite a shift towards vegetarian rennet. Geographical indicators are a key reason why.
Mondelēz hints cocoa cost positivity as it hikes product prices
Mondelēz International bosses have cautiously signalled further cocoa pricing stability while at the same time the sweets and snacks giant prepares to push higher prices across its products.
How are manufacturers making sugar reduction tech pay?
Sugar reduction has become a necessary part of food and beverage manufacture, but what technology is being used and how does it affect sales?
How to effectively label your food product
Front- and back-of-pack food and nutrition information is essential. Here’s how to ensure the details are legally tight to not only attract customers, but to keep them safe.
Do film tie-ins boost sales?
Many film studios use tie-ins with food and beverage brands to market their motion pictures. But does this drive sales for the food and beverage products themselves?
Are phthalates linked to reduced fertility?
Phthalates are highly useful chemical compounds often used to soften plastic to make it more flexible. They have also been linked to a range of negative health effects.
Can front-of-pack labelling improve consumer perceptions of products in plastic packaging?
When a healthy product is encased in plastic packaging, this can negatively affect consumer perceptions of the product. Can front-of-pack labelling mitigate this?
NPD Trend Tracker: From Belizean rum to drought-resistent beer
This week, we have a range of beverages, from beer using drought-resistant 'fonio grain', energy drinks made by Estonia's oldest brewery, and rum developed from raw materials on Belizean farms.
The demand for ‘clean label’ meat alternatives?
With many consumers classing plant-based meats as ultra-processed, the race is on for manufacturers to ‘clean up’ labels.
Why are gluten-free products more expensive?
Gluten-free products are typically more expensive than those containing gluten. A cost-of-living crisis has exacerbated the problem.
Inside Europe’s fight against fake olive oil
Squeezed supplies and higher prices have triggered a spate of olive oil fraud across Europe in recent months, with a knock-on impact on producers and consumers.
How to produce a clean-label beverage with a long shelf life
Without artificial additives, ensuring that products have a long shelf-life is more challenging.
Strawberry yields forever? The impact of high temperatures on strawberries
Strawberries are one of a wide range of crops impacted by the high temperatures of climate change.
Should extra virgin olive oil receive Nutri-Score ‘A’?
Since extra virgin olive oil boasts multiple health benefits, is it deserving of a higher Nutri-Score ranking?
Luxury food trend: How brands can benefit
The luxury food trend is thriving. We find out why and discover what manufacturers can do to embrace it.
Does Eco-Score create a halo effect?
Eco-Score aims to inform consumers about the environmental impact of a product. But can it positively influence their perceptions in other areas? In other words, does it create a halo effect?
Smart packaging that fights food waste
Packaging that lowers food waste? It seems too good to be true but scientists say it’s possible, in fact, it already exists!