Know What's Happening in Food and Beverage
Know What's Happening in Food and Beverage
Food and Beverage Pulse
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
Updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans now place seafood at the top of an inverted food pyramid and recommend three servings per week, up from two. Pacific Seafood, the Wild Alaska Sole Association, and the National Fisheries Institute are mobilizing to leverage the guidance through heightened marketing, chef outreach, and educational campaigns. The industry sees the guidance as a catalyst to boost consumer demand, especially in schools where seafood consumption has been minimal. USDA plans to integrate the new recommendations into child‑nutrition programs, further expanding market opportunities.
Virginia has awarded a $248,000 grant to Wanchese Fish Company to expand its blue catfish processing capacity in Suffolk. The funding, part of the Governor’s Blue Catfish Processing, Flash Freezing, and Infrastructure Grant Program, aims to increase annual purchases from...
Arnott's is introducing Bizza Shapes, a new dual‑flavour cracker that combines its classic Barbecue and Pizza tastes in each bite. The oven‑baked snack will hit major Australian supermarkets over the next few months with a recommended retail price of $4....
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has released a Guidance Note on controlling Listeria monocytogenes in ready‑to‑heat meals. The guidance follows 2025 listeriosis outbreaks that sickened nine people in Ireland (one fatality) and 28 in the United States (seven...
Nestlé has partnered with the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health to launch the World Food Academy for Sustainable Food Systems, a free, multi‑partner platform aimed at youth in the Global South. The academy expands on Nestlé’s...
The European Commission released detailed guidance to help businesses apply the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) uniformly across the EU. The document clarifies who qualifies as a manufacturer or producer, defines “packaging,” and outlines enforcement of PFAS limits, single‑use...
Japanese seafood giant Nissui will rename its salmon subsidiary Yumigahama Suisan to Nissui Salmon Co. effective 1 April 2026. The rebrand supports the group’s Good Foods 2030 strategy, specifically the second‑stage Good Foods Recipe 2 focused on supply‑chain resilience. Nissui aims to produce...
California will require folic acid in corn masa products starting Jan 1 2026, making tortillas the first major non‑wheat staple to be fortified nationwide. The mandate, driven by Assembly Bill 1830, forces manufacturers to standardize fortified tortillas across the U.S., effectively turning a...
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will meet senior executives from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons after an earlier attempt to gather the sector was abandoned due to poor retailer response. The rescheduled Downing Street meeting aims to assess how rising energy, fuel and...
Lion has added a strawberry variant to its Kirin Hyoketsu Chu‑hi line, a Japanese‑inspired ready‑to‑drink cocktail. The new 330 ml can contains 6% ABV, under 1 g sugar, and is sold in four‑packs for $26.99 across Australian liquor stores. It joins existing...
GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed for type‑2 diabetes, are rapidly being prescribed for weight management in Australia, with about 500,000 users today and projections that 10% of the population could be on the drugs by 2030. Their appetite‑suppressing effect is...
The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved a general‑level health claim for soy protein, stating that consuming 20–25 g of isolated soy protein daily supports heart health by maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. This aligns Australia and New Zealand with the...
OMG Group announced a new distribution agreement with Sydney‑based Little Marionette, adding the coffee roaster to its matcha supply chain. The deal follows recent partnerships with Japan’s Sandai Group and Food & Dairy Co, giving OMG’s authentic Japanese matcha broader...
Rabobank warns that by 2050 roughly 20% of the world’s arabica coffee‑growing land could be classified as unsuitable due to rising temperatures and erratic rainfall. Currently 8% of existing plantations already face marginal conditions, with Brazil, Colombia and Honduras projected...
Tetra Pak has opened its twelfth Product Development Centre (PDC) in Rayong, Thailand, marking the most innovation‑focused facility in its global network. The centre combines a fully integrated pilot plant for liquid foods with a kitchen‑equipped development lab, enabling products...
Raw Farms, formerly Organic Pastures, has been linked to a string of food‑borne illness outbreaks and product recalls spanning two decades, most recently a 2024 Salmonella outbreak that sickened 171 people. The company repeatedly violated federal food‑safety regulations, prompting a...
The MAHA Action Media Hub will be streamed live on Wednesday, April 1, from 4 pm to 5 pm Eastern Time. The free, public Zoom event brings together a diverse panel—including FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, senior HHS advisors, academic researchers, and...
Beyond Meat, now rebranded as Beyond The Plant Protein Company, reported a record‑low 2025 revenue of $275.5 million, a 15.6% decline year‑over‑year. Gross profit collapsed by 82% and operating losses more than doubled to $332.7 million, including $38.9 million in trademark damages. A...
The CDC and state health agencies linked a multistate Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak to Metabolic Meals deliveries during the week of July 28, 2025. Twenty‑one cases were reported across 13 states, with eight hospitalizations and no fatalities. Investigators identified several meal...
The James Beard Foundation unveiled its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees, spotlighting a diverse slate that includes nine nominations for Los Angeles, four national nods for Philadelphia, and notable entries from Boise, St. Louis, and Mystic. Categories range from Outstanding Hospitality...
Retailers aiming to become produce destinations must invest in staff education to navigate climate‑driven quality swings, rising input costs, and fragile cold‑chain logistics. Shipra Pareek of NSF warns that extreme weather, longer transit times, and labor shortages amplify spoilage and...
Modern soda, a term coined by Walmart in 2024, now emphasizes functional benefits over merely lower sugar. Brands such as Zevia, Olipop and Poppi are adding adaptogens, nootropics and other health‑focused ingredients to stand out. Experts say generic clean‑label claims...
Constellation Brands announced the complete acquisition of HOPWTR, the calorie‑free, hop‑infused sparkling water it first invested in through its venture arm in 2021. The deal adds HOPWTR to Constellation’s expanding non‑alcoholic lineup, which already includes Corona Non‑Alcoholic and Modelo Chelada...
McCormick reported first‑quarter revenue of $1.87 billion, topping analysts' $1.79 billion estimate, while adjusted earnings reached 66 cents per share versus the forecasted 59 cents. Volume slipped 0.7% but price increases of 1.9% lifted margins, offsetting higher tariff costs. The company reaffirmed its 2026...
Papa Johns has introduced a new line of oven‑toasted sandwiches built on ciabatta‑style bread, debuting three varieties—Philly Cheesesteak, Chicken Bacon Ranch, and Steak & Mushroom. Each sandwich retails for $7.99, with a reduced price of $6.99 when customers pair two...
William T. Boothby, nicknamed “Cocktail” Boothby, rose from a colorful early career to dominate San Francisco’s bar scene in the late 1800s and authored the seminal guide ‘Cocktail Boothby’s American Bartender’ in 1891. His flamboyant self‑promotion and political connections helped him secure...
Industrial bakeries are testing hydrolytic enzymes to directly reduce bitterness in bread, shifting flavour at the molecular level rather than masking it. Early internal trials report up to a 62% drop in perceived bitterness, especially in sandwich and toast breads...
Kiki Couchman, co‑founder of Sourmilk, has spent the past 14 months building a gut‑health focused Greek yogurt brand that is now stocked in New York grocery aisles. She and partner Elan Halpern left tech and finance jobs in early 2025 to...
The Environmental Working Group’s annual Dirty Dozen list returned this spring, sparking renewed debate over pesticide residues versus actual health risk. While the list now incorporates EPA toxicity scores, critics argue it still ignores dose‑response risk assessment, and USDA data...
Wendy's has refreshed its Spicy Chicken Sandwich, swapping the classic coating for a panko‑style breading infused with nine spices and a new Southern‑inspired mayonnaise. The sandwich now arrives on a toasted potato bun, and the same upgrades extend to the...
Taco Bell is launching its first Global Taco Vote, letting U.S. Rewards members choose between a Thai‑inspired Kickin' Chicken Taco and an Indian Butter Chicken Taco for a limited‑time rollout later this year. Voting runs daily from March 26 through April 1...
Brazilian superfood leader SAMBAZON, which controls roughly half of the global açaí market, is leveraging its unique jungle‑based processing plant to accelerate growth in Japan and the Middle East. Sales in Japan have tripled over the past two years, while...
Hunter Foods rolled out ultra‑spicy premium chips aimed at true chilli lovers across the Middle East, while UAE‑based Farm Fresh introduced matcha‑infused chicken nuggets, signaling a push toward bold, functional snacking. Estonia is leveraging its ‘Northern Standard’ brand to meet...
The IFE Manufacturing 2026 trade show in London highlighted a surge in functional beverages, protein‑forward snacks and GLP‑1‑influenced product concepts. Exhibitors demonstrated clean‑label innovations such as ultrasound‑processed sugar‑free bars, seaweed snacks and allergen‑free spreads, while emphasizing global flavor profiles. Consumer...
Iran has instituted a formal toll and vetting regime in the Strait of Hormuz, charging up to $2 million per vessel and effectively barring Western-bound fertilizer cargoes. The move has driven benchmark urea prices up 68% to $681 per metric ton...
An FDA investigation has linked nine E. coli O157:H7 infections across California, Texas, and Florida to Raw Farm‑brand raw cheddar cheese, with more than half of the patients younger than five. Whole‑genome sequencing shows the isolates are genetically related, confirming a common...
Restaurant operators are boosting technology and AI budgets despite shrinking margins, with 48% of brands planning higher tech spend in 2026. Guest traffic is falling for 57% of operators and 67% of quick‑service restaurants, prompting a focus on order‑flow efficiency....
Wendy's has been named the Official Dunks of the NCAA March Madness, launching a two‑phase Dunks Menu and a sweepstakes called Dunkstakes. The menu pairs classic Frosty desserts with Hot & Crispy Fries, later adding nuggets or Tendys for dunking....
Morus, a silkworm‑protein company, is expanding across ASEAN by marketing DNJ capsules, protein powders and SilkMatcha as food‑as‑medicine solutions for metabolic health. The firm leverages silkworms’ glucose‑modulating DNJ, vitamins and minerals to address blood‑sugar, hypertension and gut‑health concerns. Its strategy...
Danone announced a $1.1 billion acquisition of British meal‑replacement brand Huel, signaling a deeper push into the plant‑based sector. Frozen‑food startup Laoban raised $7.2 million to expand beyond dumplings into broader Asian categories. Unilever is reportedly negotiating the sale of its food...
The European Private Label Awards 2026 announced winners across 20 categories, showcasing the growing strength of store‑brand products in Europe. Italian retailer Conad topped the list with four awards, while Aldi Nord secured two wins in personal care and snacking....
Danone has agreed to acquire plant‑based meal‑replacement brand Huel for €1 billion, marking its biggest foray into the functional‑nutrition space. The deal integrates Huel’s digital‑first, subscription‑based model with Danone’s global manufacturing, R&D, and distribution network, accelerating the group’s “Renew” strategy to...
Danone and Arcor have created a 50:50 joint dairy venture in Argentina, merging Danone Argentina’s dairy business, Mastellone Hermanos’ La Serenísima operations, and Logística La Serenísima. The combined entity will target high‑margin categories such as cheese, butter, yogurts, creams and desserts while...
