Middle East Crisis: FAO Sounds Warning over Fertiliser Supplies
FAO Director‑General Qu Dongyu warned that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are creating a fertilizer shortage that will depress crop yields from late 2024 through 2027. The corridor handles 20‑45% of global agri‑input exports, and delays force farmers to cut or skip applications, lowering harvests. Meanwhile, the FAO Food Price Index rose 1.6% in April to 130.7 points, driven by higher vegetable‑oil and meat prices. Qu urged immediate measures such as alternative trade routes and long‑term diversification away from fossil‑fuel‑based inputs.
How McDonald’s 'Three-for-Three' Strategy Drove Q1 Gains
McDonald’s Q1 2026 earnings highlighted the impact of its “three‑for‑three” strategy—value leadership, breakthrough marketing, and menu innovation. Global system‑wide sales rose 6% and comparable sales climbed 3.8%, delivering a $3.6 billion restaurant margin and a 46% operating margin. The rollout of...
ExportGaGroup Ramps up Shrimp Export Push at SEG, Targeting South America, Middle East, and Beyond
ExportGaGroup, an Ecuadorian white‑shrimp farmer, used Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona to showcase its vertically integrated operation—from hatchery to processing—under its own brands Star Ocean and Shrimp King. The company highlighted a broad product line that includes A2/A3 head‑on, headless, peeled‑and‑deveined...
The Ultimate Gut-Health Grocery List To Boost GLP-1 Naturally
Microbiologist Colleen Cutcliffe explains that a healthy gut microbiome can naturally stimulate GLP‑1, the hormone that curbs appetite and stabilizes blood sugar. She highlights two key strains—Akkermansia muciniphila and Clostridium butyricum—as central to GLP‑1 production. By prioritizing fiber‑rich vegetables, polyphenol‑dense fruits,...
Same Impala?
Super 8’s sixth venue, Impala, opens in London with a striking wood‑oven as its centerpiece, delivering oversized aish baladi bread and a menu that defies single‑cuisine labels. Co‑owner Meedu Saad, former Kiln head chef, infuses Egyptian heritage into the concept while the...
This “Bad” Fat In Dairy Is Not Linked To Heart Disease, Study Shows
A new systematic review and meta‑analysis found that naturally occurring trans fats in dairy do not worsen blood lipid markers or increase cardiovascular disease risk. The analysis covered ten randomized trials comparing high‑trans‑fat dairy to conventional products and twelve long‑term...
Prices Are up, but Mother's Day Still Means Brunch
Mother’s Day spending is forecast to hit a record $38 billion, an 11% jump from last year, driven by strong demand for flowers, cards and dining out. Restaurant reservations are up roughly 30% year‑over‑year, confirming the holiday’s status as the busiest...
Manolin CEO Tony Chen Bets on AI to Reduce Fish Mortality, Transform Aquaculture
Manolin, an aquaculture data‑analytics firm founded in 2018, is deploying user‑friendly AI models to lower fish mortality and improve operational decisions on oyster, salmon and tilapia farms. CEO Tony Chen emphasizes that AI should augment, not replace, farmers' instincts by...
Scottish Salmon Survival Rates Reach New Q1 High Following GBP 1 Billion Investment Push
Scotland’s salmon‑farming industry posted a record 99.03 percent average survival rate for Q1 2026, the highest ever recorded. The improvement follows more than £1 billion (≈$1.4 billion) of investment since 2018 in veterinary care, freshwater‑treatment technology, and monitoring systems. The sector’s stronger fish health...
Whittaker’s Launches New Banana Caramel Block Into Woolworths
Whittaker’s, the New Zealand chocolate maker, has launched a limited‑edition Banana Caramel block in Woolworths stores across Australia. The product combines the brand’s milk chocolate with caramel and natural banana flavoring and retails for $9 per block. This follows the earlier...
Wagalot Launches Dog Food Range Made From Surplus Produce
Australian pet brand Wagalot has introduced Dogood, a premium line of dog treats and meal boosters made from surplus produce rescued from Melbourne’s Prahran Market. Partnering with sustainability specialist Eco Guardians, the range uses on‑site dehydration technology to transform up...
Foodstuffs Launches Soft-Plastic Recycling Trial
New Zealand’s Foodstuffs group has begun a five‑month pilot of a front‑of‑house soft‑plastic compactor developed by Manco Environmental. The system is installed at five stores – four New World locations and one Pak’nSave – in partnership with The Packaging Forum’s...
Meet The Newest Alternative To Caffeine — But Does It Work?
Paraxanthine, the main caffeine metabolite that makes up about 80% of caffeine breakdown, is being marketed as a cleaner, crash‑free stimulant. Early animal research, notably a 2023 rat study, shows a higher lethal dose and fewer adverse effects compared with...
Scientists Tackle Food Waste with More Accurate ‘Sell By’ Dates Based on Meat Microbial Activity
Researchers at Auburn University have developed a machine‑learning model that predicts ground‑beef spoilage by tracking microbial community changes, showing that meat becomes microbiologically unsafe after six days despite current sell‑by dates extending to ten days. The study, funded by a...
Danone to Close US Dairy-Alternatives Factory
Danone announced it will shut its Bridgeton, New Jersey dairy‑alternatives factory on August 4, eliminating about 114 jobs. Production of Silk and So Delicious Dairy Free drinks will be moved to three existing plants in Virginia, Texas and Florida. The closure...
Jubel Rolls Out Lime Lager with Young’s
Jubel has introduced its Lime fruit lager on draught in a select group of Young’s pubs, extending the brand’s on‑trade presence after a Tesco exclusive that began on 20 April. The lime‑flavored brew is the sixth fruit‑lager offering, joining Peach, Grapefruit,...
Yili’s NZ Companies Back to Record Profits After Transformation
Yili Group’s New Zealand operations, now consolidated under the Yili Oceania brand, posted a record $1.29 billion in revenue for 2025, a 14% year‑on‑year increase. The integrated portfolio—including Westland Milk, Oceania Dairy, Canary, Pure Nutrition and Easi Yo—generated $48.1 million in profit, the...
Dutch Bros Q1 Earnings: The Newest Starbucks Rival Faces Its First Big Reality Check
Dutch Bros reported Q1 2026 revenue of $464.4 million, up 30.8% YoY and beating forecasts, while EPS matched expectations at 16 cents. The chain opened 41 new drive‑through locations and raised its full‑year revenue guidance to $2.05‑$2.08 billion, with a target of at...
Trend Tracker: HMO Innovations, Social Commerce Strategies, Sports Nutrition
Regulatory approvals for human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are expanding across Asia‑Pacific, positioning HMOs as a core ingredient in next‑generation infant formulas and promising lower prices. In China, health‑supplement makers such as Haleon’s Centrum and BYHEALTH are intensifying Douyin‑centric e‑commerce and...
Calm in the Chaos: How US Bakers Are Fighting Back on Regulation, Reformulation and a Restless Consumer
U.S. bakers are confronting heightened regulatory scrutiny and rapidly shifting consumer preferences, prompting the American Bakers Association (ABA) to launch an ambitious "Baked for America" communications push. The campaign, funded by IBIE proceeds, seeks to present baking as safe, affordable...
Grate Expectations: The Troubled Quest for Tasty Vegan Cheese
The article examines why vegan cheese remains a niche product, accounting for less than 1% of the U.S. cheese market and seeing a 10% sales decline in 2025. It explains the scientific hurdle: plant proteins cannot replicate casein’s melt‑and‑stretch properties,...
Harrison Ford Launches Limited-Edition Glenmorangie Whisky
Actor Harrison Ford partnered with Glenmorangie to launch a limited‑edition single malt Scotch, developed over several months with the distillery’s Director of Whisky Creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden. The whisky blends the house’s classic bourbon‑cask spirit with a parcel finished in...
St Austell Brewery Launches Plantable Beer Mats
St Austell Brewery, celebrating its 175th year, has introduced biodegradable, seed‑embedded beer mats across its 45 South West pubs. The mats feature QR codes that direct customers to the brewery’s latest sustainability impact report after they finish their drink. The...
Organic Tattva’s New Ad Explores How Food Connects Indians Abroad to Home
Organic Tattva has launched a new digital campaign starring chef Vikas Khanna that spotlights how Indian expatriates use familiar meals to stay connected to home. The film showcases dishes such as sambar and chole bhature, positioning the brand’s organic ingredients as...
Licensing Traps Brands Between Sweetness and Health
Fascinating story. They always relied on licensing. So they were never themselves. Then got stuck between being a candy bar and granola bar.
Hot Right Now: China Health Foods, Alt-Protein Fusion and Tetra Pak Exclusive
Chinese consumers are accelerating demand for gut‑friendly, clean‑label and plant‑based foods, prompting local innovators like Joywin to commercialise inulin fibre from Jerusalem artichoke. Tee Yih Jia is countering a slowdown in the broader plant‑based sector with an “East meets West”...
Xi Home Dumplings and Shogun Sakes Debut Sake-Forward Cocktail Pairing Menu in Spitalfields
Xi Home Dumplings Bay in Spitalfields has teamed with Peckham‑based Shogun Sakes to launch London’s first sake‑forward cocktail pairing menu. Five bespoke drinks, built around Shogun’s additive‑free Pure English Sake, debut on May 1 and are matched to specific Northern Chinese...
Bikaji Promoter Deepak Agarwal’s Family Office Buys 35% Stake in Bengaluru’s The Filter Coffee
Deepak Agarwal’s family office, the promoter of Bikaji Foods, has acquired a 35% stake in Wishvish Foods Pvt Ltd, the parent company of Bengaluru‑based coffee chain The Filter Coffee. The deal is being funded in tranches, with up to ₹100 crore...
Me&u Founder Stevan Premutico’s New Startup Is Tackling Another Restaurant Pain Point: Phone Calls
Stevan Premutico, the founder behind Dimmi and me&u, has launched Hey Buddy, a voice‑AI platform that answers restaurant phone calls and converts them into reservations. In Australia, about one‑third of restaurant calls go unanswered—over 22 million missed calls annually—resulting in lost...
Subway Boss Shane Bracken Exits Sandwich Chain
Shane Bracken has stepped down as managing director of Subway ANZ after a four‑year tenure. During his time, he highlighted a strategic pivot toward a more digitised customer experience, emphasizing partnerships with third‑party delivery platforms. Bracken brought a blend of...
Reworking Formulation with ADM
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) highlighted five reformulation pillars—cleaner label, less sugar, more protein, less sodium, and optimized fat—to meet rising consumer demand for healthier food and beverage options. The company showcased new products, such as a zero‑sugar tribiotic soda and...
Almanac Beer Co. Flow
Almanac Beer Co. partnered with Aircapture to launch Flow – Clean Air Edition, a beer carbonated with CO₂ captured directly from the atmosphere using a modular Direct Air Capture (DAC) unit installed on the brewery floor. The system delivers 99.999% beverage‑grade CO₂,...
Salmonella Tainted Powdered Milk Causes More Food Recalls
A wave of product recalls has been triggered after testing linked powdered milk to Salmonella contamination. Stoltzfus Family Dairy withdrew several 8‑oz bags of sour‑cream & onion cheese curds, JCB Flavors pulled its Wildlife Seasoning sour‑cream topping (lot 057596), and...
Packaging EPR Reports Due May 31: What Producers Need to Do Now
Producers of packaging must file state‑specific extended producer responsibility (EPR) reports by May 31, 2026, with California extending the deadline to June 1 for its annual and baseline supply filings. The Circular Action Alliance (CAA) administers reporting portals for six states, while California...
McDonald's on Track for 50,000 Global Restaurants by 2025
McDonald's $MCD said its on pace to get to ~50,000 restaurants globaly by the end of next year
Regulated Hemp Drinks Boost Access, Cut Youth Use
Low-dose hemp beverages have been available everywhere in liquor stores and even grocery stores since 2023. Legalization and proper regulation has led to youth cannabis usage to fall.
Tasty Awards: Violife on Solving the ‘Tension Between Taste & Nutrition’ with Plant-Based Dairy
Violife captured the most honors at the 2026 Tasty Awards, with four of its plant‑based products rated as good or better than their dairy counterparts. The brand credits its success to a simple coconut‑oil ingredient list, transparent labeling, and an...
Berlin’s CODA Teams with Jordi Roca for One‑Day $740 Pastry Event
Berlin’s two‑Michelin‑star restaurant CODA will host world‑renowned pastry chef Jordi Roca for a single‑day, €680 ($740) tasting menu on 30 May 2026. The collaboration marks CODA’s 10th anniversary and pairs Roca’s theatrical desserts with René Frank’s vegetable‑forward, sugar‑free approach.
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What Are Sulfites—And Should You Avoid Sulfite-Rich Foods?
Registered dietitians clarify that sulfites are widely used preservatives that appear naturally in foods like wine and fermented vegetables and are added to many processed products. For the majority of consumers they pose no health risk, but individuals with asthma...
Wendy's Co (WEN) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Wendy's reported an 8.3% decline in global system‑wide sales for the quarter, driven primarily by an 11.3% drop in U.S. same‑restaurant sales. International markets continued to expand, posting a 6.2% sales increase and marking the 21st consecutive quarter of growth....
Arla Foods Ingredients: How Aeration Is Reshaping Texture in High-Protein Bars
Arla Foods Ingredients unveiled its AirBar concept, an aerated protein‑bar solution that injects stable air into a milk‑protein blend to create a lighter, fluffier texture. The technology addresses a growing consumer appetite for novel textures, with 60% of shoppers rating...
RC Cola Zero Sugar Film via GIGIL Philippines Shows Zero Doesn’t Mean Less
RC Cola launched its Zero Sugar variant with a cinematic film crafted by GIGIL Philippines. The spot follows a man who discovers a "zero" coin that transforms his surroundings into zeros, culminating in him drinking the new product. The creative...
Hong Kong Restaurants Can Apply for Dog-Friendly Permits From May 18
Hong Kong’s Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will accept applications from May 18 to June 8 for dog‑friendly licences, allowing restaurants larger than 20 square metres to admit pets. The first batch of permits is slated for approval in mid‑June, with dogs permitted...
Report: Valentine’s Day Tops Spending in the City of Sydney During First Quarter of the Year
The City of Sydney’s economic monitor shows Valentine’s Day was the top‑spending day in Q1, with $61.8 million AUD (≈$40.8 million USD) spent – 45% above the February daily average. Overall dining out reached $863 million AUD (≈$570 million USD), up 7.9% year‑on‑year, while...
How To Spot Fake Wagyu Beef A Mile Away
Wagyu beef sold in the United States often carries a loose label, allowing cross‑bred cattle with minimal Wagyu genetics to be marketed as premium meat. Genuine, pure‑bred Wagyu—primarily from Japan or Australia—commands prices above $200 per pound, with a 5‑ounce...
Our Food Is Already Saturated with Toxins
We're closer than you think. Right now, you can't even eat too much of many species of fish because of metals. Your produce definitely has pesticides and we all know about the hormones in beef and, by extension, dairy.
PepsiCo Talks Bubly’s Expansion Into Soda Category with Bubly POP
PepsiCo introduced Bubly POP, a low‑sugar soda, in Canada on April 22, positioning it as the brand’s natural next step beyond sparkling water. The beverage contains three grams of sugar or less per 355 ml can, real fruit juice and no artificial colours,...
Mother's Day 2026: How Grocers Are Marking the Occasion
Canadian grocers are turning Mother’s Day into an experiential shopping event. Eataly will host a spring‑inspired Festa with hands‑on pasta and tiramisu classes in Yorkville and Sherway Gardens. Farm Boy is offering a pre‑ordered, chef‑prepared brunch kit and ready‑gift floral...
DoorDash Reports Record Membership Signups, New High for Monthly Active Users in Q1
DoorDash reported $4 billion in Q1 2026 revenue, a 33% year‑over‑year increase, alongside a 27% jump in orders to 933 million. Adjusted EBITDA rose 28% to $754 million, and the company posted record membership signups and its highest monthly active‑user count. Growth was...
Vegan Kale Caesar Salad Recalled because of Undeclared Sesame
Market of Choice is recalling its 9.5‑ounce Vegan Kale Caesar Salad after discovering undeclared sesame, an allergen that can trigger severe reactions. The affected units, with expiration dates from April 20 to May 8 2026, were sold in Oregon stores between April 16 and...