Vietnam Halts Food Safety Overhaul — but Reform Remains on Agenda
Vietnam’s ambitious overhaul of its food‑safety law was halted after the April 6 deadline due to inadequate testing infrastructure, staffing shortages, and port bottlenecks that left thousands of containers stranded. The Vietnamese Food Administration postponed the reforms until at least April 15, later suspending them entirely while ministries prepare a revised draft for year‑end approval. The pause keeps existing 2018 regulations in force but signals that tighter inspections, labeling rules, and e‑commerce controls remain on the agenda. Companies are urged to use the extra time to ready their compliance programs for the eventual changes.
Dairy Queen Trials AI Drive‑thru Ordering, Targets 99% Accuracy
JUST IN: Dairy Queen will test AI ordering at drive-thrus, aiming for at least 99% accuracy.
Chizmozza: From a Cheese Cart Idea to a 10-Year Success Story
Chizmozza celebrated its 10th anniversary, growing from a single cheese cart in 2016 to over 70 branches nationwide. Founder Marydae Hannah Ramos handled everything from recipe development to construction, often learning on the job. The brand survived the 2020 COVID‑19...
British Pubs Closing at a Rate of Almost Two per Day in 2026
British pubs are closing at an alarming pace, with roughly two venues shutting each day in the first quarter of 2026 – 161 closures across England, Scotland and Wales. The wave has erased about 2,400 jobs, following 336 closures recorded...
Ravioli Recalled From Costco Stores because of Undeclared Allergens
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert after consumer complaints revealed that Giovanni Rana’s beef‑and‑burrata ravioli sold at Costco actually contained shrimp and lobster. The shellfish allergens were not listed on the label, violating...
U.S. Dietary Guidelines Raise Protein Targets as Consumer Demand Hits Record High
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released revised Dietary Guidelines that increase recommended protein intake to 1.2‑1.6 g per kilogram of body weight. The change aligns with a cultural boom in protein consumption, where 70% of Americans say protein...
Paula Gutiérrez Wins Chef of the Year at Alimentaria Barcelona, Elevating Spain's Peruvian Cuisine
Paula Gutiérrez, 26, was crowned Chef of the Year after winning the prestigious competition at Alimentaria Barcelona. The award spotlights her leadership at Tayta, a six‑table Peruvian restaurant in Salamanca now expanded to ten staff, and underscores the growing influence...
Singapore, New Zealand Ink Supply‑Chain Pact to Safeguard Fuel, Food, Medical Goods
Singapore and New Zealand signed the Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies, committing to keep fuel, food, medical and construction goods moving during crises. The deal ties roughly one‑third of New Zealand’s fuel needs to Singapore refineries and secures about 14% of...
“Looming Waste Crisis”: NSW Businesses Must Separate Food Waste From 1 July
From 1 July 2026, New South Wales businesses that sell or handle food must separate food waste from other refuse, targeting restaurants, cafes, pubs and similar venues. The law applies to sites handling six or more 660‑litre bins, 16 or more 240‑litre...
Vitafoods Europe 2026 Live: Multi-Benefit Beverages Revolutionizing Functional Drinks
Vitafoods Europe 2026 highlighted a rapid shift toward multi‑benefit functional beverages, as consumers demand drinks that combine gut health, energy, protein and other claims in a single format. Sugar reduction has become a baseline expectation, forcing brands to solve taste,...
Portillos Inc (PTLO) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Portillo's reported Q1 2026 revenue of $185.7 million, a modest 0.6% increase driven solely by non‑comparable restaurant openings, while same‑restaurant sales slipped 3.3% as transaction counts fell. Commodity, labor and occupancy costs rose, compressing restaurant‑level adjusted EBITDA margin to 21.8% and...
Functional Food Fortification: Agrana Reveals Evolving Role of Fruit Preparations in Dairy
Agrana is positioning its fruit preparations as multifunctional ingredients for dairy products, combining protein, fiber, and gut‑health benefits with natural sweetness. The company says these preparations enable clean‑label, "no added sugar" claims while preserving fresh‑fruit identity in yogurt, ice cream,...
Restaurants Now Thrive on Systems, Not Just Cuisine
Hot take: the most interesting restaurants right now aren’t just focused on food. They’re building systems. Farms. Programs. experiences. This week’s issue breaks that down with an interview with Little Saint Executive Chef Deborah Mullin.
The Food Industry Has Always Worried About Inflation. It Should Now Worry About Appetite
Canada’s health regulator has cleared Apotex’s generic version of Ozempic, slashing the price of GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs. Adoption is soaring, with roughly 8% of adults—about three million people—using GLP‑1s, cutting their calorie intake and grocery bills by around 5%. The...
Yogurt’s Popularity Continues to Climb
Yogurt consumption in Canada now reaches more than 80% of households, with refrigerated sales climbing 4.2% year‑over‑year through December 2024. High‑protein varieties, especially Greek and fortified options, have shifted from a fad to a core category driver. Digestive‑health claims, probiotics and...
Anuga Select Brazil Concludes Record-Breaking Matchmaking In Latin America
Anuga Select Brazil 2026 wrapped up its seventh edition, delivering the largest business‑matchmaking program ever staged at a Latin American trade fair. Over three days more than 14,000 visitors from 96 countries connected with 550+ brands, generating roughly US$30 million in...
Fruit-Based Drinks Are Everywhere, but Juice It Up Keeps Growing
Juice It Up, the 30‑year‑old California franchise, posted a 9% sales jump to $54.5 million in 2025 and grew its footprint to 99 stores, a 6.5% increase. Average unit volume surged nearly 50% under CEO Susan Taylor, reaching $595,000 per location....
Dirty Mouth
Researchers observed Barbary macaques on Gibraltar’s Rock eating red clay after consuming tourist‑provided junk food such as chocolate, ice‑cream and chips. Over two years, 46 distinct dirt‑eating incidents were recorded among 230 monkeys, a behavior absent in a nearby troop...
From Surviving to Thriving: Mars Snacking North America's Jessica Adelman Shares Her Resilience Mandate
Jessica Adelman, senior vice president and chief corporate officer for Mars Snacking North America, delivered a keynote at SIAL Canada outlining a tested resilience framework built on three pillars: value creation, risk mitigation, and reputation management. Drawing on three decades...
Toronto’s Basil Box to Shut Down All Locations by May 14
Toronto‑based fast‑casual chain Basil Box announced it will cease operations at all remaining Canadian locations by May 14, 2026. The brand, known for its 100 % gluten‑free Southeast Asian bowls and mid‑range pricing of roughly $14‑$19 CAD ($10‑$14 USD) per meal, peaked at 17...
World Cup Tipping Practices Could Undercut ‘No Tax On Tips’ Break
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring over a million foreign visitors and an estimated $6 billion in direct spending to the United States. To capture tips from tourists accustomed to automatic service charges, many U.S. restaurants are proposing a mandatory...
RSA America, URM Stores Begin Digital Transformation Partnership
RSA America has partnered with URM Stores, a Spokane‑based wholesaler serving roughly 265 independent grocery retailers, to roll out a centrally managed loyalty, digital marketing, retail media and AI‑enabled commerce platform. More than 60 URM‑affiliated stores are already live, with...
One of Tokyo’s Best Pizza Spots Is Making Its U.S. Debut in New York City
Pizza Studio Tamaki, a celebrated Tokyo pizzeria, opens its first permanent U.S. location in New York City’s East Village on May 5, 2026. Founder and chef Tsubasa Tamaki, a disciple of Japanese Neapolitan pizza pioneers, brings a dough that ferments for...
These 2 Grocery Stores Were Just Named the Most Trustworthy in the U.S.—Here’s Why They Earned the Title
A BrandSpark International survey of 35,000 Americans named Walmart and Aldi the most trustworthy grocery chains in the United States. Walmart captured 12 awards, leading in categories such as customer service, private‑label quality, and grocery pickup and delivery. Aldi earned...
Have Your Say on the WWF’s Ambitious Attempt to Overhaul Global Food Systems
WWF’s Markets Institute has released the Codex Planetarius, a draft set of minimum environmental standards for globally traded food, and opened a public comment period. The plan targets the least efficient 10‑20% of producers, who generate 60‑80% of agricultural impacts,...
Filipino Classics Inasal, Sinigang and Adobo Rank on TasteAtlas World’s Best Dishes List
Chicken inasal (No. 40), pork sinigang (No. 52) and adobong manok (No. 7 in Southeast Asia) entered TasteAtlas’ April 2026 world‑best dishes list. The rankings spotlight Filipino cuisine on the global stage and promise new opportunities for farmers, chefs and tourism officials.
McDonald's Is Shaking up Your Soda Run
McDonald’s is rolling out six new crafted sodas and caffeinated refreshers, including a Berry Blast Sprite with cold foam and a vanilla‑infused Dr Pepper, to tap the growing “dirty soda” trend. The drinks, which blend syrups, fruit‑based lemonade and foam, aim...
From Forgotten Bananas to Supper Saves: The Rise of Top-Up Shopping
Skip announced a partnership with Loblaw to support the growing trend of top‑up shopping, where consumers make frequent, small‑basket purchases. Drivers include urban living, time pressure, shrinking households and inflation‑induced price sensitivity. While lower average order values challenge margins, retailers...
Yellow Croaker Project in China Drawing on Norwegian Aquaculture Expertise to Achieve Sustainable Growth
China’s offshore aquaculture sector has surpassed 100 platforms, with yellow croaker production hitting roughly 300,000 tons a year. Through a UN‑IDO partnership, Norwegian Institute for Water Research engineer Huang Zhitao is guiding a project to import Norway’s ecosystem‑based regulatory tools...
Weekly Expansion Signals Report & New Restaurant Alerts From Week Ending May 1 2026
Chipotle Mexican Grill will open a 2,500‑sq‑ft, 90‑seat restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama in spring 2026, adding to its 4,000‑store national footprint. Chopt is launching a 1,000‑sq‑ft, 20‑seat salad bar on Madison Avenue in New York City in April 2026, expanding...
Why South America Is Emmi’s Growth Engine
Swiss cheese faces price pressure in South America, but Emmi is turning the market into a growth engine. Brazil, Mexico and Chile together account for the region’s largest cheese consumption, with Brazil alone representing the fourth‑largest global market. In FY25...
Endgame Looms in EPG Antitrust Fight as David Protein Urges Judge to Toss Case for Good
David Protein, after acquiring Epogee—the sole producer of the low‑calorie fat substitute EPG—faces a third amended antitrust complaint from three former customers who claim the company has monopolized access to EPG for high‑calories‑from‑protein (CFP) bars. The plaintiffs define the market...
Little Dish Invites Kids to ‘Doodle on Our Noodles’ in Limited-Edition Pack with The Doodle Boy
Little Dish launched a limited‑edition “Doodle on our Noodles” pack featuring artwork by The Doodle Boy. The new packaging turns the noodle box into a doodle surface, inviting children to draw directly on it. The initiative aims to boost brand...
KFC Jumps on Met Gala Marketing Opportunity
KFC is capitalizing on the 2026 Met Gala by launching a real‑time promotion that offers a 50% discount on a 12‑piece chicken‑only bucket when a Colonel‑coded look appears on the red carpet. The limited‑time deal, redeemable via the KFC app...
Costa Rica Study Explores the Social Impact of Biennial Production Cycles
A new study by Northeastern University reveals that Costa Rican coffee farms experience synchronized biennial production cycles, especially after the 2012‑13 leaf‑rust outbreak. This synchronization intensifies income volatility for smallholder growers, who often rely on loans and reduced household spending...
This Doctor Saw a Problem Impacting Over 60% of Americans. The Business He Started to Solve It Makes $100 Million...
Dr. Lior Lewensztain, an MD/MBA, launched the fruit‑first snack brand That’s it. in 2012, initially selling at farmers markets. A Whole Foods national rollout propelled the company into major retailers such as Target, Costco and Walmart, driving annual revenue past...
Dear Marketers: There’s No ‘Average’ Grocery Shopper Today
Schaefer’s new research divides U.S. grocery shoppers into three distinct groups—social‑first, TV‑first and streaming‑first—each demanding its own media mix, creative style and measurement approach. Brands are currently over‑spending on linear TV, under‑spending on streaming, and mis‑measuring social impact by focusing...
This Fried Chicken Chain Is Bringing Its Iconic Biscuits To Grocery Stores
Popeyes is rolling out boxed biscuit mixes to grocery stores across the United States, offering a classic Homestyle version and a new Cajun Cheddar flavor. The product is a drop‑biscuit dough, different from the restaurant’s dense, buttermilk biscuits, and is...
The Chicken Category’s Sales Slowed Last Year
Chicken‑chain sales slowed sharply in 2025, growing only 5.3% versus the industry’s 3% gain, after a 9.1% rise in 2024. The slowdown reflects a 7% sales deceleration over two years, with marquee brands like Popeyes posting a 0.5% decline and...
How Alterego Stirred up the ‘Stale’ Cottage Cheese Category
Rose Hancock, a former biology student turned mother, launched Alterego to revitalize the stagnant cottage‑cheese market. Partnering with Scottish dairy Yester Farm, the brand emphasizes natural ingredients, sea salt and live cultures for gut health while delivering a creamy, indulgent...
Seven Years in, Captain Fresh CEO Utham Gowda Remains Focused on Boosting Seafood’s Image
Captain Fresh, founded in April 2019, has raised billions of dollars and acquired major seafood firms including CenSea and Spain's tuna leader Frime. CEO Utham Gowda says the company is building a downstream distribution engine that now covers 60‑70% of...
Trader Joe’s Frozen Meals Outshine DoorDash Takeout
Unpopular opinion: Trader Joe’s frozen meals are better than most of what you’re ordering on DoorDash and they cost a fraction of the price. I ranked the best ones on the blog and I’m prepared to defend every pick. Link...
John Oliver Exposes Gas‑station Supplements I Warned About
John Oliver highlighted some of the dangerous "food supplements" available at gas stations (and many other places), something I first wrote about nearly two decades ago. 🔗https://t.co/1HbWwS2scd https://t.co/W5fciCRmaR
DOJ Confirms Antitrust Probe of Beef Processors
The U.S. Justice Department confirmed a combined criminal and civil antitrust investigation into the meat‑packing sector as beef prices hit record highs and cattle inventories shrink. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the probe will move quickly, targeting major processors...
Starbucks Just Bet $100 Million on Nashville.
Starbucks announced a $100 million investment to accelerate its presence in Nashville, marking the chain’s largest single‑city capital outlay to date. The funds will fund new store openings, a regional roasting hub, and a mixed‑use development anchored by a flagship store....
A Seriously Delicious Frozen Pizza, Girl Scout Cookie-Inspired Candy Clusters, and More: The Best New Trader Joe’s Groceries for May
Trader Joe’s rolled out its May lineup of limited‑time groceries, featuring a Detroit‑style pepperoni pizza, Turkish three‑cheese flatbread called Gözlemes, coconut‑cashew candy clusters that echo Girl Scout Samoas, a sparkling lychee juice beverage, and a cloud‑like whipped ricotta. Prices range from...
Robotic Kitchen Opens at Frankfurt’s Vipho, Automating Stir‑Fry and Grilling
Vietnamese restaurant Vipho in Frankfurt’s Gallus district has opened a fully automated delivery kitchen that uses a Goodbytz robot to stir‑fry and grill. Co‑owners Thu Dinh and Hung Quach say the system relieves staff during peak order bursts while keeping...
Loblaw Steps Further Into AI
Loblaw Companies Limited has partnered with Canadian AI specialist Shakudo to build a centralized platform for developing and scaling in‑house artificial‑intelligence and machine‑learning applications. The new system will streamline data infrastructure, reduce duplicated effort across Loblaw’s digital teams, and support...
FMI Expands Health and Well-Being Practice with Appointment of Kim Visioni
The Food Industry Association (FMI) announced the appointment of Kim Visioni, MS, RDN, as its new director of health & well‑being. Visioni will spearhead efforts to position grocery stores as health hubs, expanding access to nutritious foods, wellness products, and...
Hemp THC Ban Remains Intact After House Abandons Rescue Plan
The U.S. House voted to keep a federal ban on intoxicating hemp drinks as part of the long‑delayed Farm Bill, leaving the restriction set to take effect in November unchanged. The measure now moves to the Senate, where a proposal...