Know What's Happening in Food and Beverage
Know What's Happening in Food and Beverage
The latest Food Price Index posted a modest decline, easing pressure on an otherwise volatile market. The index fell about 1.2% year‑over‑year, reflecting softer commodity costs. Meanwhile, industry giants are reshaping the landscape: McCormick is in talks to acquire Unilever’s food division, Mars announced 600 new Chicago jobs, and Chobani is deepening its partnership with La Colombe. These moves signal confidence in growth despite lingering price headwinds.
Alberta introduced Bill 24, the Alberta Whisky Act, to create an official "Alberta Whisky" designation. The legislation mandates that every step of production, from mashing to bottling, occurs within the province and that water and at least two‑thirds of the...
UK snack brand Popcorn Shed has launched a new gluten‑free range of single‑serve snack packs in five dessert‑inspired flavours, including Classic Caramel and Carrot Cake. Each 24‑gram pack contains fewer than 120 calories and retails for £1.99, positioning the line...
Oregon‑based Hood River Distillers announced the acquisition of the Crater Lake Spirits portfolio from Bendistillery for an undisclosed amount. The deal adds gin, flavored vodka and rye whiskey, along with the Timberline Vodka and Forthwest Whisky brands, to HRD’s existing...
Fast‑casual restaurants outperformed other dining segments in 2025, posting a 3% traffic gain in the U.S. and a 0.8% global increase despite inflation and cautious consumer spending. Growth stemmed mainly from brand expansion and higher‑quality menu offerings, while average visits...
Diageo and AB InBev have withdrawn their sponsorship of the 2026 Wireless Festival after Kanye West was announced as the headline act. The controversy surrounding West’s recent antisemitic remarks and extremist imagery prompted other sponsors, including Pepsi, Rockstar Energy, and...
Pete Marino, president of Lofted Spirits, will depart at the end of June after three years leading the Kentucky whiskey maker. Under his tenure the company’s brands more than doubled, the portfolio was streamlined, and new tasting rooms and state...
Ambienta has acquired a majority stake in Italian plant‑based dairy specialist The Bridge, marking its second investment from the Small Cap Fund. The Bridge, founded in 1994, generates about 80% of revenue from international markets and operates a fully vertical,...
AB InBev has launched its Mexican lager Modelo Especial in the UK, rolling it out simultaneously in draught form for pubs and in bottles and cans for retail. The brand is being positioned as an ultra‑premium offering, highlighted by gold‑foil...
Hacha’s original Dalston bar will shut its doors on 25 April 2026, exactly seven years after opening. The closure leaves the brand without a permanent venue after the Brixton site closed in February 2025 and the Bermondsey location folded after...
Koan, a two‑Michelin‑starred restaurant in Copenhagen, has unveiled a £2,000 prestige wine and Champagne programme centred on rare Krug selections, including the 2009 Clos du Mesnil served by the glass. The offering pairs the 18‑course Korean‑Danish tasting menu with vintage wines...
Wax has introduced a THC‑infused non‑alcoholic beer line, with branding and packaging created by Opprobriations. The design draws on vintage skate and surf culture, aiming to differentiate the product in a market dominated by seltzer‑style cannabis drinks. Future Market Insights...
The UK food sector has set bold climate, health and nature targets, but leaders now question whether they can execute them at speed. A new "Execution at Risk" report finds that capability—not strategy—is the main bottleneck, especially within commercial, marketing,...
The UK Champagne market posted its first growth since 2021, with shipments rising 1.9% to 22.7 million bottles in 2025. Volume increased 9% after a 6% decline the previous year, yet overall value fell nearly 6% as producers absorbed higher costs....
UK wine producers face steep duty hikes, packaging taxes and rising logistics costs, pushing overall volume growth negative. Amid this downturn, rosé wine stands out, recording a 3 % volume increase and a 5 % rise in value, generating £882 million in sales....
Rosebank Distillery has renewed its three‑year partnership with Celtic Renewables, extending the agreement to 2029. The deal channels the distillery’s pot ale by‑product to Celtic’s Grangemouth biorefinery, where 500 tonnes of bio‑based chemicals are produced each year. Since the collaboration began,...
Pernod Ricard has completed the sale of its Mumm sparkling wine operations in the United States to Trinchero Family Wine and Spirits, and simultaneously divested its Kenwood winery in Sonoma to F Korbel & Bros. Both deals, finalized in April 2026, remove...
The Curing Barn, a Devon‑based charcuterie producer, has recalled its 60 g British Bresaola after testing revealed Listeria monocytogenes. The affected items carry product code WLRC J1Z2 0WD0 J85J and a use‑by date of 10 June 2026. Consumers are instructed to return the packs in‑store for...
Geopolitical volatility in the Red Sea is prompting major retailers such as Walmart and IKEA to redesign their cold‑chain logistics, moving away from large central warehouses toward smaller, regional facilities. Executives highlighted the need for faster decision‑making, regional sourcing, and...
China’s ambassador to Ukraine signed a protocol establishing inspection, quarantine and sanitary standards for Ukrainian wheat‑flour imports, expanding China’s agricultural trade with Kyiv. The agreement highlights the complementary nature of the two economies and signals a shift from raw‑grain shipments...
Pilgrim’s Europe leverages an integrated marketing mix that pairs large‑scale above‑the‑line campaigns with highly targeted retail media to accelerate growth of its Richmond and Fridge Raiders brands. By anchoring each touchpoint to distinctive brand assets—rolling hills for Richmond, bold rays...
Ryan Thorman turned a 300‑square‑foot açaí shop into Bango, a "better‑for‑you" food franchise now operating ten locations with two more under construction. The company is shifting to a franchise model that’s gaining traction along the East Coast. Thorman attributes the breakthrough...
Gallo has completed a $775 million acquisition of Four Roses Bourbon from Japan’s Kirin Holdings, returning the iconic brand to U.S. family ownership after 83 years. The deal expands Gallo’s premium spirits portfolio and strengthens its presence in Europe and Japan....
Herbalife Ltd. announced a $150 million acquisition of UK‑based personalized supplement firm Bioniq, aiming to broaden its tailored nutrition offerings. The deal arrives as research on digital “gut twins” advances, promising more accurate predictions of probiotic success. Over the past decade,...
Seafood Excellence Global Awards have named 38 finalists from 17 countries for the 2026 competition, which will be presented at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona from April 21‑23. The finalists compete in two main categories—Best Retail Product and Best HORECA...
ColdTrack, a New Jersey‑based e‑commerce logistics firm, has built a national perishable‑goods network that delivers seafood to U.S. consumers within two days. The company leverages proprietary route‑planning software and carrier partnerships across hubs in New Jersey, Indiana and California. After...
Bakkafrost’s 2026 harvest outlook has been revised down to 112,000 metric tons, falling short of the 150,000‑ton target set in its 2022 plan. The company’s Scottish operations, acquired in 2019, continue to underperform, with a projected 20,000‑ton harvest for 2026...
The latest Sovos ShipCompliant and Brewers Association report shows overwhelming consumer appetite for direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) beer shipping in the United States. Sixty‑three percent of adults and 81 percent of regular craft drinkers favor expanding the current 12‑state limit. The data...
Eagle Park Brewing & Distilling has acquired the ready‑to‑drink brand SoulBoxer Cocktail Co, marking its first major move into canned cocktails. The deal expands Eagle Park’s portfolio beyond beer and spirits to include RTD cocktails, with plans for non‑alcoholic and...
American whiskey exports plunged 19% in 2025, wiping out about $250 million in revenue, while domestic spirit sales slipped 2.2%, doubling the prior year’s decline. Trade friction drove the slump, with Canada’s ban cutting shipments over 70% and the EU market...
Drappier unveiled Éclose 2012, a limited cuvée aged in a bespoke egg‑shaped oak barrel that has been fermenting and aging since 2010. The barrel’s curved geometry creates continuous convection, keeping lees in suspension and allowing gentle micro‑oxygenation without intervention. The...
Five of the UK’s biggest supermarkets – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer – have launched the “Let’s make a meal of it” campaign for April. Customers can donate in‑store or online, with each pound raised funding five...
Mucho Group has opened Bar Bridge, a new cocktail venue on Sydney’s Bridge Street that positions itself as a classic Martini bar for modern patrons. The concept emphasizes extra‑dry Martinis, featuring a Vesper‑style Bridge Martini, a yuzu‑infused Citron Martini, and...
The Environmental Justice Foundation warns that the Southeast Pacific jumbo flying squid fishery – the world’s largest, supplying 42% of global squid in 2023 – is nearing ecological and social collapse. Weak oversight by the SPRFMO has allowed China’s distant‑water...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has opened a request for information to determine a new market name for the Sebastes group, commonly known as rockfish. The move follows industry petitions for a more consumer‑friendly label to raise the species’...
Diageo’s Talisker has launched a 47‑year‑old single malt, Magma, limited to 622 bottles and aged in new American oak casks toasted with heated volcanic rocks from Skye. The innovative rock‑toasting replaces traditional open‑flame exposure, delivering deeper fruit, smoke and spice...
The L’Aventure du Sucre exhibition in Mauritius has reopened after a two‑year renovation, featuring a dedicated New Grove Distillery experience. The interactive space walks visitors through fermentation, copper column and pot still distillation, oak‑barrel ageing and blending, using real equipment...
Stagflation is resurfacing in food manufacturing as soaring energy and fertilizer costs collide with waning consumer demand. Brent crude has rebounded above $90 a barrel, pushing the FAO Food Price Index up 2.4% in March 2026 and inflating raw‑material expenses....
Sun Cruiser has entered the non‑carbonated vodka‑tea segment with its new White Tea + Vodka ready‑to‑drink line. The eight‑pack variety offers four fruit‑infused flavors—berry hibiscus, blackberry, peach and passionfruit—and delivers a low‑calorie profile of 100 calories and just 1 gram of sugar per...
Lucky Energy has introduced a new Slush line of energy drinks, offering three flavors—Blue Razz, Cherry Slush and Strawberry Slush—in a permanent 12‑oz can. The beverages contain 200 mg of caffeine, zero sugar and zero calories, and are formulated with maca,...
Twisties has launched a limited‑edition Tangy Pickle flavour to tap into Australia’s rising pickle craze, backed by research showing 58% of consumers love pickles. The snack debuted exclusively at 7‑Eleven stores before a nationwide rollout on April 30, 2026. Brand manager...
European shoppers are increasingly demanding clear animal‑welfare information on meat, yet packaging space remains scarce. Retailers such as Carrefour are turning to blockchain‑based digital labels to convey husbandry details. Studies show that presenting welfare data in relative terms—highlighting improvements over...
Japanese beverage giant Suntory has introduced a new 500 ml resealable bottle to its Boss Coffee ready‑to‑drink range, targeting “sip and savour” moments rather than quick consumption. The bottles employ the brand’s flash‑brew technology and debut with Iced Long Black and...
Private label beverages are shedding their cheap‑brand image, capturing a larger share of the U.S. aisle. In 2025, private label dollar sales hit a record $282.8 billion, with beverage sales up 4.8%—outpacing national brands’ 1.2% growth. Retailer‑owned brands such as Kirkland...
The National Farmers Federation’s Horticulture Council has sent an open letter to Australia’s major supermarkets, demanding a swift response to supplier price‑increase requests triggered by the oil crisis. Rising fuel and freight costs, with surcharges reaching up to 65% of...
Chomps is debuting its first chicken‑based snack line after a decade of development, offering Original Chicken, Nashville Hot and Savory Breakfast flavors. The products launch this week exclusively at Target stores and on Chomps’ website, with a broader rollout to...
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization said the Food Price Index rose 2.4% in March, its highest level since September 2022, as oil‑driven energy costs lift commodity prices. Wheat prices jumped 4.3% while fertilizer cost pressures threaten planting decisions in...
The FDA and CDC have linked a multistate Salmonella outbreak to dietary supplements containing moringa leaf powder, specifically Live it Up-brand Super Greens powder and Why Not Natural moringa capsules. As of March 17, 2026, 97 people in 32 states...
The FDA released an Executive Incident Summary Abstract documenting a Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak linked to mangoes that resulted in 56 confirmed cases. The report redacted the names of the importer, the country of origin, the states involved, and all firms...
A recent Northern Ireland survey of ready‑to‑eat (RTE) food manufacturers examined awareness of EU food safety regulation 2073/2005, which mandates environmental controls and systematic sampling for Listeria monocytogenes. The 26‑question questionnaire uncovered notable gaps in understanding specific regulatory requirements, even...
