South Korea’s Intake Unveils New Brand for Precision-Fermented Yeast Ingredients
South Korean food‑tech startup Intake has introduced Takein, a new B2B brand that markets its precision‑fermented yeast protein and fibre ingredients to food manufacturers. The brand leverages a grape‑derived, non‑GMO yeast strain that delivers 1.5 times more protein than conventional yeast and aims to replace whey in alternative‑protein products. Intake, fresh from a $9.2 million Series C round, is positioning itself as a materials‑focused company while pursuing FDA NDI and GRAS clearances. The launch signals a strategic shift from consumer‑direct products to supplying high‑performance, sustainable ingredients.
Pact Coffee and Waitrose Collaborate on New Coffee to Support Women Growers
British coffee roaster Pact Coffee and supermarket Waitrose are launching a new Colombia Single Origin blend on May 31, priced at £7.95 for a 200 g ground pack. The coffee is sourced exclusively from women‑led farms in the Mirtayu Women’s Group in...
Lactalis Introduces Limited-Edition Breaka Flavour
Lactalis Australia has launched a limited‑edition Breaka milk flavored after the classic Lamington cake, blending chocolate, coconut and sponge cake notes. The new offering expands the brand’s Breaka portfolio, which already includes chocolate and strawberry variants. The launch coincides with...
Elmhurst 1925 Moves Into RTD Protein With Clean-Label Shakes Launching at Sprouts
Elmhurst 1925 is entering the ready‑to‑drink protein market with its Clean Protein line, debuting exclusively at Sprouts Farmers Market nationwide. The four‑flavor range delivers 27 g of plant protein, 190 calories and no more than three grams of sugar per bottle, priced...
After the Hype, Europe’s Foodtech Sector Is Rebuilding Around Fundamentals
Europe’s foodtech ecosystem is entering a pragmatic phase as startup funding slipped 25% to €3 bn (≈ $3.2 bn) in 2025, yet early‑stage capital remains steady, keeping the region at 28% of global foodtech investment. Investors are gravitating toward infrastructure‑heavy categories such...
How 3 CEOs of 2 Brands Have Thrived Through Challenges
At the National Restaurant Show, CEOs Randy Sharpe of Wahlburgers and Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily of The Granola Bar discussed how they navigated setbacks and found new growth paths. Wahlburgers closed 79 underperforming Hy‑Vee locations in early 2025, trimming...
The Indulgence Strategy: Why This Successful Protein Brand Wants to Change the Conversation
Wilde Brands, founded by Jason Wright, has scaled to 20,000 retail locations and posted a 994% three‑year growth, driven by its chicken‑based, high‑protein chips. As the protein snack market became saturated, Wright recognized that novelty fades and repeat purchases hinge...
Candy Aisle Is Turning Bold and Experimental
The candy aisle is undergoing a bold transformation as U.S. confectionery sales topped $55 billion in 2025, yet unit volumes dip under rising ingredient costs. Prices for impulse items have jumped from $1 to $2‑$3, prompting retailers to lean on premium...
Pizza Hut Franchisee Sues Over AI Delivery System, Seeks $100 Million in Damages
Chaac Pizza Northeast, a top Pizza Hut franchisee, filed a Texas Business Court suit on May 6 accusing the chain of forcing an AI‑driven delivery platform that it says crippled operations and cost over $100 million. The case spotlights emerging tech‑risk disputes...
TapTap Now Lifts Monthly Food‑delivery Orders in Cap‑Haïtien From 16 to 140
TapTap Now, the Haitian‑American delivery platform, has expanded its service in Cap‑Haïtien, raising monthly orders from roughly 16 in 2023 to about 140 in 2026. The growth reflects shifting consumer habits, diaspora inflows and a broader rise in digital commerce...
Schweid & Sons Targets Convenience Demand with Seasoned Ground Beef
Schweid & Sons announced a new line of seasoned ground beef that will hit select retail shelves in May. The range includes Taco, Steakhouse, and Korean BBQ blends designed for quick meals like tacos, rice bowls, and skillet dishes. Company...
XPlanar System Transforms Food Processing Plant Handling
XPlanar System Revolutionizes Food Product Handling in Processing Plants by @lukas_m_ziegler #Robotics #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #ML #Innovation #FoodTech https://t.co/JbKqdsOyZc
Texas Joins DOJ Antitrust Investigation Into Beef Processors
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on May 15 that his office will join the U.S. Department of Justice in an antitrust investigation of the nation’s largest beef processors. The probe follows a DOJ inquiry launched earlier in May that highlighted...
Lidl Launches Own Verified Sustainable Rice in UK First
Lidl announced that SRP‑verified sustainable rice is now available in all its UK stores, marking the first nationwide launch of a climate‑smart staple in the country. The rice meets the Sustainable Rice Platform’s 41 environmental and social criteria, promising lower...
Tossing Out the Sad Salad Recipe: How Instacart Is Tackling Healthy Eating Hurdles for Consumers and Retailers
Instacart Health is scaling partnerships with Wellabe, Medicaid managed‑care plans and Teladoc to deliver category‑specific grocery stipends, called Fresh Funds, to as many as 100,000 members this year. The Teladoc tie‑up lets members earn credits by completing health‑device checks and...
UK Retailer Marks & Spencer Launches Range of Vertically Farmed Salads
Marks & Spencer has introduced three exclusive, vertically‑farm‑grown salad varieties—Citrus Sorrel Baby Leaves, Spicy Baby Leaves and Baby Garlic Kale—available in its Food stores. The indoor farms use precise climate control, robotics and a soil‑free substrate, cutting water use by...
Auberge Saint-Mathieu Wins Michelin Star, Green Star and Chef of the Year in Rural Quebec
Auberge Saint-Mathieu, a 24‑seat restaurant in the 1,500‑person village of Saint‑Mathieu‑du‑Parc, secured a coveted Michelin star, a Michelin Green Star for sustainability, and chef Samy Benabed was named Chef of the Year at the Lauriers de la gastronomie québécoise. The...
Inside Utz’s Rise From Regional Potato Chip Brand to Salty Snack Juggernaut
Utz Brands, a 105‑year‑old snack maker, now posts $1.4 billion in annual sales, making it the largest pure‑play salty‑snacks company in the U.S. under new CEO Howard Friedman, the first non‑family leader. The firm has expanded beyond chips, operating seven factories...
Dutch Bros Surges on Guidance Upgrade While Starbucks Posts Modest Turnaround
Dutch Bros reported a 31% jump in quarterly revenue to $464.4 million and raised its full‑year sales outlook to $2.05‑$2.08 billion, signaling aggressive expansion. Starbucks, meanwhile, posted a 9% year‑over‑year sales increase and a 6.2% rise in comparable‑store sales in its fiscal...
Cultimate Foods: Cultivated Meat Maker Files for Bankruptcy, Remains Hopeful About Future
Berlin‑based cultivated‑fat startup Cultimate Foods filed for bankruptcy and launched a structured financial reorganisation to stabilise its operations. The company, which raised €2.3 million (about $2.5 million) in a 2024 seed round, remains focused on commercialising its CultiSense fat‑flavour technology. Cultimate says...
Goodies Launches Better-For-You Kids Snacks
Hero Group introduced Goodies, a new six‑product snack line for children ages four and up, targeting the baby‑and‑toddler aisle. The range includes bars, bites, and crunchy snacks that boast whole grains, protein, fiber and no high‑fructose corn syrup or artificial...
Why Building a Spirits Brand Is Becoming Harder
Spirits distributors are aggressively trimming portfolios, pushing brands toward higher volume and lower price points. After a decade of growth, the premium segment (≈$44‑$66 per bottle) is hollowing out, with consumers gravitating to sub‑$33 offerings. Industry leaders say brands must...
Jenerise Launches Precision-Grade Creatine Monohydrate
Jenerise has introduced Cr.01, a precision‑grade creatine monohydrate designed for performance, cognition, and healthy ageing. The ingredient boasts 99.96% assay purity, 200‑mesh solubility, and batch‑by‑batch verification by SGS. It complies with FDA USP and EFSA standards and adheres to strict...
Monster Beverage Updates Innovation Strategy
Monster Beverage Corp. announced a staggered 2026 innovation calendar, rolling out new flavors, a wellness‑focused Storm energy drink, and its first female‑targeted brand FLRT to compete with Alani Nu. The company also introduced limited‑edition anniversary cans across its Juice Monster, Monster...
Karnataka Becomes First Indian State to Tax Alcohol by Strength in Excise Overhaul
Karnataka became the first Indian state to replace its traditional slab‑based liquor tax with an alcohol‑by‑volume (ABV) duty structure on May 11, 2026. The new Excise (Excise Duties and Fees) Rules cut the number of price slabs for Indian Made Liquor from...
Japanese Alcohol in Korea Jumps to Record High
Japanese alcoholic beverage imports into South Korea surged to a record $33 million in the first quarter of 2026, up 20.9% in value and 16.7% in volume from a year earlier. The rebound follows a sharp decline after the 2019 ‘No...
Fast‑Food Chains Deploy AI Drive‑Thru Chatbots Amid Customer Pushback and Regulatory Scrutiny
McDonald’s, Checkers, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and other chains have expanded AI voice‑ordering chatbots to hundreds of U.S. drive‑thrus. A recent YouGov poll reveals 55% of Americans still favor human cashiers, while the SEC has charged Presto with misleading disclosures, highlighting...
Sofitel Legend Metropole Taps Michelin-Starred Chefs for Exclusive May Dining Series
Sofitel Legend Metropole’s flagship restaurant Le Beaulieu will host Japanese chef Hiroyuki Matsumoto and French chef Louis Gachet for a two‑day dinner and a Sunday brunch in late May. Prices run from $205 to $308 per head, with limited seats and...
Consumers Demand Value, Yet Want to Splurge
Revenue Management Solutions’ Q1 2026 data shows diners still prioritize value, yet Millennials and Gen Z are willing to pay extra for protein‑rich meals and specialty beverages such as prebiotic sodas. Almost half of Millennials would splurge on high‑protein options,...
Rōti Modern Mediterranean Launches London Ghost Kitchens, Expands Atlanta Footprint
Rōti Modern Mediterranean, owned by Edible Brands, launched four delivery‑only ghost kitchens in May 2026—three in London and one in Smyrna, Georgia. To celebrate, the company announced Global Rōti Day on May 19, featuring a buy‑one‑get‑one bowl promotion across its...
Texas Shrimpers Ask Trump Administration for More H-2B Visas Amid Labor Shortage
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez has asked the Trump administration to exempt Texas shrimpers from the H‑2B visa cap, citing severe labor shortages as the commercial season starts July 15. NOAA reports an implicit daily wage of $215, which is low...
Why ‘Retailers Are Changing the Way They Think About Their Beer Line-Up’
Colorado’s Tivoli Brewing Co CEO Ari Opsahl says retailers are re‑allocating beer shelf space to volume‑driving brands, signaling the end of the traditional big‑beer pricing and premiumisation model. U.S. beer sales dropped 2.9% in 2025 and overall volumes sit at...
Santa Nata Celebrates 10 Million Pastel De Nata Sales as It Prepares to Open First Overseas Bakery in Hong Kong
Santa Nata, the London‑based Portuguese bakery chain, celebrated its 10 millionth pastel de nata sale, a milestone achieved within seven years of its 2019 launch. The company now runs six bakeries in London and one in Oxford and is preparing to...
South Korea’s Soyft Biome Bags Funding to Upcycle Tempeh Waste Into Plant-Based Dairy
South Korean food‑tech startup Soyft Biome secured a new financing round from MYSC’s Extramile Lycon Fund to scale its plant‑based product line derived from tempeh fermentation waste. The capital will bolster its Ja:yu low‑sugar condensed milks, KetoYou tempeh items, and...
Saying Goodbye to Minute Maid and Its Frozen Can of Nostalgia
Coca‑Cola announced that Minute Maid will cease production of its frozen juice concentrate this spring, ending an 80‑year‑old product line that began as a World War II army supply. The concentrate, once a breakfast staple, has lost relevance as consumers gravitate...
Bharti-Backed Gourmet Investments Brings Olive Garden to India, Bets on Premium Casual Dining Expansion
Bharti Family Office‑backed Gourmet Investments Hospitality Group (GIHG) is launching Olive Garden in India, classifying it as a premium casual dining concept. The group plans to open 100‑125 outlets across the country within three years, adding other international brands to...
New Foodstuffs Loyalty Program Excludes Pak’nSave Purchases
Foodstuffs North Island unveiled Club+, a unified loyalty scheme that will replace the New World Clubcard and operate across New World, Four Square and the broader Foodstuffs network. The program lets shoppers earn and redeem points at any participating brand,...
Peekabox Raises $1.5 Million to Tackle Food Waste in the UAE
UAE‑based food‑tech startup Peekabox closed an oversubscribed $1.5 million seed round to accelerate its surplus‑food marketplace across the Emirates. The platform lets restaurants, cafes and grocery chains sell fresh surplus items at 50‑70% discounts through app‑based “surprise boxes.” At launch it...
7-Eleven Sees Boost From Inflation-Hit Consumers
Philippine Seven Corp., the 7‑Eleven licensee, reports that inflation‑pressured shoppers are gravitating toward cheaper ready‑to‑eat meals and beverages, fueling same‑store sales growth. The chain’s Crunch Time fried‑chicken offering now reaches roughly 3,000 stores, with a goal of 3,500 by year‑end. PSC...
434. Legally Addicted: Caffeine, Sugar, and the Corporations That Profit From Both
The episode exposes how the coffee and soft‑drink giants—especially Starbucks, Coca‑Cola and PepsiCo—have deliberately increased caffeine and sugar levels to create a mass‑addiction market worth roughly $600 billion, while funding research that downplays health risks. It details the physiological dependence on...
The Upscale Steakhouse Chain That Sells Butcher Boxes For Dry-Aged Steaks At Home
The Capital Grille has launched the Capital Butcher program, delivering its in‑house dry‑aged steaks directly to consumers. A four‑piece box featuring bone‑in ribeye and New York strip sells for $180, while individual cuts range from $35 to $40. The steaks...
Your Next Rum May Be Additive-Free (And Why It Matters)
The rum sector, unlike tequila, has no global denomination of origin, allowing producers worldwide to use a wide range of additives such as sweeteners, flavorings, and caramel color. A handful of distillers—from Martinique’s AOC‑regulated rhum agricole to Louisiana’s Oxbow estate...
James Beard Foundation and Deloitte Unveil 2026 Independent Restaurant Industry Report
The James Beard Foundation, in partnership with Deloitte, published its 2026 Independent Restaurant Industry Report, drawing on a survey of over 380 owners and 40 chefs across 47 states. The study spotlights persistent cost and labor pressures, rapid tech adoption,...
Pepsi Rolls Out Five Limited‑edition Pokémon‑themed Soda Flavors in Japan
PepsiCo has partnered with Pokémon to release five limited‑edition soda flavors in Japan, featuring 18 Pokémon illustrations across six drink varieties. The launch, timed with Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, aims to capture younger consumers amid a soft‑drink market losing ground to...
QSR Chains Witness Improved Demand Trends in March Quarter in India, Bullish on Store Expansion
India’s quick‑service restaurant (QSR) sector saw a rebound in the March quarter, driven by GST rationalisation and a sharper focus on value pricing. KFC India posted a 4.9% same‑store sales growth (SSSG), its strongest in 14 quarters, translating to roughly...
Auberge Saint-Mathieu Wins Michelin Star and Green Star, Boosting Rural Quebec’s Culinary Profile
Chef Samy Benabed’s Auberge Saint-Mathieu in Saint‑Mathieu‑du‑Parc earned a Michelin star, a Michelin Green Star and the Laurier de la gastronomie québécoise chef‑of‑the‑year award. The accolades have generated over 100 reservation requests and placed the eatery at #98 on Canada’s...
Sauce Unveils AI‑Powered Cashback Loyalty Engine, Promising Up to 30% More Restaurant Reorders
Sauce introduced Sauce Cashback, an AI‑powered loyalty feature that rewards diners with store credit on every order. Early beta data show participating restaurants can boost repeat orders by as much as 30% within weeks, while shifting up to 30% more...
GEN Restaurant Group Sees 8.8% Sales Dip as $6‑plus Gas Prices Curb Consumer Spending
GEN Restaurant Group posted an 8.8% drop in same‑store sales for Q1 2026, attributing the slowdown to gasoline prices above $6 per gallon that squeezed disposable income. Higher fuel costs also lifted cost‑of‑goods percentages, prompting a modest menu price hike.
Swedish Chef Marcus Jernmark Launches Nordic Fine‑Dining Spot Lielle in Los Angeles
Chef Marcus Jernmark, known for stints at Aquavit, Per Se and three‑Michelin‑starred Frantzén, has opened Lielle, a Nordic‑inspired fine‑dining restaurant in Los Angeles. The venue replaces the former Manzke/Bicyclette space and emphasizes a warm, bistronomy‑style service while sourcing from California farms...
Partners in Driving Brand Growth with Kroger Precision Marketing's Barbara Connors & Brian Dowey
In this episode, Barbara Connors and Brian Dowey of Kroger Precision Marketing discuss the newly unified KPM portfolio that combines insights, media, and loyalty to break down silos and drive brand growth. They explain how genuine alignment between CPG brands...