Aldi Ramps up Clean-Label Push with 44 New Ingredient Bans
Aldi announced it will add 44 new ingredients to its banned‑list for private‑label products, bringing the total to 57 prohibited items by the end of 2027. The expansion targets artificial colors, synthetic sweeteners, preservatives and certain phthalates, affecting roughly 90% of the items sold under its own brands. The retailer says the stricter standards are driven by customer feedback and will not compromise its low‑price promise. Aldi’s move mirrors broader clean‑label trends seen at competitors like Whole Foods.
Beyond the Label: Insights for Retailers To Close the Nutrition Gap
Retailers are confronting a massive nutrition gap affecting 2.8 billion people unable to afford a healthy diet, according to the UN World Food Programme. INSEAD research shows that behavioural nudges—such as labeling only the top third of healthier products—drive purchases among...
Matt Abé’s Bonheur Wins Two Michelin Stars Within Three Months
Chef Matt Abé’s newly opened Bonheur in Mayfair earned two Michelin stars within three months, joining an elite group of under‑30 UK restaurants with that rating. The achievement highlights the influence of Gordon Ramsay’s mentorship and the historic Le Gavroche...
Key Restaurant Trends Unveiled at Leadership Conference
Nice write up of the trends and outlook presentation that my @Technomic colleagues Rich and Lizzie gave at the Restaurant Leadership Conference earlier this week in Scottsdale. https://t.co/vdppbiWWIC
Temu Adds Ribeye Steaks and Pork Chops, Expands Into Perishable Food
Temu has begun offering frozen ribeye steaks, pork chops, wagyu burger patties and bacon through U.S. supplier Grumpy Butcher. The move marks the marketplace’s first foray into perishable foods and puts its low‑price model to the test in a new...
Current Events in Agricultural Chemicals
Make America Health Again (MAHA) is intensifying its campaign to eliminate synthetic agricultural chemicals from the U.S. food supply, citing the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen report that flags spinach as the most pesticide‑laden produce. The push coincides with a...
Annals of Food Marketing: Some New Items
The article surveys recent food‑marketing innovations, from functional‑ingredient trends to novel protein alternatives and culturally driven flavors. It highlights AlgaeCore’s algae‑based salmon substitute, a forecast that global seaweed snack sales could hit $4.66 billion by 2030, and premium ice‑cream flavors gaining...
Ready-to-Drink Beverages Expected to Double by 2030 as Consumers Shift to Impulse Purchases: Redseer
India’s non‑alcoholic ready‑to‑drink (RTD) market is projected to double to $40 billion by 2030, up from roughly $20 billion in 2025. The surge is powered by a structural shift toward impulse and need‑based purchases, especially through quick‑commerce platforms that have seen 100 %...
Better Is Better: Why Architects Need to Stop Chasing Enterprise and Start Serving the World Around Them
The article argues that technology architects should abandon the exclusive pursuit of Fortune 500 contracts and refocus on small and medium‑size businesses (SMBs), which constitute the vast majority of the economy. A Goldman Sachs survey shows 42 % of SMBs lack the...
Kokum Restaurant Launches Hands-On Indian Cookery Class Series in East Dulwich
Kokum, a South‑East London Indian restaurant, has launched a five‑session cookery class series running from late April through August 2026. The three‑hour Saturday workshops, led by head chef Sanjay Gour, cover everything from traditional curry‑making without pre‑made pastes to naan...
7-Eleven Adding Catering to Restaurant Locations
7‑Eleven announced a partnership with food‑technology platform ezCater to roll out a scaled, national catering service across its restaurant brands, including Speedy Café, Laredo Taco Company, and most Raise the Roost locations. The new offering adds pizza, tacos, salads and...
Tozi Victoria Unveils Spring Menu with Venetian Small Plates and Tableside Negroni Trolley
Tozi Victoria launched a spring menu that spotlights Venetian cicchetti, handmade pastas, larger sharing plates, and a tableside Negroni trolley. New dishes include yellowtail carpaccio, rabbit‑ragout maccheroni, and slow‑roasted Welsh lamb shoulder. Set menus start at £23.95 (≈$31) and cicchetti...
Lactalis Targets UK Demand for “Clean Protein” With Siggi’s Skyr Launch
Lactalis is introducing Siggi’s skyr to the UK with four SKUs – two 450 g pots (0% and 5% fat) and two 140 g two‑packs – priced at £3.25 (≈$4.40) for the larger pots and £2.50 for the multipacks. The brand touts...
Gatorade Gets A 'Lyte' Overhaul and Laird Goes On A Buying Spree
In this episode of CPG Week, Monica Watrous and Lucas Southard discuss PepsiCo’s revamp of Gatorade, introducing new packaging and a three‑pillar "Advanced Hydration System" aimed at the 150 million Americans who experience mild dehydration, including a new longer‑lasting electrolyte blend....
45% Less Plastic and a Stronger Brand: How Looye Switched to Paper Banding
Looye Kwekers replaced plastic bands with narrow paper banding for its fresh‑produce range, cutting plastic use by roughly 45% while reinforcing its premium brand image. The paper bands keep the fruit visible, lower overall package weight, and are largely recyclable,...
Join Food Tank at London Climate Action Week
Food Tank, Google Cloud, and the U.N. Environment Programme are co‑hosting the third annual Food Tank London Climate Action Week Summit on June 25 at Google’s London campus. The event will convene more than 180 senior leaders—CEOs, CSOs, founders and...
Plan for Healthier School Meals in England Will Hit Services, Say Caterers
The UK Department for Education is overhauling school‑meal standards, mandating higher fibre intake, a 50% fruit content in puddings and a ban on deep‑fried items such as battered fish and chicken nuggets, with many changes slated for September 2027. Caterers warn...
Charlie’s Produce Breaks Ground On New Facility In Spokane, WA
Charlie’s Produce, an employee‑owned fresh‑food distributor, broke ground on a 66,000‑square‑foot facility in Spokane, Washington. The new site will house 56,000 sq ft of warehouse space and 10,000 sq ft of offices, with completion slated for April 2027. Featuring 17 loading docks, multiple temperature zones,...
Southern Hemisphere Cherries Are Missing Out on a $800 Million Opportunity
Kroger’s fresh‑sourcing VP Patrick Haines warned that Southern Hemisphere cherries capture just 9% of U.S. cherry sales, leaving an estimated $800 million revenue gap. He compared the category to grapes and soft citrus, which retain 74‑76% of domestic volume when sourced...
JOYRIDE Debuts Lower-Sugar Candy Line
Joyride introduced three lower‑sugar candy products—Fruit Chews, Fruity Zips and Sour Zips—each offering at least 50% less sugar than typical alternatives and featuring prebiotic fiber. The line is free of artificial sweeteners and colors and comes in a variety of...
Flytrex and Little Caesars Partner to Deliver Full Family Meals by Drone
Flytrex has teamed with Little Caesars to launch drone delivery of full family meals using its new Sky2 platform. The octocopter can lift up to 8.8 lb, allowing two large pizzas, sides and drinks to be delivered in an average of 4.5 minutes...
Duo Behind Michelin-Starred Variety Jones to Open New Casual Restaurant This Weekend
The Higgs brothers, chefs behind Dublin’s Michelin‑starred Variety Jones, are launching a new casual eatery called Mongoose on April 26. Located at 78 Thomas Street – the original Variety Jones site – the 28‑seat restaurant will serve a concise à...
Alternative Agave: Emerging Brands, Regions & Trends
At ProWein 2026, Rakshay Dhariwal, founder of Maya Pistola Agavepura, outlined the hurdles facing Indian agave spirits, from a shrinking overall alcohol market to the difficulty of securing distributors. He argued that treating distributors as logistics partners and investing in...
This Hyped American Cookie Chain with More than 200 Shops Around the World Is Coming to London
Insomnia Cookies, the American late‑night bakery founded in a 2003 dorm room, is set to open its first London shop on Camden High Street. The proposed site, a former butcher shop, would operate from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., seven days a...
This Famously Posh Restaurant Company Is Opening Its First Ever London Hotel – the Five-Star Establishment Will Take over an...
London’s iconic Wolseley restaurant group is converting a former NatWest bank on Piccadilly into its first hotel, the WestDill Mayfair Hotel. The six‑storey, Grade II listed building will feature 50 luxury rooms, a new restaurant and bar, and is slated to...
Consumer Reports Finds Rancidity and Low Potency in Popular Fish Oil Supplements
Consumer Reports tested 20 top-selling fish oil supplements and reported that none contained dangerous contaminants, but several showed signs of rancidity and delivered less omega‑3 than advertised. The findings raise questions about label accuracy and the value of pills versus...
Donohue’s Steak House Will Close in June
Donohue’s Steak House, the Upper East Side’s 1950‑era dining icon, will close in June as its lease expires, despite the landlord’s rent‑reduction offer. Owner Maureen Donohue‑Peters says she wants a better quality of life and is ready to end the...
Typhoo and SlimFast Owner Strikes Deal to Produce and Distribute Carabao’s Drinks in the UK
Thai energy drink brand Caraboo has signed a licensing agreement with Supreme PLC, the owner of Typhoo Tea and SlimFast, to produce and distribute its energy and isotonic beverages in the UK. The partnership will see Caraboo’s drinks manufactured at...
Tomintoul Restarts Tours for 2026
Tomintoul Distillery, owned by Angus Dundee, has reopened its visitor tours for spring 2026, running through 1 November. The relaunch coincides with the 27th Spirit of Speyside festival and includes two visitor‑only whiskies – an 11‑year‑old priced at £79 (≈US$106) and...
Miyamaso Wins Three Michelin Stars, First New Three‑Star Spot in Kyoto Since 2020
Miyamaso, a ryokan‑based restaurant in Kyoto, was awarded three Michelin stars in the 2026 guide, marking the first new three‑star venue in the city since 2020. The honor underscores Kyoto’s culinary resurgence and the Michelin Guide’s broader push toward digital...
Hayman’s Offers a Trip to London
Family-owned Hayman's Gin has launched an on‑pack competition that lets shoppers in eight markets win an all‑expenses‑paid trip to London worth about £7,000 (US$9,443). Consumers enter by scanning a QR code on the neck tag of a 70 cl bottle, which...
Map Reveals Cheapest Pints of Guinness in the UK
An AI‑powered bot called “Rachel” called 6,500 UK pubs over the Easter weekend to record the price of a pint of Guinness, producing the “Guinndex” map. Prices range from £2.50 at a Sittingbourne Wetherspoons to £10 in Maldon, with an...
The Butter Price Crash: Winners, Losers and What Comes Next
Butter prices have slumped about 22% year‑on‑year, with the EU down 35.2%, the US down 20% and Oceania down 10.2%, as record milk output floods the market. Bakers are capitalising on the dip, locking in low‑cost butter through 2027 and...
Maryland Set to Ban Surveillance Pricing at Grocery Stores: Are Other States Next?
Maryland’s legislature passed the Protection From Predatory Pricing Act, making the state the first to ban surveillance‑based pricing in grocery stores. The law, introduced by Gov. Wes Moore, prohibits retailers and third‑party delivery apps from using personal data to adjust...
Beer Hour: Mark Wingfield Digby
Mark Wingfield Digby, off‑trade director for Budweiser Brewing Group in the UK, has spent his entire career at AB InBev since 2005, shaping a culture of authenticity and rapid decision‑making. He highlights the sector’s resilience through the pandemic, cost‑inflation pressures,...
Tasmanian Whites Woo South Korea
Australian winery Josef Chromy Wines has teamed up with South Korean importer Choix Trading to introduce a six‑wine portfolio to the country’s on‑trade sector. The collection, featuring Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, sparkling cuvée, sparkling rosé and Zdar Chardonnay, targets premium...
Co-Op Renews Pledge to Exclusively Sell British-Grown Strawberries
Co‑op has renewed its pledge to sell 100% British‑grown strawberries throughout the year, extending the season beyond the traditional May‑September window. The retailer is using heated polytunnels, biomass boilers, heat‑exchange pumps and anaerobic digestion to keep crops viable in colder...
Researchers Analyzed 450k Diets — This Eating Habit Stood Out For Cancer Prevention
A new JAMA Network Open study of over 450,000 participants found that strict adherence to the Mediterranean diet significantly lowers the risk of obesity‑related cancers. The protective effect was observed even after accounting for body weight and fat distribution, suggesting...
Women’s Health Brand Valerie Abandons ‘Perimenopause’ Label to Expand Audience
Valerie, a female hormone health brand for women over 35, is dropping the ‘perimenopause’ label to broaden its reach. Co‑founder Wizz Selvey says the change removes a psychological barrier and aligns with feedback that many women feel the term is...
Seven Tips for Using a Podcast to Grow Your Restaurant Community
Restaurant operators can turn a simple podcast into a community‑building engine by centering content on authentic brand stories and local voices. A lean setup—just a smartphone and a quality microphone—delivers professional sound without heavy investment. Consistency, clear audience definition, and...
Making Smart Restaurant Equipment Decisions
Jon Jacobs, president of equipment‑financing firm SilverChef, warns that restaurant owners often let menu concepts dictate costly kitchen purchases. He advocates an operations‑first strategy—testing recipes, mapping workflows, and budgeting for flexibility before committing to large assets. Jacobs highlights that 68%...
Can Max & Helen's Ever Be a Laidback Diner? Do We Care when the Waffle Is so Good?
Max & Helen’s, a new‑era diner in Larchmont, opened six months ago under the stewardship of TV personality Phil Rosenthal and chef Nancy Silverton. The venue quickly attracted legendary wait times—up to eight hours—though weekday lunches now average about 45 minutes. Its...
Altos Las Hormigas Brings Mendoza Malbec to Indonesia
Argentine winery Altos Las Hormigas has entered the Indonesian market, targeting Jakarta and Bali through a partnership with leading importer Primavine. The launch focuses on education, on‑trade activations, and a portfolio that includes organic and terroir‑driven Malbec expressions. Altos, a...
UK Alcohol Duty Stalls as Treasury Intake Plateaus
HM Revenue & Customs reports that UK alcohol duty receipts have steadied at £12.4 bn (about $15.8 bn) in fiscal year 2025‑26, marking a plateau after years of modest growth. Wine and spirits continue to supply roughly 70% of the total duty,...
CPG Due Diligence: The Operator Framework Behind a $800M Exit | Keith Levy Part 1
In this episode, M&A Science host Kisan Patel dives deep with operating partner Keith Levy, a veteran of the consumer packaged goods world who spent 24 years at Anheuser‑Busch, led Royal Canin, and oversaw Mars Wrigley’s acquisition of KIND before...
Amy’s Kitchen Moves President to CEO Role
Amy’s Kitchen has promoted president Paul Schiefer to CEO, while co‑founder Andy Berliner shifts to executive chairman. Schiefer, a 20‑year veteran, led the company to its strongest gross‑margin performance in a decade and boosted profitability by 60% as president. The...
Mangrove Takes on Arette Tequila in UK
Mangrove Global has secured exclusive distribution rights for the fifth‑generation, family‑run Arette Tequila brand in the United Kingdom. Arette’s portfolio includes the 38% ABV Clasico Blanco, a twice‑distilled 100% agave expression, alongside several reposado and añejo variants. The partnership arrives...
Peddlers Gin Partners with Starbucks Bars in China
Peddlers Gin, a Shanghai‑based craft gin, has partnered with Starbucks Reserve Bar Mixato to launch a limited‑time cocktail program across China. The menu, featuring the brand’s Rare Eastern, Salted Plum and Barrel‑aged gins plus a Year of the Horse bottling,...
Chinamaxxing Is Starting to Catch on, in China
An American influencer’s bite of Rongchang braised goose went viral on Chinese and global platforms, turning a centuries‑old regional specialty into a nationwide craze. Within weeks, goose eateries across southwest China reported a surge in foot traffic, with many locations...
Centre for Nutraceuticals Designing Clinical Trials for Active Women
The Centre for Nutraceuticals at the University of Westminster is rolling out gender‑specific clinical trial protocols to address the chronic under‑representation of women in nutraceutical research. Researchers highlighted how hormonal fluctuations across life stages alter nutrient absorption, gut microbiome composition,...