Trump's Trade Wars Forcing Companies to Weigh US Value Proposition
President Donald Trump’s erratic trade agenda has left the U.S. seafood sector in a cloud of uncertainty. After a series of threatened tariffs—50% then 30%—the U.S. and EU settled on a 15% duty on European seafood in August 2025, with the European Parliament giving initial approval in March 2026. A Supreme Court ruling declared Trump’s IEEPA‑based tariffs illegal, prompting a temporary 10% global tariff that expires this summer. Meanwhile, Section 301 investigations against 16 countries, including key seafood exporters, threaten further trade disruptions.
Alaskan Leader Aiming for European Expansion of Miso Black Cod After US Success
Alaskan Leader Seafood is leveraging a 1,000% sales surge of its Wild Alaska Black Cod with Hikari Miso Marinade in the United States to launch the product across European grocery and restaurant chains. The company showcased the plan at the...
Shanghai Alcohol Warning Label Trials in Full Swing Across Online and Offline Sales
Shanghai's Municipal Health Commission has launched a citywide pilot requiring warning labels on every alcoholic beverage containing more than 0.5% alcohol by volume. The regulations mandate eye‑level, rectangular signs of specific dimensions in physical stores and prominent electronic warnings on...
Preserving Coffee’s Complexity in the Age of Functional Beverages
Coffee is evolving from a daily ritual into a primary platform for functional beverage innovation, driven by 61% of consumers seeking multi‑benefit drinks. While coffee already dominates U.S. caffeine consumption, shoppers now evaluate caffeine content alongside flavor, sugar and health...
Canada Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson Touts Northern Cod Recovery at Seafood Expo Global
At the 2026 Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, Canadian Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced that the Northern cod stock has grown 20% in the past year and will enter the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process. The total allowable catch...
Storytelling Through Glass Packaging
Glass packaging is gaining traction in the beverage sector as consumers increasingly demand sustainable, premium‑feel containers. Industry leaders such as Arglass, the Glass Packaging Institute and TricorBraun report steady growth in 2026, driven by health concerns over plastics and the...
Highclere Castle Peach Rose Gin
Highclere Castle Spirits announced the U.S. launch of Highclere Castle Gin Peach Rose, a new fruity‑floral expression priced at $31.99 per bottle. The gin blends estate‑sourced botanicals, including Lady Carnarvon rose oil, estate honey, and Italian white peaches, with a...
Diet Coke Runs Dry in Indian Cities as Iran War Triggers Aluminium Can Shortage
Diet Coke is running out of stock in major Indian cities as the Iran war has choked the supply of aluminium beverage cans, the primary packaging for the diet soda. Importing cans from the UAE, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia now...
Funding Dip for Alt Protein Fermentation Signals Shift From Promise to Proof
Funding for alternative‑protein fermentation startups dropped from $651 million in 2024 to $357 million in 2025, a 45% decline, according to the Good Food Institute. The contraction follows high‑profile exits such as Meati, Motif Foodworks and Arkeon, which forced investors to reassess...
Gap Tooth Soda Is Imperfect and Proud of It
Gap Tooth Soda, crafted by design agency Saint‑Urbain, breaks away from the typical ultra‑polished soda packaging by celebrating imperfection. The brand uses off‑beat fruit illustrations that resemble cut‑paper folk art, paired with a clean, unfussy sans‑serif typeface. This design approach...
The Lunchbox Dilemma: Why Europe’s Packaging Push Risks Backfiring
The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will require restaurants, cafés and hotels to offer reusable or “bring‑your‑own” (BYO) packaging under Articles 32 and 33, with compliance dates of August 12 2026 for reusable containers and February 12 2027 for BYO. Industry groups...
You Have to Smash This £38,000 Whisky Box Open
Studio Form’s new Glenrothes 51 presentation redefines ultra‑premium whisky packaging. The 51‑year‑old Speyside single malt is encased in a solid Jesmonite shell that must be shattered to reveal the bottle, turning opening into a ritual. Priced at £38,000 (about $48,600), the...
From Local Stall to One of Southeast Asia’s Largest Coffee Chains: The Story Behind Indonesia's Kopi Kenangan
Kopi Kenangan, launched from a Jakarta stall in 2017, has become Indonesia’s largest coffee chain and the sixth‑largest in Southeast Asia with 1,324 outlets across six markets by the end of 2025. The company posted its first group‑level net profit last...
Dayseaday Group Continuing to Expand After 40 Years of Business
Dayseaday Group, a family‑owned seafood processor from Urk, Netherlands, is expanding its facilities by thousands of square meters after 40 years of growth. The company now employs 250 people and supplies fresh salmon, frozen shrimp and other species primarily to...
Heart Health Claim for Soy Protein in ANZ Set to Accelerate Innovation – IFF
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved a general‑level heart‑health claim for isolated soy protein (ISP), allowing foods that provide 20‑25 g of ISP daily to display the claim. The decision is backed by over 80 clinical trials showing LDL‑cholesterol reductions...
Calbee, AMILI Bring Personalized Nutrition to Singapore
Calbee and Singapore‑based AMILI have introduced Body Granola, a personalized nutrition service that combines a gut microbiome test with a custom granola subscription. The test kit is priced at US$243 and the monthly subscription at US$38.50 for 20 servings. The...
Plant ‘N’ Beef: Germany’s Rewe Group Re-Enters Blended Meat Space with New Burger
Germany’s second‑largest supermarket chain, Rewe Group, has re‑entered the blended‑meat market with its new Plant ‘n’ Beef burger, a 70% beef‑30% fava‑bean hybrid. The two‑pack retails for €2.99 (about $3.30), roughly half the price of Rewe’s own‑brand all‑beef burger at...
Michelin Stars Meet: Alléno and Bosi Launch Joint Pop‑Up at London’s Four Seasons
Michelin‑starred chefs Yannick Alléno and Claude Bosi will co‑host a special “Counter Culture” event at Alléno’s London restaurant Pavyllon, located in the Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane, in late April 2026. The partnership, described by Alléno as a “natural and...
Treasury Wine Jumps Most in 12 Years on Strong China Results
Treasury Wine Estates Ltd. saw its shares surge—the biggest rise in 12 years—after reporting a 40% year‑over‑year jump in wine depletions to front‑end retailers in China for the three months ended February 2026. The growth was seasonally adjusted for the Lunar...
High Fuel Prices Driving up Shipping Costs for Northern Grocers
Northern Canadian grocers are feeling the squeeze as soaring fuel prices drive up air‑freight costs, the primary mode for perishable items. Jet fuel has roughly doubled, prompting the North West Co. to add 20‑50¢ per pound (about $0.15‑$0.37 USD) in surcharges,...
The Trends Shaping Restaurants in 2026
Technomic warned that restaurants face a volatile 2026 landscape, with traffic down 0.8% in 2025 and only modest gains early this year before a March slowdown tied to the Iran‑related gas price surge. New USDA dietary guidelines are shifting menus...
Burger in Front, Party Out Back: McDonald’s NZ Debuts the Cheeseburger with a Mullet via McCann NZ, FleishmanHillard Aotearoa +...
McDonald’s New Zealand rolled out a limited‑time "Cheeseburger with a Mullet" – nicknamed the McMullet – after a social‑media buzz around adding an extra slice of cheese at the back of a cheeseburger. The campaign, created with McCann NZ, FleishmanHillard Aotearoa...
Manufacturing Boost as Victorian Gov’t Backs $92M Flour Mill Expansion in Ballarat
The Victorian Government is backing a $92 million (≈$61 million USD) expansion of George Weston Foods' Mauri flour mill in Ballarat, adding a new warehouse, production line and state‑of‑the‑art milling technology. The project, funded through the $150 million (≈$99 million USD) Victorian Investment Fund, will create...
Natural Color Innovations Approach Synthetic-Level Performance as Biotech Reshapes F&B
Natural food‑colour manufacturers are closing the performance gap with synthetic dyes by leveraging biotechnology, advanced extraction and crystal‑formulation techniques. Consumer demand for clean‑label products and FDA moves to phase out artificial colours have accelerated investment in stable, high‑intensity natural hues....
Asia-Pacific Flavor Trends: Takasago on “Digital Natives” Reshaping F&B Innovation
Asia‑Pacific is emerging as a flavor‑innovation hotspot, driven by rising demand for convenient, health‑focused and culturally resonant foods. Takasago highlights that China, India and Southeast Asia are seeing rapid adoption of ready‑to‑use products, while Gen Z digital natives push AI‑enabled, social‑media‑inspired...
Major Burger Chain Adds Highly Popular Star Wars Menu Items
Burger King is launching a limited‑time Star Wars menu on May 4, featuring four themed items and collectible cups tied to Disney’s upcoming “Mandalorian and Grogu” film. The promotion is part of BK’s “Reclaim the Flame” growth strategy, which has previously...
Jack Daniel’s Just Released a New Hazmat Rye Whiskey That’s Actually Drinkable
Jack Daniel’s has launched a new Special Release Small Batch Rye, a hazmat‑proof whiskey bottled between 142.7 and 146.1 proof. The 10‑year‑old rye is drawn from 129 barrels in the Coy Hill, Boiler Hill and Fire Brigade Fields warehouses and...
How the Different Generations Interact with Restaurants
A panel at the Restaurant Leadership Conference compared food preferences, app usage, and dining habits across Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z. While burgers and nachos emerged as cross‑generational favorites, notable differences appeared in frequency of dining out, health versus...
P.F. Chang's Plans IPO Within Two Years
Jim Mazany, CEO of P.F. Chang's, said at the Restaurant Leadership Conference that the company is planning an IPO in two years. The Asian chain went private in 2012.
Starbucks Nashville Hub Signals Shifting US Corporate Map
Great thread helping to explain why Starbucks is opening a support center in Nashville. We've seen these types of things in a lot of restaurant companies.
An Inside Look at What's Challenging Restaurant Chain Execs in 2026
At the Restaurant Leadership Conference, C‑level executives from five fast‑growing chains shared how they are balancing rapid expansion with consistency, technology, and brand relevance. Honeygrow paused growth to consolidate, now operating close to 80 locations, while Cava leverages a unified...
Snickers, Twix Use Laughs To Launch New Products
Mars is rolling out humor‑driven campaigns for Snickers and Twix as it expands its product lineup. The "Stuck" campaign promotes Snickers Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter Ice Cream with a comedic hiker ad, while Twix launches bite‑size Twix Bits starring...
Diet Coke Just Became the Official Accessory of ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’
Disney is teaming with Coca‑Cola to promote the upcoming *The Devil Wears Prada 2* by featuring a limited‑edition Diet Coke can as an official movie accessory. The can, designed by Tátil Design, showcases the film’s signature red stiletto with a devil‑pitchfork heel alongside...
Dietary Supplement Listing Bill Introduced in the House
Representative Maxine Dexter (OR‑03) introduced a House bill that would require dietary supplement manufacturers to submit detailed product information to the FDA, including names, full ingredient lists, labels, allergen statements, and health claims. The legislation calls for a searchable database...
Nine New NYC Restaurants Added to Michelin Guide Highlight City’s Culinary Diversity
Michelin has recently added nine New York City restaurants to its guide, with five located in Brooklyn and four in Manhattan. The selections span traditional, contemporary and author‑driven concepts, reinforcing NYC’s status as a global food capital.
Royal Unibrew Q1 Profit Rises 35% to DKK171 M ($24 M), Boosting Euro Consumer‑Goods Outlook
Royal Unibrew A/S posted a first‑quarter profit of DKK171 million ($24 million), up 35% from a year earlier, while revenue climbed 3.3% to DKK3.311 billion ($463 million). The earnings beat underscores resilience in the European beverage market and lifts sentiment for consumer‑goods stocks on...
New Study Links Coffee Intake to Microbiome Changes and Improved Mental Well-Being
A University College Cork study published in Nature Communications shows that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee alter the gut microbiome in ways that improve mental well‑being. Researchers tracked 31 regular coffee drinkers and 31 non‑drinkers through a two‑week abstinence, then...
Kevin Armantrout Promoted to CEO of Bagel & Co.
Kevin Armantrout, previously Bagel & Co.'s chief operating officer, has been promoted to chief executive officer, succeeding co‑founder Mike Marsh who will remain on the board to focus on capital strategy and site selection. The chain also appointed industry veteran...
Market Of Choice Celebrates 10 Years Of MOJO Program
Market of Choice, Oregon’s largest independent grocer, is marking the 10th anniversary of its MOJO incubator program, which has helped hundreds of local makers launch thousands of products. Today, MOJO‑sourced items account for about 15% of the retailer’s shelves, roughly...
Ask the RD: Should You Supplement With Collagen?
The MyFitnessPal article reviews the growing hype around collagen supplements, summarizing early research that suggests benefits for joint pain, skin elasticity, and exercise recovery while highlighting the lack of definitive dosage guidelines. It explains that collagen naturally declines with age...
Target Lobbying Congress on Hemp Food and Beverage Policies
Target $TGT disclosure that they are lobbying Congress on hemp, specifically on "Policies regarding hemp in food and beverages" https://t.co/EifO7Xmsiu
ARS Launches Pathmark Daily Small Format Grocery Store
Allegiance Retail Services (ARS) launched a new small‑format grocery banner, Pathmark Daily, with its first store opening on May 1 in East Meadow, New York. The concept targets time‑pressed shoppers by offering a curated assortment of fresh produce, meats, seafood and everyday...
Cooper Sharp Expands to the Midwest
Cooper Sharp, the Northeast‑origin deli cheese brand, announced its entry into the Midwest through a partnership with Meijer. The cheese is now available sliced to order in 5‑lb loaves of its Yellow and Black Pepper varieties at select Meijer deli...
Ford's Garage Appoints Kathleen Bush As Chief Marketing Officer, Promotes David Ragosa to Chief Development Officer
Ford's Garage has appointed Kathleen Bush as chief marketing officer and promoted David Ragosa to chief development officer. Bush, a veteran marketer from Red Robin and other restaurant brands, will steer brand strategy, digital engagement and guest experience. Ragosa, formerly...
Stoner's Pizza Joint Signs 10&Unit Development Agreement in Dallas&Fort Worth
Stoner's Pizza Joint has signed a development agreement to open 10 new units in the Dallas‑Fort Worth metro area with an existing multi‑unit franchisee. The locations will be distributed across key trade areas over the next several years. The chain...
You Can Get Some of the Best Food in California at These Neo-Retro Diners
California’s dining scene is witnessing a surge of neo‑retro diners that marry classic counter‑service comfort with chef‑level technique and thoughtful design. Establishments like Jumbo’s Win Win in Anderson Valley, Super Mensch in San Francisco’s Marina, and Max & Helen’s on...
Walmart Continues to Lose Grocery Market Share
Walmart’s grocery market share slipped to 19.9% in 2026, down from 20% a year earlier and 20.4% in 2024, according to Numerator data. The decline mirrors a modest drop in its consumer packaged goods (CPG) share, which fell to 20.4%...
Wendy's Opens 100th Restaurant in the Philippines
Wendy's Company opened its 100th restaurant in the Philippines, a new outlet on Friendship Highway in Angeles City operated by franchise partner Wenphil Corp. The brand, present for over four decades, is riding a QSR sector that has expanded roughly...
Mr. Gatti's Pizza Reopens Five Walmart Locations in Texas and Oklahoma
Mr. Gatti's Pizza has finished renovations at five Walmart locations in Texas and Oklahoma, reopening each store with larger buffet sections and new interactive gaming areas. Grand opening events were staged between April 9 and May 8, all starting at 11 a.m. The...
Sobeys Invests $51M in Digital Price Tag Tech
Canadian grocery chain Sobeys is committing $51 million to install electronic shelf‑label (ESL) technology across roughly 300‑350 stores. The rollout, partnered with JRTech Solutions and Pricer AB, will feature multicolor labels and related infrastructure, with an 18‑month deployment slated to start in...