Tea Café Chain Chaayos in Talks to Raise $50-70 Million, Appoints Banker
Mumbai‑based tea‑café chain Chaayos has engaged Avendus to help raise fresh capital. The company aims to secure between $50 million and $70 million in the round. This follows its 2022 Series C that brought in $53 million and placed a $250 million valuation on the business. Existing backers such as Tiger Global and Elevation Capital are expected to participate.
Voodoo Ranger Introduces Two New RTD Flavours
Lion's Voodoo Ranger brand has expanded its ready‑to‑drink (RTD) lineup with two vodka‑based offerings, Hard Cola and Hard Lemonade, each at 6% ABV and sold in 375 ml cans. Priced at roughly $19 USD for a four‑pack, the drinks aim at young...
Report: With EUDR Delayed, Beef Imports From Brazil’s Amazon Climb Higher
Earthsight reports EU beef imports from Brazil’s Amazon jumped from €142 million (≈$155 million) in 2024 to €238 million (≈$260 million) in 2025, all sourced from Mato Grosso, Brazil’s second‑largest deforestation hotspot. The surge follows a doubling of EU‑authorized slaughterhouses in the region. The EU...
Missing Bean Coffee Roasters Unveils Trio of Ethically Sourced Spring Coffees From Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Peru
Missing Bean Coffee Roasters, an independent specialist based in Oxfordshire, has launched three new single‑origin spring coffees from Rwanda, Ethiopia and Peru. The beans are ethically sourced through direct‑trade relationships, with prices ranging from £10.50 to £16.25 (approximately $13‑$21) per...
Woolworths Increases Farmer Payments Amid ‘Difficult Cost Increases’
Woolworths announced a 10‑cent per litre increase (about $0.07 USD) for its Farmers’ Own milk to help offset soaring oil, diesel and fertilizer costs triggered by the Middle East conflict. The retailer, which purchases roughly 20% of Australia’s fresh produce and...
New Zealand First Pledges to ‘End’ Supermarket Duopoly
New Zealand First, a coalition partner, announced a policy to dismantle the supermarket duopoly that controls roughly 82% of New Zealand’s grocery market. The plan calls for legislation to split Foodstuffs—owner of Pak’n’Save and New World—into two independent corporations and to give...
Pizza Hut Relaunches Huts Rewards
Pizza Hut has relaunched its Hut Rewards loyalty program, adding challenges, limited‑edition drops and member‑only experiences. The new platform debuted during March Madness, featuring a sold‑out Space Jam merchandise collection tied to the film’s 30th anniversary. Hut Rewards is positioned as...
Health QSR Chain Acai Theory Raises Funds From All In Capital, TDV Partners, Others
Acai Theory, a Bengaluru‑based health‑focused quick‑service restaurant, closed a pre‑seed round of Rs 4 crore (about $480,000). The round was led by All In Capital with participation from TDV Partners and several high‑profile angels. The capital will fund expansion to 8‑10 stores, a central kitchen,...
K Food Exports Set to Take Major Hit After Losing Middle East Growth
South Korea’s K‑Food exports rose 4% YoY to $2.56 bn in Q1 2026, driven largely by the Middle East, which contributed $106 m and 32.3% of the growth. Escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran disrupted logistics, causing a sharp...
Scientists Say Nanoplastics Can Cause Salmonella to Become Stronger
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign discovered that nanoplastics embedded in food‑packaging can boost the virulence of Salmonella bacteria. Laboratory experiments showed the pathogen becomes more aggressive when exposed to nanoplastic particles commonly found on ground‑turkey packaging. The study,...
EFSA Rolls Out 2026 Food Safety Campaign
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has unveiled its Safe2Eat campaign for 2026, targeting the entire EU. The initiative spotlights safe food practices, additive transparency, and flavoring information to help consumers make healthier choices. By deploying educational tools and outreach...
Popeyes Sets Sail with ONE PIECE with an Anime-Inspired Menu
Popeyes has partnered with Toei Animation to launch its first anime collaboration, Popeyes × ONE PIECE, across select Canadian locations. The limited‑time menu features items like Chopper’s Cupcake (≈ $3 USD) and the Luffy Bento Bundle (≈ $7.40 USD) that combine the chain’s signature chicken with themed...
LALO Tequila Builds a Legacy of Craftsmanship, Transparency
Co‑founder Eduardo “Lalo” González says tequila sales are booming worldwide, even as overall spirits soften. LALO Tequila, launched in 2020, has grown tenfold while staying true to a three‑ingredient, small‑batch formula. Its Blanco expression is NielsenIQ’s top share gainer across...
Elmhurst 1925 Clean Protein
Elmhurst 1925 has entered the ready‑to‑drink protein market with Clean Protein, a plant‑based beverage that delivers 27 g of protein per 11‑ounce serving. The drink, made from cashew or pistachio milk and sourced from mung beans and peas, contains four grams or...
Botanicals Blur Line Between Immune Boosters, ‘Boasters’
Immunity‑supporting botanicals are gaining traction among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, but many act more as “immune boasters” than true boosters. Curcumin offers anti‑inflammatory benefits but suffers from poor oral bioavailability, requiring fat or piperine to reach effective levels. Ashwagandha shows promise...
India's Premium Liquor Boom Defies Global Slowdown
India’s premium and super‑premium liquor segments grew 9% in volume and 12% in value in 2025, bucking a global decline in alcohol sales. The surge is driven by a rapidly expanding middle class of roughly 150 million consumers who can afford...
The Fair Comes To The Candy Aisle With Maeve
Maeve’s new Fantastical Fair Foods line flips the current quiet‑luxury trend in premium chocolate packaging with bold, carnival‑inspired designs. Each wrapper is a maximalist collage of Ferris wheels, food stalls, and vintage midway signage, crafted by Young Jerks. Distinct color...
Philippines Wheat Demand Forecast to Fall as Higher Prices Bite
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service projects Philippine wheat demand to decelerate, rising only 2.2% to 7.05 Mt in the 2026‑27 marketing year after a modest 6.2% increase to 6.9 Mt this year. Higher global wheat prices, driven by...
Malaysia Sits on Trillion‑dollar Halal Market Goldmine
Halal, a trillion dollar market globally and we, Malaysia are sitting on a gold mine. I being paying attention to this for years. If you are in this sector, lets connect and chat. I want to learn more. https://youtu.be/ipBJt9dhQmk?si=ZOqvQ5QqHZosQYd6
Inside the Rise of Luxury Whisky as a Design Object
Heritage whisky maker The Macallan has launched a new Timeless Collections line in partnership with iconic designer David Carson, revamping bottle aesthetics to emphasize architecture and storytelling. Carson hand‑crafted visual elements using paper, paint and natural materials, embedding a triangular...
Manufacturing Potential Highlighted as Australia Eyes Share of $68.56B Upcycled Food Market
Australia’s manufacturing sector is poised to capture a share of the fast‑growing global upcycled food market, which Fortune Business Insights projects will reach $68.56 billion by 2032. A two‑and‑a‑half‑year study by Queensland University of Technology, End Food Waste Australia and the...
Food Safety on Trial: Litigation, Regulation, Innovation Explored
🎤 New Episode of the Smarter Food Safety Podcast - dropping this week You’ve probably heard Bill Marler before…But not like this. In “Food Safety on Trial: Litigate, Regulate, or Innovate?”, we ask probing questions, challenge assumptions, & explore what really moves...
PulPac Develops Fiber-Based Molded Bottle Cap
PulPac announced a fiber‑molded bottle cap that aims to replace traditional plastic closures. The new cap is part of the company’s broader effort to create a fully paper‑based beverage bottle, including the container and its enclosures. By leveraging molded fiber,...
Korean Govt Backs University Project to Develop Precision Fermentation Toolkit
South Korea’s science ministry has awarded Kookmin University a core‑research grant in the 2026 Basic Research Program to develop a genetic toolkit for the food‑grade yeast Candida utilis. The toolkit will enable precision‑fermentation processes that produce proteins, amino acids, vitamins...
Blueberry Is The Unexpected Flavor To Consider Adding To Your Lattes
Coffee expert Matt Woodburn‑Simmonds explains why blueberry is a natural partner for iced lattes, highlighting its sharp‑sweet profile that balances coffee bitterness. He recommends using real blueberry compote, jam, or reduced‑down syrup rather than artificial flavorings. The trend has exploded...
David Jones Unveils Outsourced Food Hall at Sydney Flagship
David Jones has teamed with Create Catering to launch an outsourced food hall called “Eat at DJ’s” on the lower‑ground floor of its Sydney Elizabeth Street flagship. The new venue brings together multiple vendors offering diverse cuisines, reviving a tradition...
Broad Beans Offer Two‑Month Vitamin‑Protein Boost, Nutritionists Urge Quick Purchase
Nutrition experts in India are highlighting broad beans (bakla or ramfali) as a short‑season superfood rich in protein and fiber. The vegetable will be market‑available for roughly two months, prompting a push for consumers to buy while fresh. Its nutrient...
HowGood: Using Data to Navigate Health and Sustainability Trade-Offs in F&B
The U.S. government’s "Make America Healthy Again" agenda is pressuring food and beverage companies to eliminate petroleum‑based synthetic dyes, prompting a wave of health‑driven reformulation. While removing additives aligns with consumer demand for cleaner labels, it often creates environmental trade‑offs...
Why the Most Important Food Prices Are Rising Again
Canadian grocery inflation rose to 4.4% in March, outpacing the headline 4% CPI figure. Meat prices surged—beef up 12.7%, chicken 7.5%, pork 6.2%—as herd reductions and higher feed costs tighten supply. Vegetable prices also jumped, with cucumbers up 28.4% and...
Little Baobab Launches Monthly Senegalese Food and Music Nights at the Africa Centre in Southwark
Little Baobab, London’s sole Senegalese restaurant, has introduced a monthly Food and Live Music Night at the Africa Centre in Southwark. Each event, priced at £35 (about $45) per person, offers a buffet of traditional dishes and an acoustic concert...
Simple Mineral Treatment Rescues Flaxseed Oil, Slashing Bitterness and Keeping Omega-3-Rich Flavor Intact
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology and the Technical University of Munich used magnesium‑aluminum silicate, a bleaching earth, to strip cyclolinopeptides from flaxseed oil, cutting bitterness by more than 80% while preserving its omega‑3 alpha‑linolenic acid (ALA)...
German Vaccine Scientists Are Now Applying Their Expertise to Scaling Cultivated Meat
The Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems in Magdeburg has partnered with cultivated‑meat startup Innocent Meat on a two‑year ZELPI project to transfer vaccine‑scale perfusion techniques to food biotech. The collaboration will test Innocent Meat’s cell lines...
This Classic Beer Went From One Of The Top Brands To Nearly Unfindable
Schlitz, founded in 1849, rose to become America’s top-selling brewery by the 1950s, only to be eclipsed by Budweiser in 1957. In the late 1950s the company cut costs by replacing traditional ingredients with corn syrup, hop pellets and silica...
Sobeys Expands Partnership with Electronic Shelf Label Supplier JRTech Solutions
Sobeys, the flagship banner of Empire Company, is expanding its partnership with Quebec‑based JRTech Solutions to roll out Pricer’s electronic shelf label (ESL) technology in roughly 300 to 350 stores. The multicolor ESLs will run on Pricer’s cloud‑based Pricer Plaza...
2 Spirits Giants Are Fighting to Buy the Maker of Jack Daniel’s. 1 Is Winning, So Far
A takeover battle is unfolding for Brown‑Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s. Sazerac initially bid for the $12.4 billion company, but a competing proposal from French giant Pernod Ricard has emerged as the preferred partner. Brown‑Forman’s leadership and founding family see the...
Alberta Government Meeting with Grocers to Address Food Affordability: Minister
Alberta's government announced it is meeting with several of Canada’s largest grocery chains to tackle rising food costs. Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally, a former grocery executive, is leading the discussions. Premier Danielle Smith highlighted consumer frustration over higher prices...
Pinterest CPG Promotions Outperform Benchmark ROIs
Pinterest released research, commissioned by the platform and executed by Circana, that examined 17 matched market tests of Pin ads for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands across multiple regions. The study found that 82% of campaigns generated positive incremental ROI...
Time 100 2026 Honors Chefs Mashama Bailey, Nancy Silverton and Vikas Khanna
Time magazine has placed three chefs—Mashama Bailey, Nancy Silverton and Vikas Khanna—on its 2026 Time 100 list, recognizing their influence on cuisine, culture and philanthropy. The honor underscores how chefs are now seen as community leaders and global ambassadors for food.
How AgriTech North Is Fighting Food Insecurity in Ontario
AgriTech North has built a 2,500‑sq‑ft. patented greenhouse with a triple‑layer ETFE envelope that cuts heat loss by up to 70%, enabling year‑round cultivation in Dryden’s -40 °C winters. Backed by federal, provincial and private funding, the firm plans to scale...
Produce Shoppers Experience Wanderlust
The FMI "Power of Produce 2026" report reveals fresh‑produce dollars are moving from grocery aisles to mass‑merchandise supercenters, club stores and online channels. Grocery‑channel share fell from 50 % in 2021 to 43.9 % in 2025, while mass‑merchandise stores rose to 24.8 %...
Foodservice Market Hits $50B Across Schools and Restaurants
Big implications for #restaurants for sure, but also #foodservice sales in K12 and college/universities, which when combined represents over $50 billion in spending.
A Social Media Solution for Sparking Produce Sales
Social media is emerging as a powerful driver of produce sales, especially among Gen Z and millennial shoppers who spend over two hours daily on platforms. TikTok, YouTube and Instagram dominate meal‑inspiration sources for these younger consumers. Influencer‑led campaigns, such...
He Sold His Grass-Fed Jerky Company for Millions. Then He Started One of the Hardest Businesses in Food.
After selling Epic Provisions, the grass‑fed jerky pioneer, Robby Sansom launched Force of Nature in 2019 to bring regenerative‑raised meat to mainstream consumers. The company aggregates 917 ranches across 3.8 million acres, selling beef, chicken, bison and other proteins through more...
Creator Is Making a Comeback, Only This Time as a Platform Player and Not ‘Robot Theater’
Creator, the San Francisco‑based robotic burger startup that raised about $60 million and shuttered its flagship store during the pandemic, is re‑emerging as a technology platform rather than a consumer‑facing restaurant. The company now offers its redesigned robot to existing restaurant brands,...
Kroger Dives Into What’s Driving Online Shopping Ahead of Deal Days
Kroger is launching its Online Deal Days promotion from April 22 to May 5, offering $30 off first pickup or delivery orders over $75 and unlimited free delivery on orders above $50. The event adds digital coupons with 25% discounts on...
Delivery.com Furthers Bet on Hybrid Agent-AI Call Center
Delivery.com announced an expansion of its hybrid call center that blends brand‑trained agents with artificial‑intelligence tools to support restaurant operators and technology partners. The rollout is anchored by its Catering Specialist Program, which assigns agents to capture inbound catering orders,...
Paris Baguette to Open New Location at Metro Centre Owings Mills, MD
Paris Baguette is opening a new bakery‑café at Metro Centre in Owings Mills, Maryland. The Friends & Family event is set for April 19, 2026, with a soft opening on April 20. The 2,500‑square‑foot location will serve dine‑in, takeout and catering, targeting residents, office...
Chicken Salad Chick Awards 52 New Franchise Restaurants in Q1
Chicken Salad Chick awarded 52 new franchise restaurants in Q1 2026, the highest quarterly development in its history. This marks a roughly 48% jump from the 35 deals awarded in Q1 2025. Growth was driven by seven new franchise groups...
National Restaurant Association Research Insight: Workforce Hiring and Staffing
The National Restaurant Association released a research insight on workforce hiring and staffing, emphasizing that staffing decisions are strategic investments rather than short‑term costs. The report quantifies ROI, break‑even timelines, and the financial drag of understaffing, noting that each vacant...
This Iconic Las Vegas All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Is Closing For Good
The MGM Grand's all‑you‑can‑eat buffet, a 33‑year Strip staple, will close at the end of May, leaving the space vacant. This marks a sharp decline in Las Vegas buffets, now down from roughly 35 locations to just seven, as casinos...