Know What's Happening in Food and Beverage
Know What's Happening in Food and Beverage
Kroger announced on February 9, 2026 that former Walmart U.S. president Greg Foran will become its chief executive, marking the first time the grocery giant has hired an outsider. The market rewarded the move, with Kroger’s stock jumping as much as 8 percent after the news. The appointment comes after a failed $25 billion attempt to merge with Albertsons, leaving Kroger without the scale it sought to rival Walmart. Foran’s operational pedigree signals a shift toward tighter price perception, enhanced store experience and aggressive private‑label growth.
The episode highlights three major retail stories: QVC Group issued a going‑concern warning, revealing $6.6 billion in debt and declining revenues that threaten its survival; Starbucks announced a new performance‑based pay program and weekly wages for baristas, aiming to boost earnings...
Excalibur introduced its Proper Portions™ Seasoning Program, a pre‑measured packet system designed to streamline seasoning of fresh proteins across grocery and retail environments. The solution promises reduced waste, improved food safety, and consistent flavor, while enabling quick, sell‑ready presentations for...
Australia’s Senate blocked an amendment that would have extended the excise‑freeze on draught beer to spirits, leaving the spirits sector without the cost‑of‑living relief granted to beer. The proposal, backed by the opposition and independents, also called for a review...
The Asian nutraceutical market is buzzing with product upgrades and new launches. BYHEALTH boosted its flagship protein powder to 90% protein for Chinese consumers, while Singapore’s MIRIQA entered the immunity segment with a family‑focused jelly supplement. In Inner Mongolia, pharmacy...
BioGaia launched its Prodentis Fresh Breath lozenge in China via cross‑border e‑commerce, marking the first APAC entry for the probiotic oral‑health supplement. The product combines two patented L. reuteri strains with zinc, xylitol and isomalt to combat halitosis and support...
Congresswomen Nikki Budzinski (D‑IL) and Michelle Fischbach (R‑MN) introduced the Biobased Materials Investment and Production Act, a bipartisan bill that would grant a 30% investment tax credit for building or retrofitting plant‑based biomanufacturing facilities and a production credit of 10 cents...
The global frozen‑drink market is projected to grow from $600 million this year to nearly $1.2 billion by 2035, with slushies accounting for the majority of sales. New dispensing technology and modular flavor systems are turning slushies into a premium, customizable platform...
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service identified Listeria monocytogenes as the leading cause of food‑borne outbreaks it investigated in fiscal year 2025, accounting for roughly 250 illnesses and 140 hospitalizations across multiple states. The Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration’s...
Polpo Restaurant & Saloon, headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, is preparing to reopen in Palm Beach, Florida with a new site that is still being finalized. The original Palm Beach location closed after the building was sold and the lease was...
GLP‑1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are reshaping the food‑and‑beverage market by creating a new demand for ready‑to‑drink nutrition shakes. These beverages are moving beyond simple hunger relief to serve precise nutritional goals, especially high protein and collagen content....
Africa’s beer market is booming, with 2025 sales topping $32.5 billion and a 6.5% rise in supermarket channels. Urban hubs such as Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town are driving demand for premium and craft offerings, while South Africa still supplies roughly...
Co‑op has recalled its creamy garlic and spinach salad in Canada after detecting Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall spans Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Saskatchewan, covering products with UPC codes starting 0 284616 and best‑before dates from March 24 to...
Raw Farm LLC finally issued a voluntary recall of its raw cheddar cheese after the FDA and CDC linked it to a nationwide E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. Seven of nine confirmed patients, including over half under five, had consumed the...
Marriott International announced it will replace Pepsi with Coca‑Cola as its in‑house soft‑drink provider after a 35‑year partnership with PepsiCo. The transition is slated to begin this summer across the chain’s U.S. properties. Marriott cited strategic alignment and cost efficiencies...
Raw Farm announced a voluntary recall of several raw cheddar cheese batches after the FDA issued an advisory linking its products to an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. The recall includes seven specific items ranging from 8‑oz blocks to 80‑oz bags,...
Coca-Cola Beverages Florida unveiled limited-edition America250 cans at its Jacksonville bottling plant, marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. The commemorative mini cans, featuring Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, will roll out to Florida retailers on April 6, alongside patriotic branding on...
Crustacean has been shaping Vietnamese dining in San Francisco for 50+ years—and now it’s evolving. I sat down with Monique An to talk about what it actually takes to lead a legacy restaurant right now. What’s harder—building something new, or evolving something...
Jollibee opened a new store in Stockton, California on April 3, 2026, located at 4704 Pacific Avenue near Weberstown Mall. The outlet initially offers drive‑thru and to‑go service, with full in‑store dining and online ordering slated for the coming weeks. To celebrate,...
McDonald’s Türkiye introduced the “Archie” device, a hardware add‑on that keeps a gamer’s avatar moving while they eat. The gadget is bundled with a limited‑time Pro Gamer Menu—Big Mac, fries, Coke and onion rings—available only through delivery orders. Designed by TBWA Istanbul,...
Burger King’s “Reclaim the Flame” program, led by former Domino’s executives Patrick Doyle and Tom Curtis, is accelerating restaurant remodels, menu upgrades and a new marketing push aimed at dethroning McDonald’s as the top U.S. burger chain. Over half of...
Taco Bell’s Global Taco Vote crowned India’s Butter Chicken Taco with nearly 65% of the votes, securing a limited‑time rollout on the U.S. menu later this year. The taco blends slow‑roasted chicken in a tomato‑cream sauce with Indian spices, served...
Tunisia reported a 239% surge in new aquaculture investments in 2025, reaching TND 88.1 million (≈USD 30.2 million). The sector captured 17% of all agriculture‑fisheries private investments, amounting to TND 515.3 million across 2,862 projects. Government incentives, including subsidies up to 25% and tax breaks, aim...
The International Atomic Energy Agency has launched a five‑year research initiative to combat seafood fraud using nuclear and related technologies. The project will develop isotopic and molecular fingerprint databases that enable participating nations to verify species, origin, and processing claims....
European Fisheries Commissioner Costas Kadis called for a swift shift of EU commercial fishing fleets away from fossil fuels as global fuel prices surge amid the Iran conflict. Spain pledged €25 million and France offered a €0.20‑per‑liter fuel rebate to ease...
The Newfoundland and Labrador Standing Fish Price‑Setting Panel announced a minimum snow crab price of CAD 5.30 per pound for the 2026 season, up from CAD 4.97 in 2025. The decision proceeded despite the Fish Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) abandoning...
The beverage industry is moving away from internal incubators toward acquiring already‑scaled brands, as giants like Coca‑Cola and Pepsi shift focus after shutting down VEB and Hive. This strategic pivot reflects a broader realization that large‑company systems excel at scaling,...
The FDA approved Eli Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 tablet Foundayo (orforglipron) in April 2024, pricing it at $25 per month with insurance or $149 self‑pay. New pipeline candidates—including Eli Lilly’s triple‑agonist retatrutide, Novo Nordisk’s high‑dose Wegovy and CagriSema, and Amgen’s monthly‑dose MariTide—promise greater efficacy,...
Raw Farm LLC issued a voluntary recall of certain raw cheddar cheese batches, stating the action is taken under protest and disputing the FDA’s epidemiological link to a recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. The outbreak has sickened nine individuals, primarily...
Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin released “The Art of Cooking with Cheese,” a consumer‑focused guide that categorizes cheeses by acidity, moisture, texture and flavor for optimal cooking results. The guide highlights specific varieties for melting, sauces, and desserts, and advises using...
Private‑label products captured 24% of the U.S. retail food and beverage dollar share in 2025, generating $330 billion in sales, according to Circana. The share rose 0.4 percentage points year‑over‑year, led by growth in refrigerated, fresh perimeter, frozen foods and shelf‑stable...
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority announced that U.S. beef shipments will no longer need to undergo the Export Verification (EV) Program, and the kingdom now permits bovine‑derived tallow in animal feed. The policy shift removes a barrier that has...
Expo West 2026 highlighted a market shift from broad protein expansion to high‑intensity formulations, with products now delivering 40‑50 grams of protein per serving. Gummies are ceding ground to soft chews, gels and advanced encapsulation, turning delivery systems into a...
Bastyr University, the nation’s first accredited naturopathic medical school, is confronting a severe financial crisis, having lost $14 million over three years and facing a $3.3 million budget deficit. Founder Joe Pizzorno returned in 2025 to steer a turnaround, leveraging alumni donations, salary...
A former NYC health inspector reveals that most restaurants treat food safety as a reactive, exam‑style task, fixing issues only when inspectors arrive. He argues that the real obstacle is limited managerial bandwidth, not lack of knowledge. Static checklists fail...
Oktane Energy, a DMV‑based performance beverage, has been awarded a Golden Ticket through KeHE’s Trend Finder program, granting the brand accelerated placement in KeHE’s nationwide retail network. The distinction highlights Oktane as one of the most promising emerging brands in...
The Neighborhood Beverage Company (NBC), parent of Once Upon a Coconut, announced the acquisition of Punch’d Energy, a natural‑caffeine gummy brand. The deal adds a patented green‑coffee‑bean formula to NBC’s better‑for‑you lineup, expanding its reach into the functional energy category....
MEDASE Cocktails announced a strategic investment that will support more than $20 million in annual sales, alongside a national founder accolade and a new consumer‑friendly pricing model. Co‑founder Monica Cornitcher was named to Inc.’s 2026 Female Founders 500, highlighting the brand’s...
Blackbird Foods announced its Blackbirdie Pizza Minis are now stocked nationwide at Sprouts Farmers Market. The 5‑inch, chef‑crafted mini pizzas come in dairy‑free cheese and plant‑based pepperoni varieties and are sold in four‑pack boxes. They cook in 90 seconds in...
Starbucks has partnered with Danone’s Alpro to roll out protein‑boosted lattes across Central Europe, using a high‑protein soy milk that delivers 5 g protein per 100 ml. The new sugar‑free vanilla and matcha lattes provide 8‑22 g of protein per serving and can...
Jones Soda Co. is launching a national rollout of its Fallout‑inspired Sunset Sarsaparilla 12‑pack to club‑store locations across the United States and Canada. The distribution expands a previously limited‑release product into a full‑scale club‑channel format, leveraging its licensing deal with...
GlobalData reports that 28% of UK shoppers have trimmed grocery spending as inflation and geopolitical tensions drive food prices higher. The first‑quarter survey of 500 consumers shows a generational split, with 38% of Gen X, 31% of Millennials and 28% of...
Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches, a Richmond‑born CPG brand, is launching its products in Wegmans stores nationwide this spring. The rollout features three flagship 4‑pack flavors—Cookie Monster, Brookie Dough, and Banana Pudding—available at all locations, with two additional varieties offered in...
Chee Hoo Treats, a Hawaiian‑inspired frozen‑dessert brand, announced the launch of Chee Hoo Protein Pops, a new line of whey‑protein‑enriched popsicles. The debut flavor, Pineapple Breeze, delivers 12 grams of whey protein and 110 calories per pop, with no added refined...
fairlife is rolling out refreshed packaging for its Core Power protein shakes and 52‑oz ultra‑filtered milk, emphasizing a cleaner shelf look and clearer nutrition messaging. The new designs showcase 50% more protein and 50% less sugar for the milk line...
Nielsen has launched a new data‑delivery program that shortens the reporting cycle for consumer‑goods metrics, delivering insights up to 50% faster than its legacy system. The accelerated timeline gives food manufacturers and retailers near‑real‑time visibility into sales, pricing and shopper...
VinePair’s latest podcast highlights a rapid wave of middle‑tier mergers in the U.S. alcohol sector. Reyes Beverage Group (RBG) has deepened its footprint by buying five more RNDC markets, while Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (SGWS) snapped up Anheuser‑Busch InBev’s...
Vital Strategies' Canary platform used AI to analyze soda and alcohol marketing on social media. It found Coca‑Cola appeared in 795 posts during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, generating about 6 billion impressions, while digital alcohol ads posted nearly 4,000...
TofuGo, a Seattle‑based startup founded by former M&A executive Caroline Dai, has launched the first mainstream U.S. snack brand built around dougan, a traditional Sichuan tofu preparation. The brand’s debut includes two shelf‑stable, zero‑sugar bars—Soy BBQ and Spicy Chili—each delivering...
Harry’s Famous Sauce, the debut brand of The Open Food Company, announced two new jarred sauces—Rustic Tomato Basil and Original Tarragon Vodka—expanding its chef‑crafted lineup. The sauces are made with non‑GMO, vegan, gluten‑free ingredients, contain no added sugar, and retail...
