Tuscany’s Share of the Fine Wine Market Grows, as Its Index Stabilises
Liv‑ex data shows the Italy 100 index staying stable while the broader fine‑wine market declines, with a 0.6 % rise in January making it the only Liv‑ex benchmark to gain. Tuscany’s share of the index grew, driven by Super‑Tuscans such as Masseto posting over 5 % year‑to‑date price gains across multiple vintages. Trade concentration tightened: nine Tuscan wines now generate 80 % of the region’s value, down from 21 a year earlier. Piedmont wines fell more sharply, underscoring regional divergence.
Conagra Brands Appoints Former JM Smucker Exec John Brase as CEO
Conagra Brands announced that John Brase, former president and COO of JM Smucker, will assume the role of president and CEO on June 1, succeeding Sean Connolly. Brase brings more than 35 years of consumer‑goods experience, including senior positions at Procter & Gamble. The company...
Aksia’s Fornaio Del Casale Strikes Trio of Food Deals
Fornaio del Casale, now owned by private‑equity firm Aksìa, has completed three add‑on acquisitions—Castelfood, Figulì and Dolciaria Ponte Vecchio—creating the new Equipe Del Casale Group. The combined entity will generate roughly €85 million ($99 million) in revenue and is targeting 10% growth...
Mirepa Invests in Ghanaian Food Company
Mirepa Investment Advisors has closed a strategic investment in Ghanaian food producer Uniik Foods through its Mirepa Capital SME Fund I. The capital will fund modernisation of Uniik’s production lines, boost manufacturing capacity, and enhance distribution networks for its shelf‑stable...
Albanian Tomato Prices Rise to US$8.40 per Kg
Albania’s tomato market has seen a sharp price surge, with cherry tomatoes reaching $8.40 per kilogram and standard varieties climbing to $3.70‑$4.65 per kilogram. The increase follows flood‑induced damage to greenhouse areas, reduced planting acreage, and higher input costs, which...
Grocery Update #150: Spring Fresh Reading List for Aspiring Grocery Nerds.
Errol Schweizer’s latest Checkout Grocery Update offers a spring‑time reading list aimed at turning anyone into a “grocery nerd.” The newsletter highlights the $1.1 trillion U.S. grocery market, notes that its readership has nearly doubled after a year of curated lists,...
Argentine Lemon Outlook: Climate Challenges Meet Strong Market Demand
Argentina’s lemon season is underway but heavy rains in January and March have damaged farm roads, delaying harvests by up to two weeks. Despite the logistical setbacks, growers expect production to be stronger than last year, bolstered by a dry...
David Beckham’s Supplement Brand Is Doing $10 Million A Month. The Secret Goes Beyond Just Celebrity.
David Beckham and biotech entrepreneur Danny Yeung launched the IM8 supplement brand in November 2024, quickly reaching $120 million in annual recurring revenue and $10 million in monthly sales. The company relies on rigorous scientific testing, a high‑profile advisory board, and a direct‑to‑consumer model...
Why Execution Gaps, Not Technology, Are Draining Food Manufacturers
Food manufacturers have widely adopted digital quality tools, yet many still rely on manual record‑keeping and fragmented workflows. SafetyChain labels the hidden cost of this misalignment as the “Invisible QA Tax,” where teams spend hours reconciling data instead of acting...
Kraft Launches Restaurant-Style Mac and Cheese
Kraft Heinz unveiled the Mac & Cheese Restaurant Edition, a new line that pairs familiar instant‑mac convenience with restaurant‑style flavors and premium pasta shapes. The range launches with three varieties—Parmesan Pesto, Romano Cacio e Pepe, and Monterey Jack Caramelized Onion—each...
How to Confidently Forecast Costs in Food and Beverage Procurement
Fastmarkets released a free Forecasting with Confidence Playbook that showcases how independent market intelligence can help food‑and‑beverage (F&B) procurement teams anticipate packaging and ingredient price swings. The piece highlights that global volatility—driven by geopolitical conflict and energy shocks—often leads suppliers...
Greggs Sets Sights on Net Zero Energy by 2030
Greggs, the UK’s leading bakery chain, announced a commitment to achieve net‑zero Scope 2 emissions from energy use by 2030. The company highlighted that it has already reduced its emissions intensity by more than half since 2019 through renewable energy adoption...
Amrut Names Exclusive US Importer
Amrut Distilleries has appointed Brooklyn‑based PM Spirits as its exclusive U.S. importer, effective May 1, replacing Glass Revolution Imports which introduced the brand a decade ago. PM Spirits, already Amrut’s New York distributor, will now handle national distribution across the United...
Global Brands Taps Into Higher-ABV RTDs
Global Brands has introduced Quadz, a vodka‑based ready‑to‑drink (RTD) line featuring four 18.8% ABV flavours in 200 ml pocket bottles. The range targets Gen Z and Millennial consumers seeking value and on‑the‑go pre‑drink options. Quadz enters the fastest‑growing higher‑ABV RTD sub‑category, a...
The SB Podcast: Why Distribution Needs a Shake-Up
Eoin Bara, founder of Tipple, argues that spirits brands must generate demand before chasing distribution. After burning out selling his own Mór Irish Gin, he created Tipple, a digital platform that lets brands sell directly to consumers and businesses while...
The US Small Town Coffee Shop that Created a Viral Drink: ‘I Still Don’t Understand How It Went so Far’
Little Joy Coffee in Northfield, Minnesota sparked a global craze with its raspberry danish latte, a seasonal $8 drink whose recipe was released for free. The open‑source approach generated a map of participating cafés that now spans every continent except Antarctica...
Iran Conflict: The 5 Biggest Pressure Points for Food and Beverage
Weekend peace talks between the United States and Iran ended without an agreement, sending oil prices above $100 per barrel and prompting a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. The spike in oil costs is inflating freight rates for ocean‑borne cargoes...
Talley's Log Cabin Crowned Michigan’s Best Burger, Sales Double After Win
Talley's Log Cabin in Lewiston, Michigan, was named the state's best burger in The Detroit News' 2026 Burger Bracket, edging out 63 competitors. The accolade sparked a weekend surge that doubled the restaurant’s burger sales and drew diners from across...
Vinarchy UK Hit with £8million Packaging Tax
Vinarchy UK, the merged entity of Accolade and Pernod Ricard Winemakers, recorded an £8 million (≈$10 million) Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging levy in 2025 that wiped out its profit. The levy, which applies to firms handling over 25 tonnes of packaging, coincided...
Greggs Tweaks Packaging, Food Waste and Climate Goals
Greggs’ 2026 sustainability report reveals a pivot from cutting packaging weight to improving recyclability, acknowledging that lighter formats hinder recycling. The chain has removed all unnecessary single‑use plastics and offers a reusable‑cup discount of 25 pence (≈$0.33). It retired its 25%...
Kraft Mac & Cheese Unveils Restaurant Edition
Kraft Heinz has introduced Kraft Mac & Cheese Restaurant Edition, a premium line that adds 30% more food per box and offers three upscale flavors—Parmesan Pesto, Romano Cacio e Pepe, and Monterey Jack Caramelized Onion. Each 9.5‑oz box sells for...
Chinese Firms Shift to Brazil's Consumer Tech, Mixue Opens First Store with $590M Investment
Chinese direct investment in Brazil doubled to $4.2 billion in 2024, and ice‑cream chain Mixue opened its first Brazilian store, pledging a 3 billion‑real ($590 million) rollout. The move signals a strategic pivot from infrastructure to consumer electronics, smartphones, wearables and smart‑home devices.
Brands Ramp up Protein with Fresh Wave of Food Launches
A wave of protein‑focused launches is reshaping the UK food aisle. Plenish introduced two clean‑label protein powders with 20 g protein per serving at a $57 price point, while Hungry Boar rolled out five‑pack meat stick multipacks in Tesco for $5....
Modular Store Deploys Humanoid Robots for Service
Modular Retail Store Where Humanoid #Robots Serve Coffee, Ice Cream, and Chat with Customers via @ZappyZappy7 #AI #Robotics #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/k1WmDPiodV
Strength in Depth: Stock Spirits Group
Stock Spirits Group is leveraging its market leadership in Eastern Europe—where it commands roughly a quarter of clear‑vodka volumes and a third of flavored vodka—to accelerate growth in the mainstream vodka segment across Europe. The company has intensified its presence...
Louis Roederer Enters Talks for Burgundy Estate
Louis Roederer has entered exclusive talks to acquire Domaine Pierre Damoy, an eight‑hectare Burgundy estate in Gevrey‑Chambertin known for Grand Cru wines. The deal would give the Champagne house access to premier Chambertin, Chambertin‑Clos de Bèze and Chapelle‑Chambertin vineyards. This...
Wells & Co Sees Sales Revenue Increase to £66.2 Million
Wells & Co reported a 5% rise in FY2025 sales to £66.2 million (approximately $84.7 million), driven by steady growth across its UK and French estates. Group EBITDA climbed 5% to £10.3 million ($13.2 million) and operating profit before exceptional items rose 21% to...
Armorik Chouchenn Whisky Given Permanent Spot
French whisky maker Armorik has moved its Small Batch Chouchenn expression from a limited 2025 release to its permanent portfolio. The 2,500‑bottle edition was aged in Chouchenn mead casks and Breton oak, bottled at 46% ABV and retailed for €54.50...
Chipotle Relaunches Loyalty Program to Capture Younger, Rewards-Driven Diners
Chipotle Mexican Grill has relaunched its loyalty program as “Rewards on Repeat,” targeting younger, rewards‑driven diners. The revamped scheme, now live in the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec), expands benefits for its 21 million members, including a one‑year point expiration, monthly...
Salvatore Calabrese Guides New Donovan Bar Menu
The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel in London’s Mayfair has launched the 2026 edition of its Our Way cocktail menu, developed with renowned mixologist Salvatore “The Maestro” Calabrese and director Federico Pavan. The menu stays rooted in classic cocktails but...
AI Fosters Paradoxical Trend for ‘Authentic Human Connection’
Heineken’s Amstel brand launched a photographic campaign that captures spontaneous moments between friends in neighborhood bars, emphasizing unfiltered human connection amid growing AI fatigue. The project, shot by Spanish photographer Javier Tles, relied on voluntary participation and explicit consent, avoiding...
Bordeaux 2025 Vintage Profile: Quality over Quantity
The 2025 Bordeaux vintage is shaping up as a record‑low crop—the smallest harvest since 1991 and the second consecutive year of reduced volume. Despite the tiny output, the growing season was hot, dry and largely free of hail, frost or...
With Aldi Süd Commitment, All Major UK Supermarkets Have Set Time-Bound Shrimp Welfare Standards
Aldi Süd announced a global shrimp‑welfare policy to eliminate eyestalk ablation by 2030 and to require electrical stunning for all farmed shrimp by 2035. With this pledge, every one of the UK’s 11 major supermarket chains now has a time‑bound commitment...
MCS Downgrades Cod, Langoustine, Mackerel Ratings in Its Latest Good Fish Guide
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has downgraded UK‑caught cod, langoustine and mackerel to its red category in the latest Good Fish Guide, signaling serious sustainability concerns. Cod is now deemed unsafe for domestic consumption, with MCS urging shoppers to buy...
Wellness Brands Dominate Alantra Fast-Growth Poll as Dirtea Takes Gold
Dirtea, a five‑year‑old mushroom coffee and supplement brand, topped the Alantra Food & Beverage Fast 50 with a 230% compound annual growth rate over the last two fiscal years. The poll, which includes firms with more than £3 million in sales, placed...
Iconic Skipping Girl Reimagined as ‘Scrolling Girl’ in Dairy Farmers’ Call to Get Aussie Kids Moving Again in New Campaign...
Dairy Farmers, together with creative agency The Royals, has transformed Melbourne’s historic Skipping Girl neon sign into a new "Scrolling Girl" installation to spotlight rising screen‑time concerns among Australian children. The campaign, backed by research from YouGov, launches a 10‑week...
Kenyan Court Clears Path for Diageo’s US$2.3bn EABL Sale
A Kenyan High Court has dismissed a legal challenge, removing the final obstacle to Diageo’s $2.3 billion sale of its 65% stake in East African Breweries (EABL) to Japan’s Asahi. The ruling paves the way for the transaction to close in...
Artificial Sweeteners: Why the Science War Is Raging On
Artificial sweeteners are back in the spotlight as new studies link them to health risks, including faster cognitive decline in Brazil and higher type‑2 diabetes risk in Australia. Industry groups defend their safety, citing benefits for sugar reduction, while regulators...
Nesto Raises €11m From Expedition to Scale AI Workforce Management for Restaurant Groups
Karlsruhe‑based Nesto Software raised €11 million (≈$12 million) in growth equity from Expedition Growth Capital to accelerate its AI‑driven workforce‑management platform. The round, Nesto’s first institutional financing after bootstrapping to over €5 million ARR, will fund product development, sales expansion, and the evolution...
Turns Out, This Subtropical Superfruit May Help Reduce Inflammation and Support Blood Sugar Control
Monk fruit, long used in Chinese medicine, is gaining attention as a zero‑calorie sweetener that may help regulate blood sugar and reduce inflammation. Recent studies highlight its antioxidant‑rich compounds—mogrosides, flavonoids, and terpenoids—that do not spike glucose or insulin. Most clinical...
Fermentation Is Faster: How Next Generation Technologies Accelerate Alternative Protein Production
Fermentation is emerging as a rapid, scalable method for producing alternative proteins, with a 48‑hour run delivering results up to 90 times faster than traditional six‑month animal cycles. The global fermented foods market, valued at $585 million in 2024, is pushing producers...
Why Manual Work Persists in Food and Beverage and How Connected Data Eliminates It
Manual processes still dominate food and beverage product development, with 82% of teams using spreadsheets, email and paper despite digital tool investments. Only 2% report fully automated, end‑to‑end workflows, highlighting a data‑connectivity gap rather than a technology shortage. Disconnected supplier,...
EU Aquaculture Group Calls for Bloc to Refine Its Planned Plastics Regulations
The Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) is urging the European Commission to separate aquaculture from traditional fishing in the upcoming revisions of the Single‑Use Plastics Directive. FEAP argues that classifying nets, pens, buoys and ropes as “fishing gear” misrepresents...
High Oleic Sunflower Oil Supports Food Formulations that Are Both Adventurous and Eco-Conscious
High‑oleic sunflower oil, grown in the United States, is being promoted as a versatile ingredient that meets both flavor‑driven and sustainability goals for food manufacturers. Its neutral taste profile lets bold, cross‑cultural flavors shine while delivering a longer shelf life...
Indonesia's Kenangan Coffee Lands in Taiwan with First Outlet at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi
Indonesia’s fast‑growing coffee chain Kenangan Coffee opened its first Taiwan outlet in Taipei’s Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A11. The launch marks the latest step in a multi‑year international push that already includes Australia, India and other Southeast Asian markets. Kenangan now runs more...
Why UPF Panic and Scratch-Cooking Nostalgia Won’t Send Food Backwards
Consumers are gravitating toward traditional food practices such as fermentation, pickling, and scratch cooking, yet overall eating habits are shifting away from classic three‑meal structures. The rise of “snackification” sees about 60% of shoppers breaking meals into frequent snacks, while...
Dutch Pig Slaughter Falls by 780K in Five Years
Dutch pork processors reported a 7.4% year‑on‑year drop in slaughter, with 3,733,125 pigs processed up to week 14 of Q2 2026 – about 300,000 fewer than a year earlier. The decline reflects a five‑year fall of roughly 780,000 pigs, pushing the national...
From Skipping to Scrolling: ‘Bega Girl’ Reinvented for New Campaign
Bega has launched a new health‑focused campaign that swaps Melbourne’s iconic “Skipping Girl” sign with a temporary “Scrolling Girl” version for eight days. The initiative responds to YouGov data showing teenagers spend nearly three hours daily on small screens, far...
Lab-Grown Meat: Invest in Food's New Frontier
The plant‑based protein market, valued at $14 billion in 2024, is losing momentum as sales in the U.S. fell to $1.1 billion and British revenues dropped to £898 million (≈$1.15 billion). Consumer fatigue, rising skepticism toward ultra‑processed foods, and the appetite‑suppressing impact of GLP‑1...
India's March Palm Oil Imports Fall 19% to Three-Month Low
India’s palm oil imports slumped 19% in March, falling to 689,462 metric tons—the lowest level since December 2025. The decline was driven by a rally in global tropical oil prices that prompted domestic refiners to delay purchases. Overall edible‑oil imports...