FDA Exempts Tagatose From Added Sugar Labeling
The U.S. FDA has issued an enforcement‑discretion letter exempting low‑calorie sweetener tagatose from the "added sugar" line on Nutrition Facts panels. The change follows a successful lawsuit by Virginia startup Bonumose, which argued the agency’s prior denial was arbitrary and capricious. Tagatose delivers roughly 38% of the calories of sucrose while retaining comparable sweetness, and the exemption removes a key labeling barrier for food makers. Bonumose, backed by investors including Hershey, is now scaling production to meet rising demand.
Brits Ditching Certain Foods as They Face £6K Annual Grocery Bill
British households are now spending about $149 a week – roughly $7,500 a year – on groceries as food inflation is projected to reach 9% by year‑end, double the earlier 3% forecast. The surge, driven largely by the Iran war’s...
Coffee Prices: Why 2026 Is Set to Be a Roller-Coaster Ride
Coffee prices, after hitting record highs, have begun to recede but remain well above historical norms. A stronger 2026‑27 Brazil harvest, projected to rise 17% year‑on‑year, could increase supply, while Vietnam’s market volatility and new EU deforestation rules keep the...
Study: ‘Default Nudge’ to Oat Milk Reduces Carbon Footprint of Cafe Drinks
A UK study published in Global Environmental Psychology tested a "default nudge" that made oat milk the standard option in a university café while still offering cow's milk on request. The intervention boosted plant‑based milk usage from roughly 16% to...
Grocery Price Growth Cools as Overall Inflation Surges
U.S. grocery price growth decelerated in March, with food‑at‑home inflation easing to a 1.9% year‑over‑year increase, down from 2.4% in February. The broader consumer price index, however, jumped to 3.3% as gasoline surged more than 21%, driving overall inflation higher....
Starbucks’s Retail Arm Gets £13.7m Tax Credit Even as Sales Increase
Starbucks UK’s retail division secured a £13.7 million (≈$17 million) corporation‑tax credit even as its full‑year loss widened to £41.3 million (≈$52 million). Sales grew 6% to £556.3 million (≈$695 million) and the chain added 92 new outlets, taking the total to 1,304 stores. ...
Defra’s Powell Takes Helm at British Meat Processors
John Powell, formerly head of Defra’s agricultural sectors team, will assume the chief executive role at the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) on 13 April 2026, succeeding Nick Allen. Allen steps down after nine years at the helm, a period that saw...
Trident Seafoods Introduces New Smoked Salmon Products
In 2026 Trident Seafoods announced a bold expansion of its smoked‑salmon portfolio, debuting a premium King Smoked Salmon, bite‑size smoked salmon pieces, and skin‑packed smoked Sockeye boards. The new line builds on the brand’s cult‑favorite Alaska Salmon Burgers and versatile...
Food Exec Brief: Stagflation Signals Return, Food Fraud Surges, and AI Moves Off the Pilot Floor
Stagflation risk is resurfacing as Brent crude climbs above $90 a barrel, squeezing food manufacturers with higher input costs and waning consumer demand. Volume declines mark a fourth consecutive year for North‑American F&B sales, leaving price hikes as the sole...
The Friday Checkout: Grocery Industry Hits Back at Electronic Shelf Label Controversy
The Food Industry Association (FMI) is pushing back against political criticism of electronic shelf labels (ESLs), arguing the technology eases labor shortages rather than eliminating jobs. FMI’s director Michael Green emphasized that banning ESLs would force grocers back to slower,...
Slideshow: Serving up Sandwich Innovation
Industry leaders announced a series of strategic moves that could reshape the U.S. food landscape. McCormick disclosed plans to acquire Unilever’s Foods business, expanding its spice and seasoning portfolio. Mars revealed a 600‑job hiring surge in Chicago, bolstering its manufacturing...
Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Multi‑Generational Harm in Mice
The potential for artificial sweeteners to have adverse effects across generations, from a study in mice. open-access https://t.co/RDJsaQL14N
FMI Releases Statement on March CPI Food Price Numbers
The Food Industry Association (FMI) highlighted the March Consumer Price Index, showing a 0.2% month‑over‑month dip in food‑at‑home prices while overall grocery inflation remains 1.9% higher than a year ago. Core staples such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, cereal, bakery...
Chef Robotics Expands AI-Powered Automation Into Meatpacking
Chef Robotics, a San Francisco‑based food robotics firm, has extended its AI‑driven automation platform to tray assembly for meatpacking. The system can pick, orient and place raw, frozen and precooked proteins—such as pork loins, chicken breasts, steaks and sausage links—onto...
Brixton Culture Capital 00.04.2026
London’s iconic Roti King and Morley’s have launched a four‑day pop‑up in Brixton Village, blending Malaysian mamak stall flavors with the borough’s beloved fried chicken. The collaboration offers mash‑up dishes like nasi goreng topped with Morley’s wings and roti‑wrapped chicken...
Coopérative U Is Expanding Its International Reach
French retailer Coopérative U entered the Democratic Republic of Congo through a partnership with Kin Marché, marking its latest overseas expansion. In Asia and Europe, retailers such as SPAR Sri Lanka opened new stores, Dagrofa Foodservice posted a 13% revenue rise...
Baltimore Mushroom Farm Turns Former Office Into Specialty Fungi Operation for Top Restaurants
Falls Road Mushroom Company transformed a vacant Hampden office into a high‑tech mushroom farm, producing lion’s‑mane, king oyster and other specialty fungi. Owner Jonathan Manekin left a two‑decade real‑estate career to run the operation, using controlled‑environment tents, fans and spinning...
Popmenu: 35% of Diners Are Cutting Back on Restaurant Tips
A Popmenu survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers shows 35% have cut back on restaurant tipping in 2026, driven by inflation‑induced price sensitivity and tip fatigue. The proportion of diners leaving 20% or larger tips slipped from 45% in September 2025...
Ep. 98: Hot Commodities: Sugar, Sustainability, and the Fight for Fair Trade (Ft. Fair Trade America)
In episode 98 of Sustainability Defined, hosts Cecilia and Nathra dissect the sugar industry, tracing its production, global trade, and historical significance while highlighting its volatility and the impact of U.S. protectionist policies. They explore how sugar permeates everyday foods,...
Truly Hard Seltzer Unveils Believe, USA Contest
Truly Hard Seltzer, the official hard seltzer of U.S. Soccer, launched the "Believe, USA" campaign ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The brand is running a nationwide contest to rename a town "Believe, USA" and will install branded signage, lampposts...
Woodford Reserve Unveils $5,000 Mint Julep Cup Program
Woodford Reserve launched its $5,000 Mint Julep Charity Cup program to mark the United States' 250th anniversary and the 152nd Kentucky Derby. The collection comprises 152 hand‑crafted cups—76 polished pewter at $2,000 and 76 gold‑plated versions at $5,000—each featuring a...
Devion to Showcase Innovation at WTCE
Devion, a specialist in intelligent automation for airline catering, will debut its new Rivo platform at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE). The showcase highlights RivoLoad, a modular trolley‑loading system derived from a decade‑long partnership with KLM...
Drink of the Week: Estate 98 Espresso Liqueur
Estate 98 Espresso Liqueur, a new coffee liqueur from a sixth‑generation Salvadoran family farm, uses honey‑processed single‑origin beans blended with neutral cane spirit and vanilla. Priced at $44.99, it mimics the taste of a fresh espresso, offering bitter chocolate notes,...
Leftovers: Liquid IV Turns Grillo’s Pickle Flavor Prank Into Reality | Mike’s Hard Lemonade Gives Dirty Soda a Shot
Liquid I.V., owned by Unilever, turned a 2024 social‑media tease into a real product, releasing a Grillo’s Pickles‑flavored electrolyte powder that promises the brand’s usual hydration benefits with a tangy dill profile. Mike’s Hard Lemonade is launching a "dirty" lemonade...
Starbucks Hires Chipotle’s Chief Development Officer
Starbucks announced the appointment of Stephen Piacentini, former chief development officer at Chipotle, as executive vice president and chief coffeehouse design and development officer. Piacentini will steer the company’s "Back to Starbucks" initiative, which aims to refurbish thousands of stores...
Arizona Culinary Icons Launch The Oliver Farmer, a Triple‑Concept Italian Spot in Phoenix
In Good Spirits Hospitality and Queen Creek Olive Mill are teaming up to open The Oliver Farmer, an Italian restaurant, market and speakeasy at 44th Street and Osborn Road in Phoenix’s Arcadia. The concept blends a flour lab, on‑site market...
Wetzel's Pretzels Opens in California Walmart
Wetzel's Pretzels launched its first bakery inside a Walmart in Porter Ranch, California, marking the brand’s latest foray into high‑traffic retail locations. The store‑within‑a‑store concept is operated by Chris Izaguirre, who opened his inaugural Wetzel’s site after six years with the...
PepsiCo’s $7 Doritos Price Hike Costs Billions in Revenue
PepsiCo lifted the price of its flagship Doritos bag to $7, a near‑50% jump since 2021, which analysts say erased billions in revenue. The backlash forced the company to roll back prices by up to 15% in early 2026 and...
The La Fermière X Alex Albert Collab Will Have You Saying ‘J’Adore NYC’
French yogurt maker La Fermière has teamed with visual artist Alex Albert to release a limited‑edition line of terra‑cotta yogurt containers featuring iconic New York City landmarks. The collaboration coincides with La Fermière’s first U.S. market entry, a decade after the brand...
Food Tech Faces Funding Reset as Investors Demand Profits over Promises
Food‑tech funding is shrinking; Q4 2025 VC investment fell 8.6% to $2.5 billion across 128 deals, down 16.3% from a year earlier and far below the 2021 peak. Exits also stalled, with only 85 transactions worth $287.7 million versus $12.8 billion in 2024....
Dunkin' To Leave India After 14 Years
Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd. will terminate its franchise agreement with U.S. coffee‑and‑doughnut chain Dunkin' when the contract expires on Dec. 31, 2026. The exit follows a prolonged struggle to gain market traction, with Dunkin' accounting for just 0.61% of Jubilant’s total revenue and...
USDA Confirms 2025/26 Soybean Meal, Corn Export Deals
USDA confirms the following U.S. export sales for delivery in 2025/26: ▪️100,000 metric tons of soybean meal to Italy ▪️125,640 metric tons of corn to unknown destinations
Weekend Reading: More on Alternative Meats
Alternative‑protein companies are navigating a shifting landscape as the European Union bans the use of the term “meaty” for plant‑ and cell‑based foods, while U.S. investors grow impatient for clearer paths to profitability. The ban, which still allows words like...
Where Producers’ EPR Money Is Going in Oregon
The Dalles became the first Oregon community to use producer‑funded Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) money, receiving $200,000 from Circular Action Alliance to purchase 5,000 new 96‑gallon recycling carts. Oregon’s packaging EPR program, the nation’s first, projects roughly $123 million in recycling...
Simply Good Foods CEO Sets Out Stall to Fix “Executional Challenges”
Simply Good Foods CEO Joe Scalzo, back on the helm since January, outlined a turnaround plan aimed at fixing the executional challenges that drove a Q2 loss and a full‑year outlook cut. He pledged renewed investment across the portfolio, pricing...
Treblasé Is Bringing Italian Design History Back to the Bar
Treblasé, a new Turin‑origin aperitivo, is launching with a brand identity crafted by Oslo studio OlssønBarbieri. The design pulls directly from Italian Futurism, echoing Fortunato Depero’s iconic 1926 Campari poster and incorporating onomatopoeic phrases from the “Parole in Libertà” movement....
How Caviar Moved From Old Luxury To New Demand
Caviar is experiencing a resurgence as younger consumers embrace it beyond traditional ceremony, turning the product into a social‑media‑driven luxury. Aquaculture, especially Chinese farms, now supplies over 40% of global caviar, supporting higher production and price stability. The market is...
L16 Far North Dry Gin Is Where the Great Barrier Reef Meets the Bottle
L16 Far North Dry Gin launches with a packaging system that immerses consumers in a Great Barrier Reef experience. Designer Clay Andrews crafted an aqua‑tinted glass bottle, beechwood cap, and sand‑toned label that together mimic light refracting through water. Every material choice is intentional,...
Media Mentions Drive Food Price Volatility, Demand Transparency
Media coverage doesn’t just reflect food markets; it shapes them. Even one extra news mention can amplify price swings, fueling volatility and leading to costly policy mistakes. So it's critical to strengthen market transparency and risk communication. https://t.co/ZaleYvfJLS
Key Grocery Items See 2‑4% Price Drops
🍰Fresh cakes and cupcakes down 2.6% 🥓Bacon and related products down 2.7% 🌭Frankfurters down 3.6% 🍳Eggs down 3.4%
Lottie’s Meats Partners with a Grocery Delivery Service
Lottie’s Meats, a Denver‑based pork sausage brand, announced a partnership with grocery‑delivery service Misfits Market to sell its four premium sausage and ground‑pork lines nationwide. The collaboration lets customers order The Lottie, Bratwurst, Calabrian and Everyday products online, extending the...
Finsbury Food Group Celebrates Sweet Success as Its Caterpillar Cakes Dominate Which? Taste Test
Finsbury Food Group’s bakery arm dominated a Which? blind taste test of nine caterpillar cakes, with its products featuring in the top tier. The test, conducted by a 75‑person panel, judged flavor, texture, aroma and appearance without brand cues. Judges...
Now They’re Adding Creatine To Coffee
Bulletproof, the brand behind butter‑coffee and protein blends, has released an instant coffee that packs 5 g of creatine, MCT oil and electrolytes per serving. The product, dubbed "creatine coffee," joins the company’s line of functional coffee mixes aimed at gym‑focused...
South Korea Goes Tropical: Global Mango Imports and E-Commerce Drive Demand
Mangoes are moving from exotic novelty to a staple in South Korean households, driven by expanding fresh and processed uses. Latin American exporters, led by Peru, are gaining market share alongside traditional Southeast Asian suppliers. The growth is underpinned by...
Trolli Expands Gummi Pop Line With Berry Flavor
Trolli has introduced Gummi Pop Very Berry, a new frozen candy that pairs its signature soft‑gummi texture with sour Berry Punch and Blue Raspberry flavors. The product joins the existing Gummi Pop line, which previously added Cherry Lemon and Grape...
Blaze Pizza, Farmer Boys, Mike's Red Tacos, HigherMe Experts Discuss Recruitment, Retention
At the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in San Diego, a panel of franchise leaders from Blaze Pizza, Farmer Boys, Mike’s Red Tacos, and Edible Brands discussed how people, not technology, drive profitability. They emphasized rapid candidate communication—responding within 24 hours—to win...
The Future of CPG: Why Collectibility and Clean Ingredients Are Winning
Gary Vaynerchuk discusses the launch of Very Lucky, a clean‑ingredient fruit gummy that includes a collectible sticker, tying together his VFriends universe and a growing trend of collectibility in CPG. He explains how the product’s ultra‑clean formulation—driven by his wife...
Campaign Trail: Cheetos Soundtracks a Heist with Megan Thee Stallion, Nickelback
PepsiCo revived its Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle Cheetos as a permanent SKU after it became the fastest‑selling limited‑edition flavor in brand history. To celebrate the comeback, the company and agency Gut Miami produced a four‑minute music video titled “Pickle’s Back,”...
Australian Growers Urge Retailers to Accept Price Increases
The National Freshfood (NFF) Horticulture Council has sent an open letter to Australia’s major supermarket chains urging them to accept cost‑reflective price increases from fresh‑produce growers. Rising fuel, levy and freight surcharges – in some cases up to 65% of...
New Innovations in Fresh Snacking and Packaging
Mastronardi Produce will unveil two SUNSET® innovations at the 2026 Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Convention in Toronto. The SUNSET Tomato Branch offers vine‑grown micro‑grape tomatoes in a triangular paperboard package, while SUNSET Pop Its are 2‑inch snack cucumbers, the...