Know What's Happening in Food and Beverage
Know What's Happening in Food and Beverage
Germany's Eat Happy Group and Hana Group's European sushi operations are negotiating a merger, backed by a strategic investment from One Rock Capital Partners. The combined entity would cover roughly 5,800 points of sale across 14 European countries, linking Hana's strong presence in the UK, France, Spain and Belgium with Eat Happy's footprint in seven markets. The deal would also mark the full exit of private‑equity firm Permira from Hana's European business while it retains the U.S. arm. Completion awaits work‑council consultations and regulatory clearance.
A sudden closure of the Strait of Hormuz has driven up global oil and natural‑gas prices, sending energy costs soaring for diesel‑dependent businesses. The price shock is already felt in Napa Valley, where vineyards face higher fuel bills, pricier industrial...
Tyson Foods announced the shutdown of its prepared‑foods plant in Rome, Georgia, citing the single‑customer model as no longer viable. The closure follows a broader restructuring that includes the recent Nebraska beef‑plant shutdown and a shift toward higher‑margin chicken operations....
McDonald’s is rolling out a new McValue tier on April 21, adding an under‑$3 menu and a $4 breakfast meal at participating U.S. locations. The under‑$3 lineup features items such as Sausage McMuffin, McChicken, four‑piece nuggets, small fries and medium drinks, while...
Apetito, the German ready‑meals provider, secured planning approval for a new UK production site dubbed Kitchen West in Trowbridge. The factory will be built on the former Pie Site adjacent to the existing Mill Site, with construction slated to begin...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert on April 1 for frozen, dinosaur‑shaped chicken nuggets that may contain unsafe lead levels. The 29‑oz bags, produced on Feb. 10, 2026 and shipped to Walmart stores nationwide,...
White Castle is rolling out a Chicken Fajita Slider on April 6, priced between $2.59 and $2.99, and a Jalapeño Cravioli side priced at $1.99 for five pieces or $4.99 for a 14‑piece sack. Both items are limited‑time offers, available...
The FDA released an Executive Incident Summary confirming a Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak linked to mangoes that caused 56 reported illnesses, but it redacted the importer, country of origin, and affected states. The investigation traced a common importer yet could not...
New York Mayor Mamdani proposes five city‑owned grocery stores funded by a $70 million allocation, aiming to curb soaring food costs and address severe food insecurity. Analysts warn the pilot could falter if the city outsources operations to private firms, relies...
Barney O’Kane and Alex Francis, alumni of Paris’s iconic Little Red Door, launched De Vie in September 2025, positioning it as a fresh, staff‑centric cocktail bar in the capital. The Buildout podcast episode spotlights their motivations for opening in Europe,...
Princes Group raised £400 million in its 2025 London IPO and is now pursuing a deal‑led growth strategy aimed at adding £1‑1.5 billion of revenue through acquisitions. The company is eyeing two divestment assets from multinationals and a smaller entrepreneurial firm, while...
McVitie’s has introduced Hobnobs Oaty Crunch Creams, a new line of cream‑filled biscuits that pairs the classic oaty base with a smooth filling. The range launches in two variants – Milk and Chocolate – and hit UK shelves on 30 March...
Skye‑based Torabhaig has introduced Taigh, the first single malt in its core range, created in partnership with Scottish poet Iona Lee. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, unfiltered, and aged in first‑fill bourbon barrels with a finishing touch of...
Duncan Taylor, a Huntly‑based independent bottler, will open its doors to the public for the first time during the 27th Spirit of Speyside festival. The company is hosting two distinct events – the premium Bottler Archive Experience priced at £200...
Diageo has appointed John O’Keeffe, former president of Asia Pacific and global travel retail head, as its new North America president and CEO, succeeding Sally Grimes. O’Keeffe brings decades of experience across innovation, emerging markets, and brand building. The North...
Functional beverages are moving from niche to mainstream as brands add vitamins, minerals and gut‑health claims to everyday formats. In the UK, Nestlé launched the Buxton Peak functional water line, Bio&Me introduced a probiotic kefir range with 100 bn live cultures,...
Microbial contamination—bacteria, yeasts and moulds—remains a pervasive risk for food and beverage manufacturers, driven by climate‑stressed crops, reduced preservatives, and complex supply chains. Hidden biofilms on equipment and spores that survive processing can trigger recalls, brand damage, and even bankruptcy....
Félix Solís unveiled Finca Valeria, a premium rosé line co‑created with model Valeria Mazza, at a Madrid event attended by over 250 guests. The brand targets the rosé segment, which the company cites as one of the most resilient and...
Tetra Pak broke ground on a major expansion of its Product Development Center in Denton, Texas, slated to open in Q1 2027. The new hub adds 12,000 sq ft of product‑development space and a 3,000 sq ft Customer Innovation Center, effectively doubling the site’s capacity....
The Langhe region of Piedmont and Yoichi district in Hokkaido signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create the “Langhe‑Yoichi Alliance,” a wine pact aimed at sharing viticultural knowledge, sustainability practices, and tourism promotion. The agreement highlights Yoichi’s ambition to reach...
The International Wine & Spirits Research (IWSR) reports that global beverage alcohol (TBA) volume slipped 2% across 22 markets in 2025, with value falling 4% in the same period. China’s baijiu, the world’s largest spirit category, saw a 2% volume...
Tropical bar Laki Kane has launched a new venue on Oxford Street, offering 5,000 complimentary cocktails throughout April. The bar now operates under The Breakfast Group, joining a portfolio that includes Lucy Wong and Opium China Town. The new location features a...
Máté Szabó, founder of Elysian Budapest, launched *The Sustainable Documents*, a free, annual publication aimed at helping bars adopt more local and sustainable practices. The inaugural edition, created with input from renowned bars in London, Paris, Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City,...
IWSR data show total beverage alcohol (TBA) volumes fell 2% in 2025, with spirits emerging as the worst‑performing category, down 4% in volume and 9% in value. The decline was amplified by a 12% value drop in China’s national spirits...
Highlands‑based Struie Distillery secured up to £1.57 million from Scotland’s Highlands and Islands Enterprise to fund its carbon‑neutral construction. The grant will underwrite renewable energy systems such as solar arrays, heat pumps and thermal storage, positioning the new plant as a...
Grammy‑winning artist Chris Stapleton has teamed with Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley to launch Traveller Whiskey Full Proof, a 121‑proof (60.5% ABV) extension of the original Blend No.40 introduced in January 2024. The new expression pushes the ABV from...
Nicholson has been named the official pre‑mixed cocktail supplier for London’s Kia Oval for the 2026 season. The partnership will see the Pitch Perfect Cocktails range available in cans, bottles and on‑tap throughout the cricket ground. The deal follows Nicholson’s...
U.K. consumer‑goods giant Unilever agreed to sell its food division to U.S. spice leader McCormick in a £33.7 billion cash‑and‑equity transaction that will create a new food‑manufacturing powerhouse. The deal leaves Unilever with a 65% stake in the spin‑off while McCormick...
Every restaurant in the Philippines is absorbing an energy crisis that nobody asked for. Rising LPG costs. Razor thin margins. And an industry that just keeps showing up. Talked about this yesterday on Bilyonaryo News Channel. The food industry keeps this country...
Enbiosis unveiled its AI‑driven 2.0 platform at Vitafoods Barcelona, employing a digital twin of the gut microbiome to craft food‑grade nutraceutical blends containing 12‑15 bioactives for specific health conditions. The system builds on a proprietary dataset of more than 200,000...
THG’s Nutrition division posted a 6.4% constant‑currency revenue increase, pushing MyProtein into its fifth straight quarter of growth despite record‑high whey prices. Operating profit swung to £8.1 million (≈$10.3 million) in 2025 from a £147.9 million loss (≈$188 million) the year before. The brand...
McCormick announced a merger with Unilever’s food division, forming a $65 billion sauce‑and‑spice powerhouse. The deal aims to capture growing global demand for flavorful, low‑calorie products as GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs reshape eating habits. It also gives McCormick access to Unilever’s extensive...
Right Bank estate Château des Mille Anges has purchased neighboring Château Génisson, adding 25 ha to its holdings near Cadillac‑sur‑Garonne. The owner, Heather van Ekris, announced a plan to replant roughly 20 ha of vines over the next three years, defying the current wave...
Escalating fuel costs have forced more than 40% of Thailand’s commercial fishing fleet to dock. Fuel prices jumped nearly 120% in a month, making trips financially unsustainable. The government responded with a seven‑point aid package, including a discounted biodiesel subsidy,...
Vietnamese shrimp farms are turning to AI to curb rising production costs and protect thin profit margins. ESG uses weather stations, satellite data and underwater cameras to automate feeding and prevent waste, while RYNAN’s TOMGOXY system balances dissolved oxygen and...
AquaChile, Chile's largest salmon farmer, will power its 270‑truck transport fleet with renewable BioLNG starting in 2025. The BioLNG, produced by partner Lipigas from agricultural waste, can run on existing LNG equipment, enabling a seamless transition. The switch is projected...
The Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) has launched a billboard campaign demanding the UK government halt recent business‑rates revaluations that it says are destroying hospitality jobs. The new rates, which took effect on 1 April, have pushed some non‑domestic bills up by...
Keurig Dr Pepper has acquired a 96.22% stake in JDE Peet’s, creating a controlling interest that merges KDP’s single‑serve system with JDE’s global coffee brands. Rafael Oliveira has been appointed CEO of the combined coffee unit and will later lead the...
Juvé & Camps, the historic Penedès sparkling wine house, has joined the Corpinnat collective, signaling a strategic shift toward deeper control of origin and sustainability. The family‑run winery reported €27 million in revenue and €3.1 million EBITDA for 2025, underscoring solid financial...
Norwegian farmed Atlantic salmon prices slipped again ahead of Easter, marking a second consecutive weekly decline. The Sitagri Salmon Index reported a 5.4% week‑over‑week drop for the 3‑6 kg category, with the average price falling to NOK 91.01 per kilogram (≈ USD 9.41). The...
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) approved proposal P1056, tightening caffeine regulations in Australia. The new code bans retail sale of caffeine as a standalone food, restricts adding caffeine to foods, and limits high‑caffeine guarana extracts. Packaged coffee drinks must...
Pure Salmon Japan has secured an additional USD 180 million, raising total project funding to USD 640 million for its land‑based salmon farm in Tsu, Mie Prefecture. The facility, designed as a recirculating aquaculture system, will have a 10,000‑metric‑ton capacity, making it Japan’s largest...
Unilever announced a £33.7 billion spin‑off of its food division, merging it with McCormick Foods while retaining a 65% stake in the new entity. The move follows the earlier divestiture of its ice‑cream business and is driven by a strategic shift...
All Things has launched a low‑fat cottage cheese, expanding its fast‑growing portfolio amid a UK cottage‑cheese boom. The new product, priced at £1.85, promises the same creamy texture as the original range while cutting fat. Category data shows over 50%...
UK agency Wilde Toast has hired Charlie Mitchell as its data and insights director. Mitchell arrives from CGA by NIQ, where he served as global head of consumer insights and research for nearly 15 years. In his new role, he...
Cornish distiller Tarquin's Gin has opened its first external funding round in 12 years, seeking £1 million via Crowdcube to accelerate US market penetration and the rollout of its Tinner Bros flavoured whisky. The company, self‑funded since 2012, has generated over...
More than 30 nations will meet virtually on April 2 to address the escalating Strait of Hormuz crisis, a chokepoint that moves the bulk of the world’s oil and a growing share of beverage commodities. The blockage is already hitting tea,...
Apetito and its Wiltshire Farm Foods arm have secured planning permission to build Kitchen West, a new food‑production facility on the Canal Road Industrial Estate in Trowbridge. The project is backed by more than £100 million of shareholder investment and will...
The article outlines three legal routes—rejection, damages claims, and injunctions—that food and beverage buyers can pursue when deliveries arrive damaged. It details the criteria for immediate rejection, the evidentiary steps required, and the contractual nuances that affect damage recoveries. The...
A Wine Opinions survey of 1,351 U.S. wine drinkers shows that value‑priced bottles under $20 remain the core of the market, with more than half purchasing them weekly or monthly. While 39% of respondents say they are spending more per...
