Hiland Dairy Promotes New General Manager for Operations in Dallas
Hiland Dairy Foods Company announced Mike Leibacher as the new general manager for its Dallas‑Fort Worth operations, effective March 1, succeeding retiring veteran Ray Gibson. Gibson, who rose from a Borden route salesman to GM in 2009, guided the integration of Borden’s Texas assets after the 2022 acquisition. Leibacher, a 23‑year dairy veteran who joined Hiland in 2019, previously served as account manager, branch manager, and district sales manager. The company also promoted Julian Hernandez to assistant manager and controller.
Triumph Foods Readies for $30 Million Expansion in Missouri
Triumph Foods announced a $30 million expansion of its St. Joseph pork processing plant, boosting cold‑storage and shipping capacity. The project will install new equipment and machinery, reinforcing the company’s 20‑year presence in Missouri. Triumph, the city’s second‑largest employer with over...
Iran War May Dampen Packaging M&A in 2026
The Iran war has injected fresh geopolitical risk into the packaging sector, curbing M&A momentum in 2026. While Q1 saw 36 announced deals—up slightly from 34 a year earlier—the pace lags behind earlier forecasts and megadeals are fading. Companies are...
Gopuff Introduces New Private-Label Line
Gopuff unveiled Crave Shoppe, a new private‑label brand focused on baked goods and snack‑size treats, featuring unconventional flavors such as Dill Pickle Cotton Candy and S’mores Marshmallow‑Filled Donuts. The lineup includes frozen desserts, doughs, confections, donuts, and bakery items, tapping a...
Conagra Brands Lifts Results with Gains in Frozen, Meat Snacks
Conagra Brands reported a stronger quarter, driven by double‑digit growth in its frozen meals and meat‑snack businesses. Revenue rose 5% year‑over‑year to $5.2 billion, while comparable earnings per share topped analyst forecasts by $0.15. The company highlighted a 12% increase in...
Tote Deploys AI Employee Agent With Loop Neighborhood Markets
Tote AI’s Genie employee agent has been rolled out across Loop Neighborhood Markets’ 50‑plus California stores, delivering instant answers to associate queries on customer service, POS operations, maintenance and payments. The deployment recorded 100% first‑contact resolution with zero escalations, operating...
Circana: Private Label Sales Keep Gaining Share
Circana reports US private‑label sales reaching $330 billion in 2025, representing 24 % of food‑and‑beverage spend, up 0.4 percentage points from the prior year. Growth is strongest in refrigerated and fresh perimeter items, with frozen foods, shelf‑stable beverages and alcohol also gaining...
Grocers Focus on Steep Discounts for Easter
Major U.S. grocers are rolling out aggressive Easter promotions, with Amazon, Kroger, Sam’s Club and Walmart‑owned stores offering deep discounts on ham, lamb, eggs and prepared meals. Amazon’s Whole Foods Prime members can get up to 30% off bone‑in spiral‑cut...
How AI Is Changing Food Supply Chains
Food manufacturers are turning to AI to overcome pandemic‑induced supply chain volatility, especially for perishable goods. CookUnity, a chef‑to‑consumer meal subscription service, now uses AI to lift its sales‑forecast accuracy from roughly 55% to 80‑90%, enabling precise, temperature‑controlled deliveries. The...
GALLO Completes Acquisition of Four Roses Bourbon
GALLO has completed the purchase of Four Roses Bourbon from Kirin Holdings, returning the iconic brand to U.S. family ownership after 83 years. The deal keeps Master Distiller Brent Elliott and the existing team intact, preserving the bourbon’s heritage recipes....
How Kraft Heinz’s NFL Deal Could Help the Marketer Get Back on Track
Kraft Heinz has signed a five‑year deal to become the NFL’s first global condiment partner, integrating brands like Heinz, Kraft and Velveeta into game‑day experiences. The partnership, launching with a Draft Week activation in Pittsburgh, is designed to boost the...
NOW Testing of Oregano Oil Sold on Amazon Yields ‘Disappointing’ Results
NOW Foods tested 35 oregano‑oil supplements sold on Amazon and found that only 14 met their label claim for carvacrol, the active compound responsible for the oil’s health benefits. Six products showed no detectable carvacrol, and the remaining brands fell...
Why Does a FDA Salmonella Mango Report Look Like a Page Out of the Epstein Files?
The FDA released a public report detailing a Salmonella outbreak linked to imported mangoes. The document’s typography and layout closely resemble a page from the high‑profile Epstein legal files, a similarity highlighted by food‑safety blogger Marler. The article juxtaposes the...
Major Ag Lender Warns of Arabica Land Losses From Climate Change
Rabobank, one of the world’s largest agricultural lenders, released a climate risk report warning that up to 20% of current Arabica coffee‑growing land could become unsuitable by 2050. Already 8% of the area is classified as unsuitable, with the most...
Coffee Circle and Bean Voyage Win 2026 SCA Sustainability Awards
Coffee Circle and Bean Voyage were named winners of the Specialty Coffee Association’s 2026 Sustainability Awards, announced ahead of World of Coffee San Diego. Coffee Circle captured the for‑profit category, highlighting its €1‑per‑kilogram model that has funneled more than €5 million...
Mayo-Mustard Merger, Creatine Craze and HOP WTR On Top
The podcast highlighted McCormick's pending merger with Unilever's food division, uniting brands like Hellmann's and French's. Constellation Brands agreed to acquire HOP WTR, a functional sparkling water, while Create Wellness secured $20 million to expand into powdered beverages. Q Mixers announced its first...
Cargill Wins 2026 BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award
Cargill has been honored with the 2026 BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award, recognizing its extensive AI integration across the food and agriculture value chain. The company leverages tools such as Agriness, CattleView, CMAX and generative‑AI platforms like Ask Emma to...
McDonald’s Sets Date for Under $3 Menu Debut
McDonald’s will roll out an Under $3 Menu on April 21, adding at least ten low‑priced items across breakfast, lunch and dinner, alongside a $4 Breakfast Meal Deal. The new McValue offerings follow a 2024 $5 Meal Deal and aim to reverse...
Evan Williams Celebrates Universities with Specialty Bottles
Evan Williams introduced five limited‑edition Single Barrel Bourbon Nation Collegiate bottles, each honoring a specific university—Alabama, Florida, Syracuse, TCU, and South Carolina. The bottles feature school logos, wax‑dipped colored tops, and are hand‑selected from individual barrels at 43.3% ABV. They...
Sushi Suppliers Eat Happy, Hana Discuss Merger
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...
Under the Hood: How a Global Supply Shock Reaches Napa Valley
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 to End Production at US “Prepared Foods” Plant
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 Adds Under $3 Menu, $4 Breakfast Meal Starting April 21
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 Secures Planning Approval for New UK Factory
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...
Chicken Nuggets Subject of Public Health Alert over Possible Lead Contamination
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 Debuts Chicken Fajita Slider; Jalapeño Cravioli Side
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...
Latest FDA Post-Investigation Summary for Mango Salmonella Outbreak Redacts Key Details
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...
McDonald's Under $3 Menu Will Make Its Debut Later This Month
McDonald’s announced an Under $3 Menu that will roll out on April 21, featuring items such as a $1.50 Sausage McMuffin and a $2.50 McDouble. The promotion is part of the broader McValue initiative and replaces the previous buy‑one‑get‑one for $1...
Plant-Based Clover Food Lab Warns of Entire Chain Closure
Clover Food Lab, an 11‑unit plant‑based chain based in Cambridge, has filed a WARN notice indicating that 182 employees could be laid off by the end of May unless a buyer is found. The company emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in...
How the Sysco-Restaurant Depot Deal Will Affect Operators
Sysco announced a pending acquisition of Restaurant Depot, a bulk‑food retailer, sparking debate among industry stakeholders. Technomic’s distribution expert David Henkes discussed the deal on the A Deeper Dive podcast, highlighting potential FTC scrutiny and opposition from independent operators. The...
How US Foods Keeps Its Finger on the Pulse of Independent Restaurants
US Foods introduced 19 exclusive items in its Spring 2026 Scoop, targeting independent restaurants that prioritize product consistency and transparency. Highlights include the Monarch CrispGuard Garlic Parmesan Ranch Coating, which keeps fried foods crisp up to 45 minutes, and a ready‑to‑serve...
Red Lobster's Comeback Has yet to Materialize
Red Lobster reported a decline in sales for 2025, continuing the downward trend that contributed to its 2023 bankruptcy filing. Same‑store traffic fell roughly 3% as higher fuel prices and shifting consumer preferences squeezed discretionary dining. The chain’s current owners...
Grocery Update #147: Three Ways New York’s Public Grocery Experiment Could Fail.
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...
The Buildout Podcast: De Vie
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 Lines up Inaugural Acquisitions as Public Company
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 Expands Hobnobs Range with New Oaty Crunch Creams
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...
Torabhaig Launches First Core Expression
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 to Host Two Spirit of Speyside Events
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 Names John O’Keeffe as North America CEO
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...
New Beverage Launches: Nestlé Functional, MOMO and More…
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,...
Beyond the Biofilm: Tackling Mould and Bacterial Contamination
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....
Rosé Is ‘One of the Clearest Areas of Growth and Resilience’
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 Expands US Innovation Footprint with New Denton Product Development Hub
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....
‘Langhe-Yoichi’ Wine Pact Looks to Boost Viticulture, Tourism and Trade
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...
Beverage Alcohol Suffers Global Downturn in 2025
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...
Laki Kane Offers 5,000 Free Cocktails to Mark New Opening
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...
On-Trade Experts Give Free Sustainability Advice
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: Spirits ‘Worst Performing’ Category in 2025
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...
Sustainable Scotch Distillery Project Gains £1.57m
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...
High Fidelity Blend: Traveller Whiskey
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...