Young Consumers Are Snacking Differently, and Traditional Brands Are Out
Younger shoppers are reshaping the snack aisle, favoring natural ingredients and high‑protein options. NielsenIQ reports that 35% of parents buying for Gen Alpha prioritize natural ingredients and 34% seek protein‑rich snacks, while 25% avoid synthetic additives. Retailers such as Save A Lot and Walmart are already stripping artificial dyes from private‑label lines, responding to a federal phase‑out of petroleum‑based colorants. Meanwhile, Gen Z relies on third‑party apps and prefers smaller, premium‑priced packages, challenging traditional bulk‑sale models.
Ireland Forms Collective Oyster Brand for Marketing, Promotional Purposes
Ireland’s export promotion agency Bord Bia has launched the Irish Oyster Collective, branded “Ó”, to give domestically farmed oysters a distinct identity. The initiative, developed with Dublin‑based Slater Design, emphasizes the unique Irish merroir that sets its shellfish apart from...
GAPP Survey Shows Massive Improvements in Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Alaska Pollock Production
The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) released a second life‑cycle assessment of 2024 harvests, finding dramatically lower environmental impacts than its 2021 study. Greenhouse‑gas emissions dropped 16.7%, and pollock fillets generate only 27% of the carbon footprint of...
Finland’s SuperGround Hopes for Market Expansion of Its Non-Traditional Seafood Products
Finland‑based SuperGround showcased its waste‑derived seafood line at Seafood Expo Global, where it sold roughly 10 containers of its new sandwich filler. The company transforms fish bones, heads and skins into a neutral ingredient that can be flavored into tuna,...
‘I’m the IPO Guy’: Serial Entrepreneur Marc Lore on His Plan to Take Wonder Public
Serial entrepreneur Marc Lore, famed for selling Diapers.com to Amazon and Jet.com to Walmart, is now focused on taking his $7 billion food‑delivery platform Wonder public by 2028, with an 11‑month readiness target. Wonder, which owns Grubhub and Blue Apron, currently...
8 Energy Drinks Controversies We'll Never Forget
Energy drink brands have faced a wave of legal challenges over caffeine levels, false advertising, and safety claims. High‑profile cases include Red Bull’s $13 million settlement for misleading performance claims, Monster’s multiple wrongful‑death suits involving teenage consumers, and Alani Nu’s wrongful‑death lawsuit after...
TikTok-Fuelled Food Shortages: How Industry Can Respond
TikTok-driven trends have sparked global shortages of pistachios and ube, exposing supply‑chain concentration risks. The Philippines dominates authentic ube production, while pistachios face similar concentration. Experts advise firms to map concentration risk, maintain format flexibility, and communicate quickly with suppliers....
How Two Independent Restaurants Are Managing a High-Cost Environment
Two independent restaurants are navigating today’s inflation‑driven cost squeeze with contrasting yet effective tactics. Chicago’s Adalina Prime, a fine‑dining steakhouse, relies on diversified suppliers, real‑time recipe‑costing software, and a data‑driven labor platform to keep menu prices stable and staffing efficient....
Maple: From Soil to Syrup
Maple syrup production contributes roughly $740 million USD to Canada’s GDP and employs thousands, yet scientific guidance on sustainable harvesting remains scarce. In October 2025, Université Laval established a Research Chair in Maple Syrup Production and Sugar Bush Management, partnered with...
New Primal Expands Costco Reach with Zero Sugar Rotisserie Chicken Sticks
New Primal, a clean‑ingredient meat snack brand, launched its Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Meat Sticks in Costco clubs across Texas. The snack is made from antibiotic‑free chicken, contains 10 g protein per stick and zero added sugar, and is sold in 12‑count...
Canadian Cattle Association Warns Against Entering Mercosur Trade Deal
The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) has warned that a prospective free‑trade agreement with Mercosur could jeopardize domestic beef producers. CCA argues the deal would increase imports of lower‑cost, lower‑standard beef from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, despite Canada already importing...
RBA Webinar to Explain the Value of Cookie Automation
On May 6, the Retail Bakers of America hosted a webinar titled “Automating Your Cookie Production: Make Equipment Decisions with Confidence.” Dan DaRochá, president of Erika Baking Equipment, walked participants through automation options for various cookie types and matched them to...
How Instore Bakeries Fare when Consumers Feel Financial Squeeze
Instore bakery sales are lagging the broader food and beverage category, with total bakery dollars down 1.7% and units down 4.7% year‑over‑year for the four weeks ending March 29. While higher‑income shoppers are driving modest growth in premium perimeter items, price...
Getting the ‘Balanced Dairy’ Category Off the Ground
The Balanced Protein Consortium defines a balanced dairy product as one that replaces 30% of animal‑based ingredients with plant proteins. Early U.S. attempts, such as Live Real Farms’ milk blends and Shamrock Farms’ chocolate‑milk hybrid, faltered due to timing and...
Galaxy Desserts Reduces Waste with Mini Mousse Cakes
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Subway Closed at Least 729 Stores in 2025
Subway's U.S. franchise system shed 729 stores in 2025, the sharpest annual decline since 2021. The total footprint has contracted by 3,417 locations since 2021, leaving 18,773 units operating. Despite the closures, Subway's net income rose to $688 million in 2025,...
Papa Johns and Toy Story 5 Mark First-Ever Collaboration
Papa Johns announced its first-ever partnership with Disney‑Pixar’s Toy Story 5, launching three themed personal pizzas, a special Rootin’ Tootin’ Ranch dip, and limited‑edition collectibles. The items debut in the U.S. on June 1 at $6.99 and run through July 19, with the promotion expanding to...
Beyond Yellow Tags: How Grocers Are Evolving From Traditional Discount Strategies
Supermarkets are shifting from traditional high‑low pricing and simple loyalty perks toward richer value communication. Grocers are narrowing the value gap with discounters by emphasizing health, affordability, and technology such as electronic shelf labels. Case studies include Giant Food’s health‑affordability...
Lay’s World Cup Marketing Strategy Focuses on ‘Scaled Intimacy’ with Fans
Lay’s has entered the FIFA World Cup arena as a global sponsor, launching the second phase of its “No Lay’s, No Game” platform. The campaign pairs star‑studded ads—featuring David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Steve Carell and others—with a real‑world watch‑party stunt in...
MicroHarvest Expands European Pet Food Presence With 15 Products Due by Mid-2026
Hamburg‑based MicroHarvest announced more than 15 new pet‑food products slated for launch in Q2 2026, leveraging its fermentation‑derived protein as a low‑carbon, hypoallergenic alternative for cats and dogs. The ingredient is already stocked in over 1,800 German retail outlets through VegDog...
3 Takeaways From Albertsons’ Annual Report
Albertsons posted a 3.5% year‑over‑year rise in net sales for fiscal 2025, but its operating income slumped more than 50% and net income fell over 75% after the aborted Kroger merger. Long‑term debt rose to roughly $8.4 billion, while the retailer...
Coca-Cola to Funfetti: Food Brands Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday with Limited-Edition Products
Food brands are rolling out patriotic products ahead of the United States’ 250th birthday in July 2026. Coca‑Cola unveiled limited‑edition America250 bottles and state‑specific mini‑cans, while Talking Rain’s Sparkling Ice teamed with Flavor Flav to launch a red‑white‑blue Life Savers sparkling water. Pillsbury...
Beef Downturn Hits Tyson and Local Economies as Prices Rise and Supply Shrinks
Tyson Foods reported a 13.1% drop in beef volumes for Q2, even after raising prices 11.5% to counter a shrinking cattle herd. The company said it will reverse the beef loss in the back half of 2024 by tightening plant...
FDA’s Largest Infant Formula Test yet Finds ‘Low’ Contaminants – but No New Rules
The FDA released results from its largest-ever infant‑formula contaminant test, analyzing more than 300 domestic and imported products. Across the sample set, lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and PFAS were found at very low or undetectable levels, but the agency did...
Pizza Express Enters the QSR Market with Brixton Opening
Pizza Express opened its first quick‑service restaurant in Brixton, replacing full table service with self‑ordering kiosks and a streamlined menu. The site, built on a former LEON location, offers dine‑in, takeaway and delivery and features dynamic lighting that shifts from...
Refuel to Open Its First Whataburger
Refuel Operating Company will launch its first Whataburger restaurant adjacent to a new convenience store in Kenedy, Texas, slated for late 2026. The site will feature the burger chain’s full menu and a drive‑thru, complementing Refuel’s grab‑and‑go food program. Refuel...
Campbell’s Risa Cretella on Reinventing Iconic Brands and Winning in Commoditized Categories
Campbell’s executive vice president Risa Cretella explains how the company is reinventing its iconic brands by injecting an entrepreneurial mindset into a large organization. She emphasizes fast, data‑light decision‑making and empowering teams to act on clear consumer demand. The discussion highlights...
Chicken Sales, Popeyes Wraps, Miller’s CEO
Technomic’s Top 500 data show chicken‑category sales grew only 5.3% in 2025, a deceleration from 9.1% in 2024 and double‑digit growth in prior years. The slowdown coincides with a 46% decade‑long expansion of chicken‑chain locations, crowding the market and tempering growth...
Popeyes Wraps Join Core Menu
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has promoted its Chicken Wraps from a limited‑time offer to a permanent menu item and introduced a new Blackened Ranch sauce, replacing the summer 2025 Honey Mustard. The wraps are priced at $3.99, with a two‑wrap and...
Ruby Bio Reports Fermentation Breakthrough for Clean-Label Emulsifiers as Pressure on Synthetics Mounts
Ruby Bio announced that its fermentation platform achieved titers exceeding 100 g per liter for lipid‑based natural emulsifiers, a level the company says meets cost parity with synthetic alternatives. The breakthrough comes as health researchers, retailers and regulators push synthetic emulsifiers...
Beef and Lamb Driving Meat Inflation
The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers reported that April 2026 meat and poultry prices rose 0.65% month‑on‑month, driven primarily by beef and lamb. Beef prices increased 1.16% MoM, with roasting joints surging 9.57%, while lamb rose 1.04% MoM, led by...
Lily’s Toaster Grills Adds Frozen Quesadillas
Lily’s Toaster Grills is adding frozen quesadillas to its product line, offering two varieties: chicken‑and‑four‑cheese and a vegetarian four‑cheese version. The chicken option delivers 12 grams of protein per serving, while the cheese‑only version provides 9 grams. Both are marketed as ready‑to‑cook...
Losophē Launches RTD Mojito
Losophē, the ready‑to‑drink cocktail brand co‑founded by actress Aisha Tyler and spirits veteran James Kim, has introduced its second offering, The New Mojito. The RTD blends organic blanco rum, a rum‑based mint liqueur and lime, delivering 20% ABV in a...
Tropicana Adds Electrolytes
Tropicana Brands Group has introduced Tropicana Hydrate, a new juice‑based beverage fortified with electrolytes. The product is sold in 46‑ounce bottles and comes in fruit‑forward flavors such as strawberry watermelon and peach mango. By blending fruit juice with electrolyte technology,...
Op-Ed | Consumers Think Regenerative Means No Pesticides. They’re Often Wrong.
Regenerative food labels are proliferating on grocery shelves, but many allow synthetic pesticides that pose health and environmental risks. Friends of the Earth’s new guide shows that standards vary widely, with some programs permitting chemicals linked to cancer and hormone...
The Kraft Heinz Co. Launches Electrolyte-Infused Capri Sun
Kraft Heinz has introduced Capri Sun Hydrate, the first electrolyte‑infused drink designed specifically for children. The ready‑to‑drink beverage contains essential electrolytes and boasts 50% less sugar than leading sports nutrition drinks. It launches in three flavors—fruit punch, tropical punch and lemon‑lime—and...
Bitchin’ Sauce Continues Expansion Both in and Beyond Almonds
Bitchin’ Sauce, the almond‑based dip pioneer, announced a major expansion that adds cashew‑ and sunflower‑seed sauces to its portfolio and pushes the brand into ready‑to‑heat meals. The company secured a $30 million equity round to upgrade manufacturing capacity and broaden distribution,...
Esspo: A New Type of Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
Esspo, founded by Justin Stefano, Philippe von Borries and Katharine Leitch, has introduced a carbonated ready‑to‑drink coffee that blends espresso, tonic water and natural sweeteners. Each 12‑oz can delivers 120 mg of caffeine—about one and a half cups of coffee—plus L‑theanine to smooth the buzz,...
Japan’s Organoid Farm Scales Up Cultivated Meat Production & Teases New Facility
Japan’s Organoid Farm, a JGC Holdings subsidiary, completed a 200‑litre bioreactor demonstration that produced scaffold‑free cultivated beef using a patented bovine cell line capable of continuous division. The scaffold‑free suspension culture simplifies processing and cuts raw‑material and cleaning costs, providing...
Excess Sells - so Why Are Manufacturers Holding Back?
The "more is more" trend is driving premium pricing and sales in foodservice, but manufacturers are struggling to replicate the indulgent, multi‑layered products on retail shelves. Formulation, packaging, and transportation complexities raise costs and create technical hurdles that limit scale....
Monitoring Data Show EU Food Mostly Compliant with Pesticide Limits
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) analysed more than 125,000 food samples across the EU in 2024, finding that 98.8% of EU‑coordinated samples and 98.2% of national control samples complied with pesticide maximum residue levels (MRLs). About 2.4% of coordinated...
Chunk Foods Lands Whole Foods Listing in Northeast US, with Nationwide Rollout Set for June
Chunk Foods announced that its steak, pulled‑meat and new Moroccan Cubes plant‑based products have secured shelf space at Whole Foods Market locations across the Northeast United States. The Moroccan Cubes deliver 19 grams of protein per serving. The company, which uses...
Duty-Free Beef Quota Gives US Exporters New Access to the UK
The United States has secured a 13,000‑tonne duty‑free beef quota for the United Kingdom, marking the first zero‑tariff access since Brexit. The inaugural shipment arrived in March, accompanied by launch events at the US Embassy and a steakhouse dinner. USMEF...
KFC Expands $10 Bucket Deal Across Weekdays
KFC is extending its popular $10 Tuesday bucket promotion to every weekday, adding distinct $10 bucket options from Monday through Thursday and keeping the original Tuesday offering. The chain also introduced a Boneless Bucket for One, featuring tenders, nuggets, fries...
JJS Expands Gourmet Duck Line with Pastrami
Joe Jurgielewicz & Son (JJS) has added a Gourmet Duck Breast Pastrami to its artisan duck portfolio, offering a 10‑12 oz, all‑natural product priced at $12.99. The pastrami is seasoned with a proprietary spice blend and smoked to create a deli‑style...
Sun World’s Extra-Long Mango Program Continues with Ultra Late-Season Variety, Blyde Late
Sun World International is expanding its global mango program with the ultra‑late‑season cultivar Blyde Late, grown in South Africa and staying on shelves into May. The initiative links early‑season varieties such as Kankun and Lady Jane with Blyde Late to...
Earth’s Best Targets ‘Big Kid’ Snacking
Earth’s Best, the organic baby‑food brand, launched its first snack line for children ages 4‑8, called Earth’s Best Big Kids Snacks. The portfolio includes Organic Crispy Sticks in Cheesy Mac and Pizza, and Organic Veggie Waves in Rock’n Ranch and...
Coffee Chat: Meg Rand, Acosta Group
Acosta Group released proprietary research on consumers using GLP‑1 medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy. The study finds that Gen Z and Millennial GLP‑1 users are reshaping health, personal‑care, and lifestyle categories, driving higher spend on low‑calorie foods and premium...
PG Tips Ties with Disney+ for “Rivals” Exclusive Limited-Edition Monkey Competition to Drive Shopper Engagement
PG Tips has partnered with Disney+ to launch a limited‑edition "Rivals" promotion that runs nationwide from May 1. Shoppers who buy a PG Tips pack can scan a QR code and enter a 10‑digit code for a chance to win one...
Tyson Foods Upgrades Profit Outlook but Beef Volumes Still Pressured
Tyson Foods raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted operating profit outlook by $100 million, now targeting $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion. The upgrade stems from stronger-than-expected chicken sales, prompting a $200 million boost to the segment’s profit range of $1.9 billion‑$2.05 billion. Beef volumes slipped 13.1% as...