Thai Influencer Sells Premium Durians for Dirt Cheap to Avoid Rotting Amid Surplus
Thai influencer Pimrypie used a four‑hour live stream to sell premium Monthong durians at as low as $3 per fruit, far below the usual $21‑$24 price, in an effort to prevent a looming surplus. The broadcast attracted 700,000 peak viewers and generated roughly 2 million real‑time order comments, though sales volume was not disclosed. Thailand’s durian harvest is set to increase 33% to about 2.1 million tonnes, but weaker Chinese demand and tighter import checks threaten export revenues. The government is expanding live‑commerce initiatives, including a recent Chinese‑hosted stream that pulled about $430,000 in orders.
Red Meat Tops List of Domestic Food Price Inflation Items
Australia’s March CPI showed headline inflation jump to 4.6% year‑on‑year, the fastest pace since September 2023. Red‑meat prices, led by beef and lamb, surged 11.8% and were the biggest driver of food‑price inflation, while coffee rose 10.7%. Overall food inflation held...
Report: More than Half of Australians Would Rather Pay More than See Portions Reduced
A Money.com.au survey finds 56% of Australians would rather pay higher prices at cafés and restaurants than see portion sizes cut, while only 21% are comfortable with shrinkflation. The study also shows 23% expect venues to absorb rising costs instead...
5 Mindset Shifts Every Restaurant Owner Must Make
The piece argues that a restaurant owner’s biggest obstacle is mindset, not staff. It outlines five shifts: move from hands‑on work to leading, prioritize consistency over perfection, coach instead of task‑manage, confront conflict directly, and think like an owner rather...
Mars Accelerates Net Zero Ambitions with Landmark Energy Deal
Mars, Inc. has signed a long‑term power purchase agreement with European Energy for the upcoming Skuodas Wind Farm in Lithuania. The 158.4 MW project will generate about 490 GWh of electricity each year—enough to power roughly 250,000 homes—and will feed Mars' full...
AI Could Reshape “Almost Every Aspect” Of Red Meat Processing
Dr Cameron Ralph, General Manager of Research, Development and Adoption at the Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC), says artificial intelligence will soon touch almost every facet of red‑meat processing. AMPC’s pilot AI‑enabled monitoring system now captures welfare metrics for calves,...
India Contributes to Coca-Cola's Global Volume Growth in Jan-Mar
The Coca‑Cola Company posted a 12% rise in first‑quarter 2026 net revenue to $12.5 billion and a 3% increase in unit‑case volume, with India among the markets driving growth. In the Asia‑Pacific zone, volume rose 5% and revenue reached $1.5 billion, helped...
Lift Truck Solutions Help Beverage Operations Navigate Distribution Challenges
Yale Lift Truck Technologies introduced the Route Runner, a two‑in‑one motorized sled and pallet jack designed for direct‑store‑delivery (DSD) in beverage distribution. The system lets drivers haul a single piece of equipment from truck to store, then detach a compact...
Holla Spirits Crush, CrushTea
Holla Spirits refreshed its ready‑to‑drink Crush cocktail line, adding a new Grapefruit flavor and a novel CrushTea blend that mixes orange crush with tea. The brand rolled out 12‑ounce four‑packs featuring Orange, Grapefruit, Watermelon and Blueberry, plus 16‑ounce single‑serve cans...
Tony’s Chocolonely: Turning Ethical Chocolate Into a Global Hit
Tony’s Chocolonely reported revenue of roughly $262 million in 2025, marking a 20% year‑over‑year increase. The Dutch brand is now competing with confectionery giants such as Mars, Mondelēz and Ferrero in the US, UK and other key markets. Its growth is...
Smart Operators Are Rethinking the Children’s Dining Experience By Engaging Young Guests
Restaurant operators are increasingly prioritizing child-friendly experiences to boost family loyalty and revenue. Kem Clark’s Wikki Stix, a mess‑free, bendable yarn toy, is replacing traditional crayons and screen distractions in dining rooms across the U.S. By giving kids a hands‑on...
Taiwan Courts Overseas Halal Food Markets with Culture, Health Benefits
Taiwan’s external trade agency TAITRA showcased a range of low‑GI snacks, low‑sodium options and vitamin‑infused beverages at Singapore’s FHA 2026, positioning them as halal‑certified health products for export. Brands such as K.K. Orchard highlighted chilled sweet‑potato chips that lower glycaemic index,...
Japan's Shizuoka Launches Unified Tea Brand, Logo to up Global Recognition
Shizuoka Prefecture unveiled a unified tea brand called “Japan Tea Shizuoka,” featuring a new logo that showcases Mt. Fuji over tea fields. The brand consolidates regional labels such as Kakegawa and Kawane and will market only first‑flush tea harvested, processed...
Patchi Expands Into Lifestyle as Global Rebrand Debuts in Malaysia
Patchi, the Lebanese luxury chocolatier, unveiled a global rebrand in Malaysia to mark its 50th anniversary. The new visual language swaps the traditional black‑and‑gold palette for softer mint green, cream and orange tones, while interior layouts become more open and...
High Costs, Weak Markets: Middle East Conflict Will Have Long-Term Impact on Asia’s Food Supply
Shipping disruptions in the Middle East have sharply curtailed energy and fertiliser flows through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing Asian input costs up 50‑80% while export prices stay flat. Gulf nations have slashed imports of Asian rice, meat and dairy,...
Japanese Restaurants Expand Despite Dip
The Japanese restaurant sector in Thailand recorded its first decline since 2007, slipping 2.2% to 5,781 outlets in 2025. Bangkok’s count fell 2.3%, with surrounding provinces seeing drops of up to 3.1%. Despite the dip, operators such as Maguro Group...
‘Immense Opportunity’ in India’s Sports Nutrition but Challenges Persist
India’s sports nutrition market is rapidly expanding, offering immense opportunity but also challenges such as misinformation, price sensitivity, and inconsistent quality. BigMuscles Nutrition, led by Suhel Vats, has shifted from a channel‑driven model to an omnichannel, consumer‑centric strategy, emphasizing education,...
Kite Hill’s New Vegan Cream Cheese Has Double the Protein of Dairy
Kite Hill launched a vegan cream cheese that delivers 4 g of protein per two‑tablespoon serving, twice the protein of traditional dairy cream cheese. The almond‑milk‑based product, fortified with soy protein, is now available at Whole Foods nationwide. It taps into...
Fisheries Body Launches Consumer Nutrition Campaign Promoting Seafood
The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) has launched the Two4Life nutrition campaign to persuade Australians to eat two servings of seafood each week. The initiative is grounded in a meta‑analysis of 281 peer‑reviewed studies that links this intake to...
Vita Coco Company Inc (COCO) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Vita Coco reported Q1 2026 net sales of $610 million, up 18% year‑over‑year, propelled by a 26% surge in its branded coconut water line. The Americas segment grew 15% while the international segment jumped 37%, with Europe delivering the strongest momentum....
Oatly Group AB (Publ) (OTLY) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Oatly reported a 9.2% company‑wide volume increase in Q1, driven primarily by Greater China and solid gains in Europe and International markets. Reported revenue slipped 0.8% while constant‑currency revenue rose 0.7%, reflecting an 8.5% price‑mix decline and a modest FX...
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Chipotle Mexican Grill reported Q1 2026 revenue of $3.1 billion, up 7.4% year‑over‑year, with comparable‑store sales rising 0.5% and a return to positive transaction growth. Digital sales now represent 38.6% of total, while adjusted EPS fell 17% to $0.24 amid higher...
Pho Shop Raises Prices over Fuel Costs, but Keeps Them High After Fuel Drops
A Vietnamese pho shop lifted its bowl price from VND 35,000 ($1.33) to VND 45,000 ($1.75) after fuel prices surged past VND 31,000 per liter (≈$1.16). Even after fuel fell 30‑40% to below VND 24,000 per liter (≈$0.90), the shop kept the higher price,...
We Tested Over a Dozen Canned Coffees — Here Are the Ones That Made Us Skip Our Morning Coffee Shop...
A recent tasting of over a dozen ready‑to‑drink coffees identified seven standouts across taste, caffeine strength, and added functional benefits. NOBL Cold Brew Latte earned the top spot for replicating a coffee‑shop latte, while La Colombe’s Everyday Latte appealed to the...
Want The Cheapest Pint Of Guinness In America? Here's The State That Serves It
FinanceBuzz reports that the average Guinness pint in the United States now costs $7.89, the highest level ever recorded. West Virginia offers the cheapest pour at $6.15, while California tops the chart at $9.75 per pint. Prices vary widely because...
141-Year-Old Candy Store Chain Closes All Retail Locations
Iconic Texas candy maker Lammes Candies announced it will shut down all retail locations, ending a 141‑year legacy. The decision follows a tough environment marked by soaring cocoa prices, higher labor expenses, and reduced consumer spending on non‑essential treats. The...
Teremana Tequila Aims To 'Share the Mana' For Good Vibes IRL
Teremana’s new “Share the Table, Share the Mana” campaign turns the brand’s mantra of good energy into real‑world experiences. It debuted with a pop‑up table on Venice Beach that revealed a bartender and cocktails, followed by a series of out‑of‑home...
Coca-Cola Is Betting on Smaller Sizes to Keep Sales Growing Amid Inflation
Coca‑Cola is expanding mini‑can offerings to attract price‑sensitive shoppers amid inflation. The 7.5‑ounce cans, priced at $1.29, debuted in convenience stores and posted strong first‑quarter performance. CEO Henrique Braun said the move is part of a broader affordability strategy as...
Italy’s Ripening Market Enters a New Phase as Catalytic Generators Targets Expansion
Catalytic Generators used its first appearance at the Macfrut trade show to launch an expansion push in Italy, a market that handles over 600,000 tonnes of bananas annually and a €3.5 billion (≈$3.85 billion) avocado import sector. The company’s Ethy‑Gen II system produces ethylene...
The Hidden Ingredient Layer Behind Automated Food Processing
Food processors are discovering that the real driver of automation performance is not the robot arm or vision system, but the product’s formulation—moisture, texture, binders and coatings. Variations in these hidden ingredients cause clogs, broken pieces and quality rejects, even...
Why McDonald's New McValue Menu Is Not The Deal Customers Were Hoping For
McDonald’s introduced a revamped McValue menu that groups eight items at a $3 price point, but it eliminated the popular $1 BOGO deal that let customers pair two items for a dollar. The new combos often cost more than the...
Taim Mediterranean Kitchen Signs First Franchise Agreement in New York City
Taim Mediterranean Kitchen, now part of Craveworthy Brands, has signed its first franchise agreement in New York City. Operator Jose Tabor will take over the Park Slope, Brooklyn location, marking the brand’s franchising debut in its founding market. Founded in...
Stoner's Pizza Joint Plans Eight New Units in Orlando Metro
Stoner's Pizza Joint announced eight new restaurant units in the Orlando metro area, with two slated to open this summer at 4781 South Orange Avenue and 207 North Clarke Road. The move follows a recently signed 10‑unit development agreement in...
How to Tell If Your Restaurant AI Is Real
The restaurant tech market is plagued by AI‑washing, with vendors branding generic analytics as "AI‑powered" while delivering little value. Real AI should act as a painkiller, stitching together POS, labor, inventory and delivery data to expose hidden cash leaks instantly....
Workforce Staffing: How the Right Hiring Practices Drive ROI
The National Restaurant Association released its "Research Insight: Workforce Hiring and Staffing" report, highlighting how strategic hiring and technology drive ROI for restaurants. It quantifies the cost of understaffing, breakeven timelines for new hires, and the financial drag of turnover....
Kellogg's Mission Tiger Launches in Canada
Kellogg’s Mission Tiger, the company’s sports‑access initiative first launched in the U.S., has expanded to Canada. The program pairs Frosted Flakes sales with a $5 CAD (≈$3.70 USD) donation to KidSport Canada for each QR‑code scan, funding registration fees and equipment for...
A New Normal at the Grocery Store: More Strategy, Less Freedom
The Dalhousie Canadian Food Sentiment Index shows that while panic over food inflation has eased, affordability remains a critical issue for Canadians. In spring 2026, 81% still cite food as the expense rising most sharply, and average monthly spending on...
Climate Change Is Increasing Northern Ontario Cattle Herds—And Beef Prices
Canadian cattle herds showed a modest 2.5% rise in early 2026 after eight years of decline, but beef prices remain 23% above the five‑year average. Climate‑driven pasture stress and frequent droughts in the Prairies keep feed scarce, limiting herd expansion....
How Restaurants Can Maximize Revenue During the World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will draw 650,000‑4 million visitors to 16 North‑American host cities, each spending over $400 per day on food, lodging and experiences. Restaurants can turn this surge into predictable revenue by shifting from walk‑ins to pre‑booked watch‑party packages...
Sazerac Nabs Minority Stake in Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila
Sazerac has taken a minority equity position in Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila and will serve as the brand’s exclusive U.S. sales and distribution partner. Financial terms were not disclosed. The partnership aims to broaden 818’s shelf presence across formats from 50 ml...
Dassai Moon Project: Sake Space Shot a Success
Dassai and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries successfully completed the first mission of the Dassai Moon Project, demonstrating that sake can be fermented under lunar‑gravity conditions aboard the ISS. The experiment, conducted in JAXA’s Kibo module, produced a mash with 12% alcohol that...
India Bans Ashwagandha Leaf Use in Any Form, Industry Reacts
India's Food Safety and Standards Authority has banned the use of ashwagandha leaf in all food and supplement products, limiting the herb to root‑only extracts. The directive follows an Ayush ministry letter citing a 2024 safety dossier that flags higher...
SFP, Seafood Souq Sign MoU to Strengthen Traceability Across Middle East, North Africa
The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dubai‑based traceability software firm Seafood Souq to boost seafood traceability across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The deal will integrate SFP’s data‑driven Seafood Metrics tool into...
US Lawmakers Attempt to Attach Several Seafood Amendments to Farm Bill
U.S. lawmakers are attaching a slate of seafood‑focused amendments to the upcoming Farm Bill renewal, aiming to embed the USDA Office of Seafood and several industry‑specific provisions into federal law. The proposals include codifying the Office of Seafood, adopting the...
Aldi Is Pulling Another 44 Ingredients From Its Private-Label Brand
Aldi announced it will strip another 44 artificial preservatives, colors, flavors and sweeteners from its private‑label foods, vitamins and supplements, bringing the total number of eliminated ingredients to 57 by December 2027. The decision, driven by customer feedback, follows a decade‑long...
The Return of Cheetos® Flamin’ Hot® Dill Pickle Hits the Streets of Austin for the Ultimate Taste Test
Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle has been re‑launched, this time as a puff snack available nationwide. Frito‑Lay partnered with Billboard to conduct a street‑level taste test in Austin, Texas, gathering real‑time reactions from passersby. The majority of participants praised the bold, tangy flavor and...
SSP Opens Flax Soda at Belfast International Airport with Focus on Local Flavors
SSP Group has launched Flax & Soda, a 280‑seat casual‑dining venue in Belfast International Airport’s newly refurbished Departures Lounge. The restaurant showcases Northern Ireland’s culinary identity with locally sourced meats, dairy, baked goods and regional beers and spirits, and features a partnership...
NGA Urges Congress To Reject New SNAP Restrictions In Farm Bill
The National Grocers Association (NGA) and a coalition of retail groups sent a letter to Congress on April 28 urging rejection of proposed amendments to the 2026 Farm Bill that would impose new federal SNAP food restrictions. The coalition, representing independent...
84.51° Report: Online Shopping Grows But In-Store Remains The Default
84.51°’s new Consumer Digest report shows that while 90% of shoppers are increasing their online grocery activity, 74% of trips still happen in physical stores. Digital research tools are now a key part of the purchase journey, but the final...
Ferrero Officially Opens Nutella Peanut Production Line
Ferrero North America opened a new Nutella peanut production line in Franklin Park, Illinois, on April 24, investing $75 million. The peanut‑flavored Nutella marks the brand’s first new flavor in six decades and the first Nutella product manufactured in the United States. The...