General Mills Promotes Company Veteran to COO
General Mills announced the promotion of longtime executive Dana McNabb to chief operating officer, effective June 1, 2026. McNabb will keep her current duties as group president of North America retail, including oversight of the pet segment, while expanding her remit to global operations, supply chain, innovation and growth strategy. The move follows a 3% decline in organic sales and aggressive price cuts on two‑thirds of the company’s North American grocery portfolio. McNabb’s elevation is widely viewed as a step toward a potential future CEO transition.
How Surging Gas Prices Are Impacting Grocery
BJ’s Wholesale Club opened its first Texas store and attracted shoppers by pricing gasoline at $2 per gallon, far below the $3.60 state and $4 national averages. The one‑day promotion underscores how rising fuel costs—driven by the Iran‑related oil price...
Babybel Parent Buys Brainiac Snacks to Expand Better-for-You Portfolio
Bel Group, the owner of Babybel and GoGo squeeZ, acquired Ingenuity Foods, the maker of Brainiac functional fruit snacks, to broaden its better‑for‑you portfolio. The purchase price was not disclosed, but Brainiac, which offers Omega‑3 DHA, choline and lutein, posted...
Hemp THC Ban Remains Intact After House Abandons Rescue Plan
The U.S. House voted to keep a federal ban on intoxicating hemp drinks as part of the long‑delayed Farm Bill, leaving the restriction set to take effect in November unchanged. The measure now moves to the Senate, where a proposal...
Molson Coors Brings Back Keystone Ice After 5 Years
Molson Coors announced the return of Keystone Ice, its discontinued ice‑brewed lager, after a five‑year hiatus. The relaunch, highlighted on the Q1 earnings call, targets select U.S. markets as part of a broader effort to revive the company’s value‑beer portfolio....
Leftovers: Tostitos Enters the Refrigerated Aisle | Modelo Launches First High ABV Beer
PepsiCo is debuting Tostitos Chunky Guacamole, a refrigerated dip that arrives this fall and features Hass avocados with no artificial colors or preservatives. The launch coincides with record avocado imports of 2.5 billion pounds, underscoring strong consumer demand for fresh, health‑focused...
New York Poised to Become First State to Close Food Ingredient ‘Loophole’ Criticized by RFK Jr
New York lawmakers have approved a bill that would close the GRAS loophole by requiring food companies to submit safety data for ingredients they deem “Generally Recognized as Safe,” though the data would not be shared with the FDA. The...
Food Giants Hit with Consumer Lawsuit Calling Ultraprocessed Ingredients Addictive
A consumer lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin targets Kraft Heinz, PepsiCo and eleven other packaged‑food giants, alleging their ultra‑processed products are deliberately engineered to be addictive. The complaint seeks $1 billion in damages and links the companies' marketing...
Banks Fail to Address Meat and Dairy’s Rising Methane Emissions: Report
Planet Tracker’s new report finds that 25 major banks have provided about $159 billion in financing to the 15 largest meat, dairy and rice companies, which together emit roughly 1.3 million metric tons of methane annually. Only two of these lenders—Barclays and...
Coors Light Launches First Nonalcoholic Beer
Molson Coors is rolling out Coors 0.0%, the first non‑alcoholic version of its flagship Coors Light, in select Northeastern markets this May, with a full‑nation rollout slated for 2027. The launch expands Molson Coors' growing zero‑ABV lineup, which already includes Blue...
Mondelēz CEO Says Iran War Could Further Erode Consumer Confidence
Mondelēz International’s CEO Dirk Van de Put warned that the ongoing war in Iran could further erode already weak U.S. consumer confidence, adding pressure to affordability and job‑security concerns. He noted that lower‑income shoppers are becoming more price‑sensitive, driving a...
Meijer Ramps up Private Label to Cater to Nutrition Trends
Meijer announced a major expansion of its private‑label range, adding more than 120 items with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving and over 700 products delivering 10 grams of protein or more. The retailer highlighted new launches such as sesame‑protein...
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...
Pure Leaf Puts Mental Clarity in Focus with New Functional Tea
Pure Leaf, the PepsiCo‑Unilever tea joint venture, launched its first sparkling functional beverage, “Mental Focus,” a brewed iced tea infused with 69 mg of natural caffeine and added L‑theanine. The zero‑sugar, zero‑calorie drink comes in peach and raspberry flavors and targets...
Ferrero Making First Nutella Product in US with $75M Investment
Ferrero is investing $75 million to produce Nutella Peanut at its Franklin Park, Illinois plant, marking the first Nutella product manufactured in the United States and the brand’s first new flavor in 62 years. The peanut‑infused spread aims to move Nutella beyond breakfast,...
Cracking the Latest Dietary Guidance with Walnuts
The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans place walnuts at the top of the inverted food pyramid, recognizing them as a nutrient‑dense, minimally processed option. A one‑ounce serving delivers 18 g of total fat, including 2.5 g of plant‑based omega‑3 ALA, 4 g of...
Sara Lee Parent Moves US Headquarters to Dallas
Bimbo Bakeries USA, the U.S. arm of Grupo Bimbo and owner of the Sara Lee brand, announced it will move its corporate headquarters from Horsham, Pennsylvania to Irving, Texas, a Dallas suburb. The relocation places the company in a more central...
Hershey Leans on Cocoa Sourcing Resilience to Blunt Price Shocks
Hershey is strengthening its cocoa supply chain by diversifying origins beyond the Ivory Coast and Ghana to include Ecuador and Brazil. The company is using sophisticated hedging contracts and a commodities‑governance framework to lock in prices amid recent cocoa price...
Leftovers: Lay’s Flavors Go Global for World Cup | Taco Teas Look to Cure Homesickness
Lay’s is launching a 40‑flavor World Cup collection, with three U.S. limited‑edition chips inspired by Argentina, Brazil and France debuting in May on retail shelves and TikTok Shop. Remitly introduced a limited‑edition tea line that mimics comfort foods from Mexico,...
Quality vs Quantity: Food Makers Face Tradeoffs when Choosing Protein Source
Food manufacturers are scrambling to meet a surge in consumer protein demand, with two‑thirds of shoppers seeking higher intake and GLP‑1 drugs adding momentum. ADM advises brands to weigh protein quality, cost and functionality, highlighting soy, dairy, whey and pea...
Nerds Maker Ferrara to Spend $675M on New South Carolina Plant
Ferrara Candy, a Ferrero‑affiliated confectioner, announced a $675 million investment to build a 750,000‑square‑foot manufacturing complex in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The plant will house processing, packaging, warehousing and corporate offices, and is slated to begin production in the first quarter of...
Why Hershey Is Making Big Changes to Its Sustainability Strategy
Hershey unveiled a revamped sustainability strategy that now covers its expanding salty‑snack portfolio, including brands like Dot’s, SkinnyPop and LesserEvil. The plan adds new ingredient‑sourcing goals, a pledge to protect 2.5 million acres with regenerative practices by 2035, and ambitious climate...
Quest Protein Bar Owner Cuts 15% of Workforce in Restructuring
Simply Good Foods, the owner of Quest protein bars, announced a 15% workforce reduction and leadership reshuffle to curb a projected 10% sales decline. The cuts, aimed at saving $17 million annually, include the exits of the chief HR and chief...
No More ‘Sleeping Beauties’: Babybel Owner Quietly Emerges as US Healthy Snacks Powerhouse
Peter McGuinness, former Impossible Foods and Chobani exec, took over Bel Group’s North American operations and is accelerating growth of its snack brands Babybel, GoGo squeeZ and The Laughing Cow. The Paris‑based company now generates about one‑third of its global sales in the U.S., with...
Senate Bill Floats Workaround for Hemp THC Beverage Ban
A bipartisan Senate bill, the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, would let states opt out of the federal ban on intoxicating hemp products slated for November 2026, allowing hemp‑derived THC beverages to remain legal under state rules. The bill mirrors recreational...
Sensient Invests $250M to Expand Natural Food Dye Production
Sensient Technologies announced up to $250 million in capital to expand its natural‑color production, adding 28,800 sq ft to its 500,000‑sq‑ft St. Louis plant. The company aims to capture a $1 billion sales opportunity in the fast‑growing natural‑color segment as food makers shift away from...
Kari-Out Boosted Output 25% without Adding Labor
Kari-Out, a 60‑year‑old multi‑product manufacturer, partnered with Formic to automate palletizing at its Totowa, New Jersey plant. The deployment of six robots delivered a 25% increase in output while maintaining 100% equipment uptime. The automation eliminated turnover, injuries, workers’ comp claims...
Recall Rodeo: Roping in Risk with Precision, Not Panic
By September 2025 the USDA and FDA logged a combined 445 food recalls—the highest level since 2020—while 93 % of U.S. adults express concern over recall frequency. Retailers face a chaotic “recall rodeo” on the shop floor as opened cases mingle, erasing...
Food Waste Began to Decline 4 Years After the Pandemic, Refed Finds
The Refed U.S. Food Waste Report shows surplus food generation fell 2.2% in 2024 to about 70 million tons, ending a post‑pandemic rise. Residential waste contributed a 950,000‑ton reduction, translating to a 3.7% drop in per‑capita waste. Funding for waste‑reduction solutions grew...
Leftovers: Kraft Mac & Cheese Gets Restaurant-Inspired Upgrade | PBR Pickle Beer Is Here
Kraft Heinz introduced Kraft Mac & Cheese Restaurant Edition, a premium line featuring three new flavors—Parmesan Pesto, Romano Cacio e Pepe, and Monterey Jack Caramelized Onion—paired with specially shaped pasta to mimic restaurant quality at home. Pabst Blue Ribbon teamed...
Gatorade to Remove Artificial Colors From Top Flavors in Brand Refresh
PepsiCo will strip artificial colors from Gatorade’s fruit punch, lemon‑lime and orange Thirst Quencher flavors, as well as the Gatorade Zero line, starting this fall. The reformulation extends to the brand’s powder‑stick portfolio in spring and is part of a...
Hershey US President Unexpectedly Departs
Andrew Archambault, who joined Hershey in February 2025 from Keurig Dr Pepper, will leave his role as U.S. president on May 1, 2026 to pursue another opportunity. He was promoted last month to oversee the full U.S. portfolio as part of a broader...
Boston Beer Faces $175.5M Fine in Packaging Dispute
Boston Beer faces a $175.5 million damages award after an Illinois jury found it breached a contract with packaging supplier Ardagh Metal Packaging by not meeting a minimum aluminum‑can purchase commitment for 2021‑2025. The brewer denies the breach, citing defective cans,...
How Chobani’s Protein Push Is Reshaping Its Dairy Empire
Chobani is leveraging a $650 million capital raise to accelerate its push into protein‑rich dairy and adjacent categories. The company plans to grow through both internal innovation and acquisitions, having already added coffee brand La Colombe and frozen‑food maker Daily Harvest to its...
Mondelēz Creates Chocolate Bars Using Celleste’s Cell-Cultured Cocoa Butter
Mondelēz International produced a dozen milk‑chocolate bars using cocoa butter cultivated in a lab by Israeli startup Celleste Bio. The partnership proves Celleste’s cell‑cultured cocoa butter can match traditional cocoa butter in texture and melt, and positions the startup to...
5 Charts Showing the Changing Energy Drink Landscape
Energy drinks captured $24.8 billion in U.S. non‑alcoholic packaged‑beverage sales over the 52 weeks to March 7, posting a 14 % YoY rise and becoming the second‑largest category behind carbonated soft drinks. The growth outpaced low‑calorie sodas (11 %) while carbonated drinks, bottled water...
Hershey Wants a Bigger Bite of the Functional Foods Market
Hershey’s new CEO Kirk Tanner is positioning the candy maker to capture a larger share of the $138 billion functional foods market, which grew 4% last year. The company already offers Fulfil protein bars and is eyeing extensions of existing brands...
Slice Soda Maker Suja Life Files for IPO
Health‑focused beverage maker Suja Life has filed for an IPO on Nasdaq under the ticker SUJA. The company reported $327 million in net sales for 2025, a 26% increase year‑over‑year, and plans an Up‑C umbrella partnership structure to retain partner voting...
Fermentation Is Faster: How Next Generation Technologies Accelerate Alternative Protein Production
Fermentation is emerging as a rapid, scalable method for producing alternative proteins, with a 48‑hour run delivering results up to 90 times faster than traditional six‑month animal cycles. The global fermented foods market, valued at $585 million in 2024, is pushing producers...
Why Manual Work Persists in Food and Beverage and How Connected Data Eliminates It
Manual processes still dominate food and beverage product development, with 82% of teams using spreadsheets, email and paper despite digital tool investments. Only 2% report fully automated, end‑to‑end workflows, highlighting a data‑connectivity gap rather than a technology shortage. Disconnected supplier,...
High Oleic Sunflower Oil Supports Food Formulations that Are Both Adventurous and Eco-Conscious
High‑oleic sunflower oil, grown in the United States, is being promoted as a versatile ingredient that meets both flavor‑driven and sustainability goals for food manufacturers. Its neutral taste profile lets bold, cross‑cultural flavors shine while delivering a longer shelf life...
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...
Dippin’ Dots Signature Beaded Ice Cream Enters the Freezer Aisle
Dippin’ Dots’ signature beaded ice cream is now available in grocery freezers nationwide in three flagship flavors—Cookies ’N Cream, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Ultimate Brownie. After a slight reformulation that lets the beads stay stable at the typical 0 °F store freezer, J&J Snack Foods can offer multi‑pack...
High Gas Prices Are Crimping Grocery Spending, Research Finds
Rising gasoline prices are forcing U.S. shoppers to tighten their grocery budgets, a new Snipp survey shows. More than a third of the 1,000 respondents said they have cut back on grocery spending, while 37% report higher weekly bills compared...
Kylie Jenner’s Vodka Soda Brand Sprinter Expands Into Hydration
Kylie Jenner’s Sprinter brand is branching out of vodka‑sodas with the launch of k2o, a beauty‑focused functional beverage powder. The mix‑in combines electrolytes, bioactive collagen peptides and hyaluronic acid to promote skin moisture and hydration, and is offered in peach,...
Diageo Supplier to Idle 2 Kentucky Whiskey Distilleries
MGP Ingredients, a key supplier to Diageo and other spirit makers, will idle its Limestone Branch and Lux Row Kentucky distilleries starting May 1, with the pause expected to last at least a year. The shutdown will affect 33 employees, though...
Tyson to Close Hillshire Brands Plant in Georgia
Tyson Foods announced the closure of its Hillshire Brands plant in Rome, Georgia, effective May 31, affecting 168 employees. The facility, acquired in the 2014 $8.5 billion Hillshire deal, had been producing Nature Valley granola bars for General Mills under a single‑customer...
Tetra Pak Launching $22M Facility to Support Food, Beverage Innovation
Swedish packaging giant Tetra Pak has broken ground on a $22 million innovation facility at its Denton, Texas campus, adjacent to its U.S./Canada headquarters. The new 12,000‑sq‑ft product development center and 3,000‑sq‑ft customer innovation space will double the site’s R&D capacity and...
Hershey’s CEO Stays ‘Hungry’ for Growth as Snack Giant Outpaces Rivals
Hershey reported 2025 sales of $11.7 billion, up 4.4 % as it outpaces rivals like Conagra and Kraft Heinz. CEO Kirk Tanner emphasizes the "next‑generation of snacking," blending legacy brands such as Hershey’s and Reese’s with newer better‑for‑you products like SkinnyPop and...
The New Flavor Pipeline: How Social Media Is Rewriting the Rules of Food and Beverage Innovation
Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have collapsed the traditional multi‑year flavor development cycle into a matter of weeks, turning a single viral video into a market‑wide demand surge. The Dubai Chocolate Bar’s rapid ascent from regional novelty...