Heatwave Risks: How Food Manufacturers Can Prepare Now
A recent European heatwave highlighted the dual nature of extreme temperatures for food manufacturers: demand for chilled products such as ice‑cream surges, while cold‑chain assets face higher energy consumption and tighter margins. Experts from procurement consultancy Proxima stress that existing storage capacity usually suffices, but equipment performance, rotation, and supplier coordination must be verified. Spoilage risk remains limited for most products if refrigeration works correctly, yet demand spikes can outpace forecasts, especially when driven by social‑media trends. Companies are urged to adopt flexible forecasting, early capacity booking, and resilience planning to navigate these pressures.
Dairy’s FIFA World Cup Foray May Be Its Biggest Play Yet
The FIFA World Cup is projected to generate nearly $3 bn from commercial partnerships, and dairy brands are among the high‑profile sponsors. Chinese dairy giant Mengniu, part‑owned by state‑linked COFCO, returns as the official dairy sponsor, building on ties dating back...
The F&B Jobs AI Is Targeting, but Is It Really that Dire?
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the food and beverage sector, accelerating product development and automating manufacturing tasks. Kraft Heinz slashed its plant‑based mac & cheese timeline from two years to ten months by partnering with NotCo’s AI platform, while AI‑enabled automation...
Mars Powers Production Growth with $253.6m Smart Factory Investment
Mars Inc. announced a $253.6 million investment to transform its historic Slough factory into a smart manufacturing hub. The upgrade will embed AI‑driven robotics, digital‑twin technology, and energy‑efficient utilities, boosting capacity and sustainability. The project will upskill roughly 1,850 employees and...
Less Sugar, More Pressure: Scotland’s HFSS Rules Force a Food Industry Rethink
Scotland’s Food (Promotion and Placement) Regulations take effect on 1 October 2026, barring high‑fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) products from prime‑shelf spots, checkout displays and multibuy promotions in stores over 2,000 sq ft. The rules mirror England’s 2022 restrictions, which previously impacted roughly £18 bn...
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....
PepsiCo’s Second Restaurant Gamble Is Bigger, Bolder and Riskier
PepsiCo has opened a temporary Lay’s restaurant in Shanghai that prioritises immersive brand experience over direct sales. The venue blends menu innovation, multi‑sensory design and collaborations with a Michelin‑star chef and fashion label to showcase potatoes beyond the chip aisle....
When Paper Packaging Fails the Sustainability Test
Paperisation is gaining momentum as brands chase consumer trust in paper over plastic, exemplified by Bel Group’s pledge to shift all Babybel products to paper packaging by 2027. The transition reveals technical hurdles, especially for wet or oily foods that...
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...
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...
Nestlé Slashes 450 Jobs Sparking Union Backlash
Nestlé announced it will cut more than 450 jobs across its UK operations, with the bulk of layoffs expected at the York factory and the Gatwick headquarters. The cuts are the first wave of a global restructuring plan that aims...
How Fibre Went From Forgotten Nutrient to Consumer Obsession
Fibre has vaulted from a niche nutrient to a cultural obsession, spurred by TikTok’s #fibremaxxing hashtag that has amassed 150 million views. Google searches for gut‑health and high‑fibre foods have surged 5,000 % over the past five years, and 47.5 % of UK...
Mars Steps up Push for Net Zero Cocoa at Scale
Mars, Inc. has teamed with ingredients supplier ofi on a five‑year net‑zero cocoa program in Ecuador, targeting climate‑smart regenerative farming across key growing regions. Phase one will transition more than 960 farmers and 9,000 hectares from monoculture to multistrata agroforestry,...
Hershey US President Exits Amid Profits Slide and Brand Backlash
The Hershey Company announced that U.S. President Andrew Archambault will depart effective May 1, 2026, after just over a year in the role. The exit comes as the confectioner reports sharply falling profits and consumer backlash over alleged ingredient changes in...
Iran War Pushes Global Food Markets Toward Crisis Mode
The Iran‑Israel conflict is tightening the Strait of Hormuz, choking a key route for oil and agricultural inputs. The IMF and OECD warn that the resulting energy shock could push global inflation above 7% and shrink growth to around 2%,...