“Gut Health Is Just a Better Way of Eating” – Bio&Me’s Jon Walsh on Fibre Coming Back Into Fashion
Bio&Me, the UK‑based gut‑health food brand, announced sales now exceeding £20 m ($26.8 m), representing roughly 45% year‑on‑year growth. The company attributes the surge to rising repeat purchase rates—over 40% on its core lines—and expanding distribution in major supermarkets. New convenience formats such as fibre‑rich bars, porridge pots and kefir drinks are broadening its appeal, while a modest price premium of about 10% keeps products accessible. Bio&Me turned profitable last year and is focusing on deepening its UK footprint before considering overseas moves.
Orkla Buys UK B2B Biscuits Supplier Phoenix Brands
Orkla’s Food Ingredients unit has acquired UK B2B biscuit maker Phoenix Brands, integrating the Wolverhampton‑based supplier into its sweet inclusions portfolio. The deal, announced on May 18, 2025, did not disclose a purchase price but positions Orkla to deepen its...
Renamed Kerry Dairy Ireland Outlines Investment Plans
Kerry Dairy Ireland, now rebranded as Kinisla, announced a €300 million ($350 million) five‑year investment in manufacturing, innovation and sustainability. The plan includes creating more than 100 new roles across central functions, innovation and commercial operations within the next 12‑24 months. The...
Danone to Sell Lifeway Foods Stake
Danone announced it will sell its 22.7% stake in Lifeway Foods through a secondary public offering priced at $19.50 per share. The move follows two rejected takeover bids in 2024 and a recent board‑refresh agreement that paused litigation between the...
“There Is No Second Chance to Create a Good First Impression” – Heura Foods CEO Marc Coloma on the Plant-Based...
Heura Foods CEO Marc Coloma says the plant‑based sector offers no second chance to make a strong first impression, underscoring the brand’s push to stand out. The Spanish company is broadening its business model by launching its own private‑label products and...
Blackstone, CD&R ‘Eyeing The Magnum Ice Cream Company’
Blackstone and Carlyle‑backed CD&R are in the early stages of evaluating a bid for The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC), the recently spun‑off Unilever ice‑cream arm. The rumor sparked a near 12% rally in TMICC’s London‑listed shares, which have risen...
Vandemoortele Concedes Délifrance Deal Could Hit UK Competition, Watchdog Says
Vandemoortele has admitted its takeover of Délifrance may substantially lessen competition in the UK frozen laminated‑dough market, prompting the CMA to accept a SLC concession and continue a Phase 2 probe. The regulator highlighted horizontal unilateral effects, noting the merged entity...
Premier Foods Results Takeaways – M&A Appetite May Be Whetted as Debt Ratio Hits All-Time Low
Premier Foods reported a record‑low net debt ratio of 0.6, signaling a strengthened balance sheet. Free cash flow jumped 15% year‑over‑year, giving the company ample liquidity for strategic moves. The upbeat results sent the shares up about 8% in trading....
M&A on Horizon at Princes as Underlying Profits Rise
Princes Group expects to close at least one acquisition within the next few months, keeping its M&A pipeline active amid a wave of consolidation in European consumer goods. Q1 revenue rose 5.9% to £506.6 million ($685 million) and adjusted EBITDA increased 17%...
Cal-Maine Expands Breakfast Options with Van’s Waffles Acquisition
Cal‑Maine Foods announced the acquisition of Van’s breakfast brands, a line of gluten‑free frozen waffles and pancakes previously owned by Sara Lee Frozen Bakery. The deal follows Cal‑Maine’s purchase of Echo Lake Foods and Creighton Brothers, underscoring a broader push...
Dawn Meats Snaps up German Importer Alexander Eyckeler
Irish family‑owned processor Dawn Meats has bought German importer and distributor Alexander Eyckeler, a move tied to its ongoing integration with New Zealand’s Alliance Group. The acquisition follows Dawn’s 65 % purchase of Alliance for NZ$270 million (about $154 million) last year. Dawn’s CEO Niall...
Austria’s Norbert Marcher Strikes Deal for EG Südbayern Slaughterhouses
Austria’s family‑owned processor Norbert Marcher has purchased a 51% stake in two EG Südbayern slaughterhouses in Bavaria, assuming sole operational and industrial control. The acquisition positions Marcher as a new entrant in the competitive German meat market while keeping existing supply...
Cerealto CEO Bosco Fonts Talks Contract Manufacturing Tailwinds
Cerealto’s chief executive Bosco Fonts highlighted accelerating demand for contract manufacturing in the food sector, citing stronger retailer partnerships and rising consumer preference for private‑label products. He noted that Cerealto’s flexible production capacity and recent technology upgrades position the company...
Hain Celestial Losses Persist as Sales Extend Declines
Hain Celestial reported a third‑quarter net loss of $106 million, narrowed from $135 million a year earlier, as it continues a turnaround under CEO Alison Lewis. The company sold its North American snack portfolio, including Garden Veggie and Terra chips, to Snackruptors...
Spanish Meat Group Vall Companys Strikes Argentina Deal with Pacuca
Spanish meat group Vall Companys has forged a strategic alliance with Argentina’s pork processor Grupo Pacuca, offering a $14 million participatory loan that can be converted into equity after two years. Pacuca, one of Argentina’s largest pork processors, runs a 2,000‑animal‑per‑day...
Post Holdings New CEO Outlines Pricing Strategy Pitfalls
Post Holdings’ incoming CEO Nicolas Catoggio warned that low‑single‑digit inflation may be absorbed, but higher cost pressures from the Middle East could force targeted price increases. He cited recent price hikes on the 9Lives pet‑food brand that triggered stronger elasticity...
Amadori Buys Unconventional Plant-Based Business From Granarolo
Italian poultry giant Amadori has bought Granarolo’s Unconventional plant‑based foods business, including the Coriano production site and the “Unconventional 100 % Vegetale” brand. The deal, terms undisclosed, is positioned as a cornerstone for expanding Amadori’s protein portfolio and targeting a top‑three spot in...
What Is ‘Premium Content’ on Just Food?
Just Food has launched a Premium Content tier that places its most data‑intensive articles behind a registration wall. The new offering bundles deeper analysis, industry interviews, and exclusive reports powered by GlobalData’s proprietary research. Readers must create a basic profile...
Post Holdings Promotes COO to US Group’s CEO
Post Holdings announced that COO Nicolas Catoggio will assume the role of president and chief executive on October 1, while current CEO Robert Vitale will become executive chairman. The transition follows a strong second‑quarter performance, with net sales climbing to...
Quorn’s Transition Plan Takes Hold with Shift Away From Artificial Ingredients
Quorn Foods, owned by Monde Nissin, reported a strong Q1 fiscal 2026, with EBITDA more than doubling to 325 m pesos ($5.4 m) and net profit turning positive at 87 m pesos ($1.4 m). Gross margins jumped 881 basis points to 31.8%, driven by targeted...
Middle East Crisis: FAO Sounds Warning over Fertiliser Supplies
FAO Director‑General Qu Dongyu warned that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are creating a fertilizer shortage that will depress crop yields from late 2024 through 2027. The corridor handles 20‑45% of global agri‑input exports, and delays force farmers to...
Danone to Close US Dairy-Alternatives Factory
Danone announced it will shut its Bridgeton, New Jersey dairy‑alternatives factory on August 4, eliminating about 114 jobs. Production of Silk and So Delicious Dairy Free drinks will be moved to three existing plants in Virginia, Texas and Florida. The closure...
Law Firm Baker McKenzie Leads Consumer M&A Deal Ranks in Q1
Law firm Baker McKenzie topped the Q1 2026 league table for consumer M&A by advising on nine transactions, the most of any firm. The firm’s marquee client was Italian plant‑based dairy group The Bridge, which sold a majority stake to asset...
Kraft Heinz CEO Steve Cahillane Sparks Questions over Future of Frozen
Kraft Heinz CEO Steve Cahillane re‑classified its frozen foods segment from “win big” to “hold,” while upgrading its hydration portfolio to “win big,” signaling a possible exit from the lagging frozen category. He highlighted that 35% of the overall portfolio is gaining...
Mars Dips Toe Into Cocoa-Free Chocolate
Mars, the maker of Snickers, has introduced a cocoa‑free Balisto Trail Mix in Germany, using Planet A Foods’ ChoViva ingredient. The product, sold in 140‑gram bags at Rewe supermarkets, will be available from April through October as a test launch....
Orior Names Ex-Migros Exec New CEO
Swiss food‑and‑drinks group Orior announced that Dr. Peter Müller, a former Migros executive who led the Mibelle carve‑out and sale, will become CEO on 1 September, succeeding Monika Friedli‑Walser. Müller brings extensive experience in transformation, restructuring and cross‑border M&A, aligning with...
PE Firm Breizh Rebond Buys Spreads Maker Les Quatre Saisons
French private equity firm Breizh Rebond has acquired a majority stake in Les Quatre Saisons, a maker of jams, spreads and sports gels. The deal, approved by the Lille Commercial Court on April 30, makes Breizh Rebond the sole shareholder of...
Food-to-Go Supplier Around Noon Sells Minority Share to Whiterock
Around Noon, a Newry‑based food‑to‑go supplier, has sold a minority stake to Belfast‑based fund manager Whiterock. The company reported revenue of £81 million (≈$110 million) last year, while its 2024 turnover fell to £26.4 million (≈$36 million). It supplies more than four million ready‑to‑eat...
Fazer Eyes Pick-and-Mix with Aroma Acquisition
Finnish confectionery group Fazer has completed the acquisition of Swedish candy maker Konfektyrfabriken Aroma. The deal, undisclosed financially, adds Aroma’s roughly $49 million in net sales and its three Swedish production sites to Fazer’s portfolio, strengthening its pick‑and‑mix and seasonal candy...
Vion Sells German Slaughterhouse to ABP Food Group
Vion Food Group has agreed to sell its Buchloe slaughterhouse in Bavaria to Ireland‑based ABP Food Group. The facility processes roughly 90,000 cattle a year and employs about 270 staff. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, is the...
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...
Premium Brands’ Activist Investor Flags Share-Price Upside on Target Fixes
Premium Brands Holdings, a Canadian food group with an aggressive acquisition strategy, is slated to report its fiscal 2026 Q1 results on May 7. Activist investor Alta Fox Capital, holding about 1.5 % of the company, argues the stock is undervalued and...
Ireland’s East Coast Bakehouse Acquired by Danish Biscuit Maker Bisca
Denmark’s biscuit maker Bisca has completed the acquisition of Ireland’s East Coast Bakehouse, turning the Irish producer into a standalone subsidiary effective May 1. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, adds a modern production facility in Drogheda and gives...
T&G Global Enters Sale Talks for NZ, Fiji and Pacific Fresh Produce Units
T&G Global is in advanced talks to sell its New Zealand fresh‑produce operations to the Turner family and its Fijian and Pacific businesses to foodservice wholesaler Bidfood. The divestments follow a strategic review aimed at concentrating on the group’s apple platform...
Calidad Pascual Sells Milk Factory to Pizza Maker Casa Tarradellas
Spanish dairy group Calidad Pascual is selling its Gurb milk facility in Barcelona to pizza maker Casa Tarradellas. The plant, which processes 150 million liters of UHT milk a year and employs 79 staff, will be converted to mozzarella production to feed Casa Tarradellas’ pizza...
“Operational Rigour” Pays Dividends for The Magnum Ice Cream Volumes
The Magnum Ice Cream Co. (TMICC) reported Q1 volume growth that more than doubled, with organic volume growth (OVG) rising to 2.9% versus 1.4% a year earlier. CEO Peter ter Kulve highlighted operational rigour, especially the rapid rollout of 50,000...
Private-Equity Firm KKR Said to Be Eyeing Disposal of Flora Food Group
Private‑equity giant KKR is reportedly exploring a sale of its Flora Food Group spreads assets, with bankers valuing the deal at up to $10 bn. KKR acquired the plant‑based brand portfolio from Unilever in 2018 for roughly $7.9 bn and the business...
Hershey Sales up on Pricing as “Elasticity” Eats Into Volumes
Hershey reported first‑quarter net sales of $3.1 bn, a 10.6% year‑over‑year rise driven by aggressive pricing and the integration of its LesserEvil organic‑snacks acquisition. Despite the sales boost, overall volumes slipped about two percentage points, with North America confectionery down roughly...
European Trade Bodies Urge Coordinated Action to Avoid “Inflation Crisis”
European agri‑food trade bodies are urging the EU to act swiftly as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, driving up fertilizer, energy, and freight costs. The disruption has already made input prices volatile, threatening food production and affordability across Europe....
Mondelez “Cautiously Optimistic” As Outlook Rests on Consumer Uncertainty
Mondelez International reported an 8.2% rise in first‑quarter sales to $10.08 bn, driven by pricing gains despite the Middle East crisis. Management described consumer confidence as fragile in Europe and deteriorating in the U.S., but said no slowdown in snacking demand...
Nomad Foods to Close Factory in Switzerland
Nomad Foods announced it will close its Rorschach manufacturing plant in Switzerland by year‑end, impacting 45 full‑time staff. The shutdown is part of a €200 m ($233 m) operational savings program targeting 2026‑2028, focusing on procurement, logistics and overhead efficiencies. Production of...
Mexico’s Sigma Foods Buys US Smoked Meats Producer
Sigma Foods, the Mexican meat and dairy conglomerate, has acquired Georgia‑based Roger Wood Foods, a family‑owned smoked‑sausage producer. The deal, terms undisclosed, adds Sigma's first manufacturing plant in the U.S. Southeast and brings a brand that generated roughly $50 million in...
Morgan Stanley Leads Consumer M&A Deal Ranks in Q1
Morgan Stanley emerged as the top financial adviser for consumer mergers and acquisitions in Q1 2026, driven primarily by its role on the $44.8 bn Unilever‑McCormick food deal. The bank also advised Refresco on the SunOpta acquisition, expanding its footprint in the...
Why Tactical Moves on Price Are No Substitute for Strategy
Major U.S. food companies such as PepsiCo, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Conagra and JM Smucker are rolling back price hikes and upping promotions after a three‑year stretch of inflation‑driven increases. The move reflects growing consumer price sensitivity, accelerated private‑label adoption,...
All Things Makes Co-Packer Investment
All Things, the UK‑based dairy brand, has made a significant but non‑controlling investment in co‑packer Yester Farm Dairies. The capital will fund new machinery and is expected to double Yester’s cottage‑cheese production capacity within the next 12 months. The move...
Belgium Food, Drinks Body Warns “Resilience” At Risk without Intervention
Belgium’s food and drinks federation, Fevia, warned that the sector’s resilience is eroding as rising input costs and high labour expenses strain profitability. The industry, the country’s largest with sales of $99.5 bn and exports of roughly $50 bn, is absorbing price...
JBS Faces Another US Strike
Union members at JBS's Denver meat‑packing plant voted 97% to authorize a strike, citing unfair labor practice charges and bad‑faith bargaining. The UFCW Local 7 alleges management retaliation and surface bargaining, while JBS counters with a proposal that includes incremental wage...
Dutch Cereal Firm Holie’s Secures UK Supermarket Debut
Dutch cereal start‑up Holie’s has entered the UK mainstream by securing shelf space for six SKUs across more than 490 Morrisons stores. The brand, founded in 2018, positions its products as vegan, protein‑rich and free of added sugar, pricing them...
Baladna Works with World Bank Financing Arm in Syria Dairy Project
Qatar’s Baladna Food Industries has partnered with the World Bank’s International Finance Corp (IFC) to assess and potentially rebuild Syria’s dairy value chain, focusing on production capacity, consolidation, logistics and compliance. The joint study will determine if a sustainable, investment‑ready...
UK Food Inflation Could Hit 7% – Bank of England Survey
Businesses surveyed by the Bank of England warn that UK food inflation could climb to 7% this year, higher than earlier forecasts. Official data showed food and non‑alcoholic drink prices rose 3.7% in March, up from 3.3% in February. The...