Smarter EV Charging On The Way
New Zealand will require all electric‑vehicle chargers over 2.4 kW to include smart functionality and clear labeling, enabling automatic shifting to off‑peak, cheaper electricity. The policy aims to curb a projected 40 % rise in household peak demand and could save households up to $132 USD per year. By 2050, smart charging is expected to avoid roughly $2.4 billion USD in network upgrade costs. The move aligns the country with Australia, the EU, the UK and China, which are adopting similar standards.
When Every Product Is Functional, What Actually Drives Choice?
Functional claims such as protein, gut health and indulgence have become baseline expectations on shelves, eroding their power to drive trial. Brands are shifting from single‑attribute promises to blended protein sources, credible gut‑health stacks and indulgent formats that also deliver...
Anuga Select Brazil Concludes Record-Breaking Matchmaking In Latin America
Anuga Select Brazil 2026 wrapped up its seventh edition, delivering the largest business‑matchmaking program ever staged at a Latin American trade fair. Over three days more than 14,000 visitors from 96 countries connected with 550+ brands, generating roughly US$30 million in...
Lactalis-Mainland Dairy’s Protein Innovation In Thailand
Thai dairy brand Anlene, part of Lactalis‑Mainland Dairy, has launched Anlene Protein+, a ready‑to‑drink protein beverage aimed at health‑conscious women. The drink features a lighter texture, lower sweetness, calcium and protein, and flavors tuned to local Thai preferences. Market research...
Costa Coffee X Jaffa Cakes
Costa Coffee has introduced its first co‑branded ready‑to‑drink beverage in Great Britain, the Costa Coffee McVitie’s Jaffa Cake Frappé. The 250 ml iced coffee blends Costa’s coffee base with the iconic chocolate‑orange flavor of McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes and is positioned as a limited‑edition summer treat....
Proposed Changes To Import Requirements For Certain Products
New Zealand Food Safety will implement a revised Food Notice on 1 February 2027, tightening import rules for dried spices, milk and dairy, bivalve molluscan shellfish, and tahini/sesame paste. The consultation ran from 15 December 2025 to 15 February 2026, after which the agency published its...
Sustainable Tuna Dominates Australian Supermarkets
Australian supermarkets have reached a sustainability milestone, with roughly 70% of canned tuna now sourced from independently MSC‑certified fisheries. The shift follows Coles' 2024 pledge to achieve 100% MSC‑sourced tuna, prompting Woolworths and ALDI to adopt the same standard across...
Aldi Named Best Supermarket in Roy Morgan’s Customer Satisfaction Awards
Aldi Australia has been crowned Supermarket of the Year 2025 by Roy Morgan, marking its sixth straight win and ninth overall. The retailer posted an 87.6% customer‑satisfaction score, maintaining the top spot every month for a 55‑month streak. The award highlights...
Tostitos Expands Into Refrigerated Aisle
Tostitos, the leading unflavoured tortilla‑chip brand, has entered the refrigerated aisle with its first‑ever dip, Tostitos Chunky Guacamole – Mild, Hint of Lime. The product is made from fresh Hass avocados, contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, and comes...
Affordable Luxuries
New Zealand’s ice‑cream and gelato market generates roughly NZD 550‑600 million ($330‑$360 million USD) a year, with consumers drinking 65‑70 million litres annually – about 28.4 L per person, one of the world’s highest per‑capita rates. Over the past 12 months retail sales rose about...
Ottolenghi Introduces Dressings & Deli Range
Ottolenghi has expanded its pantry line at Waitrose with two new dressings and three fresh deli staples, launching on April 27. The Orange Marmalade Dressing blends citrus and Aleppo chilli, while the Honey Mustard Dressing features preserved lemon for a...
Quaker Expands Protein Portfolio
Quaker, a PepsiCo brand, launched Quaker Protein Rice Crisps, a gluten‑free, popped snack that provides 6 g of protein per serving. The line debuts in two flavors—Chocolate Caramel and Tangy Barbecue—and contains no artificial preservatives or flavors. The rollout taps into...
A Bubly Pop Of Sweetness
PepsiCo Canada introduced bubby POP, a new soda built on the popular bubby sparkling water brand. The drink blends real fruit juice, delivers 20 calories or fewer and no more than three grams of sugar per 355 mL can, and comes...
Woolworths Freezes Shelf Prices On Staples
Woolworths announced a three‑month price freeze on 300 own‑brand and exclusive‑brand staples, effective May 1. The retailer will absorb any supplier‑agreed cost increases to keep shelf prices unchanged. The freeze covers items such as chicken, eggs, pasta, sausages and nappies, and...
Great Weather Boosts UK Outdoor-Grown Strawberries
Britain's unusually sunny April has sparked a rapid start to the outdoor strawberry season, allowing Tesco to receive 300 tonnes of UK‑grown fruit—about one million punnets—next week. The volume represents a more than 100 percent increase from three weeks earlier and is expected...