Is hojicha the next flavour megatrend?
Is hojicha quietly positioning itself as matcha’s successor? From drinks to desserts, this green tea is gaining momentum and the industry is taking notice
Ingredients
Confectionary trends: Balancing better-for-you and indulgence
Barry Callebaut bets on cocoa-free chocolate
The launch of ChoViva in North America at the Sweets & Snacks Expo last week reflects a growing push to diversify beyond traditional cocoa amid climate and pricing pressures
Added fibre: Why fortification is harder than it looks
Adding fibre to foods and beverages could help close the ‘fibre gap’, but reformulation challenges threaten taste and texture
Sweeteners back in the spotlight as scientists probe liver disease risks
Once hailed as a reformulation fix, sweeteners are now facing growing scientific scrutiny
Mars takes first step into cocoa-free category
The world’s biggest confectionery company is making its cocoa-free debut
From Nestlé to Mondelēz, alt chocolate is gaining real ground
When the biggest names in the business get on board, it’s a clear sign the trend has legs
World’s first cell-based chocolate bar developed with Mondelēz
The first-ever milk chocolate bars made with cell-cultivated cocoa butter have been produced
Amazonian cocoa’s untapped health benefits revealed
Could cocoa fermentation be doing more than shaping flavour? New research hints at untapped nutritional potential in Amazonian beans
The 7 nutrition trends redefining food and drink
From emerging ingredients to protein power, discover the nutrition trends shaping the future of food and beverage
‘Sweet treat people’: 7 ways Gen Z is driving America’s sugar boom
From daily habits to social rituals, new data shows Gen Z is driving a more frequent, more emotional – and more connected – sweet snacking culture.
Mars steps up push for net zero cocoa at scale
Mars invests in regenerative farming as it ramps up efforts to hit net zero by 2050
Barry Callebaut profits up 66% but sales slump continues
Strong cash flow and rising profits mask ongoing operational pressures in Barry Callebaut’s latest results, raising questions about what recovery will really look like for the chocolate industry
Up the food chain
Celleste Bio CEO on the urgency of cultivating chocolate’s ‘magic’ ingredient - as missiles fall
Scaling biotech ingredients for a sector under strain is a hard. Doing it while conflict closes in is even harder
Artificial sweeteners: Why the science war is raging on
New health studies are reigniting a global battle over artificial sweeteners, leaving brands, regulators and consumers divided
Big Food’s high‑stakes race to reformulate
From regulation changes to supply chain pressures, reformulation is reshaping Big Food – fast
Can fermentation solve the cocoa crisis?
Cocoa innovation opens up new possibilities for manufacturers
Opinion
Nestlé’s alt chocolate bet is make-or-break for cocoa-free
This is no ordinary product launch. The stakes are high for cocoa-free chocolate
Hershey u‑turns as real chocolate makes a comeback
Hershey says it’s bringing real chocolate back to parts of its portfolio – could this small switch signal something much bigger for the confectionery industry?
Barry Callebaut, Ferrero, Hershey & Tony’s Chocolonely join Cocoa Coalition
Global confectionery giants join NGOs and major retailers to create UK Cocoa Coalition
Can brands cut sugar without killing taste, texture or trust?
As sugar shifts from ingredient to liability, food and drink manufacturers are rebuilding sweetness from the ground up using rare sugars, fibres and fermentation-driven innovation
Cocoa prices climb following market collapse
Cocoa prices climb as supply expectations shift and demand struggles to recover
The raisin squeeze: Iran tensions expose a fragile ingredient supply chain
Raisins sit quietly inside thousands of everyday foods, but the global trade behind them is far more concentrated than most manufacturers realise
Seed oils are out, avocado oil is in – and snack brands are leading the switch
Chip makers are transitioning to avocado oil, due to backlash against seed and vegetable oils
Up the food chain
Givaudan’s head of front-end innovation on AI and the future of food
An engineer at heart, Alexandre Bastos brings a problem‑solver’s mindset to the front lines of food innovation
Ferrero joins the big F&B CEO shake-up
Ferrero scraps traditional CEO role amid sweeping food and beverage leadership shake-ups
New light-scattering additive to replace shunned titanium dioxide
Safer whitening may be on the horizon for confectionery, bakery and dairy, thanks to a new alternative to one of food’s most controversial additives
Nestlé bets big on cocoa-free chocolate: Inside its new launch
The final confectionery giant to invest in alternative cocoa is now the first to launch a permanent product
Chocolate without trees? The science racing to reinvent cocoa
From cacao cells grown in bioreactors to fermentation-built chocolate flavours, scientists and startups are experimenting with ways to produce cocoa ingredients without growing cacao trees
Sweeteners under fire as scientists probe neurological risks
New research linking popular sweeteners to cognitive decline has again raised concerns over their safety. What does this mean manufacturers?
Confectionery sector braced for shortages as Iran conflict escalates
As conflict disrupts key trade routes and energy supplies, the confectionery sector is among the first to feel the strain. How vulnerable are manufacturers, and what can be done to protect the industry?
The clean label chocolate revolution has begun
Clean label chocolate is gaining momentum, and reshaping indulgence
The future of chocolate: Innovation surges as expectations shift
From rising innovation to shifting consumer demands, chocolate is entering a new era
Cocoa whiplash: How a record price spike turned into a demand slump
The market has swung from historic shortage to surplus projections for 2025/26 in under two years
Iran Conflict: What does this mean for global food sector?
The ongoing tensions in Iran could disrupt supply routes and drive volatility across key food commodities such as rice and meat
Cocoa alternatives won’t fix chocolate’s pricing problem
Reformulation may steady margins, but unless manufacturers tackle cocoa’s income gap at source, volatility will keep coming back
Mars, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Hershey, and Lindt team up to transform future of cocoa
The world’s biggest chocolate makers are working together to futureproof cocoa and support growers
Protein is the price of entry at Expo West 2026
Expo West lands in Anaheim this March, and protein isn’t just a trend – it’s the baseline. The real fight is over taste, texture and who can make functionality feel effortless
Ingredients Compendium No 2: Trehalose
The little-known functional sugar gaining ground across food categories
As manufacturers grapple with sugar reduction, texture loss and longer shelf-life demands, trehalose is emerging as a functional ingredient to watch in 2026
Hershey blasted by Reese’s family over core ingredient changes
Reese family sends open letter to Hershey, challenging whether the confectionery giant is protecting the Reese’s legacy
Cocoa prices collapse following record highs
Cocoa prices plunge to two‑year low as surpluses reshape the market
Nestlé, Mondelēz, Mars, Barry Callebaut: Which chocolate giants are diversifying?
The cocoa crisis is winding down, but the biggest producers of chocolate still want to protect themselves in a volatile sector
Are falling cocoa prices giving an edge to small choc players?
Key players in chocolate already have the year’s cocoa supply locked in. But smaller players may not
Barry Callebaut launches global chocolate innovation hub
Barry Callebaut has unveiled a new AI‑powered innovation hub, promising faster flavour creation and personalised chocolate experiences
Barry Callebaut ploughs €250m into world’s biggest chocolate factory
Barry Callebaut plans to modernise Wieze and Halle sites, bolstering reliability and efficiency across its European supply network
AI drives new wave of confectionery innovation
From faster R&D to predictive product design, AI is transforming the future of sweets
FDA eases ‘no artificial colors’ labeling rules, paves way for natural color adoption
FDA eases ‘no artificial colors’ claims, but ambiguity over ‘petroleum-based dyes’ leaves manufacturers cautious
Schumacher’s strategy: Five moves to revive Barry Callebaut
New CEO Hein Schumacher enters a company in decline. Here are the five decisive moves that could put the world’s biggest chocolate maker back on track
Climate crisis pushes global food system to breaking point
As climate change intensifies the global food system is being stretched to its limits. Can real‑time data and rapid response strategies help manufacturers stay ahead?
Scientists closer to solving sugar reduction’s taste problem
After years of compromise, sweetness without sacrifice may finally be within reach
Winter Fancy Faire
3 trends revitalizing the sleepy nut butter and seed spread category
From swicy flavors to squeezable pouches, emerging brands at the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Faire are pushing a mature category into its next growth phase