The future of chocolate: Trends shaping a $129bn market
From creamy milk chocolate to functional dark varieties, the global chocolate market is evolving fast
Markets
TFWA 2025: Top 5 confectionery innovations from the show
From hazelnut Twix to halal Haribo, TFWA 2025 delivered a sweet showcase of innovation under the Cannes sun. Discover the top launches shaking up confectionery
Hershey doubles down on s’mores as a seasonal growth engine with caramel innovation and retail partnerships
By extending its seasonal leadership and tapping consumer nostalgia with a modern twist, Hershey is driving incremental sales and household penetration
How Gen Z made Free From the flavor of modern wellness
Forget bland gluten-free loaves and chalky sugar-free chocolate. For Gen Z, Free From is culture, not compromise and it’s rewriting what health and indulgence look like
From Oreos to Ozempic: Inside the $100bn Free From race
Gluten-free cookies, sugar-free chocolate and GLP-1 diets are colliding. The world’s biggest food makers are scrambling to stay relevant
Functional gummy mania sends confectionery sales soaring
Functional gummies are exploding in popularity - blending indulgence with wellness, and appealing to everyone from Gen Z to Boomers
Shrinkflation backfires: Brands risk customer loyalty in cost-saving strategy
Are manufacturers risking it all to save a few pennies?
GLP-1 fuels new wave of confectionery innovation
GLP-1 drugs are transforming consumer snacking habits, and confectionery brands are responding
Unilever, Mars, Ferrero & Kraft Heinz: A story of spin-offs, splits, mergers & acquisitions
From Kraft Heinz’s split to Mars and Kellanova’s mega-merger, the world’s biggest food brands are reshaping the industry
Nestlé investor trust shaken following CEO scandal
Nestlé’s CEO scandal has rattled investors, triggering a share price dip and raising fresh concerns over leadership stability at the food giant
Kraft Heinz split confirmed
The food giant will split into two focused companies - one global, one domestic - in a bid to simplify operations and unlock brand potential
Top confectionery trends driving sales in 2025
From timeless favourites to viral treats, discover how price, innovation, and better-for-you options are reshaping the confectionery aisle
Kraft Heinz split announcement expected within days
A major split could be announced this week, reshaping the food giant and unlocking billions in value
Top 5 functional confectionery ingredients
Functional confectionery is booming. Find out which ingredients are driving the trend
Chewing over the next big idea: Snacks built for GLP-1 lifestyles
With GLP-1 users eating less often, chewy and long-lasting snacks like jerky, protein bites, gummies and gum are stepping up as the formats that make every portion count
Is Nestlé pulling back on plant-based?
Nestlé continues move away from plant-based as market growth slows
Food and beverage trends 2025: What’s hot and what’s not
Snacks are surging, alcohol is slipping, and flavour is king. Discover the biggest consumer shifts in food and drink in 2025
Mars to reformulate iconic brands in 2026
M&M’s, Skittles, and Starburst will ditch artificial colours, but not every product is making the switch
Global commodity supplies at risk as extreme weather escalates
Manufacturers brace for tighter ingredient supplies, rising costs, and supply chain disruption by Q4
Sweet speculation: GLP-1s could already be nibbling at confectionery sales
As enthusiasm for the confectionary sector declines, could weight-loss drugs have a role to play?
ChAI launches first-of-its-kind AI-powered insurance for raw material sourcing
ChAI is embracing AI to help FMCG companies deal with dramatic fluctuations in raw material prices
Where will the cocoa supply of the future come from?
As yields decline in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, could beans come from elsewhere?
Gluten-free market to hit $13.67bn by 2030
Gluten-free is no longer niche. With the market growing fast, brands are racing to overcome production hurdles for new product development
Top most valuable food brands 2025 announced
Who’s rising, who’s falling, and who didn’t make the cut
Cocoa shortage reshapes recipes and what counts as chocolate
Major brands like Nestlé and Pladis have had to drop the word ‘chocolate’ from some products as cocoa content falls below legal thresholds
Cocoa crisis: The main causes
There are several key factors impacting the price of cocoa
Top 5 confectionery trends for Autumn/Winter 2025
Functional benefits, luxe indulgence, bold flavours, and festive flair set to dominate confectionery
Women drive chocolate sales - but men are catching up
Chocolate consumption is changing and gender plays a key role
Mars scales up for snack domination with $2bn power play
With a new $240m Nature’s Bakery plant opening in Utah and a $36bn Kellanova deal underway, Mars is laying the groundwork for a US snack empire
Why CPGs are back-sliding on sustainability – and why it matters
The food industry made bold promises – on health, on sustainability, on transparency. But now, under pressure, many of those pledges are quietly being shelved. Editor-in-chief Jess Spiring exposes the rollback and explores what this retreat means for the...
Mars-Kellanova deal in jeopardy as Commission ‘stops the clock’
European Commission pauses review of $35.9bn Kellanova deal, citing “missing information”
Almond yields could be lower than predicted
The USDA predicts an abundant almond crop for California. Growers say the number is too optimistic
Hershey warns tariffs and higher cocoa costs will take a toll in back half of 2025
The sweets and snacks giant trimmed its outlook for the full year despite surging second quarter sales as it braces for the full impact of potential tariffs and higher cocoa costs
Is Smucker’s $5.5bn Hostess deal headed for a legal meltdown?
The deal that closed on November 7, 2023 is now under fire as sales slump, losses mount and legal investigations heat up - raising serious questions for food‑industry M&A
Mondelēz sees jump in revenue growth, driven by pricing
Q2 sees Mondelēz price increases pay off
Commodity supply crisis grows as climate change takes hold
Extreme weather is changing global commodity supply chains, putting pressure on manufacturers to adapt, fast
Mars-Kellanova deal to reshape global snacking market
What happens when a confectionery giant takes a step into the snacking world? We’re about to find out
IFT FIRST
Cocoa is out and fats, flavors and powders are in as companies rein in costs and secure supply
Volatile cocoa prices have manufacturers scrambling for ways to stretch limited supply by replacing or reducing how much cocoa powder and butter they use
After all that, HFSS promotions ban scrapped in UK
The U-turn won’t happen immediately, and food makers should still prepare for the ban
Brazil nut prices surge as shortage takes hold
Extreme weather and political unrest are squeezing Brazil nut supplies and sending prices soaring
Sweets & Snacks Expo
Snacking trends: Protein, portion control and indulgence
Snacking remains resilient amid economic pressure, but consumers are evolving their choices
Top 4 functional trends in confectionery
What are the top functional trends making it big in confectionery?
Sweets & Snacks Expo
How retail media and shopper behavior are shaping candy & snack sales
Consumer preferences and retail media strategies are transforming the candy and snack aisles amid inflation and evolving shopper habits
TikTok candy brand Final Boss Sour levels up with $4 million in funding
Video game-inspired Final Boss Sour is making better-for-you candy with playful marketing that is designed to test consumers’ taste buds
Sweets & Snacks Expo
Gummies go bold as new textures, flavors and formats transform the aisle
From peelable formats, contrasting textures and flavor fusions, gummy brands are delivering experiential snacking
Is Angel Hair chocolate the next big confectionery craze?
It’s pretty, it’s pink, and it could just give Dubai chocolate a run for its money
What are the latest innovations and insights from Sweets & Snacks Expo 2025?
Bold new trends capture adventurous flavours, seasonal appeal and noteworthy, shareable moments
Striking a balance: How food producers can thrive in the GLP-1 era
Consumers want to shed, gain or simply maintain weight. What does that mean for core food and drink categories - and is there still a place for permissible indulgence?
Chocolate and coffee fuel Nestlé sales growth
Food and beverage giant Nestlé reveals strong organic sales and positive growth forecast despite challenging market
Confectionery exporters hit hard by new US tariffs
Chocolate makers and candy brands across Europe, Switzerland and Canada are bracing for impact as new US tariffs raise costs, disrupt trade and threaten future product innovation