Forget breakfast: The battle for the morning snack is on
Consumers are increasingly turning to morning snacks for energy, focus and satiety, creating a fast-growing opportunity for food and beverage brands
Health & functionality
Protein boom powers confectionery growth
Protein is reshaping confectionery innovation, but consumers continue to put taste, texture and indulgence first
Are food and beverage brands stuck on repeat?
Another flavour. Another collaboration. Another limited edition. Line extensions are booming, but are brands delivering genuine innovation or simply more of the same?
Top 10 food and beverage trends set to shape 2027
What’s next for food and beverage? Explore the consumer trends powering the next wave of innovation and new product development
The GLP-1 effect: How weight-loss drugs are changing food and drink
Weight-loss drugs are reshaping the food and beverage landscape, driving demand for nutrient-dense, portion-controlled products and opening up new opportunities for innovation across the industry
Mars’ vision for 2036: The trends set to transform food and nutrition
Food and beverage giant bets on fibre, AI and personalised nutrition as solo eating reshapes food’s future
Rip Van appoints former Hershey president to power next phase of growth
Former US president of Hershey, Todd Tillemans, joins Rip Van as CEO, as the fast-growing better-for-you snack brand eyes major expansion
Ferrero targets protein-led growth beyond chocolate
Confectionery giant strengthens position in fast-growing snack market with Power Crunch revamp
Creatine moves into weight management
New research suggests creatine could support weight loss, creating significant new opportunities for food and beverage
Opinion
Beyond sugar reduction: The next challenge for food manufacturers
Low-sugar formulations no longer satisfy increasingly health-conscious consumers
Lindt cuts sales forecast as consumer spending slows
Confectionery giant cuts 2026 sales growth forecast after weaker-than-expected demand, but confidence in long-term strategy remains
Pladis sales pass £3.3bn but profits take a hit
Pladis doubles down on growth, investing in brands, manufacturing networks and sustainable ambitions
From Mars to Ferrero: Confectionery bets big on ultra-premium chocolate
Confectionery’s biggest names are racing to capitalise on the ultra-premium boom, but what does it take to truly succeed?
The race to reinvent confectionery is on
From multisensory experiences to AI-powered product development, innovation is reshaping the confectionery industry
Gut health and the $71bn question: What comes next?
From personalised nutrition to GLP-1-friendly foods, gut health is entering a new era
Food’s fight for the evening snack gets serious
From game nights to movie marathons, evening snacking has become one of food and drink’s most valuable occasions
From aspartame to allulose: The future of sweeteners takes shape
The sweetener landscape is becoming increasingly diverse, but what does the future hold?
Mondelēz ramps up investment to drive global growth
Confectionery and snacking giant shifts focus to drive next phase of growth
Nestlé shifts strategy from scale to execution
Coffee, Petcare and emerging markets at centre of Nestlé’s new strategy as the food giant moves away from growth through scale
Nestlé sheds mainstream VMS business in $1bn deal
Nestlé to sell mainstream supplements portfolio to Yellow Wood Partners, sharpening focus on premium, science-led VMS brands
Is the snack market slowing? How changing habits are reshaping the industry
Despite strong growth forecasts, questions are emerging over the future of the snacking sector
The Gen Z Effect: Rewriting the rules of confectionery
From TikTok-fuelled product discovery to the rise of wellness, sustainability and authenticity, Gen Z is redefining what it means to indulge
Mondelēz accelerates premiumisation drive
From Cadbury and Oreo to Toblerone and Côte d’Or, Mondelēz encourages consumers to trade up as it doubles down on premiumisation
FDA considers new natural food color petitions as synthetic dye phaseout looms
Petitions seek approval for safflower yellow, expanded uses for gardenia blue and changes to carrot oil production as food makers move away from synthetic dyes
Xanthan gum linked to gut inflammation, putting manufacturers on alert
Study suggests long-term xanthan gum consumption could impact gut health, raising formulation questions for food and beverage
Nestlé bets big on GLP-1s with AI-powered nutrition push
The world’s biggest CPG is using AI and nutritional science to develop products tailored to GLP-1 users
‘Worth it’ replaces ‘more is more’ as indulgence evolves
Confectionery indulgence is shifting from ‘more is more’ to ‘worth it’ as consumers prioritise quality, experience, wellness and sustainability
Hershey’s push for premiumisation picks up pace
Hershey’s stepping up its premium ambitions with elevated products, strategic acquisitions and a growing focus on affordable indulgence
Why Nestlé’s latest results point to real recovery
Accelerating volumes, resilient margins and a confident outlook suggest Nestlé’s recovery strategy is gaining traction
McVitie’s owner aims to double healthy snack sales by 2030
The company behind McVitie’s, GODIVA and Ülker promises to double its sales of products with higher levels of protein and fibre in four years.
Mondelēz issues urgent Cadbury recall over “undeclared” allergen
Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo bars recalled following discovery of undeclared pistachio, prompting food safety investigation
Nestlé bets big on premiumisation as consumers trade up
Nestlé prioritises premiumisation as consumers seek quality, functionality and indulgence
Nestlé’s turnaround gains momentum despite profit drop
Nestlé delivers stronger organic growth and improving volumes in H1 2026, but net profit falls 31.4%
EFSA slashes TFA safety limits amid food contamination concerns
EFSA significantly lowers safe intake level for trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a result of “new scientific evidence”
From Three Square Meals to the Snack Universe
The traditional three-meal day falls from favour as consumers choose spontaneous snacking
Creatine appeal expands with mental health focus
Research explores potential mental health benefits of creatine as popularity of supplement soars
Health vs Indulgence: Why consumers refuse to choose
Wellness is reshaping food and beverage, but indulgence still drives sales
Microplastics in confectionery: A growing risk
Microplastics are a growing concern for confectionery manufacturers. But can contamination be prevented?
Gen Alpha and Beta: Confectionery’s next battleground
Freeze-dried sweets, bold flavours, Roblox activations and AI-powered engagement – the forces reshaping confectionery innovation as brands look beyond Gen Z
Up the food chain
How PepsiCo’s nutrition lead is making Big Food healthier
PepsiCo nutrition senior director, Dr Sue Gatenby, discusses reformulation, positive nutrition, GLP-1s, and the challenges facing the industry’s next generation
Nestlé to axe artificial colours worldwide in industry first
Nestlé to remove artificial food colourings from all products globally by the end of the year
GLP-1 drugs aren’t killing confectionery – they’re reinventing it
GLP-1 drugs are changing how consumers snack, but confectionery sales remain strong and new opportunities are opening up
Has the ‘better-for-you’ boom gone too far in kids’ snacks?
As wellness claims flood the kids’ snacks aisle, some brands warn parents are becoming more sceptical of ‘better-for-you’ marketing and more focused on what products actually contain
Mars: The global heavyweight setting the snacking agenda
The world’s biggest confectionery and snacking company is driving change across the industry
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
Gen Alpha and Beta: Functional food and beverage’s next big bet
Kids and teens power next growth phase for functional foods and beverages
Big Food’s high‑stakes race to reformulate
From regulation changes to supply chain pressures, reformulation is reshaping Big Food – fast
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
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