Bakery and Snacks

The next grocery battle isn’t price – it’s relevance

After years in which inflation, private-label growth and trade-down behavior dominated the grocery industry, Circana says the market is entering a new phase where brands must win by aligning with consumers’ priorities around health, convenience, value and functionality.

NPD: Ryvita launches Sticks ‘guilt-free’ alternative to crisps

Florida subpoenas General Mills over bromate flour

Florida's attorney general has subpoenaed General Mills over potassium bromate, reigniting the fight over a dough conditioner banned across most of the world.

Three years on: Why Smucker’s $5.6bn Hostess bet still hasn’t paid off

Three years after buying Hostess, Smucker has booked nearly $3bn in impairments. Here's why the Twinkie maker still hasn't cracked the turnaround.

Is beef tallow becoming food’s next billion-dollar ingredient?

As RFK Jr’s MAHA movement targets seed oils, a massive beef tallow boom is under way. Is this a permanent ingredient reformulation or a passing fad?

Why flour is having its specialty coffee moment

Flour startup Roaring Fork is betting that regenerative agriculture can transform the flour aisle beyond its largely commoditized roots through premium positioning, farm-level transparency and heritage grains to create value.

FDF: Food and drink manufacturers deliver 2 billion servings of fibre since 2021

Four new cacao types just handed chocolate a lifeline

Calbee’s personalised granola takes breakfast to a new level

Ozempic maker backs game-changing GLP-1 implant to end drop-out

Novo Nordisk is evaluating a long-acting semaglutide implant designed to keep GLP-1 patients on treatment for months at a time – and food and drink manufacturers should be watching closely.

Why ‘quesomaxxing’ is the hottest trend in the chilled aisle

From quesomaxxing queso to viral frozen strawberries, here are eight new refrigerated and frozen snack launches landing in the UK and US this year.

What food manufacturers really think about AI: New industry research

The unintended consequences of private label’s success

Private label was supposed to kill brands – instead it's forcing them to get sharper. From Oreo's relentless collaborations to Warburtons' bakery reinvention, see why retailer own-label pressure is fuelling some of the boldest branded innovation in food and drink, and why it doesn't work for everyone.

Nearly a quarter of all US grocery units sold are now private label

Store brands outperform national brands in unit sales as loyalty declines and price sensitivity reshapes grocery buying, according to PLMA and Circana.

Why is private equity interested in food?

Private equity is showing a strong interest in food. Why? Private equity firms often like to 'buy and build', where they buy a 'platform' company and use it to incorporate smaller companies. The European food sector, with its fragmented nature, is good for this. Furthermore, food provides security, as demand for food will never go away.

ASA bans ads by Mars and Morley’s under new HFSS rules

Obesity in retreat as GLP-1 use nearly quadruples: New data paints a different picture for manufacturers

US obesity has fallen for the first time in decades while GLP-1 use has reached record levels, echoing signs of a broader slowdown across several high-income countries and posing new questions for food manufacturers.

Is MSG still controversial?

MSG remains controversial, with many consumers avoiding the ingredient and some companies even reformulating to remove it. Yet there is a significant body of evidence suggesting that it is not as unhealthy as many believe.

Allied renamed as Hovis Bakeries after ABF acquisition completes

Grupo Bimbo claims category first with US clean label overhaul

Grupo Bimbo will phase out artificial colours, flavours, preservatives and emulsifiers across its major US bakery brands by 2028 as part of a wide-ranging clean-label strategy.