News & Analysis on the Bakery and Snacks Industries
Up the food chain
As protein, satiety and indulgence converge, Clio CEO John McGuckin explains how the refrigerated bar brand went from ‘bleeding cash’ to chasing $120m – and why the real prize is building a whole new snacking category
Easter shopping is shifting towards premium, playful and last-minute purchases
Consumers seek comfort and familiarity from food
As cocoa volatility, fat replacement and GLP-1 trends reshape demand, startups are becoming critical partners in ingredient innovation
A watchdog report detecting herbicide residues in bread, flour and infant cereal is reigniting the safety debate and putting pressure on regulators to act
Raisins sit quietly inside thousands of everyday foods, but the global trade behind them is far more concentrated than most manufacturers realise
Israel and US attacks on Iran have long-lasting implications for global food and drink industries. Here’s the latest
Some predict that plant-based growth could balloon in the coming decade
Opinion
Protein is the snack industry’s hottest claim but if the foods delivering it are still ultra-processed, the sector may be building its next health halo on shaky ground
Brands at Expo West showcased snacks engineered for crunch, chew and snap, layering textures and subtle flavors to deliver bigger sensory experiences in smaller bites
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
What is a ‘lifestyle brand’ - and how can a brand become one?
A new Acosta Group study finds growing demand for transparency and cleaner labels as consumers push for stricter rules on artificial ingredients
Up the food chain
Ahead of International Women’s Day, the manufacturing leader behind millions of Jammie Dodgers reflects on sexism on the factory floor and why emotional intelligence matters more than bravado
Geopolitics rarely stays confined to energy markets. Sooner or later, it reaches the food system
Industry experts have their say on ultra processed food and the UK’s obesity crisis.
The sudden closure of the Strait of Hormuz is triggering immediate ripple effects across global food markets
The tech giant’s endless experimentation in grocery reveal less about innovation and more about indecision
Plant closures across PepsiCo, Smucker and Campbell’s reveal a structurally slower snack market adjusting to selective consumers and GLP-1 disruption
Every International Women’s Day, we talk about representation. In food and drink, we should also be talking about transformation, with improved recognition for women-built businesses, writes Giulia Berretti, founder and CEO at Sunny & Luna.
It’s a common misconception that GLP-1 drugs erase food cravings. Actually, they alter them
Grocery retailers and food suppliers are reformulating products, leveraging dietitian expertise and integrating health services to meet rising consumer demand for nutritious, affordable food
Contrast is crowding out subtlety as 2026 forecasts point to bolder, layered and higher-impact flavour across bakery and snacks
Bakery’s next growth phase won’t be driven by a single mega-trend, but by flavour authority, fibre credibility and formats that make everyday indulgence feel justified
Protein has become expected – and delivering it at scale without breaking flavour, cost or compliance is testing manufacturers like never before
Financially stretched but digitally fluent, the world’s youngest adult consumers are forcing food and drink brands to explain themselves
Kellogg’s 2023 split was sold as a focus play. Less than two years later, both companies had been sold. So what was the split really for?
New research suggests Greek yoghurt’s most problematic byproduct could boost loaf volume, extend shelf life and cut additives, but does swapping in acid whey cross a line for sourdough traditionalists?
As consumer appetite changes and nutrient scrutiny intensifies, protein is moving from differentiator to design standard
Opinion
To understand how processing affects food consumption, don’t caricature either side of the debate
In a category driven by flavour innovation, functionality and format, the colour of a beverage remains one of its most powerful and immediate signals.
Reformulation may steady margins, but unless manufacturers tackle cocoa’s income gap at source, volatility will keep coming back
In the US, the drive for ingredient transparency is beginning to feel less like steady progress and more like a stress test for the modern food system
From pasteles to pan de coco, Aruba’s bakeries are mixing island pride with digital savvy and the world’s finally paying attention
From subsidies to price caps, bread pricing remains politically charged across southern Africa, forcing governments to intervene to curb inflation and prevent unrest
UK retail is operating in a challenging environment. Consumers are cautious, competition is global, and ‘dupe culture’ continues to blur the boundaries between inspiration and imitation, writes Michael Conway, partner in the intellectual property team at...
Consumers think some healthy products are too good to be true. Here’s what F&B brands can do to make healthy indulgence believable
Heavy reliance on imported wheat is amplifying price volatility for African bakeries, as geopolitics, currency pressures and logistics costs collide
As GLP-1s suppress appetite at scale, manufacturers are running into an awkward reality: when people eat less, nutritionally weak products are exposed fast
As the population changes, food will have to reshape itself around the needs and preferences of its demographics
Although the biggest names in F&B are keeping a close eye on GLP-1 developments, knowledge gaps remain
The US state’s decision to publish glyphosate residue results for supermarket bread has reopened questions around food safety, scientific context and how regulatory data is interpreted by consumers
As PFAS regulation tightens and litigation accelerates, brands are being forced to rethink packaging choices that once seemed low-risk and routine
Opinion
GLP-1 drugs are shrinking appetites at scale, but they’re also exposing how thin modern nutrition really is and the food industry can’t dodge the consequences
Flattening consumer interest and growing format fatigue suggest the category may be hitting a ceiling unless brands evolve beyond bars and bold claims
As GLP-1 drugs suppress hunger and compress eating occasions, fiber is emerging as a way to make smaller snacks feel functional, tolerable and worth the calories
In a marketing culture obsessed with speed and efficiency, Southern Connecticut State University associate professor Amit Singh argues the Super Bowl exposes an uncomfortable truth about how real brand power is actually built
In 2026, longevity – not hype – is the real differentiator
News Bites
The grocery value equation is evolving beyond simple price tags
From synthetic color bans to rising scrutiny of processing, clean label is becoming less about claims and more about hard formulation and policy choices