
The ‘cookie economy’ in 7 bites
Premium bakery is booming as indulgent formats, viral brands and shifting consumer habits push prices and expectations higher
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Premium bakery is booming as indulgent formats, viral brands and shifting consumer habits push prices and expectations higher

Sales are steady and margins remain under pressure, but attention has shifted firmly to a potential tie-up with Unilever.

The Golden State’s folic acid mandate for corn masa shows how one state is once again reshaping national manufacturing

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

With reformulation exposing bitterness and flattening flavour in industrial bread, enzymes are now being tested as a targeted way to rebalance taste at source – but how far they can go remains unclear

Easter shopping is shifting towards premium, playful and last-minute purchases

The CMA has provisionally cleared Associated British Foods’ merger with Hovis in Great Britain, while flagging competition concerns in Northern Ireland, underlining pressure on traditional bread models

Dietitians’ latest data points to a more grounded approach to functionality, where gut health, cost and credibility matter as much as claims

New research suggests sourdough fermentation does far more than build flavour. It’s actively reshaping wheat fibre in ways that could influence texture, digestibility and product development

From SKU cuts and factory closures to functional launches and acquisitions, PepsiCo is moving fast to streamline and prove its snack empire still matters