News & Analysis for the Beverage Industry
New product development
A wave of new beverage launches is landing across functional shots, RTDs, mead and premium sparkling drinks, as brands tap trends in flavour expansion, better‑for‑you formats and elevated alcohol‑free alternatives
New product development
New launches from Momo, Bolle, Altamura, C4, Tenzing, Premium Blend and Saint James show how functional innovation, premiumisation and flavour exploration continue to reshape the beverage landscape
New product development
Across alcohol, soft drinks and wellness‑focused hydration, launches this month highlight continued consumer demand for personalisation, nostalgia and sensory escapism.
New product development
Beverage innovation is hotting up with a wave of new launches across categories. From spicy collaborations to energy entrants, it’s all here
The dairy by-product has turned into a billion-dollar platform powering biotech, biofuels and much more beyond food and beverage
New product development
From functional mushrooms and gut‑health postbiotics to tropical rums, mineral‑rich sparkling waters and design‑led Dry January serves. Here are the new beverage innovations
BuzzBallz has become Gen Z’s go‑to party prop, fusing bold flavours, playful design and recession‑proof pricing to rewrite the rules of ready‑to‑drink cocktails
New product development
From bold new stouts and alcohol-free sparkling wines to functional hydration and high-protein dairy, January has seen a wave of innovation across beverage categories
Water is a vital part of food production
The newest Dietary Guidelines emphasize whole foods, protein and animal fats – a shift praised by some experts as overdue, but others warn the report is retro and insufficient
The female-led brand is carving out a premium niche as the first certified organic pecan milk, combining farm-to-fridge traceability with a clean-label recipe
Up The Food Chain
Hubert te Braake already had the dream job: as director of research and development at Heineken, he’s tasked with creating the world’s next big brews. Now he’s been given a shiny new €45m ($53m) lab to do it from
Why ‘climate-proof’ cacao start-up Kokomodo is hedging its bets on an increasingly stronger future for cell cultured cocoa
The maker of Asahi Super Dry released a unique plant-based drink – and took the Japanese market by storm
Opinion: The snackdown
Ultra-processed foods have been debated endlessly. In 2026, they’re being regulated anyway and food makers are discovering that definitions matter far less once policy gets involved
As demand for natural sweeteners grows, Manus moves monk fruit production in the US
National Advertising Division cases shine light on marketing missteps, making the case for food and beverage brands to rethink health-focused advertising
Soda sales are taking a hit; but functional beverages are booming
Discover how Belgian start-up Koppie is brewing a low-carbon alternative to coffee beans, without compromising on taste or ritual
Protein fortification continues to dominate the food and beverage space – but how is ingredient innovation evolving to meet the need for more protein?
By pairing fan favorites with innovative new products, Monster expands occasions, recruits new consumers, and protects its core amid industry-wide unit declines
A biotech firm has released barista-style milk that’s cow-free and dairy-identical. Can the product make it with consumers?
Report calls for ban on ingredient found in thousands of common food and beverage products
Sweetened drinks are linked to an even greater risk of liver disease than their sugary counterparts
Consumers want to drink less and that’s opening up the market for alcohol-free products. But at the end of the day, it’s flavor that will determine whether consumers come back to alcohol-free beverages and become loyal fans… or not
With a wealth of content on functional food, beverage and supplements, the leading event for microbiome science is back in February
Old grapevine canes could be converted into a plastic-like film that is stronger than traditional plastic and decomposes quickly
Can artificial intelligence reshape material discovery? How far can lightweighting go? What potential do paper bottles have? Innovators are pushing tech forward like never before...
It all depends how juniper berries – the key botanical which is responsible for gin’s distinctive taste – are affected by changing weather conditions
Better yet, products using it won’t be considered ‘novel foods’
Supplementation with hydrogen-rich water may reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and improve sleep quality, according to new research.
Already a known as a nutritious and trendy superfood, could quinoa bring a fresh breath of life into the stagnant beer category?
Researchers tested the cognitive function in caffeinated coffee drinkers and decaf coffee drinkers: and – to their great surprise – found no significant differences. Is coffee’s energizing boost simply created by the ritual?
Plastic bottles remain a staple across the beverage industry. Will it ever be possible to completely transition away from this format; and what alternative formats would take its place?
Regenerative agriculture is more than a trend: it’s a fundamental rethink of how we grow, source and sell food. As pressure mounts to deliver food that does more than just taste good, food producers have a pivotal role to play
A sweetener used in dairy, beverages and candies may be a game-changing solution to the global antimicrobial resistance crisis
Coffees and teas go beyond energy to provide cognitive-boosting, stress relief and gut health benefits
Grapes, wine and coffee contain health-boosting polyphenols: providing protection against heart attacks and strokes
Red wine is often perceived as the ‘healthier’ choice, given the presence of antioxidant resveratrol. Does that give it an edge over white wine when it comes to cancer risk?
Sweetened beverages, including fruit juices, should not be consumed by young children and can increase their risk of obesity later in life
Public health experts recommend children under 18 years limit 100% fruit and vegetable juice, plant-based milk, sugar-sweetened beverages and beverages with non-sugar sweeteners and caffeine – limiting options to plain water and milk
The two substances may seem like polar opposites, but both damage the quality of your night’s slumber.
The partnership between Tate & Lyle and Manus addresses a secure and sustainable supply of Reb M
The coffee giant has unearthed a new solution for disposing of spent coffee grounds in the UK.
Premium water brand BE WTR aims to “revolutionise hydration” with its filtration and flavour-enhancing technologies, as it actively sets up bottling plants across the globe on the back of new funding.
FrieslandCampina Ingredients aims to fuel the current consumer demand for health through proteins and prebiotics.
The UK government is considering extending its Soft Drinks Industry Levy to milk-based drinks and plant-based alternatives: putting milkshakes and RTD coffee in the firing line. Will this move go ahead - and could other governments consider doing the same?
Europe's leading the way in alcohol-free. How is innovation shaping up?
Hydration-boosting, functional and non-alcoholic (non-alc) beverages will continue their growth in 2025, but generations are seeking out different drinks to meet their health and nutrition needs, according to a recent Circana webinar.
Lower-income people tend to consume more sugar-sweetened beverages than average. Are soda taxes effective at reducing consumption?