Cocoa challenges for beverage makers
Beverage makers reliant on cocoa are in the middle of a perfect storm. Cocoa is more expensive, less reliably available and riskier to source long-term
Markets
Danone takes on Chobani with low-sugar coffee creamer
The Too Good & Co. range brings ‘farm-fresh’ ingredients to coffee aficionados at home
Trump removes coffee, beef, cocoa from tariff list
Consumer Brands Association urges further tariff rollbacks on products like palm oil and tin mill steel
Healthy beverages
What’s the buzz around instant coffee?
Gen Z and Millennials are embracing the low-cost counterpart to ground and whole bean
Brewing loyalty: How coffee is powering bakery footfall
Coffee’s not just a pick-me-up anymore. It’s helping bakeries pull ahead in a slowing market
Protein, AI, GLP-1 drugs and more… What are the biggest trends shaping the beverage industry of tomorrow?
In this week’s free webinar, we’ll ask beverage experts what they’re watching and where the biggest opportunities are for beverage innovation
Prospecto’s AI-powered tractors aim to cut costs and boost sustainability in vineyards
Italian start-up Prospecto is embedding machine learning into agricultural machinery to help wine producers monitor grape clusters, foliage, and yields in real time – reducing input costs and enabling smarter, data-driven decisions
The evolution of the energy drink category: Odyssey Functional Energy heralds drive towards added functionality
Clean energy has already swept across the energy drink category. Now, Odyssey Functional Energy heralds the next era of added functionality: becoming a favorite in offices of SpaceX, Uber, Google, Meta, Amazon and more
DrinkAid’s co-founder ventures into performance nutrition with creatine gummies
Ryan Foo, co-founder of Singapore-based hangover prevention firm DrinkAid, is venturing into the sports nutrition space with the upcoming launch of creatine gummies through his new business FOULPLAY.
Instacart’s 2025 health policy agenda signals new opportunities for CPG brands
Grocery delivery service Instacart’s renewed policy agenda isn’t just a roadmap for public health – it’s a signal to CPG brands that the future of grocery is increasingly digital, nutrition-driven and integrated with healthcare
Inside discount retailer Lidl US’ recipe for success: Fresh, value and focus
From SKU rationalization to supplier partnerships and front-line empowerment, CEO Joel Rampoldt is reshaping Lidl US’ playbook for sustainable growth and earning consumer loyalty along the way
5 functional beauty drinks driving innovation
The trend for functional beauty drinks doesn’t seem to be waning anytime soon. Take a look at five of the latest innovations in this space.
Food and drink split on sustainability progress, exclusive survey reveals
Looking back at our Sustainable September initiative, where does the food and drink industry thrive and fall?
How Sprouts scouts out the next big thing in beverage innovation
Sprouts Farmers Market’s approach to NPD keeps it on a constant search for the hottest beverage innovations
How GLP-1 drugs are supercharging the age of precision nutrition
Could the era of precision nutrition turn the pharma-driven metabolism revolution into a food-based one?
Healthy, hot and functional foods driving c-store growth
Prepared-food sales are climbing, and younger shoppers are leading the push for fresher, clean-label offerings
How big is the GLP-1 wave going to get, really?
As usage of weight loss medications surges and new therapies emerge, food businesses face a once-in-a-generation opportunity – or risk being left behind
Sweeteners in focus
Liquid I.V., IQMIX and G Fuel lead zero-sugar drink mix shift
The $38.7 billion category’s momentum reflects consumer appetite for natural sweeteners, energy and focus
Women are shaping the next frontier of protein innovation
Protein’s health halo attracts female consumers to various products from food and drink to supplements. Here’s what’s driving demand
The British beverage brands making it big in the US (and the mistakes they made on the way)
The UK and US markets are often defined by similar macro-trends: making expansion attractive for beverage entrepreneurs. But don’t forget the classic quote: ‘England and America are two countries separated by a common language’…
Oatly goes oat-o-matic with plant-based milk for push-button machines
Forget Barista: enter BaristaMatic, Oatly’s answer to the foodservice industry’s problem with plant-based drinks
European beverage market under ‘structural reset’ as 71% of consumers drink less alcohol
Europeans are consuming less alcohol - and many younger consumers are stopping buying alcohol altogether - according to new data released by Circana this week. But winning in this new market is not simply about being alcohol-free...
Energy drinks explore new playbook of functional ingredients to meet gamers’ demands
Can energy drinks be a game-changer for e-sports enthusiasts?
New growth hubs and categories shake up Africa’s non-alcoholic beverages sector
New growth hubs and newly blossoming categories are stirring up the non alcoholic beverage industry in Africa, with innovation and localisation propelling the sector amid shifting consumption patterns and demands that are being shaped up by convenience,...
Hennessy x Jackson Wang collab showcases cognac’s versatility in Asia
Hennessy is mixing V.S.O.P. and X.O. with oolong tea and sparkling water for a Mid-Autumn Festival launch with superstar Jackson Wang
Powdered beverage brand TRUWILD’s growing pains and path forward
Rapid growth and supply chain hurdles prompt the outdoor-focused brand to consider new strategies and possibly investors
‘No Coffee Tax Act’ offers potential reprieve for US roasters
Coffee stakeholders say the No Coffee Tax Act could ease rising costs, stabilize supply chains and protect consumers from price spikes
Plant power: How plant-based trends are shaping the future of the functional beverages industry
Today’s health-conscious consumer doesn’t just drink to quench thirst: they expect other benefits. And plant-based ingredients are perfectly placed to offer a powerful boost
The ‘proteinification’ of everything
Once just a bottle shaker staple, protein is taking on new forms and finding its way into everything from soda to chips to macaroni and cheese.
Startup Spotlight
Fresh Fizz brings clean label soda back to basics
By sticking to herbs, spices, juices and natural sweeteners like honey, maple and date syrup, Fresh Fizz’s ingredient list is informing every aspect of its business strategy
Politics, lawsuits pose a new dynamic – ‘Greenhushing’
Fair Trade leaders discuss challenges and wins in ethical, organic, sustainable sourcing
Bean-free coffee: Prefer partners Ajinomoto, Coffee Ferm for APAC growth
Singapore’s Prefer looks to scale its sustainable bean-free coffee across APAC with partners Ajinomoto and Coffee Ferm
Barley, honey and probiotics: Bottled water companies carve out their niche
With nearly 3,000 bottled water companies in the US alone, these three upstarts are differentiating themselves in the market
Healthy snacking trends
Better-for-you, built in: How Whole Foods stays ahead of healthy eating trends
The retailer’s chief merchandising and marketing officer Sonya Gafsi Oblisk explains how evolving quality standards, trendspotting and value-conscious innovation are shaping healthier snacking and shopping
Healthy snacking trends
Släcka aims to redefine healthy snacking with ‘snack in a can’
Within the saturated functional beverage market, Släcka is betting on cravings instead of energy to stand out
How US tariffs are affecting coffee
Trade barriers are hitting the drink in multiple ways
Sparkling brain drinks: Ārepa targets fatigue and mental performance
New Zealand-based Ārepa has launched sparkling beverages designed to tackle fatigue and support mental performance
Rainforest Alliance expands into Regenerative certification for coffee
The organization’s new certification for coffee challenges brands to invest in long-term resilience, farmer incentives and climate-ready supply chains
How plant-based drinks can meet coffee baristas’ innovation needs
Good taste and functionality are no longer optional: so how are café professionals’ evolving needs pushing the envelope in plant-based drinks?
The big UPF myth: Why consumers say one thing and eat another
Do manufacturers really need to navigate out of the ‘dirty’ UPF world? Perhaps not, as exclusive research shows consumers’ perception of UPF is very different to their reality
UAE to link beverage prices to sugar levels: What does industry need to do?
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will implement a tiered excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) from January 2026
Sustainable September
How aligned ESG reporting bolsters global trust, competitiveness and accountability
Harmonized ESG reporting has a heap a benefits for industry and government alike, GRI’s Gelkha Buitrago tells us
Dairy alternatives: Boom or bust for the market?
Alt dairy has seen better days as consumers have pulled back from the category. But in every challenge lies an opportunity, industry insiders say
Sustainable September
Unilever and PepsiCo among companies in new regenerative agriculture initiative
The initiative will centre around farmer-facing organisations and focus on upscaling
Sustainable September
Nanoplastics in vegetables threaten consumers
The dangerous, microscopic plastic particles can accumulate in the edible parts of veg, study suggests
Whole Foods Market shoppers are changing – here is what it means for brands
A senior leader at Whole Foods Market shares how the retailer’s shopper demographics and psychographics are evolving – from lapsed holiday buyers to aspirational Gen Z – and what that means for product placement and marketing opportunities
German winemakers carve out the alcohol-free wine category
Germany has pioneered alcohol-free beer. Can it also lead the way in alcohol-free wine?
Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2025
From pistachio butter to rainforest chocolate: Artisans shine at leading food fair
Here’s what caught our eye at the UK Speciality and Fine Food Fair 2025
Coffee linked to happiness in latest boost to $485.59bn industry
New research reveals caffeine could boost mood and energy - especially in the morning
Sustainable September
From climate to capital: The business case for regenerative agriculture
Regen ag isn’t just about climate adaptation: it’s about driving profits, Klim co-founder Rob Gerlach told us