RTD alcohol: The exciting, fast-moving, and chaotic category to watch
RTD alcohol remains a bright spot in today’s difficult alcohol market
Markets
It’s time to stop painting Gen Z as teetotal
At 15% ABV, BuzzBallz shows Gen Z still has plenty of appetite for alcohol. And it’s not the only brand finding success with this demographic
The brands making clean alcohol a reality - and how they’re doing it
Demand for clean label has finally reached the alcohol category: but what does that mean in practice?
How RTD is unlocking new opportunities in dairy
From cold coffee to protein shakes, ready-to-drink is emerging as a winning format for dairy brands
GLP-1s and anhedonia: the death of dopamine snacking
The emergence of ‘Ozempic personality’ is intensifying questions about how GLP-1s are changing cravings, impulse eating and reward-seeking behaviour
The functional beverage checklist
From flavour and functionality to fun: here are the five crucial areas every functional beverage must address
Will cocoa alts ever be sexy? Hershey backlash opens the debate
As cocoa markets fluctuate, Hershey’s controversy shows that while alt-chocolate is advancing fast, taste and transparency remain make-or-break for consumers
FBIF 2026
Going for red: Ocean Spray taps health and visual appeal to localise in China
Cranberry specialist Ocean Spray is leveraging multiple health benefits and bright red red visual appeal to tailor products for China, aligning innovation with local tastes
How the global vineyard map is being reshaped
Climate change is hitting vineyards around the world - but there remain surprising pockets of growth
Route to growth: Philippines sets aside $40.6m for farm-to-market roads to boost coffee production
The Philippine government sets aside PHP2.5bn (US$40.6m) for farm-to-market roads that open access to 29,000 hectares to boost coffee production as it shifts towards high-value crop exports.
China’s WALOVI taps food-as-medicine trend for global push
Chinese herbal tea brand WALOVI entered 10 new markets as it seeks global growth through the food-as-medicine trend
Wine consumption declines: but enters new period of reconfiguration
Wine consumers are changing
Big Food’s leadership crisis: Why CEOs are falling faster than ever
C-suite exits are mounting across Big Food, but behind the scandals lies a deeper performance and innovation problem
Keep it simple: Why functional beverages are in danger of overwhelming consumers
With so many choices, could consumers be put off the category entirely?
Can coffee weather the storm?
Extreme climate events are now a huge challenge for the coffee industry.
Consumers don’t care about regenerative agriculture - yet
Sustainability may be slipping down the consumer agenda, but brands can still spark interest in regenerative agriculture
Chewable beauty: Convenience meets functionality in amazake jelly sticks
Snack brand Hananomi transforms the traditional amazake drink into convenient jelly strips to boost gut and skin health for busy consumers
The snack barometer: The Iran conflict and the limits of consumer resilience
Food companies are becoming some of the clearest observers of the economic fallout from the Iran conflict as fuel volatility, inflation fears and changing spending habits begin reshaping behaviour across the supermarket aisle
From clicks to cart: Online grocery drives the next wave of growth
As omnichannel shopping becomes the norm, ecommerce, retail media and retailer apps are reshaping how and where grocery growth happens
Grocers scale private label portfolios with protein, fiber claims
New launches from Kroger, Meijer, AWG and Natural Grocers highlight health benefits as Walmart overhauls Great Value
Beyond chatbots: How agentic AI can boost productivity and decision-making in food
More autonomous, flexible forms of AI are being rolled out by the biggest names in the business, from Nestlé to Danone
5 food and drink innovations shaping the industry’s next growth wave
Smart insight is driving innovation to the next level, whether it’s how to better tap into GLP-1 nutrition or the rise of frozen snacks, manufacturers are getting clever
10 CEO scandals that shook food and drink
Amid a wave of high‑profile CEO changes in food and drink, we reflect on the biggest leadership controversies of the past 50 years
Creating the next generation of beverages: 3 top tips for brand builders
How can brands push boundaries, carve out categories, and stand out from the crowd?
10 top trends in functional beverages
Gut health, energy and relaxation are booming: but what else are consumers looking for in functional beverages and how can brands meet their needs?
From coffee to soda: How protein is making waves in beverage innovation
Drinks are a new frontier for protein innovation
Celeb power: The new essential in beverage innovation?
Celebrity beverage brands are everywhere. Has celeb power become key to success in today’s market?
The next matcha? Ube surges in popularity
Health, clean-label status and recognisability have made the ingredient stand out
How fibre went from forgotten nutrient to consumer obsession
Once dismissed as dull, fibre is now reshaping global food and drink innovation
Nestlé’s 5-point turnaround plan targets leaner growth under new CEO
Coffee, petcare, nutrition and snacks take center stage as CEO rolls out five-part turnaround plan and trims workforce.
Cracking TikTok: What FMCGs need to do to win
There’s real opportunity for FMCGs to sell big on TikTok - with the right tips and tricks on-hand
10 iconic food and drink brands that flopped worldwide
From New Coke to Crystal Pepsi, even the biggest brands can fail fast
Widening the appeal of non-alcoholic drinks
Fancy mocktails can be found in the US’ most vibrant cities: but how can non-alcohol alternatives win over consumers nationwide?
What’s the outlook for craft beer in 2026?
While US craft beer volumes were down in 2025, brewers are finding pockets of growth
Functional beverages: The 5 overarching trends defining the next generation of drinks
What are the forces shaping the functional drinks of the future?
The billion dollar beverage opportunity
Non-alcohol beer, wine and spirits have now hit a billion dollars in US off-premise sales alone
PepsiCo proves new playbook works as price cuts and innovation drive sales
Price cuts, cleaner ingredients and bold flavors drove Q1 gains for PepsiCo as consumers seek affordability, function and comfort
Iran war pushes global food markets toward crisis mode
The escalating Middle East conflict is pushing food inflation, energy prices and consumer confidence to a breaking point
How the Iran conflict could reshape our shelves
High oil prices hit prices at gas pumps straight away. But how long will it take for food and beverage prices to rise?
Functional, feel-good drinks edge out alcohol for ‘controlled indulgence’
Data from Nielsen IQ and Spate show consumers are turning to non-alcoholic beverages and those infused with THC and adaptogens to relax mindfully as they pull back on alcohol consumption
6 flavour trends coming for beverages - and coffee’s not one of them
With summer around the corner, beverage makers will be keeping a close eye on coffee shop innovation
Could the GLP-1 boom open the door to shrinkflation?
Users of the drugs want smaller portions - this could help food companies save money
Iran conflict: The 5 biggest pressure points for food and beverage
The price of oil and transport dominates headlines: but food and beverage companies need to anticipate other potential impacts
Protein soda: Why the new craze is going from strength to strength
Gone are the days where protein drinks meant serious whey shakes at the gym. Protein soda is making the category much more fun
Gut-friendly, prebiotic or high fibre? Navigating the terminology
Gut health soda Poppi is ‘prebiotic’ in the US, but ‘high fibre’ in the UK. What is going on?
Coffee prices: Why 2026 is set to be a roller-coaster ride
It is getting harder and harder to predict what the market will do next
What if coffee was the missing ingredient in plant-based meat?
A surprising ingredient could help plant-based meat tackle one of its biggest problems: taste
Strait of Hormuz: How food and beverage companies can navigate the latest developments
Agility is key for the foreseeable future
The evolution of the energy drink category
Energy is reaching new audiences and opening up new opportunities
Iran conflict: Is ceasefire too little, too late for global food?
A two-week ceasefire is now in place in the war between US-Israel and Iran, but much is still uncertain about how long-lasting the impacts of damage done thus far will be and what still lies ahead for the global food sector