How GLP-1 drugs are opening up a huge opportunity for nutrition shakes
The focus has shifted from weight loss to nutrient gain
Markets
Africa’s beer market: The road ahead
2025 saw mergers and expansion reshape the market: expect more in 2026
The next generation of GLP-1 drugs: and how they’ll reshape food and beverage again
The GLP-1 phenomenon is only just getting started: what are the next drugs set to hit the market - and are F&B manufacturers ready for the shift?
Circana: Private label takes different paths in the US and Europe
With national brands leaning on promotions, retailers are betting on premium private label, better-for-you innovation and ESG commitments to build long-term trust and loyalty
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Beyond disruption: What Big Food actually needs from startups
What separates startups that move forward from the ones that stall?
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
What GLP‑1 users need: Food, nutrition and CPG innovation
An evolving class of GLP-1 medications rewrites the rules of appetite – giving food companies their biggest innovation challenge in decades
Strait of Hormuz: How are beverage commodities under pressure?
Oil is the headline issue: but what else is affected?
Keurig Dr Pepper appoints Rafael Oliveira as CEO of new coffee giant
The announcement comes as Keurig Dr Pepper completes the acquisition of JDE Peet’s
10 global trends shaping F&B
What trends are driving changes in the F&B industry?
Mood beverages: How a new generation of drinks is helping us relax
An emerging functional frontier looks at a key consumer need
Modern soda’s influence spreads across the beverage category
The category has taken US shelves by storm over the last couple of years: but what will it look like in 2026 and beyond?
16 trends at Expo West: Convenience, function and ‘feel good’ food redefines innovation and marketing
From packaging breakthroughs and GLP-1-friendly formulations to regenerative claims and sensory-driven products, brands are balancing health, sustainability and indulgence in a rapidly evolving market
Whey’s boom is flipping dairy economics on their head
Once a waste product, whey has become dairy’s hottest commodity, driving record prices, factory investments and a profound shift in the economics of global milk production
Energy and sports drinks demand is robust in China, says Eastroc
There is “robust” demand for functional drinks such as energy beverages and sports drinks in China, says Eastroc, which reported a 17.3% increase in energy beverage sales and a 119% growth in sales of its sports drinks last year.
Alc-free growth: Free AF ramps up US plans with Whole Foods, Kroger launch
New Zealand alcohol-free cocktail brand has set its sights on driving rapid retail expansion in the US, tapping its proprietary botanical tech to offer innovative drinks to the market
Vanity-led demand: Vitagen taps female audience with beauty-focused drinks
The probiotic cultured milk brand refocuses on gut health and collagen, riding on the beauty food revolution that has swept across food and wellness categories in Asia
The three major forces reshaping the beverage category
The beverages we choose - and how we find them - is changing
Can alcohol-free reinvigorate Big Beer?
In an era where beer volumes are struggling, alcohol-free beer offers a ray of hope
How functional beverage brands can build trust and loyalty
Trust is key to building brand loyalty and reaching new audiences
Mood beverages: The ingredients spurring the category forward
Botanicals are the star of the show
Do GLP-1s have a future in Europe?
Consumer scepticism, as well as the structure of healthcare, makes adoption lower than in the US
Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman in merger talks
The two companies have confirmed discussions are under way to create a global spirits giant
Top trends in beverage alcohol in 2026
The beverage industry is under a structural reset. Where are the key areas for growth?
Retro and nostalgia: Why consumers are looking to the past
Consumers seek comfort and familiarity from food
Localised and functional: Asia energy drinks tap health demand
Energy drinks in Asia are evolving beyond caffeine as consumers seek added health benefits, opening opportunities for functional, better-for-you innovation
From fitness to lifestyle: How protein demand has evolved
Protein is often associated with strength and fitness - but the category is no longer just about this
How snacks are cashing in on the low/no alcohol trend
Gen Z might be easing off the booze, but it’s crisps, cheese and protein-packed nibbles that are quietly keeping things interesting
Future of coffee: How it must adapt to survive
Climate pressures and production costs will force the sector to adapt, but the threat is not existential
Brewers’ global search for growth opportunities
Beer volumes in the US and Western Europe are now in long-term decline. Where might other opportunities lie?
Carving out the functional frontier of alcohol-free drinks
It’s an exciting area of innovation - but are consumers ready?
GLP-1 drugs spark new push for hydration solutions
GLP-1 drugs don’t just affect how much people eat: they influence how much they drink
Mushroom boom in food and beverage faces shakeout as growth collides with inflation, consolidation
Functional mushroom products surge across beverages and snacks, but rising competition, consumer pullback and a wave of acquisitions signal a more challenging next phase
Abundant coffee crops; consumer wobbles and the Iran conflict: Another shake-up for coffee prices?
Coffee prices had finally started declining: but what’s next?
Collagen beverages and ingestible K-beauty gain US retail traction as Clöud Café launches at Ulta
Clöud Café has launched its coffee and matcha offerings at Ulta Beauty as alternative to leading collagen RTD products and marking the company’s first placement inside a US beauty specialty retailer.
Investor profile
Xinomavro Ventures wants to drag the wine industry into the digital age
The world’s only wine‑focused tech investment fund says vineyards are facing agricultural challenges sooner – and more severely – than other sectors. Xinomavro Ventures believes that makes them the ideal proving ground for new ag innovations
Relaxation drinks boom as consumers seek calm
The global market for functional ‘chill out’ beverages is growing by more than 8% annually, driven by adaptogen-fueled brands like Recess, Hiyo, Brēz and Trip
Unbottling hydration drinks: A need-to-have or nice-to-sell?
Innovation in electrolyte hydration drinks is exploding - but the trend may be attempting to fix a problem that doesn’t really exist
Inside the functional beverage craze: What benefits are consumers really looking for?
From gut health to energy, there’s a huge range of choice in the functional beverage category. What do consumers actually want?
Is Asia the next GLP‑1 boom market and what it means for F&B?
After a slow start, Asia’s GLP‑1 weight‑loss market is poised for explosive growth as China and India tackle obesity and food and drink brands race to become essential GLP‑1 companions
How protein is shaping active nutrition in 2026
Sustained demand for protein continues to define the active and performance nutrition space. But where are the growth niches?
Low alcohol, high ambition: Future Château eyes up demand for mid-strength wine
The 5% ABV wine has raised £0.7m in pre-seed funding from beverage industry veterans, after proving its concept with the first vintage last year
Can George Clooney replicate his Casamigos success in non-alcoholic beer?
George Clooney has teamed up with his Casamigos co-founders to launch Crazy Mountain, a new non-alcoholic brew
Low and no alcohol wine: What to look out for in 2026
Consumers are increasingly looking for alcohol-free products: where do low and no wines fit in?
4 market opportunities revealed by Mintel Most Innovative winners
When supply chain snarls and cautious consumers dominate, winners focus on health, convenience and mindful indulgence
How alcohol-free drinks can become the life of the party
Alcohol was once what held social occasions together. Now alcohol-free has the opportunity to take up the mantle
Middle East tensions, rising energy and fertilizer costs push grocery prices higher
February CPI shows food-at-home prices climbing 0.4% as supply chain risks, tariff uncertainty and volatile farm inputs threaten to add new pressure on brands, retailers and inflation-weary shoppers
Why the sleep crisis is food and drink’s next big global battleground
Sleep deprivation is becoming big business as consumers obsess over how much shuteye they’re getting, but how is the market responding?
The rise of lifestyle brands in today’s beverage industry
What is a ‘lifestyle brand’ - and how can a brand become one?
How cow‑free milk is changing coffee culture
By pouring its cow‑free milk into America’s favourite beverage, Strive Freemilk is normalising a new kind of dairy