Hügli snack seasonings banner with spice powders and colorful pouches, text reading “Be the first to try our new concept” and “Curries from around the world.”
women performing quality control in fish factory

EU Commission sounds €440B PFAS cost alarm as food sector accelerates alternatives

A new study commissioned by the European Commission warns that Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” could have far-reaching societal and economic consequences, including for the F&B industry. The report estimates that the compounds’ present levels of pollution could cost the EU approximately €440 billion (~US$520 billion) by 2050, without regulatory action.
man wearing black gloves holding a glass jar of brown protein chunks
Plant-based innovation: Ingredient leaders drive shift from meat replacements to nutrient-rich solutions
The bar for plant-based innovation has risen over the past few years. Consumers now expect more than meat-free substitutes — they want high-protein, nutritionally optimized products that align with evolving health trends, such as GLP-1 use, while also addressing growing environmental concerns. For manufacturers, the challenge is delivering both consumer and planetary health without compromising product taste and enjoyment.
Father and daughter drinking milk.
Inside Kerry’s multi-technology approach to lactose-free, reduced sugar dairy
The dairy market is rapidly evolving, driven by consumer demand for lactose-free and reduced sugar products. Increased awareness of lactose intolerance, alongside regulatory and cost pressures, is pushing manufacturers to innovate — without compromising taste, texture, or processing performance.
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Future of food processing
According to Innova Market Insights, attitudes toward ultra-processed foods are changing. Consumers increasingly associate ultra-processed foods with unhealthy indulgence, but their habits are shifting, particularly with a rise in cooking from scratch. This shift means many products require reformulation to deliver the fresh, authentic characteristics consumers seek.
MeelunieTP
“Whey + Fava: A Hybrid Protein Innovation for Sports Nutrition”
Amino Power represents a meaningful innovation in functional sports nutrition, combining three distinct value drivers: enhanced amino acid composition, cost competitiveness relative to whey-only protein concentrates, and superior organoleptic characteristics compared to plant-only alternatives. This hybrid dairy-plant formulation addresses key market gaps.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Meelunie.
Guillaume Blancher, Kerry
Kerry: Addressing bitterness, mouthfeel & GLP-1 taste shifts in sugar reduction

Sugar taxes and front-of-pack labeling rules are accelerating sweetener innovation. Guillaume Blancher, global portfolio director for Sweetness at Kerry, explains why removing sugar is not simple, and how “sweetness optimization” can help overcome bitterness exposure and thin mouthfeel challenges. He also discusses how GLP-1s are reshaping taste expectations and beverage formulation strategies.

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“Frankenchickens” resurrected: Why did UK restaurant chains abandon the Better...
KFC restaurant fried chicken and fries.
Major UK restaurant chains, including Nando’s, KFC, Wagamama, and Burger King, have withdrawn from the Better Chicken Commitment, citing supply constraints and increased environmental impacts due to the requirement to source only slower-growing breeds. The hospitality industry has instead formed the Sustainable Chicken Forum, which supports the industrial farming of fast-growing chickens (known as “Frankenchickens”), engineered for rapid meat production.
British beef enters US market tariff-free amid severe supply shortage
Beef shipment.
The first tariff-free shipment of British beef has arrived in the US under the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal, entering a market where cattle herds have fallen to their lowest level in 75 years, and retail beef prices have surged 72% since 2020. The reciprocal 13,000-ton quota secured under the deal is worth up to £70 million (US$88.5 million) a year if fully utilized, according to the UK government. UK Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds is leading the country’s first dedicated agri-food trade mission to Washington, DC, to build on the deal. 
ofi reports flat earnings as commodity volatility reshapes Olam Group’s breakup...
Ofi
Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) posted essentially flat full-year operating profit of 1.1 billion Singapore dollars (US$815 million) for 2025, as the cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts, and spices business absorbed what CEO A. Shekhar calls “one of the most volatile commodity markets and uncertain trade environments in recent memory.” Revenue surged 30.6% to S$28.5 billion (US$21.1 billion), driven almost entirely by pass-through pricing of elevated cocoa and coffee costs rather than volume growth. The results come as parent Olam Group nears the end of a prolonged corporate breakup, with its US$4 billion sale of Olam Agri to Saudi Arabia’s SALIC still awaiting final regulatory clearance. 
Grupo Bimbo posts record sales amid daily nutrition reformulation focus
Grupo Bimbo.
Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest bakery company, posted record full-year net sales of 427 billion Mexican pesos (US$23.8 billion) for 2025, a 4.6% increase driven by positive price/mix, favorable exchange rate conversion, and five acquisitions that expanded its footprint to 39 countries. Adjusted EBITDA reached an all-time high of Ps. 59.5 billion (US$3.3 billion), with the margin expanding 30 basis points to 13.9% — the second-highest in company history.

The record topline masks regional divergence. North America, which accounts for 44.6% of group revenue, saw sales decline by 4%, excluding foreign exchange effects, as soft consumer demand weighed on the US market. The region offset volume weakness through record productivity gains from transformation initiatives, expanding its EBITDA margin 60 basis points to 9%. 
Benefit-stacking in bakery: How Ardent Mills targets GLP-1 consumer demands
Baker making bread.
With GLP-1 medications increasingly influencing consumer eating habits, we examine how the bakery space is responding to a different set of needs from people using these appetite-suppressing weight-loss drugs, a phenomenon that continues to reshape the F&B landscape.
February in review: GLP-1 nutrition strategies, probiotic innovations, and food...
Nutrition Insight February in Review

Nutrition Insight

February’s highlights include accelerating innovations around GLP-1s, advancing gut microbiome research, growing scrutiny of infant formula safety, and ongoing debates over supplement quality, protein policies, and food reformulation. In our February review, Nutrition Insight features some of the month’s biggest stories, including how supplements can help bridge nutrition gaps related to GLP-1 use and rapid weight loss. In the UK, researchers identified gut microbes that could unlock next-generation probiotics, and we examined Novonesis’ biosolutions toolbox for healthier foods. 
Highlighted features
F&B February industry review 2026.
Food Ingredients News
February in review: Major divestments, cultivated cacao...
In February 2026, major F&B companies released their full-year results amid challenging global headwinds, including inflationary pressures, rising energy costs, and supply chain disruptions. IFF put its Food Ingredients segment up for sale, while dsm-firmenich agreed to sell its Animal Nutrition & Health business. Barry Callebaut outlined a roadmap for the chocolate industry following the cocoa crisis, as Cargill and Puratos revealed investments in cultivated cacao for commercial food applications.
male chef decorating steak with rosemary leaf in kitchen
Food Ingredients News
Flavor-forward: ADM unveils key culinary trends...
ADM has outlined how F&B manufacturers can advance flavor innovation in its 2026 Global Culinary Trends report — highlighting how “Third Culture Cuisine,” values-driven purchasing, GLP-1-influenced eating behaviors, and the growing demand for immersive dining experiences are reinventing innovation processes.
Young consumers drinking alcohol-free beer at party.
New Product Development
How the alcohol industry is rethinking R&D amid falling...
The global alcohol industry is in structural retreat as global consumers continue to drink less. Producers are scrambling to reformulate beverage R&D and regain their falling profits. Core beer fell below half of Carlsberg’s revenue for the first time in 2025. Pernod Ricard offloaded the bulk of its international wine portfolio to concentrate on premium spirits and non-alcoholic alternatives. Diageo’s operating profit dropped 27.8% in the fiscal year to June 2025, yet its alcohol-free portfolio grew roughly 40% over the same period.

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Snacking trends in focus: Flavor, protein & fiberMar2026

Innova data shows consumers prioritize protein and fiber when purchasing snacks. However, flavor remains the most important factor in snack choice, driving steady annual growth in product launches fro...

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Product innovation

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Future of food processing Mar 2026

According to Innova Market Insights, attitudes toward ultra-processed foods are changing. Consumers increasingly associate ultra-processed foods with unhealthy indulgence, but their habits are shifting, particularly with a rise in cooking from scratch. This shift means many products require reformulation to deliver the fresh, authentic characteristics consumers seek.

Trend analysis

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Vanilla’s adaptive edge spurs NPDMar 2026

Vanilla is proving its adaptive edge in global F&B innovation. New product launches featuring vanilla ingredients witnessed a large annual growth rate globally between 2023 and 2025, signaling sustained cross-category demand. More than a third of global launches were from Europe.

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EIT Food Thumbnail
Video14:57
EIT Food: How fiber, protein & GLP-1 trends drive indulgent F&B formulations 

Durk Bosma, head of insights at EIT Food Consumer Observatory, discusses the gap between consumer health intentions and indulgent food choices. He emphasizes the need for F&B manufacturers to tailor products for consumers who are “health optimizers” or “balance cravers.” Bosma also comments...

Guillaume Blancher, Kerry
Video17:33
Kerry: Addressing bitterness, mouthfeel & GLP-1 taste shifts in sugar reduction
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Döhler Thumbnail
Video04:59
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Döhler spotlights cost-effective indulgence and trending flavors
Oliver Coppenuer
Video02:22
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Vegetables marry chocolate in “Vegilate” creation
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