California passes non-UPF food seal, setting potential blueprint for other states
AB 2244 creates a voluntary government-backed certification for non-ultraprocessed foods and requires certain large retailers to prominently display certified products
Reformulation
Is the snack market slowing? How changing habits are reshaping the industry
Despite strong growth forecasts, questions are emerging over the future of the snacking sector
Should food businesses stay private?
Many food giants have not gone public, but there are advantages and disadvantages to this route
Big Food’s colour promises are colliding with supply chain reality
The dye deadlines are closing in, but the alternatives aren’t ready
Taipei Mega Food Shows 2026
‘All about health’: Bebop takes dairy-free ice cream across APAC
Bebop is targeting APAC markets with a dairy-free, plant-fat ice cream as it seeks to scale beyond Taiwan
News Bites
Food’s new rules: Regulation, reformulation and the reinvention of legacy brands
Transparency, health and regulation emerged as the defining forces shaping the food industry this month
The 7 trends shaping the future of confectionery
Confectionery is booming, but what’s fuelling its momentum? We unpack the top trends transforming the category
General Mills removes artificial dyes from its entire cereal portfolio
A market leader in cereal sales plans to remove artificial colors from all of its products by the end of 2027
Could FDA’s GRAS proposal chill investment in novel food ingredients?
Mandatory GRAS notifications could make regulatory risk a bigger factor in fundraising, partnerships and M&A, potentially pushing innovators toward safer bets and away from riskier products
Hershey joins confectionery megatrend with coffee crossover
Reese’s joins collaboration craze with cross-category coffee launch
The rise of allulose: Can this rare sugar crack the clean-label challenge?
A patent and a lawsuit are drawing attention to allulose, so here’s what F&B needs to know
Mondelēz accelerates premiumisation drive
From Cadbury and Oreo to Toblerone and Côte d’Or, Mondelēz encourages consumers to trade up as it doubles down on premiumisation
Hershey goes beyond confectionery with biggest ever Halloween push
Hershey goes all-in on Halloween with its largest seasonal range to date, spanning confectionery, savoury snacks and better-for-you
Barilla Group: How the world’s biggest pasta company survived a century
Its scale, brand recognition and vast range mean that Barilla is well positioned in the pasta market
FDA considers new natural food color petitions as synthetic dye phaseout looms
Petitions seek approval for safflower yellow, expanded uses for gardenia blue and changes to carrot oil production as food makers move away from synthetic dyes
Ritter Sport and Haribo join confectionery collaboration boom
Ritter Sport and Haribo join forces to launch limited-edition Balla Bites
‘Worth it’ replaces ‘more is more’ as indulgence evolves
Confectionery indulgence is shifting from ‘more is more’ to ‘worth it’ as consumers prioritise quality, experience, wellness and sustainability
Louis Dreyfus Company targets pea protein off-notes with new isolate
As demand for plant-based dairy and protein sodas surges, a new large-scale Canadian facility is producing purified pea protein isolates to eliminate sensory off-notes and support emerging dietary needs
Flavor takes center stage in 7UP’s lime-led makeover
7UP leans into flavor with first major reformulation in more than 15 years
Hershey’s push for premiumisation picks up pace
Hershey’s stepping up its premium ambitions with elevated products, strategic acquisitions and a growing focus on affordable indulgence
Natural colors are creating a new supply chain reality
Natural dyes require more than reformulation because supply chains must evolve too
One brand, two companies: Who has control when a brand is licensed?
A licencing agreement can give a certain level of control of a brand to the licensee
Could soaring whey prices make infant formula even more expensive?
Will the use of whey in trending foods and beverages have a knock-on effect on essential categories?
Why chocolate goes wrong in baking
Chocolate leakage and uneven bake performance are often blamed on poor-quality chocolate, but the real problem frequently lies in ingredient performance and process consistency
WK Kellogg Co to cut artificial dyes and BHT a year ahead of schedule
The cereal giant has faced intense scrutiny for its use of controversial ingredients like petroleum-based dyes and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Letter from the editor
Science, trust and the next era of food innovation
From combating food misinformation to redefining healthy eating and scaling AI-enabled innovation, IFT FIRST 2026 underscored how evidence-based science is reshaping the future of food
IFT FIRST
Is fibermixxing the new fibermaxxing?
Growing consumer interest in specific fibers is prompting the promotion of fiber diversity as a way to deliver multiple health benefits while supporting product innovation
Nestlé kicks off Christmas countdown with festive Milkybar
Nestlé ramps up innovation with a new festive Milkybar
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Benefit stacking, not hero ingredients, is the future of food
Manufacturers must rethink formulation in the post-GLP-1 era to account for shifting consumer desire from hero ingredients to products that deliver multiple health benefits, fit into their everyday routines and justify their price
Hershey raises 2026 forecast following blockbuster Q2
Hershey posts strong second-quarter results, with sales and earnings growth driving an optimistic outlook
Mondelēz growth boosted by emerging markets as Europe sees decline
Like other major FMCGs, the biggest growth for Mondelēz is outside developed markets
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
How can CPGs modernize iconic brands for a new generation without losing the magic?
J&J Snack Foods says the answer lies in evolving heritage brands and products but not the emotional experiences consumers associate with them
Nestlé’s turnaround gains momentum despite profit drop
Nestlé delivers stronger organic growth and improving volumes in H1 2026, but net profit falls 31.4%
Oreo goes beyond biscuits with major snacking push
Oreo expands beyond the biscuit aisle with mini snack bags