Sugar reduction

PepsiCo bets on healthier versions of legacy brands

PepsiCo cuts sodium and sugar, while betting on fiber and protein

FN+Gen Alpha’s early eating habits offer a roadmap for the future of snacking

NIQ research finds that children are already thinking about ingredients, nutrition and the benefits they want from snacks, which could shape the category as they gain purchasing power

FN+Ingredion-Tate & Lyle deal: the future of ingredients solutions

The two ingredients giants could provide a one-stop shop for F&B and it’s part of a growing trend that will change the future of ingredients

How are Nestlé, Danone and Muscle Milk rethinking reformulation?

Additives and artificial colors and flavors continue to be axed from formulas as the industry balances a meeting consumers’ health goals with nutrition policy

Do GLP-1 users like artificial sweeteners?

Users perceive sweeteners differently to sugar

Fed Up! campaign takes aim at UPFs, but the science debate persists

A new campaign on ultra processed food education highlights systemic nutrition barriers, while food science experts stress the need to define the polarizing term before linking it to health outcomes

Up the food chain

FN+The secret duo shaping global FMCG innovation

They don’t front the brands, but this Nottingham duo is quietly shaping what the world eats next

Tate & Lyle agrees £2.7bn takeover by Ingredion

The deal between the two ingredients companies creates a global powerhouse

How sustainability is becoming ice cream’s next growth ingredient

Premium indulgence and snacking are driving momentum at ice cream major Froneri – and sustainability is underpinning both trends

Do GLP-1s dull taste or enhance it?

How GLP-1s influence taste is a complex picture. Here’s what food and beverage manufacturers need to know

Nestlé doubles down on growth in bold strategy shift

Nestlé resets growth strategy with shift away from price hikes and back towards volumes, brands and execution

IFF sells bulk of food ingredients business to refocus on health and wellness

The global ingredient supplier’s deal reflects a broader trend of how companies are streamlining their businesses to meet shifting health and wellness preferences

FN+Oral GLP-1 breakthrough: What it means for impulse-driven food categories

Food and beverage brands face consumers staying on appetite-suppressing drugs for longer

FN+Personalised taste: Is this the future of food?

The food sector aims to target consumer by geography and by demographic, giving them the flavours they want

Why Haribo’s one-trick gummy focus is beating the world

Haribo is showing how a focus on core is driving global scale

FN+Ferrero faces antitrust investigation with ‘dawn raids’

The Nutella maker has been subjected to antitrust inspections in two EU member states

FIC 2026

FN+Flashy and sweet: Brands tap health trends in artificial sweetener push

Leveraging weight loss, gut and dental health trends, Chinese firms are increasingly creative in reframing artificial sweeteners as a health aligned choice

FN+Artificial sweeteners: Why the science war is raging on

New health studies are reigniting a global battle over artificial sweeteners, leaving brands, regulators and consumers divided

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?

FN+California pushes ‘non-UPF’ seal as certifications multiply and confusion grows

A proposed state-backed label aims to simplify ultra-processed food choices, but could competing definitions and private certifications risk muddying the message for consumers and complicate reformulation efforts?

FN+Can brands cut sugar without killing taste, texture or trust?

As sugar shifts from ingredient to liability, food and drink manufacturers are rebuilding sweetness from the ground up using rare sugars, fibres and fermentation-driven innovation

The Big 5: Power players defining confectionery’s future

Five giants dominate confectionery. What gives them the edge, and keeps them on top?

Ozempic’s chocolate contradiction: Indulgence isn’t disappearing, it’s trading up

As appetite-suppressing drugs take hold, the real shift in snacking may not be how much people eat but how deliberately they choose to indulge

FN+Chocolate without trees? The science racing to reinvent cocoa

From cacao cells grown in bioreactors to fermentation-built chocolate flavours, scientists and startups are experimenting with ways to produce cocoa ingredients without growing cacao trees

FN+Sweeteners under fire as scientists probe neurological risks

New research linking popular sweeteners to cognitive decline has again raised concerns over their safety. What does this mean manufacturers?

FN+Confectionery sector braced for shortages as Iran conflict escalates

As conflict disrupts key trade routes and energy supplies, the confectionery sector is among the first to feel the strain. How vulnerable are manufacturers, and what can be done to protect the industry?

FN+Food cravings on GLP-1s? What formulators need to know

It’s a common misconception that GLP-1 drugs erase food cravings. Actually, they alter them

FN+Ferrero’s next move: Reshaping confectionery and snacking

From premiumisation to supply-chain control, Ferrero’s strategy is redefining the competitive landscape

Hershey blasted by Reese’s family over core ingredient changes

Reese family sends open letter to Hershey, challenging whether the confectionery giant is protecting the Reese’s legacy

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

Chocolate at a Crossroads: Inside the industry’s response to supply shocks

Climate change, disease pressure and record cocoa prices are forcing the chocolate industry to rethink ingredients, processing, and the future role of cocoa – but how will potential solutions impact farmers and consumers?

Hershey profit shock: 60% drop despite sales bump

Hershey’s profits have plunged again, but rising sales and recent acquisitions hint at a more complicated story

Finally, a big-name FMCG engages openly on ultra-processed foods

Although admitting it’s a risk, Oatly is addressing the UPF issue head-on

World’s biggest snack companies: who’s really got the crunch in 2026

In a near-$700bn global market, a handful of companies now decide what scales, what sticks and what survives, and in 2026, the power gap is only widening

How the Dietary Guidelines may shape product strategy and development

The latest Dietary Guidelines may not reinvent the wheel, but they offer manufacturers a roadmap to balance nutrition, consumer preference and formulation strategy across sweeteners, grains and processed foods, according to one expert

The big 5: Functional confectionery trends to watch

From protein bars to gut-friendly gummies, functional confectionery is exploding, and it’s changing the game for indulgence

FN+Food trend predictions 2026 - and it’s not all about protein

Protein may dominate formulations in 2026, but new trends are set to shape the year ahead

UPFs surge unevenly across global markets - where’s next?

Ultra-processed diets aren’t equally dominant worldwide - but in some countries, they’re rising fast

General Mills, WK Kellogg & Ferrero spark a fresh fight for the breakfast bowl

Once the poster child for easy mornings, breakfast cereal has been losing shelf swagger. Now a new wave of innovation, investment and protein-packed reinvention is pushing the category back into the spotlight

SNAP funding shortfall puts pressure on food system as Instacart, retailers step in

With Congress gridlocked over SNAP funding, the food industry – from Instacart to grocery chains – is stepping in to keep families fed and stabilize supply chains

Mondelēz’s travel retail playbook: A blueprint for sweets and snacks success

Travel retail is no longer just about luxury - confectionery is taking off. Discover how Mondelēz is turning airports into brand-building playgrounds

Yuka brings aspartame fight to the US

Report calls for ban on ingredient found in thousands of common food and beverage products

Sweeteners in focus

Sugar isn’t the only sweet solution: How modern sweeteners are changing the game

Kerry Group and NotCo show how advanced sweetening systems can overcome many of the technical, sustainability and cost barriers with sugar reduction

PepsiCo to invest in functional health and appoint new CFO following Q3 earnings

In its third quarter results, the multinational has beaten expectations in several key areas, but problems remain

California’s ultra-processed food ban could reshape school meals and national policy

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a landmark bill yesterday requiring the state to define UPF and eliminate the ‘most harmful’ ones from school meals over the next 10 years – a decisive action in sharp contrast to national efforts and political MAHA rhetoric

Coca-Cola’s Power Water takes on PepsiCo’s Propel

Functional bottled water wars continue between US beverage goliaths

FN+Mars-Kellanova merger: Commission rumoured to be nearing approval

Mars’ blockbuster $35.9bn bid for Kellanova may get the EU’s green light, without concessions

Why the GLP-1 boom won’t kill sugar reduction

Junk food cravings may ease with GLP-1 use, but people still want sweet foods

Nutritional dark matter: The next frontier in food science

The discovery of ‘nutritional dark matter’ is unlocking new paths for smarter food innovation, targeted health benefits, and precision nutrition

FN+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

GLP-1 fuels new wave of confectionery innovation

GLP-1 drugs are transforming consumer snacking habits, and confectionery brands are responding