Battle of the Trends 2025: Winners Announced
Four trend wars, four surprising winners. Dive into the food and beverage battles that dominated the industry in 2025
Meat
EFSA urges vigilance as bird flu spreads
A bird‑flu strain spreading through US dairy herds has Europe on alert, as EFSA warns that early detection and strict biosecurity will be key should the virus cross the Atlantic.
Opinion
The EU is making a mistake by choosing not to boost novel foods
By explicitly cutting off novel foods from use in regulatory sandboxes, the EU is stifling innovation
3 food predictions that came true in 2025 (and 3 that didn’t)
What predictions were right, and which ones didn’t come to pass?
EUDR delay confirmed
The deforestation regulation’s postponement comes after a year of political wrangling
EU ‘meaty’ names ban unlikely to go ahead: Why talks collapsed
Confusion during talks has postponed the decision on the ban
Plant-based meat in 2026
What’s next for the plant-based trend?
Cultivated meat guidance released in UK: 4 key takeaways
The UK has released its first guidelines on cultivated meat novel food applications
EUDR delay and review agreed by EU
The Council and Parliament have decided to postpone the landmark regulation
Pork imports banned as swine fever rips through Spain
The disease has hit the EU’s largest pork producer hard
Why meat alternatives are landing with young people
Younger consumers are often more open to new technologies and less sceptical about ultra-processed foods
First-ever mycoprotein goes through novel food system successfully
The Protein Brewery is celebrating a positive scientific opinion from Europe’s food safety agency. So when will its new mycoprotein ingredient hit the market?
EU bioeconomy strategy: What it means for food
The wide ranging strategy touches on both packaging and novel foods
EUDR delay now likely to go ahead
The landmark deforestation regulation is a step closer to being postponed following a vote in European Parliament
Poultry sector on high alert as bird flu spikes in Europe
Cases of avian influenza are now four times what they were a year ago
Top 5 F&B ingredients trends driving market growth towards $560bn
The global food and beverage ingredients market is booming. But what are the trends powering industry growth?
Consumers are confused by plant-based meat – but not by names
Meat-related terminology makes little difference to how confused consumers are with meat alternatives
Could the EU ban on ‘meaty’ names be extended to the UK?
Thanks to a deal earlier this year, labelling restrictions for meat alternatives may spread beyond the EU’s borders
Up the food chain
EFSA’s new boss: Why faster risk assessments are my guiding light
The newly appointed Dr Nikolaus Kriz has ambitions to optimise European food safety
Top 5 F&B retail trends for 2026
Discover the five trends that will define 2026, and why agility, authenticity, and technology will determine who succeeds and who fails
EUDR delay agreed by EU member states
The EU council has backed a year-long delay of the landmark regulation
Patents plummet in alt proteins: Has innovation ground to a halt?
Alternative proteins have lost a lot of popularity in recent years, and this is reflected in IP activity
Will the EUDR be delayed after all?
Despite opposition from key industry players such as Ferrero and Nestlé, a one-year postponement may still take place
Trump removes coffee, beef, cocoa from tariff list
Consumer Brands Association urges further tariff rollbacks on products like palm oil and tin mill steel
Is mycoprotein too weird to win over consumers?
Despite its sustainability and health credentials, mycoprotein is losing ground. Is this an image problem - or something else entirely?
EUDR: How the changes affect food and drink
Sweeping alterations to the EU’s deforestation regulation changes the game for compliance and enforcement
Clean label plant-based meat: How to achieve the winning combo
As concerns around ultra-processed food create distrust in plant-based meat, the sector must pay close attention to the ingredients it uses
World’s first circular fish farm incoming - on land
What does true circularity mean when it comes to fish farming?
Nestlé R&D head on how the world’s biggest CPG innovates
Inside Nestlé: Rania Abou Samra on crafting the future of food and beverage
Top food tech trends for 2026
When sustainability wanes, other food tech comes to the fore
Top 5 functional F&B ingredients trends for 2026
From gut-friendly gummies to protein-packed snacks, functional ingredients are transforming everyday food and drink into wellness powerhouses
EU Biotech Act: What it means for food
The act is expected to streamline regulation in biotechnology
Consumers want better sleep: 5 ingredients for nighttime nutrition
Sleep is a key health goal among consumers globally. The food industry now has an opportunity to meet consumer demands
EU ‘meaty’ names ban: What now?
As the plant-based industry pushes back against the ban, how likely is it to be implemented?
Consumers want to know how food tech works: a challenge for industry
When it comes to cell cultivation and precision fermentation, consumers want more clarity. But what kind of information is best shared? And how?
Nestlé, Mars, Unilever, Ferrero & Kraft Heinz: The big CPG shake-up continues
From Nestlé’s mass layoffs to Kraft Heinz mega demerger, global CPGs are making bold moves to survive shifting consumer demands and financial pressure
Can Nestlé bounce back? New CEO charts bold path to revive growth
Philipp Navratil is shaking things up at Nestlé, but can he restore the company’s fortunes and inject much-needed growth?
EUDR: Delay will only impact smaller operators
Downstream operators will not be required to submit due diligence statements
Nestlé to cut 16,000 jobs in Q3 results shake-up
Nestlé is cutting 7% of its workforce. Is this bold move a reset or a risk?
Gourmey buys Vital Meat in major cultivated merger
The merged company will be renamed Parima in a consolidation of France’s cultivated meat sector
Bezos Centre boss on barriers to market for alternative proteins
Precision fermentation and cultivated meat have a long way to go before they can be sold to consumers
Information is the new must-have in food
Appetite is building for food information. From ingredients to processing methods, how can industry best give shoppers want they want?
UPF labelling is coming - but in what form?
Ultra-processed foods could soon be immediately recognisable front-of-pack
Top 3 new food & beverage trends for 2026
Discover the top trends set to shape consumer choices and product development
EU Parliament votes to ban ‘meaty names’
The ban would severely restrict labelling for meat alternatives in the EU
Top 5 foods fuelling the brain health boom
Brain food is booming. As consumers seek sharper focus and long-term cognitive health, the food industry is responding with powerful ingredients and smarter nutrition
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
Eat-Lancet’s ideal diet: Why 99% of the world isn’t following it
Less than one percent of people eat in line with the Eat-Lancet Commission’s planetary health diet. What would it take to get absolutely everyone on board?
Meatly on the next steps for cultivated meat
Scaling and achieving mass market pricing are the next hurdles for Meatly, and cultivated meat as a whole
Video
NotCo on boosting F&B innovation in challenging times
Food and beverage is ripping up the rule book to innovate for the future