AI

Whey boom fuels surge in protein processing expansion

From WPC80 to lactoferrin, dairy companies globally are investing in premium protein capacity to capture growth in the high-end sports nutrition and functional food space

Tate & Lyle, Ingredion and the new ingredients land grab

The Ingredion-Tate & Lyle deal signals a shift in the ingredients industry, where technical expertise is becoming as valuable as the ingredients themselves

Global Food Tech Awards

Why next gen alt protein startups will be built on access, not just science

In protein, the real challenge isn’t invention – it’s getting to market and staying there

Walmart and Amazon’s rapid-delivery war raises consumer expectations

Rapid and same-day delivery are accelerating the shift to online grocery, with omnichannel shoppers spending more and delivery outpacing pickup

Agentic commerce could crack personalization but only for data-ready brands

Will agentic commerce deliver on the personalization food and beverage has been trying to achieve?

Precision fermentation scale-up: Inside a pilot plant for next-gen food ingredients

The University of Illinois is helping food companies move from lab breakthroughs to commercial production, working with partners like ADM and Primient

The state of fermentation and cultivated ingredients: Where are we now?

Precision fermentation reshapes how sweetness is made

The future of sweetness may not be about replacing sugar with a single ingredient, but about redesigning how sweetness itself is built

The state of fermentation and cultivated ingredients: Where are we now?

Could adding light to fermentation unlock cell cultivation’s full potential?

Climate biotech Brevel is testing its ‘illuminated fermentation’ platform across coffee, cocoa and bioactive ingredients as it seeks to scale plant-cell-based production beyond the lab

Anterra Capital closes fund to back AI-powered food startups

VC firm targets scalable, science-backed startups across food and agriculture as investment shifts from hype to discipline

Indoor ag firm AeroFarms finds new lifeline with Palm Ventures

Investment firm bets on vertical farming, retail traction and GLP-1-driven demand as industry shifts toward profitability

Tips for brands to win with agentic commerce

Agentic commerce is redefining how decisions are made, not just how products are found

Global Food Tech Awards

Global Food Tech Awards EMEA heat opens: Why startups should apply and how to stand out

Calling all EMEA food and beverage startups - applications are now open and entry is free

Doritos without drivers? PepsiCo’s autonomous truck rollout sparks logistics debate

PepsiCo’s driverless truck experiment promises faster, cheaper deliveries, but it’s also exposing a growing battle over jobs, safety and the future shape of food supply chains

Can infant formula catch up to breast milk?

A new generation of infant formula that recreates the immune, digestive and developmental benefits of human milk is creating regulatory challenges

East meets West: How AI and social commerce are reshaping the future of retail

Social commerce and agentic AI are colliding to create a new commerce paradigm – and NielsenIQ says manufacturers and retailers need to get ahead of it now

Where brands should focus their AI strategy now

AI’s real value may lie in helping consumers choose – not discover

FN+

Will cocoa alts ever be sexy? Hershey backlash opens the debate

As cocoa markets fluctuate, Hershey’s controversy shows that while alt-chocolate is advancing fast, taste and transparency remain make-or-break for consumers

FN+

Sweet proteins gain global momentum with latest regulatory win

Amai Proteins’ sweet protein secures regulatory approval in Singapore after recent US nod

AgNavigator: same agtech backbone, bigger industry picture

William Reed, publisher of FoodNavigator, has unveiled a new title for its market-leading agtech and agrifood title

FN+

Beyond protein: Why wellness platforms are the real deal

Protein remains big business, but with functional trends evolving at pace, it’s time to think bigger

Why thinking like an AI agent matters to marketing

Generative engine optimization is reshaping how brands get discovered

Can coffee weather the storm?

Extreme climate events are now a huge challenge for the coffee industry.

FN+

Will the next wave of alt dairy be built backwards?

Animal-free dairy startup is reversing the traditional biotech model, prioritizing scalability and cost from the outset as the category resets

US government spends hundreds of millions on biotech pilot plants as national security priority

Defense Department and state matching grants fund BioMADE’s three pilot plants as precision fermentation infrastructure gap forces US companies to manufacture overseas

FN+

Mars takes first step into cocoa-free category

The world’s biggest confectionery company is making its cocoa-free debut

FN+

Shoppers embrace personalization – but draw the line at AI taking control

While personalized pricing and in-store tech gain approval, nearly half of consumers reject fully agentic AI shopping experiences, according to a new Dunnhumby report

FTC to rein in hidden grocery delivery fees after multimillion-dollar settlements with Walmart, Instacart, Grubhub, Amazon

Public comment period opens after investigations found misleading pricing, subscription tactics and driver pay practices

FN+

World’s first cell-based chocolate bar developed with Mondelēz

The first-ever milk chocolate bars made with cell-cultivated cocoa butter have been produced

How AI is reshaping product discovery in F&B

Algorithms are increasingly deciding if a product flies or flops. Here’s how food and beverage companies can wow a new customer: agentic AI

FN+

US patent for Solar Foods’ air-based protein production opens door for scaling

The approval gives the Finnish company exclusive rights to produce its air-derived Solein protein in the US and reinforces its intellectual property position as it prepares for major factory expansion

Future Food Tech San Francisco

FN+

Food tech faces funding reset as investors demand profits over promises

Deal flow and exits decline sharply from peak levels, pushing companies to prove real demand, solid margins and a clear path to profitability in a more disciplined investment climate

FN+

Alianza Team spends $36M to open first US plant

With a new blending and finishing facility in North Carolina, Alianza Team is helping U.S. food manufacturers reduce saturated fats and reimagine bakery and chocolate ingredients

How the Swedish candy craze helped save a San Francisco sweets shop

A year after flames gutted his Haight Street candy shop, founder Max Kolegue rebuilt the business through Amazon sales – and a viral boom in Swedish gummies

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

FN+

Clean label vs shelf life: A new food-tech solution removes the tradeoff

Startup BioBlends – a runner up in the Americas heat of the Global Food Tech Awards – leverages gas-based technology to extend freshness without additives to address clean label and food waste concerns

FN+

Can biopeptides reclaim weight loss from GLP‑1 drugs?

As GLP‑1 drugs reshape how people eat, food‑based bioactive peptides are emerging as a potential way to support satiety before, during and after drug use

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

Danone bets on nutrient quality, not quantity, as consumers look to food for health

Danone’s R&D chief lays out why the future of food hinges on bioavailability, behavior change and nutrient quality – not just bigger numbers on the label

Stagflation is food manufacturing’s worst-of-both-worlds scenario

Costs are rising again just as consumers start to hesitate and that’s a far more difficult mix than inflation alone.

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

CPGs can’t wait for biotech to scale up – they need to help build it

Scale-up infrastructure is broken and it won’t fix itself

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

FN+

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

How corporates, startups and farmers can share risk and drive resilience

A case for rethinking how the food system invests, scales and strengthens its most essential ingredients

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

FN+

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

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

FN+

Clean label drives protein innovation – from seaweed stabilizers to yeast‑based alternatives

Ingredient innovators are using macroalgae and microbial fermentation to reshape the future of clean‑label, high‑functionality protein products

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

Fortification vs processing: Why the line is blurring in food design

How are food leaders rethinking fortification and processing to deliver nutrient‑dense, functional – and joyful – foods?

Natural Products Expo West

FN+

Letter from the editor: Can packaged food rediscover its innovative edge?

Natural Products Expo West reveals an industry playing it safe, while searching for its next big breakthrough as economic pressures, shifting consumer expectations and regulatory uncertainty converge

Future Food Tech San Francisco

AI assists, but active ingredients still lead in wellness innovation

Industry leaders at Future Food Tech said AI tools are helping product developers, yet rigorous ingredient science continues to set the pace for better-for-you foods and beverages

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

From climate shocks to GLP-1 impacts: Why the food chain must adapt now

Industry and public-sector leaders say stronger collaboration and smarter policy are essential to building a sustainable, data-informed food system

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

FN+

6 tips to raise capital in 2026 for food-tech

The expectations, red flags and structural hurdles shaping food‑tech fundraising in 2026

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

FN+

Collaboration, not capital, is driving the next wave of food innovation

Industry leaders at Future Food-Tech San Francisco say lower investment levels are giving rise to an era of deeper cooperation among stakeholders focused on creating healthier products

Up the food chain

FN+

Cargill’s CTO on AI, innovation and where R&D is going

From AI to reformulation, the agribusiness giant’s CTO Florian Schattenmann talks future tech, passing fads and where Cargill is stepping up focus

From humans to hounds: The protein boom hits pet food

Orijen’s Freshprey aims to deliver fresh animal-forward ingredients that’s driving premiumization across the category