From SKUs to Ecosystems: The Future of Food Innovation
AI is fast becoming shoppers’ trusted assistant, especially in grocery. As a result, brands must now master AI algorithms, build trust, and optimize for voice-driven, chatbot-powered discovery.
Food Manufacturing Archive
Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr. Unite on Booze-less Buzz
Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr. have fused star power with beverage innovation, launching coffee-beer crossovers that tap into Gen Z’s desire for a booze-less buzz. Their authentic friendship fuels a savvy play in functional, premium CPG.
For Tyson, Investors Worry About More Than Just the Industry
Tyson’s beef woes mask solid gains in chicken and prepared foods, and investors remain skeptical. With leadership shakeups and earnings volatility, the market’s appetite for Tyson stock is far from ravenous.
Post’s Long-Term Outperformance Seems at Risk
Post Holdings has long defied gravity in packaged foods – but even its stellar acquisition record can’t outrun cereal’s decline. As M&A slows, investors are asking: has Post finally met its match?
The 5 Fastest-Growing F&B Brands of 2025
From prebiotic sodas to clean-label meat sticks, 2025’s fastest-growing F&B brands are rewriting the rules of consumer engagement. Authenticity, health-forward innovation, and bold storytelling are fueling the brands’ momentum.
Can the Kelce Brothers’ Garage Beer Go the Distance?
Garage Beer, backed by NFL stars and Taylor Swift buzz, is gunning for shelf space in a margin-thin market. But without distributor loyalty and retail muscle, this celebrity-fueled brand may fizzle fast, according to industry insiders.
Investors Keep the Faith With Candy Giants Hershey, Mondelez
Inflation, cocoa chaos, and Ozempic-fueled appetite shifts have battered Hershey and Mondelez, but investors still believe in their near-term outlook. A merger may be the lifeline that turns things around.
UPFs Under Fire: Study Links Ultra-Processed Foods to Infertility
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may be sabotaging consumers’ health. Case in point: a new study links endocrine disruption and fertility risks to the very products dominating global food systems.
Brands Are Dying to Work with Liquid Death
Despite its ghoulish aesthetics, Liquid Death’s community is surprisingly wide: “people drink things and they like to laugh,” adroitly summarized Liquid Death creative VP Andy Pearson in an interview with The Food Institute. This has …
Food & Beverage M&A Report: 1H 2025
Attention Economy: Wild Brand Collabs Create Millions of Impressions
Unexpected flavor mashups – from Guinness ice cream to Mountain Dew gummies – are driving viral buzz. These quirky collaborations thrive on social media, creating a spectacle that often drives ROI.
Imagining a BFY Future, Good Food Collective Battles Front-Of-Pack Labels
Nutrition labels are under fire, and the Good Food Collective is offering what it feels is a smarter, QR-powered alternative. The fast-growing coalition aims to rewrite food transparency and challenge outdated FDA standards.
Charting the Future: ALTA Foods Expands Automation to Strengthen Operations
This article is sponsored and written by Formic. ALTA Foods has been at the forefront of automation for a long time. The 18-year-old tortilla manufacturer has embraced automation as a way to boost throughput, reduce labor …
Investors Have Lost Faith in Conagra and the Industry
Conagra’s stock plunge reveals deep investor doubts about the packaged food sector’s ability to navigate inflation, tariffs, and margin pressure. With volume and pricing power eroding, the industry may be facing a new, uncomfortable normal.
America’s Least Appreciated Protein: Why Squid Deserves a Bigger Seat at the Table
Squid – a domestic, nutrient-rich, and eco-friendly protein – is largely overlooked in America’s protein lineup. The Hermit brand of calamari jerky challenges food leaders to rethink underutilized ocean fare before reaching for lab-grown innovations. (Sponsored Content)
For Retail and Delivery, Advertising is Becoming Big Business
Retail media is booming, with CPGs pouring billions into data-driven platforms like Walmart Connect, Instacart, and DoorDash. The result: high-margin ad revenue is reshaping profit models and investor expectations across grocery and delivery.
After Trying Everything Else, Kraft Heinz Eyes Breakup
Kraft Heinz is considering splitting into separate companies to unlock shareholder value following a series of unsuccessful strategies. While the move follows the successful Kellogg split, skeptics argue it may not fix the deeper issues of weak execution and an underperforming brand portfolio.
Ferrero Group to Acquire Kellogg
Ferrero’s $3.1B bid for WK Kellogg Co. signals bold ambition amid cereal’s slump and health backlash. As big brands consolidate, legacy CPGs chase reinvention and reformulation in a shifting consumer wellness landscape.
Feel the Burn: Nuanced, Functional Spice Experiences on the Rise
Today’s consumers are seeking more nuanced, complex spice experiences – and brands are delivering them. For example, Arkay Beverages leverages capsaicin in its non-alcoholic spirits to replicate the kick of standard liquor, adding sensory thrills and functional perks to zero-proof cocktails in the process.
How Venus Wafers Cracked the Smart Manufacturing Code
Venus Wafers is modernizing food manufacturing with automation to boost efficiency, enhance safety, and maintain product quality—all while investing in its workforce and long-standing legacy.
SFFS Trendspotters: The Trends Commanding Attention
At the recent Summer Fancy Food Show (SFFS) in NYC, protein candy, international convenience, and beverage innovations were among key trends. Learn about the cutting-edge brands supporting the future of food.
US Treasury Cuts Costs by Axing the Penny: What it Means for Retailers
The penny’s swan song – likely to occur next year – may save millions, but it won’t shake 99-cent psychology in retail pricing.
CPG Giants Pledge to Remove Food Dyes
Over the past few weeks, CPG giants have pledged their support in removing select artificial food dyes in an apparent bid to align their practices with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and …
Crunch Time: How Do Your Road Trip Snacks Stack Up?
Sour is trending, chocolate is complicated, and regional quirks abound: Kellanova’s new data reveals how generational tastes shape road-trip snacking – and what that means for category innovation. Nostalgia, “swalty,” and convenience drive the ride.
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EY: CPG Brand Relevance Faces ‘Negative Drift’
Legacy CPGs are losing consumer relevance to agile upstarts – but AI, innovation, and a shift to “disruptive optimism” offer hope. EY’s latest report calls on brands to earn loyalty daily or drift into obscurity.
Smucker Becomes the Poster Child for Packaged Food
Smucker stock has plunged to decade-lows after a bruising earnings miss and nearly $2B in impairment charges tied to its Hostess buy. With profits set to drop again, investors are questioning the company’s strategy.
Tariff Tactics: How Food Brands Are Battling Rising Costs
Food and beverage businesses have begun to feel the impact of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Some have absorbed the blow. Others were left staggering. When the U.S. raised steel and aluminum tariffs to …
Amazon Prime Day Expansion May Dilute Sales
Amazon is doubling down on Prime Day, stretching it to four days in a bid to woo deal-hungry Gen Z and millennial shoppers. But with cart abandonment rising, will lessened urgency hurt results? Industry opinions vary.
Top 5 Healthiest Ice Creams
Once dismissed as an oxymoron, healthier ice cream is now a booming category. From high-protein formulas to cutting-edge fat replacers, brands are rethinking indulgence without sacrificing texture.
Raising Smart Capital in the Food Space: Navigating Today’s Challenges
Investor enthusiasm for food brands is strong, but securing capital has never been more challenging. Amid market volatility and heightened scrutiny, only the most strategic and well-prepared companies will land the funding needed to thrive.
BMO 2025: Plant-Based Folds into Macro Environment
At the recent 2025 BMO Farm to Market Conference, consumer interest in personal wellness created plant-based tailwinds. Kroger, SunOpta, and Remedy Organics were among businesses weighing in on the future of the sector.
Euphoric Beverages: Threading the Needle Between Functional Energy and Non-Alcoholic Products
Euphoric beverages are emerging as a new category that blends functional ingredients like adaptogens, nootropics, and botanicals to offer mood-enhancing effects, potentially competing with both caffeinated drinks and alcohol. With a growing Gen Z consumer base seeking alcohol alternatives, the sector is poised for growth.
U.S. Brands in Canada: A Trade War is On, But the Market’s Not Closed
Despite escalating trade tensions and a growing Canadian consumer boycott of American products, U.S. brands still have opportunities in Canada, particularly in resilient categories like soft drinks. A poll by Leo & Dragon revealed that Millennials and Gen Z consumers remain open to purchasing American goods.
Food Dye Update: Natural Dyes Approved, Industry Responds
The FDA recently announced that three additional natural dyes have been approved for use in food and beverage products. While some stakeholders are quick to change their formulations, others are hesitant.
Olipop Vs. Poppi: The First Social Media Driven Arms Race in The Beverage World
Olipop and Poppi’s social media arms race is a powerful reminder for founders of new brands that an energetic face-off competitor only energizes the entire space, according to FI’s resident CPG industry expert, Dr. James Richardson.
2D Barcodes: What They Are and Why They Matter for F&B Companies
In this increasingly digital landscape, it’s become crucial for F&B companies to not only gather data but also to glean insights from it that they can leverage to stay ahead of the curve. Anyone who’s …