
Rethinking ‘clean’ water in the bottled water aisle
For startup Loonen, water isn’t just water - it’s spring-sourced and filtered with an emphasis on minimizing plastic across the supply chain
News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology

For startup Loonen, water isn’t just water - it’s spring-sourced and filtered with an emphasis on minimizing plastic across the supply chain

AI can do a lot more than offer guidance and write emails. It can help food companies find brand-new ingredients for product formulation

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

Up The Food Chain
Hubert te Braake already had the dream job: as director of research and development at Heineken, he’s tasked with creating the world’s next big brews. Now he’s been given a shiny new €45m ($53m) lab to do it from

Why ‘climate-proof’ cacao start-up Kokomodo is hedging its bets on an increasingly stronger future for cell cultured cocoa

Brands that combine flavor and function with attractive branding make for sweet and juicy success stories…

From AI-powered ingredient discovery to zero-waste packaging and next-gen proteins, the top 30 global food-tech list showcases the game-changing technologies shaping the future of food

Companies are aiming to streamline their ingredients lists

REMI, built on ChatGPT and trained on the spice company’s recipe database, is helping home cooks and chefs better understand how to use its playfully named blends

From microbiome-first foods to AI-powered diagnostics, discover the innovations shaping the future of wellness

It’s not just humans who can benefit from biotic supplementation – dairy cattle can see results, too

The food and beverage trends driving change in 2026

The cocoa crisis is forcing chocolate manufacturers to rethink everything - from sourcing and compliance to innovation and consumer trust

Alternative proteins have lost a lot of popularity in recent years, and this is reflected in IP activity

Despite its sustainability and health credentials, mycoprotein is losing ground. Is this an image problem - or something else entirely?

Functional coffees that promise more than a straightforward energy boost are surging in popularity

Viral flavors on TikTok are reshaping the food and beverage industry, accelerating product development and redefining how brands connect with consumers

Coffee’s not just a pick-me-up anymore. It’s helping bakeries pull ahead in a slowing market

A round-up of some of the latest packaging stories

Protein’s health halo attracts female consumers to various products from food and drink to supplements. Here’s what’s driving demand

The CPG major will report its nine-month financials later this week – here’s what to look forward to

Protein is the biggest buzzword, but what else is shaping new product development?

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 drugs are transforming consumer snacking habits, and confectionery brands are responding

3D food printing is moving rapidly into commercial applications, but scientists stress that the next breakthroughs will depend on advances in printability, adaptability, safety, and consumer trust

Sustainable September
Time2Graze uses satellites to optimize pasture-based grazing in a world-first initiative

Exclusive: New Zealand-based Leaft Foods partners with Lacto Japan to bring its leaf protein into staple categories such as bakery and dairy foods

Here’s what’s new in dairy in September 2025

Data from Conagra and Circana shows how shifting tastes, wellness demands and convenience are rewriting the playbook for snack makers worldwide

The world’s biggest meat company is launching a ‘new leader in European plant-based food’

Old grapevine canes could be converted into a plastic-like film that is stronger than traditional plastic and decomposes quickly

Natural food and drink products with sustainable label claims are flying off the shelves in the US: here’s why

Once everyone’s had enough of injections, side effects, and the vast expense of GLP-1 drugs, it could be natural alternatives’ time to shine

Plant-based trends are rising to the surface as the year hits its halfway mark

AI can speed up your pipeline – but it won’t tell you why everyone still picks chocolate. Here’s how to innovate without losing your edge

It’s not only drugs that induce the satiety-causing hormone

Future Food-Tech Chicago
The investment landscape for food-tech remains chilly, but there are bright spots for alternative fats and oils and some appetite for sweeteners as well as alt protein with proven business models

A new UPF classification system has been developed by scientists for consumers

Protein is popping up in everything. Which ingredients promise to further propel this powerful trend?

Positive Nutrition
With consumer skepticism around ingredient transparency, faltering retail momentum and backlash from the meat industry, the company finds itself at a crossroads – one it is determined to navigate with what CEO Ethan Brown calls “radical transparency.”

The problem of fortifying food and drink with sensitive ingredients is well known to industry. How can innovation help solve it?

Before we even take a bite, colour tells our brain what to crave. And it’s not just the frosting that’s doing the talking – it’s psychology, marketing and a bit of regulatory drama

Can chocolate really improve blood pressure and reduce heart disease risk? Emerging research suggests it might – and the findings are sweet news

Plant-based meat’s heavy UPF criticism may be unfairly placed as exclusive research uncovers what ingredients go into some of the market’s most popular products

From high protein to sugar reduction, how is one of dairy’s major players leveraging its R&D might to address industry trends?

What’s driving the coffee category forward in 2025? Here are five top trends to watch

Consumers want to shed, gain or simply maintain weight. What does that mean for core food and drink categories - and is there still a place for permissible indulgence?

Big Interview
From niche health needs for infants to catering for an ageing population, Nestlé’s head of nutrition has a vast and changing portfolio to grapple with

Food and beverage is awash with new and growing trends. We discover what consumers are craving in 2025

AI is streamlining everything from recipe development and quality control to supply chain efficiency and sustainability. But as intelligence reshapes the way we produce food, how will manufacturers balance innovation with transparency, cost and consumer...