The new rules of snacking: How to navigate a $150bn market in flux
Data from Conagra and Circana shows how shifting tastes, wellness demands and convenience are rewriting the playbook for snack makers worldwide
Snacks
Almond yields could be lower than predicted
The USDA predicts an abundant almond crop for California. Growers say the number is too optimistic
Brazil nuts: Boosting health, forests, and livelihoods
Brazil nuts offer more than nutrition – they also protect rainforests and support local communities
Hue got it: The colour psychology behind top snacks
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
PepsiCo’s sunflower oil pivot could upend snack sourcing
PepsiCo is now sourcing sunflower oil from regenerative farms in Argentina through a landmark partnership with Syngenta. Could this signal a broader shift in how snack makers think about sustainable procurement?
From Lilo & Stitch Spam to Danimals partnership with Olympian: Unwrapping the latest collabs
Recent brand collaborations highlight health and connection
Snacking on thin air: Fazer’s futuristic treats powered by protein from the sky
The Finnish food experience company has launched snacks powered by Solein - a revolutionary protein literally made from thin air. Could this be the future of sustainable snacking?
PepsiCo readies for food dye and SNAP changes, amid Q1 2025 slowdown
PepsiCo is removing artificial food dyes from its products ahead of an HHS and FDA 2026 deadline, while trade tensions drag volumes down further for its North American snack and beverage
Dubai chocolate craze causes global pistachio shortage and scams
Pistachio prices have risen as demand for trendy Dubai chocolate spikes, sending supplies of the nut down
Snacking gets personal: How to profit from Mondelēz’s ‘Little Treat’ revolution
Consumers aren’t just hungry - they’re emotionally invested and turning to snacks for comfort, mood boosts and everyday indulgence. Is your brand ready to tap into this powerful shift in snacking behaviour?
Future Food Tech San Francisco
NotCo opens access to its game-changing AI technology to speed product innovation
Innovating packaged foods and beverages traditionally takes two to three years from concept to shelf, but companies are under pressure to launch products more quickly and with lower costs, a challenge NotCo says its AI technology can solve
Why Americans are boycotting Big Food brands like Walmart, PepsiCo and General Mills
Major US brands like Walmart and PepsiCo are facing a wave of consumer boycotts over rollbacks to their DEI commitments, while General Mills is under fire for allegedly selling overpriced, chemical-laden foods and contributing to worsening food insecurity
UPFs condemned by health body in further blow to sector
A leading European health body has dealt another blow to UPF manufacturers, maintaining their link to adverse health outcomes
Addressing UPFs ‘not main focus for food majors’ like Mondelēz and Ferrero
Companies are instead focusing on HFSS, says industry association head
Natural Products Expo West
Mondelez SnackFutures’ investments reveal playbook to tackle snack industry’s biggest challenges
Snacking may be here to stay, but what consumers want - and how companies source it - are evolving quickly, prompting Mondelez to narrow the aperture of its investment strategy
Kellogg’s Kellanova will focus on innovation, smaller packs & enhanced marketing to drive snack sales
On track to separate from Kellogg Co. in the fourth quarter, Kellanova will position itself as a snacks-led powerhouse and improved company with “a growth mindset, a refreshed strategy and more ambitious financial expectations,” CEO Steve Cahillane said...
FoodNavigator publisher William Reed acquires Future Food-Tech event organizer Rethink Events
William Reed – the publisher of award-winning B2B brands including FoodNavigator and NutraIngredients - has acquired a majority stake in agri-food summit organizer Rethink Events.
Brazil’s Lula’s comeback cheered as new research claims ‘deforestation-free’ supply chain pledges have barely impacted forest clearance in Amazon
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s presidential election win in Brazil will make it easier for food and beverage companies to comply with their zero-deforestation commitments, it has been claimed.
Grupo Bimbo posts ‘exceptional’ Q2 performance, addresses challenging environment
The Mexican bakery giant reported a doubled second-quarter net profit and raised its sales and operating earnings outlook, citing strong demand from regions including the US and Europe.
Grupo Bimbo leads Series A funding in superfood snack brand LiveKuna: 'We're doubling down on the North American market'
Grupo Bimbo, owner of well-known bakery brands including Sara Lee and Thomas English Muffins, is leading a Series A funding round for Ecuador-based LiveKuna, an emerging brand of superfood snacks, cereals, pastas, and alternative baking flours.
News in brief
CP Kelco & IMCD expand distribution agreement into Mexico market
IMCD has become CP Kelco’s strategic distributor in Mexico across all market segments of food, plus consumer and industrial (C&I) applications.
Sustainability at the source: How Unilever is addressing deforestation, living wages, and regenerative agriculture
How is Unilever ensuring sustainability in sourcing regions? Hanneke Faber, President Foods & Refreshment at Unilever, weighs in.
'We are actively looking at all major animal-protein categories...' NotCo raises $235m in series D to expand its global plant-based meat, dairy empire
Santiago-based food tech company NotCo has raised $235m in a Series D round led by Tiger Global and supported by DFJ Growth Fund, ZOMA Lab, athletes Lewis Hamilton and Roger Federer, and musician and DJ Questlove, taking its cumulative funding to $350m...
Food pairings 'ripe for innovation' as immunity mega-trend rolls on
Exploring unique food pairings offers food brands the chance to tap into consumer desire to improve immunity via functional food, according to a report.
Immunity, relaxation, energy and focus: Trending botanicals in food and beverage, from ashwagandha to ginseng
Once confined to dietary supplements and herbal teas, botanicals from ashwagandha to ginseng are springing up in a growing number of ready-to-drink beverages and snacks as brands seek to imbue their wares with functionality and an air of sophistication....
Sodium reduction: When it comes to salt perception, size matters, says MicroSalt
It’s well-known that the smaller the salt crystals, the saltier they taste, which means less is more, an enticing proposition for snack makers looking to reduce sodium. However, simply finely grinding table salt and sprinkling it on potato chips won’t do...
Kraft Heinz to leverage global scale and local agility: ‘That can unleash a lot of growth’
The Kraft Heinz Company’s recently released ‘transformation plan’ detailed the group’s strategy to deliver consistent growth, with top line gains led by its international business. FoodNavigator speaks to International Zone President, Rafa Oliveira, to...
Modified starch ‘ink’ developed for 3D printing: ‘They’re simple, cheap and easy to implement on an industrial scale’
‘Ink’ used to make foods and novel materials by additive manufacturing have been developed by food engineers from modified starch.
AI key to safeguarding food systems amid coronavirus: tech firm
A UK tech company claims AI holds the key to avoiding the risk of coronavirus destabilising the food system.
Sustainable start-up Algramo sells big brand products in reusable packaging
Chile's Algramo sells branded goods in reusable packaging, saving money for manufacturers - such as Nestlé and Unilever - and reducing plastic waste. “We keep packaging in the economy and out of the environment,” it says.
Latin America's food industry reacts to COVID-19 crisis: 'Our operations are indispensable to food security'
Brazil's Marfrig pledges to keep all its meat plants operating; Mercado Libre cuts commission for non-perishable food products; Ambev brewery is now producing alcohol gel. We take a look at how the food industry is responding to the coronavirus outbreak...
Custom-designed yeast can make food healthier, says biotech start-up
A Brazilian biotech start-up is custom-designing novel, natural yeast strains that can be used to make plant proteins, replace artificial additives and boost the bioavailability of minerals.
Make ultra-processed food more expensive, say Brazilian researchers
When ultra-processed food costs more, it is associated with lower prevalence of overweight and obesity in Brazil, suggesting taxes could be an effective tool to fight obesity, argue the authors of a recent study.
Grupo Bimbo goes electric in Mexico
The Mexican bakery giant has invested $146m into its initiative to grow its electrically powered fleet to make emissions-free deliveries in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
Probiotic ice cream promotes health benefits in Chile
Ice cream is a treat for most children, but a startup in Chile is incorporating a strain of probiotics as a healthy supplement in the form of a daily snack.
'Nature-based solutions': Nestlé to plant 3 million trees in the Americas by 2021
Starting in Mexico and Brazil, Nestlé will plant three million trees, restore degraded ecosystems and help farmers switch to agroforestry methods in a bid to make its supply chain more resilient.
Back on track? Court revokes Mexican nutrition label suspension but Concamin vows to fight on
Mexico's nutrition label is once again on path to enter into force as a court revokes the decision to provisionally suspend it, although industry says it will continue to oppose the regulation using "all legal means".
Guatemala’s palm grower association advances zero deforestation
Since going public with its zero deforestation commitment last October, the Palm Grower Association of Guatemala (GREPALMA) has more than doubled the number of signatories to its sustainable development targets.
Judge suspends Mexico's nutrition label
A judge has temporarily suspended Mexico’s front-of-pack warning label following a request lodged by business lobbies on the grounds it was not widely consulted or based on scientific evidence.
Colombian government and food industry reveal mandatory warning label design
The Colombian government and food industry have agreed on warning nutrition labels that will become mandatory on unhealthy food and drink products sold in the country.
NPD trend tracker: From instant Starbucks to 'great tasting' CBD
FoodNavigator's weekly round up of new products from around Europe includes the launch of instant Starbucks coffee from Nestlé, a move the company says delivers a convenient premium coffee experience. Elsewhere, health and wellness drives saw the rollout...
Multi-functional cassava fiber shortens ingredient lists, says Fibervita
Using a patented technology, Brazil's Fibervita transforms co-streams from the cassava processing industry into a multi-functional ingredient that can clean up processed products' ingredient lists, it says.
'Emotional well-being' fuels healthy food purchases in Brazil: Mintel
Demand for food products that are beneficial to emotional health and well-being is strong among Brazilian consumers even across different socio-economic categories, according to Mintel.
Warning labels set to enter into force in Uruguay: Is your product compliant?
Uruguay’s front-of-pack warning labels enter into force next month (March 1). We look at which products must comply and which are exempt.
Brazil’s Agropalma sees benefits of palm oil refinery investment
Certified sustainable palm oil supplier Agropalma's investment in a specialty ingredients refinery has allowed Brazilian manufacturers to source key ingredients, such as cocoa butter substitute, domestically, it says.
Clean label dessert pods will shake up the cake category, says IoT startup Tigoût
An Internet of Things (IoT) kitchen appliance that cooks gourmet desserts made with clean label ingredients in minutes is looking to shake up the dessert category, says its Argentinian founder.
AI software looks to drastically improve pathogen monitoring in food sector
Cutting edge artificial intelligence technology is promising to disrupt environmental monitoring in the food and drink processing sector by dramatically improving efficiency in the way pathogen monitoring programs are managed.
Grupo Bimbo looks for Latin America's 'next great ventures' with start-up accelerator
Grupo Bimbo is looking to scale up innovative startups throughout Latin America with the launch of two accelerator programs, Eleva and BakeLab. “We're looking for the next great ventures in Latin America,” it says.
Nano-scale quillaja extract can replicate fat for plant-based juiciness
Scientists are using Chilean quillaja extract to create nano-scale oleogels in plant-based proteins, mimicking the taste and texture of fat in meat and creating a 'juicy' product that, until now, has been "a real challenge", says the Good Food Istitute.
Tomorrow Foods on its protein isolates: 'We're helping customers join the plant-based revolution'
Tomorrow Foods says its turnkey protein isolates made from sustainably sourced pea, rice, mung and chickpea can help Latin American food manufacturers “join the plant-based revolution” without having to invest in R&D.