A warming Pacific may begin far from the processing floor, but its effects rarely stay offshore. Bloomberg’s reporting on the growing likelihood of a powerful El Niño underscores a familiar but increasingly urgent food-industry reality: weather volatility is no longer a seasonal disruption to monitor from a distance. It is becoming a planning variable that …
Continue reading “From Pacific Heat to Production Plans: How El Niño Is Reframing Food Supply Risk”
Citrus used to be a winter thing in most shoppers’ minds: cold weather, cold season, big bowl of oranges on the counter. But the supply chain has other plans. This summer, citrus is showing up like it owns the place—steady, varied, and increasingly merchandised as a warm-weather staple rather than a seasonal leftover. What’s driving …
Snacks have always lived at the intersection of convenience and critique, but the MAHA movement is pulling that tension into sharper focus. What was once a debate driven mostly by consumer sentiment is now moving into the realm of definitions, labels, and enforceable guardrails—making snacks one of the most exposed categories in the center store. …
The food industry is moving through a transformation that’s less about short-term cycles and more about structural redesign. One of the clearest signals is the steady reshaping of portfolios through mergers and acquisitions—moves that reveal what companies believe they’ll need to compete next. Recent examples span the frozen and value-added landscape: Greenyard aligning with Gelagri, …
AFFI-CON 2026 landed with the kind of energy the frozen industry recognizes instantly: a concentrated few days where calendars tighten, conversations sharpen, and the year ahead starts to take real shape. In San Diego, the show once again proved that frozen isn’t just a dependable corner of the store—it’s an increasingly strategic one, powered by …
Continue reading “When the World Gets Loud, Frozen Stays Focused: AFFI-CON 2026 and What’s Next”
Frozen is no longer the aisle you visit when time is tight—it’s increasingly the aisle you build around. Conagra’s Future of Frozen Food 2026 frames the category as a modern eating infrastructure: a place where convenience doesn’t have to trade off with ingredient expectations, and where shoppers can assemble meals that feel both intentional and …
Flavor forecasting for 2026 is widening the lens: it’s no longer enough for a product to taste good—it has to mean something. The next wave of winning profiles is being framed as “emotionally intelligent,” where nostalgia, comfort, and cultural identity carry as much weight as heat level or sweetness. In practice, that’s why “spicy” and …
Open the app, scroll for a minute, and you can watch a flavor travel from someone’s stovetop to a national shelf plan. In 2025, TikTok isn’t just reflecting taste—it’s compressing it. FoodNavigator-USA reports that viral recipes and creator-led flavor mashups are now a bona fide signal for what moves at retail, with teams tracking surges …
Continue reading “TikTok-to-Shelf: How Viral Food Trends Are Rewriting the CPG Launch Cycle”
A landmark partnership between Walmart Inc. and OpenAI marks a dramatic shift in how consumers—and businesses—will shop and sell online. Rather than typing keywords into a search bar and sifting through a long list of results, shoppers will soon be able to simply chat with a conversational AI—such as ChatGPT—and complete a purchase in the …
Continue reading “Retail’s Next Move: Conversational Commerce Takes Center Stage”
Fall is no longer just about pumpkin spice. According to The Food Institute, consumer interest is shifting toward a broader, more dynamic flavor palette this season. Comfort and nostalgia still lead the way—but with more nuance, more culinary crossover, and more opportunities for brands to innovate. Here’s a closer look at the five flavors rising …
Continue reading “Fall Flavors Are Evolving: Here’s What Consumers Are Craving in 2025”
If you’re building menus or developing new SKUs for 2026, one of the most useful market signals right now is what tastes like comfort. But instead of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, today’s consumer is reaching for ponzu-splashed noodles, pandan-infused desserts, and samosa-spiced anything. According to Food Business News, this rising trend of “flavor escapism” is …
Continue reading “Why Global Flavor Exploration is the New Comfort Food”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially approved gardenia blue as a safe color additive for use in food and beverage products. Sourced from the fruit of the Gardenia jasminoides plant, gardenia blue represents a major step forward in the industry’s transition toward natural food colorants. This approval comes after a petition by …
Two of today’s most influential consumer groups—Millennials and Gen Z—are reshaping the grocery landscape, and their preferences are fueling major growth in the frozen food aisle. Gen Z, the digital-native generation that thrives on speed, personalization, and value, is skipping the fresh perimeter and heading straight for the frozen section. As Supermarket News reports, these …
The USDA Economic Research Service’s May 2025 report, U.S. Household Food Spending Post COVID-19 and the Implications for Diet Quality, provides an in-depth analysis of how the COVID-19 pandemic permanently altered the way Americans purchase, prepare, and consume food. It also raises important questions about nutrition equity, food access, and long-term dietary health—especially for lower-income …
A major shift is coming for food producers as more U.S. states roll out Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs—laws that make manufacturers financially responsible for the recycling and disposal of their product packaging. For food companies, this means new compliance challenges and potential cost increases on the horizon. What’s Changing? EPR programs aim to move …
Continue reading “New State Recycling Fees Ahead: What Food Producers Need to Know”
A recent article from Grocery Dive has highlighted a significant uptick in grocery prices, with staples like eggs and beef experiencing some of the highest increases. This rise is attributed in part to the new tariffs imposed on various food products, which have compounded existing inflationary pressures and raised concerns among consumers and retailers alike. …
Continue reading “Grocery Inflation: The Impact of Tariffs on Food Prices”
The rise of functional foods and beverages tailored for pregnant and postpartum women marks a significant shift in the food industry. As highlighted by Candace Smith-Lee of ofi, Senior Category Scientist of Beverages, there exists a notable gap in the market for ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-drink (RTD) products that cater specifically to the nutritional needs …
Continue reading “The Future of Nutrition: Functional Foods for Moms at Every Stage”
With President Trump’s return to office, the U.S. trade landscape is undergoing significant transformations, particularly with the introduction of new tariffs and the proposed establishment of an External Revenue Service to manage these duties more effectively. These measures are part of a broader strategy to address the nation’s trade deficits and enhance revenue from foreign …
The rising trends in food for 2025, as forecasted by Whole Foods Market, showcase an emphasis on innovative and sustainable food choices, highlighting a shift towards plant-based ingredients, sustainable packaging, and unique flavor experiences. The trends identified include an increased focus on crunch and texture in foods, enhanced hydration options beyond traditional beverages, and the …
Continue reading “Whole Foods Market’s 2025 Top 10 Food Trends”
Blender Bites, a Canadian-based brand, has taken the frozen smoothie market by storm. According to U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the company has expanded its distribution to major grocery chains across North America. What sets Blender Bites apart is its innovative approach to convenience and health: pre-portioned smoothie cubes made from organic fruits and vegetables that …
Continue reading “Are Blender Bites Smoothie Cubes the Future of Easy, Healthy Eating?”