Food Industry News, Insights, and Education for the CPG Community

In 2026 Functional Food & Beverage Predictions, Spate maps the trends set to shape the year ahead using billions of search signals and social data, revealing where wellness demand is accelerating fastest and which formats are evolving from niche to mainstream.

Kraft Heinz has appointed former Kellanova executive Nicolas Amaya as president of its North America business, exactly one week after pausing its efforts to split the company.

Tyler Ricks has joined the board of directors of Actual Veggies. Ricks is a seasoned leader with nearly three decades of general management, marketing, and sales experience in consumer products organizations including PepsiCo, Bear Naked Granola and Plum Organics.

Sustainability-oriented, kelp-based snack brand Sea Monsters is winding down operations after nearly seven years on the market.

Seed oil-free snack brand Jackson’s is using its manufacturing structure to fuel innovations and new distribution channels.

Brad Reese, the grandson of Reese’s founder Harry Burnett Reese, is publicly calling out The Hershey Company for allegedly “quietly replacing” the ingredients it was built on and lowering product quality.

Ford Gum – best known as the licensing and manufacturing partner of Big League Chew – placed its bet on the caffeinated gum set roughly 18 months ago with the acquisition of Military Energy Gum.

Primal Kitchen has launched its first-ever dairy-based offerings – a line of shelf-stable, creamy salad dressings made with buttermilk from grass-fed cows, Romano cheese and yogurt, plus avocado oil. The range includes Creamy Romano, Buttermilk Ranch and Tzatziki Style.

Amai Proteins announced today its sweet protein sweelin received GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Manufacturing capacity can be a CPG brand’s secret weapon to scale, and a growing number of businesses are looking to like-minded companies to combine resources and stoke growth.

Despite the Administration’s assertion it will rein in the ultraprocessed foods prevalent within American’s diets, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., claims there won’t be any new regulations imposed in order to do so.

Truffle-enhanced condiment brand TRUFF is broadening its reach with non-heat-seeking consumers by introducing its first ever Mild Hot Sauce.

In this roundup, Scott’s Protein Balls reach Target alongside Crave New World’s frozen clean label entrees. Kosterina take its balsamics nationwide with Walmart while Chickapea hits Costco and more.

This week, we’re discovering how to turn an idea into a retail success, keeping tabs on Barron Trump’s beverage play, and discovering how Khloud is getting itself into a real pickle. Hey, what more could you ask for?