Food and beverage industry news covering CPG giants, restaurant suppliers, ingredient trends, regulation, and consumer packaged goods.
Ingredion Inc. is close to reaching an agreement to acquire Tate & Lyle Plc for about £2.7 billion ($3.6 billion), with a firm offer of 615 pence per share. The deal would consolidate the specialty ingredients sector and expand Ingredion's higher-margin business.
Multiple US chain restaurants, including Wendy's, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, and Red Lobster, announced plans to close hundreds of locations in 2026. Wendy's alone plans to shutter up to 350 restaurants in the first half of the year, while Pizza Hut will close 250 by July 1.
This commentary argues that children's fussy eating is not solely a parenting or child issue but is significantly shaped by commercial food interests. It contends that food companies engineer and market ultra-processed foods to appeal to children, creating tensions between parents' desire for healthy eating and children's preferences.
U.S. sales of dates rose 33% in 2025, driven by a shift away from ultra-processed foods. The U.S. date market is projected to reach $1.6 billion by 2034, while global sales are expected to grow from $34.5 billion in 2026 to $55.58 billion by 2034.
Lavazza introduced Tabli, a solid coffee tab made entirely of compressed coffee with no plastic, in North America on Monday. The machine costs $260, with tabs priced $0.70-$1.15. The product, developed over five years with 15+ patents, debuted in Italy before the US launch.
Luckin Coffee reported non-coffee beverage sales exceeded RMB 20B ($2.95B) as of May 31, 2026. The company also expanded its global store network to more than 35,000 locations.
PPB Technology's Cybertongue uses biosensors to measure protease levels in raw milk on site, cutting lab wait times from days to three minutes. The innovation could prevent over 70 million tonnes of annual milk waste.