The food and beverage trends to watch in 2026

Companies are leaning on innovation, M&A and healthier options to navigate sometimes contradictory consumer preferences.

By Food Dive staff • Jan. 8, 2026

US dietary guidelines tell Americans to avoid highly processed foods

The Trump administration is overhauling federal dietary advice to align with some MAHA priorities.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Updated Jan. 7, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

How GLP-1s are shaking up snacking

Food companies, including Danone and Nestlé, are adding more protein and changing portion sizes as weight loss medications reshape consumption patterns.

By Food Dive staff

Hershey gives Shaq-A-Licious some game with multi-textured gummy

New gummy balls coated in crunchy candies encourage consumers to play with their food while mixing and matching flavors.

By Christopher Doering • Jan. 7, 2026

Can schools handle federal calls for fewer ultraprocessed foods?

Some 95% of school nutrition directors are concerned about the financial sustainability of their meal programs, School Nutrition Association data shows.

By Anna Merod • Jan. 6, 2026

West Virginia artificial dye ban temporarily blocked by court

The ruling is a setback for the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, which has pushed ingredient restrictions in states.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 6, 2026

SNAP consumers outspend other grocery shoppers, data shows

Participants in the federal nutrition assistance program also overwhelmingly direct their benefits to name brands, according to a report from Circana.

By Sam Silverstein • Dec. 23, 2025

Laird Superfood grows health and wellness portfolio with $39M acquisition

The purchase of Navitas’ organic offerings will give the functional coffee and creamer producer a deeper presence in nutritional products while increasing the company’s reach in retail.

By Christopher Doering • Dec. 22, 2025

Leftovers: Ritz embraces sweet and salty | Stoli spices up vodka

The Mondelēz brand is introducing Drizzled Minis to “push the boundaries of what a cracker can be," while Laird Superfood rolls out new innovations for health-conscious consumers.

By Food Dive staff • Dec. 19, 2025

How MAHA transformed the food industry in 2025

Lawmakers capitalized on anxieties around ultraprocessed ingredients to introduce new regulations, with companies choosing to reformulate or fight back.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Dec. 18, 2025

Taste no longer trumps all: How functional foods are changing the rules on flavor

As wellness culture is shaping everyday choices, people are more willing to trade indulgence for ingredients that promise health benefits, writes Patricia Manos of Curion.

By Patricia Manos • Dec. 18, 2025

Shoppers plan to spend more on groceries next year: report

The grocery sector is the only category included in an international survey conducted by AlixPartners that’s expected to see an overall increase in consumer outlays in 2026.

By Sam Silverstein • Dec. 16, 2025

The business of beekeeping at scale: How science and greater investment are shaping honey’s growth

The company behind the nation's largest beekeeper is leading the evolution of honey production.

Dec. 15, 2025

The ultraprocessed foods challenge

New evidence is refining how companies address nutrition and reduce confusion for shoppers.

Dec. 15, 2025

Leftovers: McCormick reveals 2026 flavor of the year | ‘Call Her Daddy’ host enters energy drink market

The spice manufacturing company said the top flavor plays into consumer demand for functional ingredients, while Kellanova creates a bite-sized RXBar.

By Food Dive staff • Dec. 12, 2025

San Francisco’s move against ultraprocessed food could lead to wave of lawsuits

The litigation landscape surrounding packaged food may hinge on the ability of plaintiffs to prove that food addiction is real, writes Sean McBride.

By Sean McBride • Dec. 11, 2025

Food industry groups sue Texas to overturn ingredient warning labels

Groups representing major companies, including Kraft Heinz and Coca-Cola, argue the law misleads consumers and violates the First Amendment.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Dec. 10, 2025

Mondelēz launches sugar-free Oreos to ‘disrupt’ better-for-you snacking

The cookie took about four years to develop and is meant to "redefine what indulgence can look like," according to the brand's vice president of marketing.

By Christopher Doering • Dec. 9, 2025

The chemistry of comfort: Inside the rise of nostalgic snacks

As big brands seek to put a better-for-you twist on familiar food and beverages, food scientists are using technology like AI to ensure flavors and textures aren’t compromised.

By Amanda Schuster • Dec. 4, 2025

San Francisco sues Kraft Heinz, other food giants over ultraprocessed products

The first-of-its-kind lawsuit argues Coca-Cola, Nestlé and others engineered a "public health crisis" that has burdened the city with treatment costs.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Dec. 3, 2025

Grocers go niche with their private labels

Retailers including Natural Grocers, Albertsons and SpartanNash have recently rolled out items like cooking oils, herb blends and flavored butters under their store brands.

By Sam Silverstein • Dec. 3, 2025

Hershey enters the Dubai chocolate craze

The candy giant's chief customer officer said it is offering just 10,000 pistachio and kadayif-filled bars through GoPuff as a way to reach Gen Z consumers.

By Christopher Doering • Dec. 2, 2025

Lessons learned from 5 years of food tech investing

Enough with vertical farming, AI platforms and sugar replacements. Here are the startup pitches actually capturing venture capital’s attention, according to PeakBridge's Yoni Glickman.

By Yoni Glickman • Dec. 1, 2025

How to win with women-focused formulations

Women want functional beverages that truly support energy, mood and hormonal balance. See how smarter, targeted formulations can help brands win this $10B market.

Dec. 1, 2025

Campbell’s exec out after allegedly saying brand’s food is for ‘poor people’

Former employee Robert Garza claims he was fired for wanting to report the executive’s comments to human resources.

By Laurel Deppen • Updated Dec. 1, 2025

Cheetos, Doritos go colorless as PepsiCo launches versions without artificial dyes

The options, which are launching under a new Simply NKD line, come as the food and beverage giant aims to reimagine core brands and expand choices for health-conscious consumers.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Nov. 26, 2025