Why manual work persists in food and beverage and how connected data eliminates it

Manual work persists, but connected data is the fix. Here’s how food and beverage teams close the gap.

April 13, 2026

Lamb Weston warns of supply chain pressures amid Iran war

The french fry maker anticipates a rise in commodity volatility, including for packaging and fuel, if the conflict persists.

By Antone Gonsalves • April 10, 2026

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Getting reformulation right: How food companies are rethinking ingredients to meet consumer demand

Ingredient suppliers and companies like PepsiCo and Conagra are working closer together to overhaul brands to cater to a rise in healthy eating and expanding GLP-1 use. 

By Food Dive staff

Leftovers: Liquid IV turns Grillo’s pickle flavor prank into reality | Mike’s Hard Lemonade gives dirty soda a shot

The Unilever-owned hydration brand is launching a briny new variety, while PBR teams with Smithfield on a brat-infused sausage for grilling season.

By Food Dive staff • April 10, 2026

Breakfast food is breaking free of the morning routine

Changing eating habits, plus growing demand for protein and convenience, has opened new opportunities for food companies to bring the most important meal to other parts of the day.

By Christopher Doering • April 9, 2026

High gas prices are crimping grocery spending, research finds

More than a third of respondents to a survey conducted in March said they have cut back on their grocery spending by either trading down or buying less.

By Sam Silverstein • April 8, 2026

Kylie Jenner’s vodka soda brand Sprinter expands into hydration

The company is launching k2o, an electrolyte and collagen powder positioned to capitalize on growing demand for beauty-focused functional beverages. 

By Laurel Deppen • April 8, 2026

Diageo supplier to idle 2 Kentucky whiskey distilleries

MGP Ingredients will pause production as the market “continues to be structurally oversupplied” due to tariffs and declining alcohol consumption.

By Sarah Zimmerman • April 8, 2026

Tyson to close Hillshire Brands plant in Georgia

The meatpacker said recent changes “have made continued operations at the site no longer viable.”

By Sarah Zimmerman • April 7, 2026

Hershey’s CEO stays ‘hungry’ for growth as snack giant outpaces rivals

Strength in permissible snacks and iconic brands, such as Reese’s, has enabled Hershey to grow despite inflation, GLP-1 adoption and other headwinds.

By Christopher Doering • April 7, 2026

JBS workers to end strike at major US beef plant

The three-week long work stoppage had left the meat giant's plant in Greeley, Colorado, “almost completely idle,” according to the union.

By Sarah Zimmerman • April 6, 2026

Hormel modernizes supply chain with AI

The food company is using o9’s forecasting tools to model demand drivers, reduce manual overrides and sharpen seasonal forecast accuracy.

By Antone Gonsalves • April 6, 2026

Leftovers: Khloé Kardashian’s Khloud expands to protein chips | Sun Cruiser launches hard white teas

The celebrity-founded snack brand is growing beyond its breakout popcorn, while Marzetti introduces a protein-packed ranch dressing.

By Food Dive staff • April 3, 2026

Nestlé inks partnership to support labor rights in coffee supply chains

The project with the International Labour Organization to promote fair recruitment and labor rights in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.

By Zoya Mirza • April 3, 2026

Shift to natural ingredients opens the door to food fraud

As companies race to replace artificial dyes, experts are seeing a surge in fake ingredients claiming to be clean label.

By Sarah Zimmerman • April 2, 2026

How AI is changing food supply chains

As consumer shopping habits evolve, experts say accurate and on-time deliveries have become more important than ever.

By Laurel Deppen • April 2, 2026

How Kraft Heinz’s NFL deal could help the marketer get back on track

The five-year partnership comes as the CPG giant recently paused plans to split its condiment and grocery businesses.

By Chris Kelly • April 2, 2026

Hershey reverting back to ‘classic’ chocolate recipe for some Reese’s products

The change, which will only affect 3% of products, follows a weeks-long campaign from the grandson of the peanut butter cup’s founder.

By Christopher Doering • April 1, 2026

Food industry moves toward transparency with smarter barcodes

A SmartLabel initiative that gives consumers detailed product information via QR codes is gearing up for a major shift in retail technology.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • April 1, 2026

Protein pickles, Butterfinger Top Ramen: The best April Fools’ food pranks of 2026

The holiday has become an annual tradition for companies to connect with consumers and test potential concepts that could one day become reality.

By Food Dive staff • Updated April 2, 2026

Keurig Dr Pepper picks JDE Peet’s CEO to helm coffee spinoff

Rafael Oliveira will lead the newly created Global Coffee Co. once it separates from the beverage giant.

By Laurel Deppen • April 1, 2026

Unilever to combine food business with McCormick in $45B deal

The transaction creates a global spice and condiments giant with a portfolio that includes Hellmann's mayonnaise and Frank's RedHot sauce.

By Sarah Zimmerman • March 31, 2026

How AI is being used to strengthen food safety

Automation could help contain issues as soon as they arise and before they become widespread, according to experts.

By Sara Samora • March 30, 2026

Mars invests $100M to expand Chicago headquarters

The investment in its snacking operations, which is expected to create 600 jobs, comes three months after it closed its $36 billion purchase of Pringles maker Kellanova.

By Christopher Doering • March 30, 2026

How Mondelēz is adding more ‘razzle-dazzle’ to Easter and beyond

The company is positioning Oreo, Swedish Fish and Sour Patch Kids to have a bigger holiday presence as the seasonal segment drives outsized growth for the snacking giant.

By Christopher Doering • March 30, 2026

Jack Daniel’s owner in talks to merge with Absolut’s Pernod Ricard

Brown-Forman said a deal with the Jameson whiskey maker would give the combined company enhanced scale and a balanced geographic footprint.

By Laurel Deppen • March 27, 2026