Currently browsing posts about: Food-industry

It’s impossible not to notice all the reports of declining food sales.  I’ve been talking about four existential threats to the food industry:

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr (“The food industry is poisoning America”)
• Ultra-processed foods (dietary guidelines advise eating less of them)
• GLP-1 drugs (they reduce food intake)
• Inflation (people can’t afford to overeat)

To these, I must add now one more.

• SNAP restrictions (they decrease purchases of sodas and sweets)

The crisis

• Is Big Food breaking? Why the industry is selling itself off:  Investors are losing patience as volume growth stalls and food giants tear up the playbook.
• Big Food splits: Smart move or strategic misstep?  Big Food’s biggest names are betting on splits, but market reactions show investors aren’t convinced. So when does breaking up actually make sense?… Read more
• Big Food’s leadership crisis: Why CEOs are falling faster than ever:  C-suite exits are mounting across Big Food, but behind the scandals lies a deeper performance and innovation problem… Read more
• Big Food splits: Smart move or strategic misstep? Big Food’s biggest names are betting on splits, but market reactions show investors aren’t convinced. So when does breaking up actually make sense?… Read more
• CEO churn exposes growing cracks in Big Food’s growth model:  Leadership changes across Big Food are starting to look less like succession and more like a response to cracks in the growth model…. Watch now
• An existential shift is coming: Dimbleby on the forces set to reshape food: The industry is already seeing a myriad of different pressures, including increased labour and input costs, but Henry Dimbleby has warned things may get much worse before they get better…. Read more
• SNAP restrictions are reshaping sugary food purchases:  Ibotta data shows states prohibiting the use of SNAP funds to buy ‘unhealthy’ products are reshaping sugary beverage and snack demand… Read more

Effects on Big Food companies

• Why Unilever’s $40bn food merger is raising red flags:  Unilever’s $40bn food deal is supposed to sharpen focus. Instead it’s unsettled stakeholders, raising questions over the success of Big Food consolidation… Read more
• Unilever shares plummet following McCormick megamerger announcement: Unilever’s $44.8bn decision to merge its Foods business with McCormick has rattled investors and raised regulatory questions… Read more
• Nestlé sells Blue Bottle Coffee to Centurium Capital:  The deal includes the brand’s cafes and the majority of its CPG business, a spokesperson confirmed.
• Nestlé slashes 450 jobs sparking union backlash: Nestlé’s set to cut more than 450 UK jobs as global restructuring begins… Read more

The bottom line: Eating less is bad for business.

You might think of GLP-1 drugs as miracles of modern medicine, but the food industry views them as a threat.

Why?  Eating less is bad for business.

The Threat

• Data: Alarming new research reveals threat GLP-1s pose to food and drink sector: New research has revealed that as many as 8% of Britons now use weight loss drugs, with a further 14% considering their use in the future…. Read more
• GLP-1 in real life: Smaller shops, fewer ultra-processed foods: Enough with the predictions. How are GLP-1 drugs actually impacting purchasing behaviour?… Read more
• FoodDive: How GLP-1s are shaking up snacking: GLP1-s are reshaping how Americans eat, pushing more consumers toward smaller portions and nutrient-dense options packed with ingredients like protein or fiber. As sales for traditional packaged snacks decline, food companies are now rushing to tap into this fast-growing market.
• What is the ‘GLP-1 halo effect’?  The GLP-1 craze could end up changing more diets than expected – even those of non-GLP-1 users…. Read more
• GLP-1s: Is the industry asking the wrong question?  New data and clinical insight suggest the real impact of GLP-1 drugs isn’t less eating – it’s a rethink of how, when and why people eat… Read more

How food companies are responding

• How GLP-1s are reshaping product innovation:  For product developers, designing GLP-1 friendly foods will require new sensory approaches, emotional metrics and new nutritional architectures… Read more
• The Ozempic effect reaches the bread aisle: Bimbo redesigns bakery for GLP-1 users: The world’s biggest baker says GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are already reshaping how people eat, so it’s redesigning bread and snacks to keep up… Read more
• GLP‑1 drinks take off as brands race for $3.5bn functional growth: From protein shakes to collagen coolers, brands are reinventing beverages for the GLP‑1 era and the race for dominance in this fast‑growing $3.5bn category is just beginning… Read more

When customers go off the drugs

• After GLP-1: Weight regain, food fear and the industry’s next reckoning: With a growing number of people ditching GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, producers are being drawn into a far more complex conversation about nutrition, psychology and long-term eating behavior… Read more
• What happens after GLP-1s and why food will matter more than ever: Former GLP-1 users looking to keep the weight off are a potentially underserved consumer base looking for foods and beverages that will help the feel full longer, manage portions and meet their health goals… Read more

The marketing opportunities

• GLP-1 food boom: Market growth, big brands, and key challenges: GLP-1 fuels rapid food and beverage sector growth – but risks and costs mount… Read more
• GLP-1-friendly foods are booming – but the label is still taboo: From “high protein” to “supports muscle mass” claims, brands are coding GLP-1 benefits without naming the trend outright… Read more
• GLP-1 ranges: Should you launch one?  We round up the challenges and opportunities of entering the ‘GLP-1 friendly’ meals arena… Read more
• Food cravings on GLP-1s? What formulators need to know: It’s a common misconception that GLP-1 drugs erase food cravings. Actually, they alter them… Read more
• Could the GLP-1 boom open the door to shrinkflation? Users of the drugs want smaller portions – this could help food companies save money… Read more
• Beyond GLP-1 drugs: How dietary ingredients can naturally support body’s own satiety hormone: As interest in GLP-1-based weight management grows, emerging data on a dietary ingredient suggest there could also be a more natural approach to control appetite and metabolic health…. Read more

I always like to know what the food industry is thinking, and was interested to run across a new report from the National Association of Manufacturers: Manufacturers Feed America: Strengthening Communities, Fueling Innovation, Growing the Economy.

It begins:

Behind every grocery store shelf is a carefully designed system that ensures American families can count on safe, abundant and affordable food every day. The food and beverage industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the United States, connecting farms to factory floors to family tables. Anchored in world-class science and rigorous safety standards, the U.S. food and beverage supply chain is a global leader—strengthening communities, fueling innovation and growing the economy. This outcome is not accidental. It is because manufacturers feed America.

Here’s what it covers:

What is this report about?

A growing number of state laws seek to ban ingredients, impose warning labels or mandate disclosures based on hazard-focused explanations rather than risk-based science…Manufacturers cannot realistically produce multiple versions of the same product to satisfy differing state rules without incurring substantial costs, sacrificing quality or disrupting supply chains and distribution systems.

And, says the National Association of Manufacturers, these laws are going to raise food costs and cause job losses.

It’s helpful to see these arguments spelled out so they can be countered effectively.

With the new dietary guidelines taking such a strong stance on minimizing sugar intake, the sugar industry has its damage-control work cut out.

Lisa Sutherland, my co-author on our forthcoming (September 2026) Sugar Coated: Unboxing the Hidden Forces Shaping America’s Favorite Breakfast. Food, sent this link to information sent out to dietitian subscribers to Today’s Dietitian.

When it comes to added sugars, on one hand the public is hearing they should stop eating sugar entirely, on the other, they’re hearing that real sugar is healthier than other forms of added sugars and sweeteners. The fact is that added sugars currently make up around 13% of Americans total calories – the lowest amount in 40 years and close to the lowest amount ever recorded (11% in 1909). The steep decline in added sugars intake over the past 25 years has coincided with rising rates of childhood obesity and chronic disease – yet most people are unaware of these data and continue to demonize and place a significant amount of blame on real sugar for these conditions.

It then goes on to discuss all this under the following headings:

• Real Sugar plays a key role in healthy balanced diets
• Real Sugar is irreplaceable as a single ingredient
• Facts over fear

And it comes with great charts.  My favorite, too big to reproduce here, is titled “Sugar is a partner in nutrient delivery.”  This points out that high-fiber cereals, fruit yogurs, canned vegetables, salad dressings, peanut butter, and pre-packaged snacks all are more enjoyable to eat and have longer shelf-life with some sugar tossed in.

Alert to readers: Amazon.com displays listings for several more workbooks, study guides, and cookbooks purportedly based on my book, What to Eat Now (see previous post on this).  I did not write any of them.  Caveat emptor!

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I’ve been collecting items on the effects of GLP-1 drugs on the food industry.

Recall my mantra: Eating less is bad for business.

These drugs are a threat to the food industry.  Here’s how it is responding.

• New research from Chemi Nutra highlights how GLP-1 users want to maintain the benefits of the medication while feeling like their former selves, revealing a significant gap in addressing the broader physiological and psychological impacts of weight loss meds…. Listen now
• The GLP-1 effect: How 2026 will look for food and beverage:  From shifting grocery habits to new product opportunities, Circana’s insights reveal how brands and retailers can adapt to the rise of GLP-1 users… Listen now
• GLP-1: Threat or opportunity for food manufacturers?  At this early stage in the market, not all manufacturers know how to respond… Read more  
• GLP-1 adoption is rising steadily – and reshaping pack size, portfolio strategy and volume.  Rising GLP-1 adoption is quietly reshaping pack size strategy, category risk and marketing priorities for food and beverage brands… Read more  
• Five ways GLP-1 drugs are shaping the beverage industry:  Soda sales are taking a hit; but functional beverages are booming… Read more
• GLP-1 has changed the snack game: Here’s how to win it back:  GLP-1 users are rewriting the rules of appetite, texture and indulgence. Tate & Lyle’s latest research shows exactly where producers are missing the moment… Read more
• Could functional foods replace the need for GLP-1s?  As GLP-1 drugs disrupt the weight loss market, food and beverage players are racing to unlock the appetite-regulating power of functional ingredients… Read more

The Consumer Brands Association, formerly the Grocery Manufacturers of America (about as Big Ultra-Processed Food as you can get) has announced a transparency campaign ostensibly to promote the safety, affordability, and convenience of food products.

I learned about this from an e-mailed anouncement.

National Consumer Transparency Week…is the cornerstone of the Consumer Brands Association’s ongoing effort to support the CPG industry’s efforts to provide consumers thorough information while also emphasizing the safety, affordability and convenience of their products. The initiative also includes TV and digital advertising, backed up by SmartLabel, Facts up Front, Food Processing Facts and the Truth About Ingredients website.

Consumer confusion or misconceptions around processed food could lead to decreased diet quality, causing consumers to miss out on vital nutrients, an increased risk of food-borne illness, greater food waste, stigmatization of cultural or critical foods such as fortified grains, dietary supplements, plant-based proteins or infant formula, and exacerbate health disparities.

Myth: Food processing is harmful.

Fact: Food “processing” helps turn fresh farm goods into consumable food products. Standard processing methods include fermentation, dehydration, preservation, pasteurization and the use of preservatives to slow or stop the growth of certain pathogens. These steps help make foods more nutrient-dense, allowing them to remain affordable, safe and shelf-stable when they reach stores. Learn more about food processing here.

The Institute for Food Technology , which publishes Food Technology, has been exploring

the growing challenge of misinformation and the importance of building public trust in food science. Alongside highlights from IFT FIRST sessions on myth busting and consumer trust, it features Food Technology contributors and thought leaders examining how transparency, empathy, and effective communication can help bridge the gap between scientific evidence and public perception.

Here are some of the articles.

• Fighting Food Misinformation:  To counter science denial, lead with empathy, communication experts advise.
• How Food Companies Can Win Back Trust: Drawing on insights from the IFT FIRST session “How Can Food Companies Earn Trust While Combatting Misinformation?” Linda Eatherton outlines why credibility is the true currency of food innovation and how companies can strengthen reputation through empathy, transparency, and sustained communication. Read more
• A ‘Clear’ Path to Regaining Public Trust in Food and Beverage: Concerns about public trust in the food system have been part of the conversation for years—surfacing even at an IFT FIRST Scientific & Technical Forum in 2023 where experts from Edelman and IFIC discussed how fear and misinformation shape consumer confidence. They emphasized that transparency, speed, and empathy are essential for rebuilding credibility. Read more
• Building Relevance and Trust in the Food Sciences: IFT Immediate Past President Christopher Daubert calls for a balanced, evidence-based approach to debates over ultra-processed foods and reminds food professionals that facts alone are not enough—trust is built through transparency and shared values. Read more
• The Messy, Fine Art of Science Communication: Laura Lindenfeld of Stony Brook University’s Alan Alda Center discusses why empathy, storytelling, and listening are critical tools for scientists seeking to make their work heard and believed in an age of skepticism. She explains how communication grounded in trust and connection—not jargon or defensiveness—can help bridge the gap between scientific expertise and public understanding. Read more
• The Transformative Power of Positivity: Food scientist Kantha Shelke advocates for an “appreciative inquiry” approach to food communication—focusing on what’s strong, not what’s wrong—to shift public perception and reinforce trust in food science. She encourages food professionals to highlight innovation, progress, and the positive impact of scientific advances rather than emphasizing fear or limitation.  Read more
• ‘Ultra-Processed’ Foods and the Question of Consumer Trust:  Food scientist Matt Teegarden questions the Nova food classification system’s broad definition of ultra-processed foods and its influence on how consumers perceive healthfulness and trust in the food system. He calls for more precise, science-based frameworks to guide research, policy, and communication around diet and processing.  Read more

Comment: Here’s some simple advice to food companies worried about why the public doesn’t trust them or their products.  If you want to be trusted, behave in a trustworthy manner.

• Put public health and nutrition first.
• Don’t advertise ridiculous health claims.
• Don’t market ultra-procesed foods to kids.
• Don’t use your ingredient lists to obfuscate what’s in your products (e.g., sugar synonyms).
• If something is wrong, own up to it.
• Don’t condescend to your customers.
• Don’t try to convince them your products are healthy and environmentally sustainable if they are not.

Trusted companies have these rules built into their culture.

Their stockholders respect them for it.

So will their customers.

After 20 years, of being owned by Unilever, Ben & Jerry are unhappy about how that relationship is working out.  They say they are being silenced and their independence is being infringed upon.

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield, part of the duo whose names shaped the popular U.S. ice cream brand over the last half-century, has quit his role as “brand ambassador” after a rift and public feud with parent Unilever (ULVR.L), over the conflict in Gaza.

In an open letter shared by his business partner, Ben Cohen on social media, Greenfield said that the Vermont-based company – well-known for its social activism on progressive issues – had in recent years been “silenced” by Unilever, which is currently spinning off its Magnum ice cream unit that includes the Ben & Jerry’s brand.

That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever; one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governance structure in perpetuity. It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence – the very basis of our sale to Unilever – is gone.