The latest food and beverage industry news and trend analysis

The Mark Anthony Group of Companies, the parent organisation behind White Claw® Hard Seltzer, has acquired The Finnish Long Drink. The deal aims to leverage Mark Anthony’s proven scaling infrastructure to accelerate the North American expansion of the heritage-based ready-to-drink (RTD) brand.

Clean Food Group (CFG) has secured a £4.5 million investment alongside a £700,000 Innovate UK grant to finalise the scale-up of its 1 million-litre fermentation facility, positioning the UK as a global hub for yeast-derived sustainable oils and fats.

Kemin Industries is advancing livestock biosecurity with the debut of EDIE Generation 2, an automated water disinfection system that integrates real-time monitoring and mobile connectivity to optimise chlorine dioxide application in poultry and livestock operations.

Lidl is set to transform its telecommunications offering by becoming a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) in partnership with 1GLOBAL, supported by a 9.9% equity stake from the Schwarz Group and a five-year exclusive technology agreement.

Prodalim is expanding its patented Solos aroma recovery and de-alcoholization platform with a new facility in Hopland, California, strategically positioned to support the fast-growing NoLo beverage segment in the United States.

Conagra Brands has appointed industry veteran John Brase as its next President and CEO, effective June 1, 2026. Brase, who brings deep expertise from The J.M. Smucker Co. and Procter & Gamble, succeeds Sean Connolly following a decade-long transformation of the company into a pure-play food leader.

Nestlé and Starbucks are expanding the Global Coffee Alliance with the launch of Starbucks Coffee Craft, a premium coffee concentrate designed to capitalise on the high-growth cold coffee segment across Europe and Asia.

Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd has appointed Richard Allen as its next CEO, effective May 1, 2026, signalling a focus on internal continuity and the cooperative's evolution into a global B2B dairy provider.