The latest food and beverage industry news and trend analysis

KitKat kicks off its official Formula 1 partnership with a limited-edition retail product launch and a strategic marketing activation plan designed to engage younger demographics.

RäFoods has named John Rota as Chief Marketing Officer to operationalise its Living Nutrition platform and drive scalable market expansion through integrated storytelling and operational discipline.

McCormick has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery to release a limited-edition Harry Potter Butterbeer line, capitalising on iconic IP to drive consumer engagement in the baking and flavour category.

The relaunch, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film, follows a successful initial run and signals Keebler’s commitment to high-visibility collaborations.

The campaign highlights a growing trend in CPG marketing: rapidly deploying limited-edition, direct-to-consumer (DTC) bundles that capitalise on real-time social media conversations to drive trial for new core SKUs.

The visual overhaul follows a highly successful 2025 for the company, during which HIPPEAS reported achieving its most profitable year to date and a return to double-digit net sales growth.

Real American Beer (RAB), positioning itself as one of the fastest-growing light beers in the US, has announced its strategic expansion into the non-alcoholic beverage sector with the launch of Real American Beer ZERO (RAB ZERO).

The launch underscores a growing trend in the confectionery sector: utilising "mystery" flavours to gamify the consumption experience, thereby driving social media conversation and extending consumer interaction beyond the initial purchase.