JBT Marel has launched Sta-Fresh Flowable Wax 4000, a concentrated pineapple coating designed to simplify operations and help more fruit reach the market in sellable condition. Unveiled at the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Global Produce and Floral Show, the new formulation is positioned as an easier-to-handle alternative to paste-style waxes used to protect pineapples. With a 77% concentration, Sta-Fresh Flowable Wax 4000 is designed to eliminate the need to scoop, scrape, weigh and intensively mix paste-style waxes. JBT Marel said the higher concentration provides more usable product per drum, reducing water storage requirements and inventory footprint while supporting more efficient transportation and storage. The company said testing of the flowable wax demonstrated improved shelf-life extension following cold storage and improved DPA control compared with its Sta-Fresh 2952 coating. The formulation can also be paired with JBT Marel’s ProDose Pineapple Wax Dosing Machine, which provides automated dosing, Brix monitoring, concentration control and data logging. JBT Marel said the new coating was developed in response to producers seeking a more efficient way to protect marketable yield and reduce fruit waste. Fernando Edagi, site director and product line director at JBT Marel, said: “By eliminating the labour-intensive mixing process and increasing product concentration, we aren't just delivering a product; we're streamlining daily operations, extending shelf life, and helping our partners maximise their bottom line." The launch forms part of JBT Marel’s wider portfolio of food processing technologies focused on improving food yield and efficiency while reducing waste and resource use across the food supply chain. JBT Marel showcased Sta-Fresh Flowable Wax 4000 at booth 3419 at the IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show. The company also presented its Fresh’n Squeeze brand at the event, with the Fresh’n Squeeze 3300 Citrus Juicer on display at booth 2127. The recently released floor-standing citrus juicer features a touchscreen interface and can produce up to 90 ounces of juice per minute. JBT Marel said it can deliver up to 50% more juice yield per fruit compared with traditional cut-and-press methods.

Emma Curtis As tomorrow's World Food Day 2026 highlights the importance of innovation in food systems, Emma Curtis, managing director of Strong Roots, argues that changing what we eat is a powerful lever for building a more sustainable and resilient future. But that doesn’t require radical new consumption habits. One of the biggest opportunities lies in improving the foods consumers already know, love and buy every week. This year’s World Food Day theme, 'Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.', raises an important question for the food industry: what innovation will deliver the changes we need at scale? Food systems face scaling challenge Climate change is increasing pressure on agricultural production; natural resources are under growing strain and changing consumer priorities are rising across many markets – the need for change is pressing. Research from the EAT-Lancet Commission has highlighted the importance of shifting toward more plant-forward diets and transforming food production systems to build a healthier, more sustainable future. Equally, organisations such as Tilt Collective have pointed to the need for practical interventions that can shift consumption patterns towards more plant-forward choices at scale. However, much of the conversation around the solutions to these problems centres on breakthrough technologies, novel ingredients and entirely new categories of food. While these innovations have an important role to play, there is a risk that we overlook a simpler and potentially more scalable opportunity: improving the nutritional and environmental profile of the foods people already eat every day. However, the challenge is finding realistic pathways to get to the destination. Innovation only delivers impact when people embrace the products it creates. The overlooked opportunity: More vegetables on more plates One of the clearest opportunities lies in helping consumers eat more vegetables, more often. We already know that diets richer in vegetables can support better health outcomes while helping reduce pressure on food systems, yet awareness has often proved easier to build than behaviour change. Most consumers are not making food choices based on health or sustainability alone. They are balancing affordability, convenience, taste, habit and nutrition, often all at once. For manufacturers, that reality should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a barrier. If we want to encourage more sustainable diets, we need to make those choices more appealing and more accessible within existing eating habits. Making better choices easier The food industry often talks about changing consumer behaviour. A more useful question may be how we can work with existing behaviour instead. Research demonstrates that, when forced to, most will prioritise value and simplicity above all else. The most successful food innovations, therefore, tend to reduce those trade-offs rather than reinforce them. That means focusing on products that fit naturally into people's lives. Foods that consumers already recognise, enjoy and regularly buy often provide a far more effective route to impact than entirely new categories that require people to rethink the way they shop, cook or eat. Food manufacturers should therefore judge innovation by its impact, and ask how familiar foods can be improved through better ingredients, better production methods and better agricultural practices – such as incorporating regenerative farming and sustainable sourcing. Reinventing familiar foods By improving foods that already have a place in consumers' shopping baskets and freezer aisles, consumers aren't asked to abandon familiar favourites. As part of the wider McCain Foods family, we see first-hand how food-system resilience depends on both how food is grown and produced. Regenerative agriculture practices can strengthen the long-term resilience of food production, while continuing to bring innovation to how familiar foods are made more sustainably. It is a reminder that meaningful change can happen across the entire food system, from the way ingredients are grown to the way everyday foods are produced and enjoyed. The broader lesson is that innovation does not always require entirely new categories. Sometimes the biggest impact comes from improving the ones that already exist. Health, sustainability and innovation at scale As World Food Day prompts reflection on the future of food, it is worth remembering that resilience is not built through technology alone, it is built through adoption. Too often, food innovation is discussed through a single lens, whether health, sustainability or technology. In reality, successful innovation combines all these priorities, alongside taste and convenience. A healthier product that fails to deliver on taste is unlikely to achieve widespread adoption, while a sustainable product that is inconvenient to prepare may struggle to fit into busy lives. The most effective innovations are often those that fit seamlessly into people's lives, helping them eat more vegetables and make better choices without demanding entirely new behaviours. Building a more resilient food system is unlikely to depend on asking consumers to reinvent their lifestyles. More often, it will depend on reinventing the foods they already love.

The Ministry of Future Affairs has launched a new regulatory learning platform aimed at helping novel-food developers navigate the EU authorisation process and informing future pre-submission advice. The New Foods RegLab, announced on 15 October 2026, will bring together novel-food applicants, regulatory experts and policymakers to identify gaps in how companies interpret and apply existing guidance. The initiative forms part of the Ministry of Future Affairs’ first Future Prototype, Building on Draghi: Regulatory Learning With The New Foods RegLab, which proposes greater collaboration between EU Member States, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission. The organisation argues that expanded pre-submission advice under the proposed Biotech Act I could provide greater support to individual applicants, but says a broader system for sharing regulatory learnings could help improve the process across the sector. The New Foods RegLab will therefore operate as a cross-border regulatory learning platform, with anonymised findings from participating companies intended to inform discussions around the future design of pre-submission advice. The statutory timeframe for the EU pre-market authorisation process for novel foods is 18-24 months. However, the Ministry of Future Affairs said the process takes an average of two and a half years in practice, with some applications taking more than five years. An independent analysis of 292 applications cited in the paper found significant variation in authorisation timelines. Administrative procedures during the validation stage and requests for additional data during scientific evaluation were identified as contributors to extended timelines. According to the Ministry, these delays are linked in part to knowledge transfer and process design rather than the underlying authorisation rules. It said applicants, consultants and national authorities are currently learning similar lessons independently, while there is no institutionalised mechanism for transferring knowledge gained at national level to EU regulators. The organisation also highlighted a decline in specialised novel-food expertise among Member States. The proposed regulatory learning model would seek to address these gaps by creating a mechanism through which applicants and national authorities can share insights and experiences, helping regulators better understand the practical challenges involved in preparing novel-food applications. The Future Prototype proposes an opt-in approach involving willing Member States. Under Biotech Act I, the Ministry suggests a targeted provision that would enable Member States to establish joint regulatory dialogue and learning platforms covering emerging biotechnologies, including food biomanufacturing. Biotech Act II could subsequently provide a longer-term legal and funding framework for shared tools, cross-border training and structured reporting of findings. Potential funding routes could include Horizon Europe or the European Competitiveness Fund. The proposed model would also establish a formalised regulatory learning loop. Participating Member States would report their findings, with the European Commission publishing the learnings and facilitating cross-border exchange so that insights could also reach countries not directly participating in the platforms. The Ministry said the approach would build on existing opt-in models within EU legislation, including national AI regulatory sandboxes established under the AI Act and the European Forum for Innovation Facilitators in financial services. Participation in the proposed regulatory learning platforms would be voluntary and would not provide authorisation or create new regulatory powers. The Ministry said safety standards would also remain unchanged. The first cohort of the New Foods RegLab is scheduled to take place in Brussels in January 2027. Up to 10 non-competing companies will participate, covering different product categories and company sizes. The programme is open to companies preparing to bring a novel food to the EU market, including businesses established outside the EU that are preparing to enter the region. Participants will take part in a two-day programme with food-safety regulatory experts who have more than 15 years’ experience of taking novel-food dossiers through the EU authorisation process. The programme will examine participants’ regulatory positions and strategies, identifying potential gaps and next steps. It will also include a policy session focused on the introduction of pre-submission advice under Biotech Act I and II. Companies will not need to have completed an EU dossier or developed a fully formed regulatory strategy to participate. The workshop will be led by Atova Regulatory Consulting on behalf of the Ministry of Future Affairs and will operate under the Chatham House Rule. Anonymised findings will subsequently be shared with EFSA and the European Commission as part of policy recommendations relating to expanded pre-submission advice. Applications for the first cohort close on 30 November 2026. The Ministry said improving the predictability and efficiency of novel-food authorisation could have wider implications for European food innovation, investment and supply-chain resilience. It argued that although Europe continues to invest in food research and innovation, technologies and companies can move overseas before reaching commercial scale, particularly to the US. The paper also links novel-food regulation with the EU's strategic autonomy, citing the region's growing dependence on imported inputs critical to its food supply, many of which are manufactured in China. The Ministry said an efficient approval process is therefore important not only for individual food-tech companies but for the wider agrifood value chain. It also highlighted the role of public investment in developing European manufacturing capacity. Manufacturing infrastructure supported through initiatives such as the biotechnology IPCEI for food and feed could deliver greater value if operators and assessors have a shared understanding of what is required for an efficient novel-food authorisation process. Anna Handschuh, founder and managing director of the Ministry of Future Affairs, said: “The EU wants to introduce a much broader pre-submission advice for novel-food applicants. However, this would only help one applicant at a time. Shared cross-border learning platforms as enhanced collaboration mechanisms can inform a whole system and support food safety, competitiveness and strategic autonomy.” Handsuh added that the UK's regulatory sandbox for cultivated meat demonstrated how regulatory learning could help regulators keep pace with scientific development while maintaining food-safety standards. She said Biotech Act I and II could provide a framework for regulatory learning without changing existing safety requirements. The New Foods RegLab is being run by the Ministry of Future Affairs in collaboration with Atova Regulatory Consulting, with support from the Dutch Province of Zuid-Holland, LIOF and ROM-Nederland.

A US federal court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by precision fermentation company Onego Bio against The Every Company, bringing an end to the latest legal dispute between the two companies over patents covering the production of ovalbumin. The companies are among a growing number of businesses developing animal-free egg proteins using precision fermentation, a technology that uses microorganisms to produce specific proteins without relying on conventional egg production. The US District Court for the District of Delaware ruled that Every had not made a patent infringement claim against Onego Bio and declined to issue the declaratory judgment sought by Onego. The court did not rule on the validity of Every’s US Patent No. 12,096,784, nor did it determine whether Onego Bio infringes the patent. The dispute centres on the production of ovalbumin, the primary protein found in egg white, through precision fermentation. Every produces ovalbumin using yeast, while Onego Bio uses the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei. Onego, a spin-out of Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre, filed the lawsuit in September 2025 seeking a declaration that its technology did not infringe Every’s patent. It also argued that the patent was invalid and unenforceable. Onego had argued that statements made by Every to investors created uncertainty over whether it could face an infringement claim and that the company had indicated Onego would need a licence to use its technology. However, the Delaware court found that Every had not taken an affirmative step indicating that it intended to sue Onego or assert the ’784 patent against it. According to Onego, the court stated that Every had “never singled-out the ’784 Patent or accused Onego of infringing it”. The court also characterised Every’s reported statements to investors, even if they had been made, as “forms of puffing rather than actual threats”. Onego said it had sought the declaratory judgment as a precautionary measure to protect technology developed through decades of research at VTT and provide greater certainty for customers and companies operating in the precision fermentation sector. The company added that its Trichoderma production technology is fundamentally different from EVERY’s approach and that Every’s patent does not disclose how to produce ovalbumin using the organism. Following the ruling, Onego Bio CEO and co-founder Maija Itkonen said the company would focus on commercialising its Bioalbumen product in the US. “We welcome the decision that there is no infringement claim against Onego, no challenge to our freedom to operate, and no litigation between us anymore,” she said. “Our team is busy shipping metric tons of Bioalbumen and selling to US customers, and the response has been incredible.” Itkonen added that there was room for multiple companies in the precision-fermented egg protein market, arguing that increased competition could help expand the category and give customers greater choice. The latest ruling follows the dismissal of a parallel case in Wisconsin in May 2026 on jurisdictional grounds. With the Delaware case now closed, Onego said there is no ongoing litigation between the two companies.

Following Beyond Meat's expansion into the beverage category, the company has launched Beyond Immerse Energy, a sparkling beverage combining plant protein, fibre, antioxidants, electrolytes and caffeine. The new drink is available in Cherry Berry and Watermelon Strawberry flavours and is launching exclusively through Beyond Meat’s website in the US. Beyond Immerse Energy contains 20g of protein and 5g of fibre per serving, alongside vitamin A from beta-carotene and electrolytes. The beverage is made without dairy or GMOs. The new product also provides 160mg of caffeine per serving, sourced from coffee beans. Beyond Meat said the launch is intended to combine the energy boost associated with traditional energy drinks with nutritional attributes including plant protein and fibre. Ethan Brown, founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, said: “Energy shouldn’t mean choosing between a boost and good nutrition. Beyond Immerse Energy brings caffeine from coffee beans together with plant protein, fibre, antioxidants, and electrolytes in one refreshing drink.” Alongside the energy drink launch, Beyond Meat has introduced three new flavours to its existing Beyond Immerse sparkling protein drink range. Watermelon Strawberry is available now, while Limoncello Ginger and Yuzu Grapefruit are set to launch soon. The new flavours join the existing Peach Mango, Strawberry Lemonade and Cherry Berry variants, bringing the Beyond Immerse range to six flavours. The company said the wider portfolio is designed to provide consumers with plant protein, fibre, antioxidants and electrolytes in a convenient sparkling format, with Beyond Immerse Energy adding caffeine for occasions when consumers are seeking an energy boost. Beyond Immerse and Beyond Immerse Energy each provide 20g of protein and 5g of fibre per serving. The drinks are also made with electrolytes and contain vitamin A from beta-carotene.

Trubar has launched Trubar Pro, a new range of plant-based protein bars now available in Target stores nationwide in the US, targeting consumers seeking high-protein snacks with simplified ingredient profiles and dessert-inspired flavours. Each bar contains 18g of plant protein and 12g of fibre, with a protein blend made from brown rice and pea protein. The range is sweetened with monk fruit and formulated without gluten, dairy, soy, sugar alcohols or seed oils. The launch comprises three flavours: Chocolate Pea-nut Job, Caramel But Make It Salty and Cake It 'Til You Make It. The collection aims to combine higher protein content and fibre with flavours inspired by familiar sweet treats. Trubar Pro enters a protein bar category in which brands are increasingly seeking to balance nutritional composition, ingredient preferences and taste. Its plant-based formulation also positions the range for consumers looking for alternatives to dairy-based protein products. Alongside its nationwide Target launch, Trubar Pro is available through CVS, Wegmans, Big Y, Lowe's Grocery, the brand's direct-to-consumer website and Amazon.

Biotechnology company Mycofeast has today (15 October 2026) announced its acquisition of New Zealand-based precision fermentation start-up Daisy Lab. Mycofeast was founded in 2023 and is headquartered in Oxford, UK, with a biotechnology facility in California, US, and 16-million-litre fermentation plant in Poland. The company’s portfolio includes carotenoids, dairy proteins and other biologically produced ingredients and compounds, powered by its innovation engine Evolutia Bio. The platform combines AI discovery, high-throughput screening and genetic engineering capabilities, with capabilities in strain development, biosynthesis, enzyme design, fermentation scale-up and industrial production. Daisy Lab, based in Auckland and founded in 2021, develops proteins claimed to be bioidentical to dairy proteins through precision fermentation. One of its key focuses is lactoferrin, a high-value milk protein with applications across various specialised nutrition and health categories, while it has also developed wider capabilities in recombinant dairy proteins. © Matt Queree The deal, the financial terms of which were not disclosed, aligns with Mycofeast’s strategy to integrate capabilities that can help address the fragmentation between scientific discovery, strain and process development, industrial manufacturing and access to market. Witek Hruzewicz, Mycofeast’s CEO, said: “The sector has no shortage of exceptional science. The harder problem is connecting that science with process development, industrial manufacturing, capital and commercial markets quickly enough – and with economics that actually work.” “Daisy Lab brings a strong dairy protein platform, proven scale-up capability and a talented New Zealand team into that system. It is highly complementary to what we are building.” Daisy Lab has progressed its technology platform from lab development to 500-litre fermentation while building in-house expertise across molecular biology, fermentation, downstream processing and scale-up. The deal will enable Mycofeast to expand into the Asia-Pacific market, while for Daisy Lab, the deal allows it to move beyond the limitations of a standalone start-up model, the company’s co-founder and CEO, Irina Miller, said. “Mycofeast gives us access to a much broader scientific, manufacturing and commercial platform while allowing the expertise developed by the Daisy Lab team to contribute across a much larger organisation,” Miller added. Daisy Lab’s founders will take on roles within the wider Mycofeast group, extending their involvement beyond the New Zealand business and contributing to broader development. Its lactoferrin programme will continue to be developed within the group, working closely with the Evolutia Bio R&D team in California and Mycofeast’s wider engineering, commercial and manufacturing operations.

FoodBev spoke with Jean-Gabriel Mollard, event director of SIAL Paris to find out what’s in store for the 2026 event, taking place from 17-21 October. Jean-Gabriel Mollard First held in 1964, the biennial event is one of the world’s largest trade shows for the food and beverage industry. Read on to find out more. What can visitors can expect from this year’s show? SIAL Paris 2026 will be an incredible edition because we will have over 8,000 exhibitors, and we are expecting around 300,000 professionals on site during the five days of the show. What’s amazing is that we have 130 countries exhibiting, which makes it incredibly diverse, with over 400,000 products. It’s a generalist show for food and beverage, so it means that we have every kind of product. That’s really amazing because it allows us to gain a very interesting understanding of what’s trending, why, and the cultural side of things as well. We are monitoring innovation because it’s in the DNA of the show. We exist to point out what’s new in the industry because it’s a place where professionals gather – exhibitors, visitors, distributors, importers, wholesalers and foodservice operators. They are all coming to do business, find new suppliers and discover new products. But they are also coming to network and learn about what’s happening in the industry and what’s likely to happen in the coming years. What are some of the key trends you have observed across the food and beverage industry this year that you expect to see addressed in the innovations showcased at SIAL Paris 2026? Usually we have three mega trends a year. We couldn't do that [this year] because it was very diverse. What I can point out is that there is a very big push around personal individualisation. Consumers want the way they eat to be easily adaptable to their lifestyles. So it means that rituals are evolving and everyone is expecting the food business to follow. They should find whatever they need, wherever they are. So that's something that is building up and gaining traction. We felt this for a few years already and it can be stronger in certain markets than others, but globally it's gaining a lot of traction. Plant-based food is moving beyond meat alternatives or cheese alternatives. It's more diverse. It's turning to hybridisation and snacking. If there is more and more people that wants to have plant-based meals, they as well want to have plant-based snacks. So it's interesting because we used to have very strong opposition between the plant-based and animal protein. There's still that kind of friction, but there's a maturation in the plant-based market. Consumers like to eat local. Why? Because local is reassuring. So this is not something new, but what's very interesting is that it’s mixing, because there is attraction for finding local food from somewhere else in the world. For example, you are in the UK and you want to eat Italian food. You don’t just want to eat Italian food, you want to eat this particular cheese from Puglia because it comes from a particular village, it’s a goat’s cheese, and those goats eat a certain kind of leaves. Storytelling is becoming more and more important. Having all of those details and the story behing a product is considered by consumers to be a sign of quality. It can be fake, but most of the time, it’s quite accurate. What's interesting there is that consumers are focusing on wellbeing, more than just general health. Consumers are looking for personalisation. They’re not just looking for food that is good for their body or good for their health. They want that, but they want it for a specific purpose. They want to eat food because it’s good for sleep or it’s good for sports performance. So we’re seeing the offer expanding around more specific health benefits. Snacking and street food are really interesting because it doesn't mean that the dining or fixed meal is dying, it's evolving. Consumers have a lot of choice in everything, but they also have a lot of constraints. There are constraints around money, the cost of living and the cost of food. So we see a lot of products that are either trying to be better products, but less expensive. This is a trend that is expanding as well. And they find ways of doing that, maybe by simplifying the ingredient list or changing ingredients to use cheaper ones that are still good for health. Finding alternatives that are better for the planet because they’re not coming from the other side of the world, but also because they are less expensive. That can be the case for chocolate or coffee. You can say everything you want about preserving the planet, but most of the time, it comes back to price. We see a lot of alternatives to coffee that are proposing less expensive solutions. And that’s quite interesting when the price of coffee is fluctuating a lot, for example. Back to snacking and street food, it’s exploding because it's in the 'codes', it's in the 'codes' of the way of living, but also in the 'codes' with our digital lives. Social media is always changing the way the market is behaving and the way we are informing ourselves. So, this is making street food more and more desirable. Are there any specific areas of technological innovation that you’re expecting to make a big impact at the show? There's a lot of technological innovation at the show. SIAL Paris has a lot of exhibitors that are proposing new solutions or products that are made possible by technology. So we see a lot of AI and data becoming increasingly important across the whole food value chain, from research and development to product formulation and consumer understanding. Which is very interesting because it means that technology is not only used to develop products, but it’s also useful, obviously, in marketing. Consumers are increasingly interested in performance. They want to monitor everything, and we see a lot of collaboration between food producers and technology providers What’s new at this year’s event? We are launching a new feature, StrEat Lab, [where you can] experience a street of Paris but within the show. You’ll find places where you can buy food, featuring street food concepts from different countries. That will be a very interesting new area of the show. We also have SIAL Bakery, which is a new feature, obviously around bakery because there is lots of thing going on in the bakery field, both in terms of products and the way of consumers are going to bakery shops and consuming those products. Our AI matchmaking tool has a dedicated team. It's a gigantic show, right? So when you're a visitor, it's sometimes a bit difficult to decide which exhibitor you should go and see. Once you register as a visitor or as an exhibitor, you just enter in your profile and what you're interested in and why. The matchmaking tool will make a proposition about who you should meet and why. And you can even plan meetings for the five days of the show. SIAL Analytics is a digital platform, where you can find everything about food intelligence and business intelligence related to food. It's for companies working in the food sector: producers, wholesalers, distributors, consultants. Who are the hottest new players in the industry? Which big group are investing in which trend? Which trends are emerging or consolidating?, etc. SIAL for Change is again, a new feature we launched in 2024. It was a competition amongst our exhibitors around CSR and sustainability. We wanted to put forward the exhibitors that have interesting and important initiatives around sustainability and CSR in general. So this year, in 2026, we expanded that. You can go and visit this area, where there's a stage, and during those five days of the show, there will be speakers, keynotes, roundtables around CSR. It's important that the companies understand that there are not only constraints, but also ways they can integrate [sustainability] into their businesses and how that will help them to differentiate from their competitors. What opportunities can attending SIAL Paris bring for professionals across the global food ecosystem? The opportunities are clearly to discover new companies, new products, new initiatives, new technologies and new markets. It’s a place to discover innovations, not only products, but global innovations. It’s a huge place to network, and there are plenty of opportunities there. We are here to turn that into actionable intelligence and really concrete business opportunities. What I really want to push forward is that everything, in the end, relates to business. Whether you come here for knowledge, you come here for networking or you come here to sign deals.

Navigating the world of modern food production can feel like running a never-ending race. Costs across the board are rising, regulatory changes, such as HFSS limits and the rise of Nutri-Score, are reshaping formulation strategies – and on top of it all – today’s consumers can be a tough crowd to satisfy. What brands really need are formulation ‘play-makers’: ingredients that can help keep production efficient and profitable, while also delivering the delicious, healthy and clean-label foods shoppers want. Natural, nutritious and bursting with potential – vegetables are ready to step up to the plate. Long treated as a supporting player in savoury applications, vegetable ingredients – such as purees, concentrates and not-from-concentrate juices – are increasingly being recognised as the ‘most-valued-players’ for what the range they can do at the centre of a formulation. Their natural vibrant colours and flavours, combined with instantly recognisable nutritional benefits, give R&D teams a credible route to improving Nutri-Score and HFSS outcomes without the need for artificial inclusions. In our new guide to winning with vegetable ingredients, you can explore key vegetables and varieties, find inspiration from consumer-led application insights and recipe ideas, and learn how the right supply partner can help you build success – from field to factory to fork. Whether you’re focusing on snacks, soups, sauces, or quick and tasty ready meals, download our all-in-one guide to discover your veggie-based route to NPD success. Get the edge from veg. Bet on SVZ. Download the guide here to discover how vegetables can kick off your next formulation project.

A group of US consumers has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and a number of dairy cooperatives, alleging that a long-running export assistance programme artificially restricted domestic dairy supply and contributed to higher prices for milk, cheese and butter. The complaint, filed on 5 October 2026 in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, names NMPF and 13 dairy cooperatives as defendants, including Dairy Farmers of America, Darigold, Tillamook County Creamery Association and Prairie Farms Dairy. The plaintiffs are seeking injunctive relief under federal antitrust law, as well as damages under state antitrust and consumer protection statutes. The allegations centre on Cooperatives Working Together (CWT), a voluntary, producer-funded programme developed and managed by NMPF. The programme was subsequently rebranded as the NEXT Program, although the complaint continues to refer to it as CWT. According to the complaint, CWT's Export Assistance programme enabled member cooperatives to use voluntary contributions to subsidise exports of US dairy products. The plaintiffs allege that this mechanism diverted dairy products away from the domestic market without creating additional production, reducing the available supply of products such as cheese and butter. They claim that the resulting supply restriction allowed domestic dairy prices to rise above competitive levels, with the effects ultimately being passed through the dairy supply chain to consumers. The complaint alleges that as much as 70% of US dairy-marketing cooperatives participated in the programme and that the conduct resulted in consumers paying “supracompetitive prices” for dairy products from 1 January 2018 onwards. The plaintiffs argue that the alleged conduct affected the wider dairy market because raw milk is an important input for a range of products. They claim that restricting milk supply could increase the prices of butter and cheese, while also feeding through into regulated minimum milk prices under the US Federal Milk Marketing Order system. The complaint acknowledges that CWT was revamped and replaced by the NEXT programme in 2025. According to information cited in the filing from NMPF, NEXT is a voluntary, export-focused programme designed to support the sale of US dairy products overseas and improve the alignment between domestic milk supply and demand. Member cooperatives fund the programme through contributions based on the volume of milk marketed. The filing also cites NMPF's statement that, between July 2025 and July 2026, NEXT committed export assistance on more than 315 million pounds of dairy products destined for international markets. This was described by NMPF as 73% more volume than in 2024, while costing members half the CWT assessment. The plaintiffs, however, allege that the change from CWT to NEXT did not end the conduct at issue in the lawsuit. The complaint also points to previous antitrust litigation involving CWT. It states that CWT previously settled two antitrust cases for a combined total of almost $272 million. One case settled for $220 million in 2020, while another settled for $52 million in 2016. The filing stresses that the current allegations concern what it describes as a different mechanism from those earlier cases. The plaintiffs further allege that an earlier CWT initiative, the Herd Retirement Program, involved participating dairy farmers agreeing to remove cows from their herds between 2003 and 2010, thereby limiting raw milk production. Those supply restrictions were previously the subject of litigation that has since settled. The case could have implications beyond the farm gate, as the complaint argues that higher raw milk costs were transmitted through processors, distributors and retailers to consumers. The plaintiffs define the relevant market as US retail and wholesale dairy products, including fluid milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt and ice cream, among other products derived from raw milk. They argue that because raw milk is a common input across these categories, retailers had limited opportunities to avoid higher costs by switching suppliers, resulting in the alleged overcharges being passed down the supply chain. The lawsuit alleges violations of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, alongside state antitrust and consumer protection laws and claims for unjust enrichment. The plaintiffs are seeking injunctive relief, actual and treble damages where permitted, as well as legal costs, fees and interest. The allegations contained in the complaint have not been established in court, and the filing represents the plaintiffs' claims. The case will determine whether those claims can proceed and, ultimately, whether the defendants are liable for the alleged conduct.

Swiss dairy company Emmi has launched Emmi Melts, a new range of melting cheeses designed to bring Alpine-style dining and informal sharing occasions into the home. Drawing on Emmi’s fondue heritage, which dates back to 1913, the range has been developed around the concept of “Melt Together”, with three formats designed for easy preparation and sharing. The collection comprises Classic Fondue, Classic Raclette and Classic Swiss Cheese Dip, offering consumers different ways to incorporate melted cheese into social eating occasions. All three products contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. The 400g Classic Fondue has an RRP of £5.75 and is designed for dipping and sharing around the table. Classic Raclette, priced at £4.70 for 200g, can be melted over a range of dishes, while the 150g Classic Swiss Cheese Dip, with an RRP of £2.95, is positioned as an accompaniment to grazing and sharing spreads. Emmi said the range has been designed to require minimal preparation, allowing consumers to spend less time in the kitchen while creating a more interactive dining experience. The launch comes as consumers increasingly embrace informal hosting and shared food occasions at home, according to the company. Emmi said Alpine-inspired formats such as fondue and raclette offer an opportunity to make meals more sociable by encouraging diners to participate in the preparation and serving of food. The company said Emmi Melts is intended to broaden the appeal of melting cheese beyond traditional seasonal and special-occasion consumption. Sarah Meyer, Emmi Cheese Brand Accelerator Manager, said: “With our fondue expertise dating back to 1913, we know that melted cheese has a natural ability to bring people together. That’s the thinking behind Emmi Melts – making it incredibly simple to create those moments at home.” She added that the range provides an opportunity for hosts to create shared occasions with minimal preparation, while allowing consumers to customise how the products are served. “For retailers, we see a clear opportunity to broaden the role of melting cheese beyond traditional festive occasions and make it relevant to more informal hosting moments throughout the year,” Meyer said. Emmi Melts Classic Fondue, Classic Raclette and Classic Swiss Cheese Dip will launch at Tesco from 19 October. The range forms part of Emmi’s wider cheese portfolio, which includes Swiss specialities such as Kaltbach and Alpine-inspired products, alongside goat’s cheese brand Bettine.

Leon Grocery is expanding its at-home range with the launch of Yellowfin Sole Gluten-Free Tartare Breaded Goujons, combining delicate fish with a crunchy, herb-led coating inspired by the classic sauce. Made with Yellowfin Sole, the new goujons feature a crisp, gluten-free crumb infused with the tangy, herby flavours associated with classic tartare sauce. By incorporating these flavours directly into the coating, the product aims to deliver a more flavourful alternative to conventional breaded fish while complementing the delicate texture of the sole. The launch is entirely gluten-free and high in protein, positioning the product as a versatile option for consumers seeking convenient meal solutions. Suitable for quick lunches, easy evening meals and sharing plates, the goujons are designed to offer flexibility across a range of at-home eating occasions. The new product also reflects Leon Grocery’s wider strategy of translating the flavours and ideas developed in its restaurants into retail products that help consumers recreate enjoyable meals at home, combining convenience with a focus on flavour. Miriam Rose, head of grocery at Leon, said: “Yellowfin Sole and tartare sauce are such a natural pairing, so we wanted to find a way to bring those flavours together in every bite. The tartare-inspired crumb gives the goujons plenty of crunch and flavour while keeping them completely gluten-free. They’re simple, delicious and incredibly versatile, exactly the kind of thing we want people to be able to keep in the freezer for an easy meal whenever they need it.” Leon Grocery Yellowfin Sole Gluten-Free Tartare Breaded Goujons will launch at Sainsbury’s and Ocado from mid-October.