Häagen-Dazs is expanding its US portfolio with six new ice cream products as the premium brand leans into indulgence-led innovation to sustain growth in a pressured consumer environment. The launches include take-home cartons, ice cream bars and mini formats, led by a Dark Cherry Truffle tub and Cherry Dark Chocolate bars. Other additions include Coffee Almond Toffee and Peanut Butter Brittle 14-ounce cartons, Toasted Coconut Crunch bars and Dulce de Leche mini bars. The new flavours emphasise layered inclusions and textural contrast – a strategy increasingly used by premium ice cream brands to differentiate products and defend pricing. Dark Cherry Truffle combines cherry vanilla ice cream with tart cherry sauce and soft cocoa truffles, while the Cherry Dark Chocolate bar pairs cherry ice cream and sauce with a dark chocolate coating, offering a balance of sweetness and acidity. Coffee Almond Toffee features Brazilian coffee ice cream with buttery toffee pieces and California almonds. Peanut Butter Brittle blends peanut butter ice cream with praline peanuts and caramel ripples. The Toasted Coconut Crunch bar combines coconut ice cream with milk chocolate, toasted coconut flakes and crunchy cone pieces, and the Dulce de Leche mini bars deliver a caramel-forward profile in a portion-controlled format. The move reflects a broader strategy among premium ice cream makers to focus on value growth rather than volume, as higher input costs and cautious consumer spending continue to weigh on the wider food sector. Richer flavours, layered inclusions and premium formats allow brands to defend margins while positioning ice cream as an 'affordable luxury'. “This year, we’re inviting consumers to slow down and savour,” said Rachel Jaiven, head of marketing at Häagen-Dazs, adding that the new products were designed to encourage more deliberate, indulgent consumption. Premium ice cream has remained relatively resilient compared with mass-market ranges, with shoppers more willing to trade up within discretionary categories even as they cut back elsewhere. The expanded range also underscores the importance of format diversification, with Häagen-Dazs adding to both its core 14-ounce cartons and its mini bars range. Portion-controlled premium products have become an increasingly important lever for manufacturers seeking to balance indulgence with moderation trends, while maintaining higher price points. In the US, the new 14-ounce cartons are priced at $6.99, while three-count bars retail at $6.49 and six-count mini bars at $7.49, according to the company. Häagen-Dazs operates in the US under Froneri, the ice cream-focused joint venture formed by Nestlé and private equity firm PAI Partners in 2016, with US operations run by Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream. Froneri has been expanding its premium offerings globally as manufacturers navigate rising ingredient, energy and logistics costs.

Nichols is stepping up its expansion in the energy drinks category with the launch of Vimto Energy Tropical Cooler. The new SKU will launch on 19 February 2026, following a seven-week exclusivity period with Spar, and will be available in a 500ml can. Angela Reay, marketing director at Nichols, said: “We are really excited by the launch of Vimto Energy Tropical Cooler, the latest product in our growing Energy range, which has been developed to specifically target the convenience and wholesale channels". Energy drinks now account for over 5 billion drinking occasions annually in the UK, generating £3.8 billion in value, with the category forecast to grow by £678 million between 2024 and 2030. Flavoured energy remains a key growth driver, representing one in five energy drinks sold, while tropical flavours are growing at +12% year on year. Vimto Energy has already demonstrated strong momentum, with sales up +85% year on year, and is delivering incremental value for retailers by appealing to a broader audience, including lighter and non-energy drinkers. The brand is positioned around more accessible, everyday energy occasions, targeting Morning Energy and Afternoon Boost demand spaces that align closely with convenience shopping missions. "Flavoured energy and price-marked packs are delivering strong growth in impulse, and this launch brings both together in a trusted, mainstream brand," Reay continued "The Tropical Cooler flavour delivers a sense of escapism while staying true to Vimto Energy’s inclusive proposition, helping retailers attract new shoppers, drive repeat purchase and unlock incremental category growth". The product has been developed to meet the growing ‘Enhance My Body & Mind’ consumer need, combining functionality with taste and refreshment. Key credentials include being zero sugar, high in vitamins B6 and B12, and made with natural caffeine and real fruit juice, supporting more health-permissible choices without compromising on flavour.

A former senior risk manager at Mars has been sentenced to more than five years in prison after defrauding the global confectionery group of over $28 million through a long-running scheme that exploited agricultural export credits, internal controls and dividend payments. Paul R Steed, 59, of Stamford, Connecticut, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and tax offences linked to his role at Mars Wrigley, where he oversaw aspects of the company’s global cocoa and sugar price risk management. The case highlights how food manufacturers’ reliance on complex commodity risk management functions, government-backed export incentive schemes and third-party administrators can create blind spots if oversight and verification processes are weak, particularly when responsibilities are concentrated in a single senior role. Court documents show Steed used his position to divert funds between 2011-2023 by setting up shell companies that closely resembled legitimate Mars entities, enabling him to redirect payments from suppliers, financial intermediaries and US government-backed programmes into accounts he controlled. The case highlights vulnerabilities facing large food manufacturers that rely on complex commodity sourcing, hedging strategies and export incentive schemes – particularly when these are managed remotely and across multiple jurisdictions. Steed’s most significant fraud involved the US Department of Agriculture’s Sugar-Containing Products Re-Export Program, which allows manufacturers to earn credits for exporting goods containing US-sourced sugar. Prosecutors said Steed created a company, MCNA LLC, designed to mimic Mars Chocolate North America, and instructed sugar refiners purchasing Mars’s re-export credits to pay the shell entity instead. More than $15 million was siphoned off through the scheme. The programme, widely used by large confectionery and processed food manufacturers, relies on credit trading between exporters, refiners and intermediaries, creating multiple payment touchpoints that can be vulnerable to misdirection if controls are insufficient. In a separate strand of the fraud, Steed diverted more than $700,000 in dividend payments linked to Mars’ ownership stake in Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the operator of global commodities and derivatives markets. He later used forged authorisation letters to sell Mars’s ICE shares outright in 2023, depositing proceeds of more than $11.3 million into the same fraudulent account. Mars also paid more than $700,000 to another Steed-owned company, Ibera LLC, for services that were never provided, prosecutors said. Steed failed to declare the stolen income on his federal tax returns for nearly a decade, resulting in more than $10 million in unpaid taxes, according to the Internal Revenue Service. US District Judge Kari A Dooley ordered Steed to pay $28.4 million in restitution to Mars and $10.3 million to the IRS. Authorities have already seized more than $18 million from Steed’s bank accounts and are seeking to recover a Greenwich, Connecticut, property purchased with stolen funds, as well as money transferred to Argentina, where Steed holds dual citizenship. Mars, one of the world’s largest food companies with brands spanning confectionery, pet food and packaged foods, was not accused of wrongdoing. The company has not publicly commented on the case. Law enforcement officials said the investigation underscored the importance of forensic accounting and cross-agency cooperation in uncovering sophisticated corporate fraud. Large F&B manufacturers are increasingly participating in government export programmes and financial markets to manage volatile input costs, particularly for commodities such as sugar and cocoa, underscoring the importance of robust governance and independent oversight of pricing, hedging and incentive mechanisms. Steed was arrested in March 2025 and is due to report to prison in March.

2nd Nature, developer of the AgWaste Portal intelligent upcycling platform, has launched its first portfolio of AI-discovered functional ingredients, including non-calorie natural sweeteners and non-sodium umami enhancers. Discovered in the side streams of widely processed crops such as wheat, soy, rice, peanut and corn, the ingredients are designed to help manufacturers reformulate food and beverage products to reduce sugar and sodium while maintaining taste and functionality. The company has filed a patent protecting the newly identified compounds, which it describes as difficult or impossible to uncover through traditional human-led screening methods. The initial ingredient portfolio directly addresses two of the food industry’s most persistent formulation challenges: delivering sweetness without calories and enhancing savoury flavour without salt. According to the company, the natural sweeteners replicate sugar’s sensory profile without metabolic impact, while the umami enhancers provide depth and flavour amplification without sodium. “What makes these ingredients revolutionary isn’t just where they come from, but how they were found,” said Effendi Leonard, co-founder and CEO of 2nd Nature. “Our AgWaste Portal identified these compounds in the byproducts of crops that are already processed at massive scale." He continued: "These are materials manufacturers typically pay to dispose of, yet they contain high-value functional ingredients that can now be produced efficiently and at low cost”. 2nd Nature discovered the ingredients using its proprietary AgWaste Portal, an AI platform that analyses the molecular composition of agricultural processing side streams. Rather than relying on years of trial-and-error testing, the platform maps what the company describes as the 'molecular universe' of food waste, predicting functional properties of small molecules, fibres, peptides, enzymes and proteins. This approach significantly shortens development timelines, enabling the identification of natural sweeteners and umami enhancers with targeted functional performance in a matter of months rather than years. By sourcing ingredients from the side streams of globally abundant crops instead of exotic plants or animal-derived inputs, 2nd Nature positions its ingredients for scalable, cost-efficient production. Major agricultural processing operations generate millions of tons of nutrient-rich byproducts annually, much of which is treated as waste. The company’s model allows manufacturers to upcycle their own side streams into functional ingredients, effectively converting disposal costs into potential revenue while creating a shorter, more resilient supply chain. The patent protects the newly discovered compounds across a broad field of use, including food and beverage, wellness, personal and home care and pharmaceutical formulations. According to 2nd Nature, the patent reflects both the novelty of the compounds and the flexibility of the AgWaste Portal to identify functional ingredients from a wide range of waste streams. As consumer demand for reduced-sugar and low-sodium products continues to grow, manufacturers face increasing pressure to reformulate without sacrificing sensory appeal. Many existing solutions rely on synthetic additives or fall short on taste. 2nd Nature positions its AI-discovered ingredients as clean label alternatives that preserve full flavour while enabling meaningful nutritional improvements. The company believes this combination could unlock reformulation opportunities in categories where taste trade-offs have historically limited adoption. The ingredients will be available for commercial sampling in Q2 2026. Featured image: © 2nd Nature

Flora Food Group has rolled out a reformulated I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter range in the US, as the packaged food group looks to revitalise the long-running spreads brand by emphasising cooking performance alongside reduced saturated fat. The updated NutriRich formulation is designed to improve creaminess, consistency and heat stability across applications including sautéing, baking and sauce-making, addressing a common criticism of butter alternatives in both home and foodservice kitchens. Flora Food Group said the reformulation delivers up to 70% less saturated fat than dairy butter while also adding functional nutritional benefits, including vitamins A, D, E and B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. The company is positioning the product as a more versatile cooking fat rather than a narrow butter substitute. The relaunch includes three products: an Original variant available nationwide, a Light version with reduced calories and saturated fat, and an Extra Creamy SKU containing 8% fresh cream, which is set to launch later this year in both tubs and sticks. The move comes as traditional spreads face sustained pressure from a rebound in butter consumption, increased competition from premium oils and ongoing consumer scrutiny around processing and ingredients. By focusing on functional performance in cooking, Flora Food Group is seeking to protect volumes and margins in a mature category by broadening usage occasions beyond spreading, and by appealing to consumers who want lower saturated fat without sacrificing cooking results.

Organic frozen food producer Pack'd has expanded its fruit portfolio with the launch of Organic Frozen Pomegranate. The product is made from 100% organic pomegranate and frozen at peak ripeness to preserve flavour and nutritional value. Pack'd said the launch responds to growing demand for nutritious, versatile ingredients that fit into busy lifestyles. Pomegranate seeds are commonly used across sweet and savoury applications, including breakfast bowls, smoothies, salads and cooked dishes, but are typically sold fresh with a limited shelf life. According to the company, the frozen format offers a ready-to-use alternative that allows consumers to portion as needed and store the product for longer, helping to reduce food waste. Katy Hamblin, director of marketing at Pack'd, said: “With the launch of our Organic Frozen Pomegranate, we’re leaning into the increased interest in this fruit, making it easier than ever for consumers to enjoy this nutritious ingredient without the prep, while still maintaining the quality, taste and nutritional benefits you’d expect from fresh fruit. This product is often sold in the salad aisle with a relatively short shelf life, but our frozen format offers a more convenient and longer lasting alternative. She continued: “This launch reflects our ongoing commitment to providing convenient, organic products that support healthier every day choices. Consumers can get exactly what they need, when they need it, while reducing food waste.” The frozen pomegranate seeds will be available exclusively through Ocado from 27 January, priced at £4.60.

Rowntree’s is expanding its ice lolly portfolio in the UK with two new fruit-led products, as owner Froneri looks to reinforce its position in the take-home ice cream category through flavour innovation and brand extension. The launches – Fruit Explosion and Fruit Pastilles Berries – both target continued consumer demand for fruit-forward, non-dairy frozen treats, a segment that has outperformed much of the wider ice cream market in recent years. Fruit Explosion introduces a new dual-texture sorbet format to the Rowntree’s range, combining two flavours in a single lolly with a fruit sauce core. The multipack includes apple and sour cherry sorbet with sour cherry sauce, and mango and passion fruit sorbet paired with kiwi sorbet and kiwi sauce. Froneri says the product is designed to deliver incremental growth by offering a differentiated eating experience within a crowded freezer aisle. Alongside it, the company is extending its best-selling Fruit Pastilles ice lolly franchise with Fruit Pastilles Berries, a strawberry and blackcurrant flavour shaped in the brand’s signature sweet format. The SKU builds on the strong performance of Fruit Pastilles, which is one of the largest individual products in the UK ice cream category by unit sales, according to Nielsen data. The launches form part of Froneri’s wider strategy to lean into fruit-based innovation, which has driven recent growth for the brand. The company pointed to the success of its mango ice lolly – the top-selling ice lolly new product development of the past five years – as evidence of sustained consumer appetite for bold, recognisable flavours. Fruit Explosion will be sold in 6x42ml multipacks with a recommended retail price of £2.50, while Fruit Pastilles Berries will be available in 4x65ml packs, also priced at £2.50. Rowntree’s ice lollies are produced by Froneri, the world’s second-largest ice cream manufacturer, which operates in more than 23 countries. The Rowntree’s brand is licensed from Nestlé.

British soft drinks maker Cawston Press has entered the fast-growing no- and low-alcohol drinks market with the acquisition of Loah, a fruit-led alcohol-free beer brand, as manufacturers increasingly look to blur the lines between soft drinks and beer. The acquisition marks Cawston Press’ first move into the non-alcoholic beer category and reflects a broader shift among drinks producers seeking growth beyond traditional soft drinks, as consumer demand for alcohol moderation and 'zebra striping' drinking habits becomes a year-round trend rather than a seasonal one. Loah produces beers brewed to under 0.5% ABV, using hops designed to complement added fruit flavours. Its range includes Peach Pale Ale, Blood Orange IPA and Lime Lager, all of which are gluten-free and vegan – attributes that have become increasingly important in the no/low segment. Founder Hugo Tapp will continue to lead the brand, retaining responsibility for brewing, innovation and brand development, while gaining access to Cawston Press’ supply chain, distribution and marketing infrastructure. For Cawston Press, the deal offers a route into a category that sits between soft drinks and alcohol, allowing the company to leverage its established grocery, impulse and on-trade relationships while expanding the portfolio it can offer operators. “The lines between soft drinks and no/low alcohol are blurring,” Cawston's managing director Steve Kearns said, adding that the company sees opportunities to grow Loah through retail while also supporting pubs and restaurants looking to build more varied drinks menus across multiple occasions. Industry data suggests flavour is becoming a decisive factor in alcohol purchasing, with UK drinkers increasingly prioritising taste over price – a shift that has helped premiumise parts of the no/low category, particularly fruit-forward and beer-adjacent products. Cawston Press said the acquisition follows strong seasonal interest in alcohol moderation at the start of the year, but is aimed at capturing longer-term growth as consumers increasingly alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. The updated Loah range is available to trade customers through Cawston Press with immediate effect. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

The Simply Good Foods Company has appointed former executive Joe Scalzo as president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Joe Scalzo Scalzo succeeds Geoff Tanner, who is stepping down from the role. Scalzo will also join the company’s board of directors on 28 January 2026, following its annual shareholders’ meeting. Scalzo previously served as CEO until July 2023 and as executive vice chairman until August 2024. He brings more than a decade of leadership experience at Simply Good Foods and its predecessor, Atkins Nutritionals, where he oversaw the company’s 2017 public listing and the acquisition and integration of Quest Nutrition, transforming the business into a multi-brand nutritional snacking platform. The board said Scalzo’s return is intended to support renewed growth and improved profitability across the business, citing his familiarity with the company’s brands, operations and consumer landscape. James Kilts, chairman of the board of directors of Simply Good Foods, commented: “Joe is a visionary in our industry widely admired by our team and partners alike for his role as the key architect of the business over the course of the last decade. We are pleased to welcome him back as we embark on a new chapter of driving growth and creating value for our stockholders.” Scalzo commented: “I am energised to be returning home to Simply Good Foods at this critical moment. Together with our exceptional team, we have a clear view of the mission in front of us to secure Simply Good Foods’ leadership in innovation and product quality while ensuring best-in-class execution." He continued: "I have tremendous belief in the proven power of this platform and in its potential to stay on the leading edge of the nutritional snacking landscape.” Kilts added: “We greatly appreciate Geoff’s contributions in helping Simply Good Foods navigate a dynamic operating environment while keeping the Company positioned for success. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.” Top image: © The Simply Good Foods Company

Smithfield Foods will acquire US hot dog maker Nathan’s Famous in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $450 million, moving to secure full ownership of one of its most recognisable licensed brands and strengthen growth across retail and foodservice. The packaged meats group will pay $102 per share for Nathan’s Famous, a 12.4-times multiple of the brand owner’s trailing adjusted EBITDA, according to the companies. Smithfield says the transaction will be immediately accretive to earnings and expects to generate around $9 million in annual cost synergies within two years of closing. The deal gives Smithfield permanent control of the Nathan’s Famous brand, which it has manufactured, distributed and marketed under licence in North America since 2014. That licence, covering both retail and foodservice channels, was due to expire in 2032. By bringing the brand fully in-house, Smithfield removes long-term licensing risk while gaining greater flexibility to expand the Nathan’s Famous range and push deeper into foodservice – a channel the company sees as a key growth opportunity for its higher-margin packaged meats business. “Nathan’s Famous is a natural strategic fit,” said Smithfield chief executive Shane Smith, pointing to the company’s existing manufacturing scale, distribution network and product development capabilities. Nathan’s Famous, best known for its all-beef hot dogs, distributes products across all 50 US states and more than 20 international markets through retail, foodservice and licensed restaurants. While its standalone scale is modest, the brand carries strong recognition in US foodservice, sports venues and seasonal consumption occasions. Smithfield says the acquisition would allow it to accelerate innovation under the Nathan’s Famous name, expand the portfolio beyond core hot dogs and better integrate the brand into its existing retail and foodservice sales infrastructure. The deal also strengthens Smithfield’s packaged meats portfolio, which includes Eckrich and other value-added brands, at a time when US meat producers are increasingly prioritising branded, higher-margin products to offset volatility in commodity pork markets. The transaction will be funded with cash on hand and is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to shareholder approval, US antitrust clearance and review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. Nathan’s Famous chief executive Eric Gatoff said the deal provided a “compelling valuation” for shareholders and positioned the brand for its next phase of growth under an owner with deep retail and foodservice reach.

McCormick & Company-owned brand Frank’s RedHot will launch four new sauces in the US, expanding its flavour portfolio as the world’s largest spice company looks to capture incremental growth from game-day eating occasions and consumer demand for bolder, hybrid flavours. The new products – including wing sauces, dips and squeeze formats – will roll out nationally in the coming weeks, ahead of the Super Bowl, one of the biggest consumption moments of the year for snacks, sauces and prepared foods. The launches underscore McCormick’s strategy of extending established brands through adjacent flavour profiles and formats rather than relying solely on entirely new concepts, a model that has helped the group maintain pricing power and defend share in a competitive condiments market. “The Big Game is one of the biggest food moments of the year,” said Valda Coryat, McCormick’s vice president of marketing, adding that consumers are increasingly looking to refresh familiar dishes with new flavour twists rather than abandon staples altogether. The four additions include Garlic Parmesan, Pineapple Hawaiian and Spicy Maple wing sauces and dips, alongside a Ghost Pepper Ranch squeeze sauce – combining mainstream comfort flavours with heat levels designed to appeal to both core and more adventurous consumers. For manufacturers and retailers, the launches reflect continued momentum behind 'flavour mash-ups' – sweet-heat, dairy-heat and global-inspired profiles – which have emerged as a key growth lever in centre-of-store and chilled categories as shoppers trade up within familiar formats. McCormick says internal consumer research shows 41% of US football fans view game day as an opportunity to experiment with new recipes, while wings and pizza remain dominant staples. The company has increasingly used such consumption insights to guide limited-time launches and promotional cycles around peak events. While positioned as consumer-facing innovations, the expansion also has implications for foodservice operators and private-label manufacturers that rely on branded flavour cues to drive menu and product development, particularly in high-volume occasions such as sporting events. Frank’s RedHot is one of McCormick’s largest brands and sits alongside Cholula, Old Bay and French’s within a portfolio the company has used to capitalise on sustained demand for flavour intensity across retail, foodservice and industrial channels.

Tetra Pak says will invest €60 million ($65 million) in a new pilot plant in Sweden to accelerate the development of paper-based barrier technology for aseptic cartons, as food and beverage producers seek lower-carbon packaging solutions that reduce reliance on aluminium. The investment will fund an owned pilot facility at the packaging group’s site in Lund, southern Sweden, enabling faster industrialisation of an aseptic carton material that replaces the traditional aluminium foil layer with a paper-based barrier. This latest move is aimed at helping large beverage and dairy manufacturers cut packaging emissions while maintaining shelf life and food safety – a long-standing technical hurdle for aluminium-free aseptic cartons. According to Tetra Pak, the new material increases the paper content of beverage cartons to around 80% and, when combined with plant-based polymers, raises traceable renewable content to as much as 92%. The company says the solution can reduce a carton’s carbon footprint by up to 43% compared with conventional aseptic packaging, based on Carbon Trust-verified lifecycle modelling. For food and beverage manufacturers under pressure from retailers, regulators and consumers to decarbonise packaging, aluminium has become a growing challenge due to its carbon intensity, cost volatility and recycling complexity. By simplifying carton structures from three materials – paper, polymers and aluminium – to two, Tetra Pak said the new format could also improve recycling efficiency, enabling higher recovery of paper fibres and cleaner non-fibre fractions within existing recycling infrastructure. The pilot plant will allow customers to test the technology across the full production chain, from barrier formation to filled package production, before committing to commercial-scale deployment. “This facility is about making the technology accessible at industrial scale,” said Joakim Tuvesson, vice president for materials and packaging at Tetra Pak. “It gives customers the ability to understand how the barrier performs in real manufacturing conditions, not just in the lab.” The Lund site was selected for its proximity to Tetra Pak’s materials research teams, its collaboration with Lund University, and access to advanced testing facilities at the MAX IV synchrotron laboratory. Tetra Pak said it expects to begin pilot production and host its first customers at the site in the first quarter of 2027. The investment forms part of the company’s wider plan to spend around €100 million annually through to 2030 on sustainable packaging development, as competition intensifies among packaging suppliers to offer fibre-based alternatives that can meet the performance requirements of liquid foods. The company launched its first aseptic carton using a paper-based barrier in 2023 in partnership with a Portuguese dairy producer. The format has since been positioned as a pathway to aluminium-free cartons for high-volume beverage categories such as milk, plant-based drinks and juices.