Tropical Cheese, a leading US producer of Hispanic dairy products, has acquired Cibao Meat Products, a manufacturer of premium Hispanic-style meats, as it looks to broaden its branded refrigerated foods offering and accelerate growth across the East Coast. As part of the deal, Cibao will operate as the Cibao Meat Products Division within Tropical Cheese, enabling the company to offer a more comprehensive portfolio of Hispanic refrigerated food products spanning both cheese and meat categories. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1982, Tropical Cheese is the category leader in Hispanic cheeses across the Eastern US, serving retail customers through an integrated distribution network that includes direct-store delivery. The business is backed by Avance Investment Management and AUA Private Equity, and is focused on expanding its footprint and becoming a leading branded player across the full spectrum of Hispanic refrigerated foods. Vic Mehren, chief executive officer of Tropical Cheese, said the acquisition brings together two complementary category leaders. “With Cibao, we will significantly strengthen our Meats Division, expand our Hispanic foods platform, and broaden our reach across the food industry and Hispanic community,” he said. “This combination provides our customers with more high-quality offerings, stronger support, and additional resources behind service and execution.” Mehren added that Cibao’s premium ingredients and authentic recipes align closely with Tropical Cheese’s focus on delivering authentic Hispanic foods to a wider consumer base. Founded in 1969, Cibao Meat Products is a third-generation, family-owned business headquartered in Rockaway, New Jersey. The company manufactures a wide range of Hispanic-style meat products under the Induveca and Campesino brands and has built a strong reputation for quality, authenticity and service. The business also operates a robust cold-chain logistics platform designed to ensure freshness and consistency. Heinz Vieluf Jr, president of Cibao Meat Products, said the acquisition marks an important next phase for the company. “Joining the Tropical Cheese family gives Cibao access to greater resources and capabilities, enabling us to further invest in the business and deliver for our customers,” he stated. “We look forward to continuing to bring trusted, traditional products to the communities we serve.” Both companies highlighted their shared heritage as family-built businesses and their alignment around quality, authenticity and long-term growth. The acquisition strengthens Tropical Cheese’s position as a one-stop supplier of branded Hispanic refrigerated foods and supports its ambition to deepen relationships with retailers and distributors serving the growing US Hispanic consumer base. Top image: © Cibao Meat Products

France’s competition authority has unconditionally approved two significant transactions in the agricultural and agri-food sector, clearing the way for deeper consolidation across upstream food supply chains without imposing remedies. The Autorité de la Concurrence approved the creation of a joint venture between Belgian frozen foods group Greenyard and French cooperative Eureden, as well as the merger of agricultural cooperatives Terres du Sud and Vivadour. The rulings remove regulatory uncertainty for food manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators reliant on French-grown produce, and underscore a pragmatic stance from regulators at a time when processors are seeking scale to manage cost pressures, climate risk and supply volatility. The Greenyard–Eureden joint venture will combine the frozen vegetable and frozen ready-meal operations of their respective French subsidiaries, Gelagri Bretagne and Greenyard Frozen France. The new entity will operate two production sites in Brittany and supply both private-label products and manufacturer brands, including D’Aucy and Paysan Breton, exclusively for Eureden. The authority examined the impact of the deal on fresh vegetable sourcing in Brittany and on frozen vegetable and ready-meal markets supplying supermarkets, specialist frozen retailers and the out-of-home catering sector. It concluded the venture would not significantly alter competitive dynamics, citing the presence of alternative suppliers such as Bonduelle and Ardo Foods and inter-regional competition for key crops. Regulators also ruled out the risk of coordinated behaviour between Greenyard and Eureden in markets where they will continue to compete independently. Separately, the Autorité cleared the merger of Terres du Sud and Vivadour, creating what will become France’s 20th largest agricultural cooperative by consolidated turnover, representing around 9,000 member farmers across south-west France. The authority assessed the combined group’s influence across a wide range of markets, including grain collection, agricultural inputs and poultry supply chains. It concluded that farmers would retain sufficient alternatives for crop collection and that the merged entity would not be able to exert undue pricing pressure on slaughterhouses or downstream customers. In poultry, the Autorité said competitive constraints from other French production basins and imports – particularly for standard chicken – would continue to limit market power. The decisions were issued less than six weeks after notification, a timeframe the authority attributed to extensive pre-notification discussions. Over the past four years, all 20 notified agricultural cooperative mergers in France have been cleared unconditionally in Phase 1, with only one transaction – involving duck fattening activities – abandoned following competition concerns. Featured image: ©Eureden

UK-based ice cream brand Magnum is expanding its Signature range with two new flavours, pistachio and peach, as it looks to capitalise on rising consumer demand for indulgent, trend-led frozen desserts. The launches, available from January across major grocers and wholesalers, feature a premium shell with pistachio or peach inclusions, a gelato core and Magnum’s signature cracking chocolate coating. La Pistache combines caramelised, salted pistachio pieces with pistachio gelato and ice cream, while La Pêche pairs a peach-flavoured shell with peach gelato. The pistachio variant responds to a surge in consumer interest, with UK ice cream sales of the flavour up 74% in 2025, driven by social media trends. Peach, by contrast, remains underrepresented in ice cream sticks, giving Magnum the chance to address a gap in the market. The new Signature range builds on Magnum’s recent innovation success, including 2025 launches Double Cherry and Double Hazelnut, which were the category’s two best-selling new products. The launches are part of the brand’s first NPD under the standalone Magnum Ice Cream Company, signalling a strategic focus on premiumisation and flavour-led growth. The products are sold in 90ml single sticks and 3x90ml multipacks. The launch reflects broader trends in the ice cream market, where premium, ingredient-driven formats are driving category growth and offering opportunities for retailers to capture higher-margin sales.

French dairy group Lactalis will close its historic South Brisbane milk processing plant in July 2026, consolidating production into fewer, more modern facilities as it reshapes its Australian manufacturing network following a string of acquisitions. The closure of Queensland’s largest and oldest milk factory will affect 202 employees, but the company said milk supply from local farmers would continue uninterrupted, with volumes redirected to its Nambour facility on the Sunshine Coast, which is set to undergo upgrades. Lactalis Australia chief executive Mal Carseldine said the decision was driven by efficiency and infrastructure constraints rather than a pullback from the Australian market. “Our South Brisbane site has a long history, but its location and infrastructure no longer align with the requirements of a modern, efficient manufacturing network,” Carseldine said in a statement. Processing currently undertaken at the inner-city Brisbane site will be reallocated across Lactalis’ Queensland and interstate operations, making greater use of what the company described as 'fit-for-purpose' assets. The move follows the closure of Lactalis’ Rockhampton dairy plant last year, which resulted in 47 job losses, and comes as the group continues to integrate Fonterra’s Australian operations, acquired in a AUD 3.4 billion ($2.2 billion) deal that made Lactalis the country’s largest dairy company. Lactalis has pledged more than AUD 200 million in capital expenditure to modernise its Australian manufacturing base through 2025-26, positioning fewer, larger plants to service national demand amid rising costs and tightening margins across the dairy sector. The company said the South Brisbane closure would not affect farmers’ contracts or national milk supply, despite Queensland already trucking in milk from southern states to meet domestic demand. The South Brisbane factory, which opened in the 1930s and sits on a prime riverfront site between major transport corridors, is expected to attract redevelopment interest as Brisbane accelerates urban renewal projects ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Lactalis owns several of Australia’s leading dairy brands, including Pauls Milk, Ice Break iced coffee, Oak, Vaalia yogurt, Tamar Valley and Lemnos cheese. The company said the closure does not signal reduced investment in Queensland or Australia more broadly. According to a report from ABC News , union representatives were “very disappointed” by the announcement and would be seeking assurances around redundancy and transition support for affected workers.

Hein Schumacher Swiss chocolate and cocoa processor Barry Callebaut has appointed former Unilever executive Hein Schumacher as its new chief executive, replacing Peter Feld on January 26, as the company reported first-quarter sales volumes below expectations. Barry Callebaut, one of the world’s largest cocoa processors and supplier to brands including Nestlé’s KitKat and Magnum ice creams, said first-quarter volumes for its cocoa products fell 9.9% to 509,401 tonnes, short of the 512,000 tonnes forecast in an internal analyst poll. The company confirmed its outlook for the full financial year. Schumacher, who previously led Unilever’s global operations, takes the helm as the company navigates a challenging cocoa market marked by fluctuating raw material costs, supply chain pressures and shifting consumer demand. Leadership experience in consumer goods could support Barry Callebaut’s strategic focus on premium chocolate and industrial solutions for food manufacturers. Barry Callebaut’s customers include both large chocolate brands and foodservice operators, and the volume shortfall underscores ongoing pressures in the cocoa supply chain, including variable harvests in West Africa and evolving sustainability requirements. The company operates a network of cocoa processing and chocolate production facilities across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa, supplying industrial chocolate, couverture and cocoa products.

The Boston Beer Company is expanding its cannabis beverage portfolio in Canada with the launch of a rosin-infused blueberry chamomile iced tea, reinforcing its strategy to develop non-alcoholic alternatives aimed at evening consumption occasions. The product, released under Boston Beer’s TeaPot brand, contains 10mg of THC derived from solventless rosin and will be sold through licensed Canadian cannabis dispensaries and online retailers. It is non-carbonated, caffeine-free and positioned as a low-sugar alternative to both alcohol and traditional functional drinks. Boston Beer said the THC is sourced from Black Sugar Rose, an indica-dominant cultivar grown exclusively in Canada. The strain is a cross between Critical Mass and Black Domina, with THC extracted from the flower and blended with real chamomile tea and natural blueberry flavour. According to the company, the formulation is designed to deliver subtle, herbaceous tea notes rather than masking cannabis flavour entirely – reflecting a broader shift in the category toward more nuanced flavour profiles. “This is about broadening consumption occasions,” said Paul Weaver, Boston Beer’s head of cannabis, adding that the product was developed for consumers seeking an alternative to alcohol later in the day. Unlike earlier cannabis beverages that relied heavily on distillates, the use of rosin – a full-spectrum extract produced without chemical solvents – reflects a wider shift within the category toward premium processing methods and flavour-forward formulations. For the food and beverage industry, the launch highlights how established drinks manufacturers are applying core competencies in flavour development, low-sugar formulation and brand-building to cannabis beverages, treating the segment as an extension of functional and 'beyond alcohol' innovation rather than a novelty category. Boston Beer, known for brands such as Samuel Adams, Truly Hard Seltzer and Twisted Tea, established BBCCC in 2021 as a dedicated research and innovation hub for cannabis beverages. While cannabis sales remain a small share of the group’s overall business, executives have previously described the segment as strategically important for long-term growth and learning. The TeaPot range is produced in Canada and remains limited to the domestic market, reflecting ongoing regulatory barriers elsewhere.

Mark Allen AG Barr PLC, the UK soft drinks group behind brands including Irn-Bru, Rubicon, Boost and Funkin, announced that non-executive chair Mark Allen OBE is stepping down, effective immediately. Allen says he will be concentrating on his newly expanded executive role at Hilton Food Group, where he has moved from non-executive chair to executive chair. The company said an independent search is underway for a new non-executive chair, with senior independent director Susan Barratt acting as interim chair in the meantime. Non-executive director Louise Smalley will serve as senior independent director during this interim period. Allen, who has chaired AG Barr for five years, highlighted the business’s progress under his tenure, citing brand portfolio innovation, value-accretive mergers and acquisitions, and shareholder returns. “The business is in great shape and now is the right time to pass on the baton and focus on my other commitments,” he commented. Barratt added: “Mark has built and led a high-quality board and advanced the strategic direction for the business. He leaves AG Barr in a strong position, and we wish him all the best for the future.” AG Barr, which reported growth across its soft drinks and functional beverage brands in recent years, said it will provide a trading update for the year ended 31 January 2026 on February 3, ahead of publishing final results in March. The company's executive team – including CEO Euan Sutherland, CFO Stuart Lorimer and Corporate finance director Ewan Dytch – will continue to drive operations during the transition, while the board seeks a successor who can maintain momentum on brand innovation and shareholder value creation.

Cargill has launched the maiden voyage of Brave Pioneer, the first of five green methanol dual-fuel dry bulk vessels chartered to reduce carbon emissions in the company’s ocean supply chain. Built by Tsuneishi Shipbuilding and owned by Mitsui & Co, Brave Pioneer can operate on both conventional marine fuels and green methanol, a lower-carbon alternative projected to cut CO2 emissions by up to 70% compared with standard fuel. The vessel departed the Philippines, will bunker methanol in Singapore, and is scheduled to sail to Western Australia before continuing to Europe. The deployment forms part of Cargill’s broader decarbonisation strategy, which combines alternative fuels, wind-assisted propulsion, energy-efficiency retrofits and voyage optimisation. During the maiden voyage, the company plans operational trials to evaluate methanol bunkering readiness, track environmental performance through carbon accounting systems, and assess commercial appetite for low-carbon freight services. Jan Dieleman, president of Cargill’s ocean transportation business, commented: “Decarbonising global shipping requires a mix of technologies and the willingness to take bold steps before the entire ecosystem is ready". He continued: “Technologies like green methanol come with uncertainty, but as an industry leader, we have a responsibility to test innovations, share insights, and help shape the systems that will enable wider adoption.” Cargill’s investment sends a market signal to the maritime and food supply chain sectors, highlighting growing interest from commodity traders and food manufacturers in practical, lower-carbon freight solutions. The company said its new fleet is designed for flexibility, allowing vessels to operate efficiently on conventional fuel today while transitioning to greener fuels as infrastructure and supply expand.

Bel Group has announced a €16.7 million investment to expand its cheese production facility in Vietnam, doubling capacity to 20,000 tonnes per year and positioning the country as the Group’s key industrial and export hub in Asia. The expansion responds to accelerating demand for Bel’s core brands, including Kiri and The Laughing Cow, in Vietnam and across regional markets. A ceremony marking the project was held in Vietnam with senior Bel executives, representatives of local authorities, and business and institutional partners in attendance. Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of January 2026, with handover planned for March 2027. Once completed, the site will support Bel’s strong position in the Vietnamese cheese market, where it holds a market share of more than 70% across modern retail and traditional trade, driven by locally produced brands such as The Laughing Cow, Belcube and Kiri. Beyond domestic supply, the expanded facility will serve as an export base for Southeast Asia, as well as China, Japan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reflecting Bel’s strategy of combining local production with regional reach. A key element of the project is the addition of a pilot line dedicated to research, innovation and development. The new line will enable industrial trials, recipe optimisation and the testing of new formats adapted to regional consumption habits and nutritional needs. According to Bel, the pilot line is intended to accelerate innovation and support the development of more accessible and responsible products across Asian markets. The investment is also expected to have a significant impact on employment. Headcount at the site is projected to grow from 188 employees today to around 400 in the long term. Bel has been present in Vietnam since 2011 and has progressively expanded its industrial footprint in the country. After starting with an initial capacity of around 4,000 tonnes per year, the Group invested nearly €13 million in 2015 to build a new plant with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes annually, primarily producing The Laughing Cow (locally branded as Con Bò Cười). Vietnam now plays a central role in Bel’s wider Asian growth strategy. The Group has continued to strengthen its regional presence through investments such as the acquisition of a 70% stake in Shandong Junjun Cheese in China in 2022 , the launch of a production facility for Britannia The Laughing Cow in 2024, and a minority stake in Indonesian dairy company Mulia Boga Raya. Stéphane Dupays, chief operations officer of Bel Group, said: “Vietnam is one of Bel’s most dynamic markets in Asia and a cornerstone of our regional strategy. This expansion reflects our long-term confidence in the country and our ambition to make Vietnam a major industrial hub serving local consumers and the entire ASEAN region, while maintaining the highest standards of quality, safety and sustainability”. Thuan Dang Huu, industrial director for Northeast Asia, added: "Vietnam’s success is a powerful driver of our growth in Asia. Thanks to highly committed local teams, tailored products and a strong export model, Vietnam has become central to Bel’s regional development. This new investment will allow us to accelerate growth and continue delivering nutritious, accessible and sustainable products to millions of consumers.” Top image: © The Bel Group

Snack brand Kind has added a milk and white chocolate variant to its UK core bar range, marking the brand’s first inclusion of dual chocolate in its portfolio. The launch reflects growing demand for indulgent yet nutrient-dense snacks, combining creamy chocolate with 60% whole nuts – including almonds, peanuts and cashews – to deliver fibre, protein and the brand’s characteristic crunch. The bar joins Kind’s existing offerings, which include Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt and Caramel Almond & Sea Salt. “Kind is committed to creating innovation that balances taste with nutrition,” said Giovanna Sinisgalli, Marketing Lead at Kind Snacks EMEA. “With the Milk & White Chocolate Nut bar, we are addressing consumer demand for snacks that are indulgent and full of flavour, while retaining the wholesome goodness of nuts.” The bar targets shoppers who often face a trade-off between milk and white chocolate, offering a single, versatile product positioned as the brand’s most indulgent to date. It is gluten-free and high in fibre, catering to functional snacking trends within the wider chocolate and nut bar category. The new SKU is rolling out across major UK supermarkets and convenience retailers, representing Kind’s continued push to expand its core portfolio and defend shelf space in the highly competitive snacking segment, which is increasingly driven by hybrid products that combine indulgence with perceived health benefits.

Premium soft drink producer Belvoir Farm has announced the launch of FRUiTZ, a new range of sparkling fruit cans to meet the rising demand for healthier, school-compliant beverages. The range is fully school-compliant in England and comes in 330ml cans, suitable for lunchboxes, on the go and family days out, and is available in three flavours: Passion Fruit & Mango, Cherry & Raspberry and Orange & Pineapple. Made with 100% natural ingredients, real fruit juice, no added sugar and no sweeteners, FRUiTZ offers a cleaner label beverage that still promises bold flavour. Charlotte Rogers, senior brand manager at Belvoir Farm, said: “FRUiTZ brings a more natural edge to the soft drinks category, with a range specifically created to appeal to teens, while simultaneously providing peace of mind for parents.” The range was developed in response to research showing that 81% of parents are concerned about what their children are drinking, while 83% of Gen Alpha are driving demand for fizzy drinks, and 81% prefer to drink from a can. Rogers continued: “In a category often dominated by artificially sweetened options and ingredients that are difficult to pronounce, we’ve listened to teens and created a range that delivers the real fruit juice and no added sugar claims that they are looking for, while making it bold, fizzy and available in a can format.” Available exclusively from Waitrose from January, FRUiTZ comes in multipacks of four 330ml cans priced at £4, with plans for additional rollout later this year.

Quorn Foods has announced two senior leadership appointments as the meat alternatives business looks to accelerate growth across the US and its foodservice channel. Effective January 2026, Phil Thornborrow has been appointed president of US operations, moving from his role as global director of QuornPro, the company’s foodservice brand. Meanwhile, Damien McLoughlin joins the business as global foodservice director. Thornborrow has spent nine years at Quorn and has more than two decades of leadership experience. During his tenure, he played a key role in establishing the QuornPro brand, shifting the business towards chef-led foodservice solutions and delivering growth across Europe and the UK. In this new role, Thornborrow will focus on scaling the US business, with an emphasis on supply chain efficiency and operational discipline to expand the foodservice channel. McLoughlin brings more than 30 years of experience across FMCG, foodservice, ecommerce and business-to-business ingredients. He previously held senior European and global roles at Unilever and more recently, led the digital transformation of Flora Food Group across Europe. At QuornPro, he will be responsible for unlocking further growth in the out-of-home channel. David Flochel, CEO of Quorn Foods, said the appointments significantly strengthened the company’s leadership team and added that Thornborrow’s cross-channel expertise positions him well to lead the US business, while McLoughlin’s commercial and transformation experience will help realise the full potential of foodservice as a growth engine for the brand. The changes follow a period of increasing focus on foodservice and international markets for Quorn as operators and consumers continue to seek plant-based protein options that are nutritious and sustainable.