Brand Finance has released its top 100 most valuable food brand rankings for 2026, with Nestlé remaining on top, while Coca-Cola continues to top the 50 most valuable non-alcoholic drinks brands. Yili also retained its position as the world’s most valuable dairy brand in the latest report from the brand valuation consultancy. According to the new report, the world’s 100 most valuable food brands are collectively worth $278.3 billion in 2026, while the top 50 non-alcoholic drinks brands account for a combined $170.4 billion, and the top 10 dairy brands for $50.8 billion. While food and beverage brands have relied on price increases to navigate the past two years’ inflationary pressures, Brand Finance noted that conditions are now easing, resulting in a shift in the basis of competition. Nestlé remains the world’s most valuable food brand, with brand value up by 23% to $24.6 billion. Despite retaining its top spot among non-alcoholic drinks brands, however, Coca-Cola’s brand value was down by 1% to $46.1 billion. The report states that Coca-Cola has been surpassed on ‘brand strength’ by Chinese bottled water and tea brand Nongfu Spring, which saw a brand value increase of 38%, up to $15.3 billion. It now leads brand strength rankings ahead of Coca-Cola, which topped last year’s list, across measures of consumer trust and familiarity. Nongfu recorded a a Brand Strength Index score of 89.8/100, and a prestigious AAA+ brand strength rating. Similarly, in food, Sadia (brand value up 35% to $2.9 billion) and Amul (brand value up 22% to $5 billion) ranked as the sector’s strongest brands. They scored scored 93.5/100 and 93/100 respectively, alongside AAA+ brand strength ratings. Chinese brands’ presence across F&B categories is rising, with Yili’s brand value up 29% to $14.5 billion in 2026. Mengniu is also strengthening its position against Western competitors, valued at $6 billion. Meanwhile, Eastroc’s brand value rose by 62% to $5 billion, placing it among the fastest-growing non-alocholic drinks brands in the ranking as it expands beyond energy drinks into electrolyte and functional beverages. In non-alcoholic drinks, functional beverages now represent a combined $33.4 billion. Red Bull remains the category leader, with brand value up 27% to $12.3 billion in 2026, closely followed by Monster, up by 4% to $9.1 billion. Gatorade is next, achieving a 21% increase to $9 billion. Ginger ale specialist Canada Dry recorded the fastest brand value growth in the ranking, increasing by a significant 116% to $1.1 billion and highlighting growth opportunities for brands beyond the traditional category leaders. Juice brand Innocent also led growth in within its sub-category, with brand value up by 60% to $1.6 billion. Brand Finance pointed out the growing importance of better-for-you positioning for today’s brands, with successful players investing in product innovation, high-protein and functional formats as consumers become more discerning and health-conscious. In coffee and tea, worth a combined $19.4 billion, Nescafé remains the most valuable brand, with brand value up 20% to $5.6 billion. Yorkshire Tea, meanwhile, led on brand strength with a score of 83.1/100. Its brand value was also up by 32% to $751 million. Henry Farr, global sector head of food and drinks at Brand Finance, said this year’s winners are using “broad, flexible portfolios” to defend their market share against challenger brands, rather than relying on “historically strong positions” – though scale and heritage remain important advantages. “Diversification will become even more important as trends such as GLP-1 weight-loss drugs begin to reshape consumer demand,” he added. “Brands that build flexibility into their portfolios now will be better placed as these shifts accelerate.”

Giuseppe Gallo, founder of Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, has stepped down as CEO of the premium Italian aperitivo brand following its full acquisition and integration into Pernod Ricard. Giuseppe Gallo via LinkedIn The move brings to a close a decade-long chapter for Gallo, who launched Italicus in 2016 with the ambition of reviving the historic Italian rosolio category for a new generation of consumers and bartenders. Over the past 10 years, Italicus has developed into an internationally recognised name in the aperitivo category, selling more than 3 million bottles and expanding its distribution to 47 countries. The brand has also reported consistent double-digit growth and secured listings in bars, restaurants and hotels around the world. Founded on a modern interpretation of Italian heritage, Italicus has sought to establish itself at the premium end of the on-trade, with its distinctive bergamot-led flavour profile and bottle design helping it stand out in an increasingly competitive aperitivo market. In a statement shared on LinkedIn, Gallo reflected on the journey from launching the brand as what he described as “a bartender’s dream” to building an international business. “Since launching Italicus in 2016, we have pushed the boundaries of innovation in the aperitivo category, challenged industry conventions, and shown that building a truly iconic brand takes patience, vision, and unwavering commitment,” he said. Gallo said the time was right for the brand to move fully into its next phase under Pernod Ricard, allowing him to step away from his operational role. “I am incredibly proud that what started as a bartender’s dream has become the project of my life,” he said. “We created a unique modern Italian brand, built from the very top end of the on-trade, that has achieved what few brands ever do.” While stepping back from Italicus, Gallo said his focus on entrepreneurship and drinks innovation remains unchanged. He is now turning his attention to his newer venture, Savoia Vino Aperitivo. Top image: © Italicus

Natalie Dunbar This year's hot weather is estimated to have cost the UK economy approximately £4.4 billion in lost productivity, alongside wider effects on logistics, infrastructure and workforce health. For food and drink businesses, the risks go beyond the factory floor. Heat stress is affecting agricultural yields, increasing input costs and creating volatility across supply chains. Meanwhile, hospitality venues and hotels must manage higher cooling demand, protect guest comfort and respond to changing footfall patterns during extreme weather. Rather than treating heatwaves as short-term disruption, Natalie Dunbar, head of net zero services at Consultus Sustainability, discusses why this is more of a resilience issue. When the UK is faced with any extreme weather, the general consensus is to focus on the short-term impact and disruption, such as transport delays, demands for certain products or a change to business operations. But as the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has been frequently warning, the reality is far more systemic. The UK is fundamentally 'built for a climate that no longer exists', with cool summers and mild winters rapidly giving way to temperature extremes. From an absence of rain to drought in two-thirds of England, wildfires that have destroyed homes and the military deployed to assist with fire control, as well as amber alerts and major infrastructure impacts including school closures – the UK has faced arguably one of its most testing summers in recent history. Across Europe, the challenges continue, which also have a knock-on effect on the UK: some estimates suggest a total of €180 billion could be wiped off EU GDP by the heatwaves. For all sectors, the food and beverage industry included, the heat has become a core risk with the potential to leave long-lasting damage. Volatile supply chains The pressures start on the frontline, out in the fields. Evidence collected from recent heatwaves in previous years reveals grass and maize yields plummeting by roughly 50% in affected agricultural regions. High heat forces crops to be harvested prematurely to prevent complete loss, directly compromising ingredient quality and driving up input prices for food processors. In addition to our domestic challenges, there is our reliance on global trade, with the UK importing around 40% of its food supply. When weather spikes impact our overseas partners – such as Morocco's persistent heatwaves and floods – the impact ripples across British supply chains. Combined with the geopolitical impact on wheat stemming from the war in Ukraine, and multi-year low groundwater levels that are failing to replenish between seasons, manufacturers face continuous price volatility that is ultimately passed down the line to the consumer. Logistics stress Another disruptive climate impact takes place in our infrastructure. Transporting ingredients from farm to factory floor creates massive exposure risks. And as we have seen, our thermal threshold in the UK is not where it needs to be. Major rail routes experience line closures due to buckling tracks and overhead cable sagging, as they are designed to only withstand lower temperatures, which can cause huge delays to ambient and chilled products in transit. Once products do reach their processing facilities or retail environments, energy, cooling and water availability becomes even more essential. When heatwaves spike, there is heightened cooling demand from various refrigeration systems and this, coupled with increased demand on dwindling water supplies and reduced grid efficiency, leads to electrical outages. One of the main issues in the UK is that commercial assets have historically underinvested in heavy-duty cold storage. Supermarket units often break down due to the systems not being engineered for prolonged periods of heat. There has been a rise in the number of retailers now switching from open-chiller units to those with physical doors – a crucial step in saving energy and retaining chilled temperatures. Meanwhile, there is also a risk of dips in warehouse productivity, higher occupational risks for frontline workers and the need to adjust shift patterns to work in cooler times of the day. Meeting new consumer behaviour At the other end of the supply chain, heatwaves can alter market demand virtually overnight. Research shows that roughly 70% of shoppers change their eating habits during high temperatures, opting for lighter products and fresher ingredients for salads. Unprepared manufacturers and retailers therefore face immediate challenges trying to match their stock levels. Footfall in city centres can also drop by as much as 25% during peak hot weather spikes – something that impacts many high street food chains. Managing extreme heat is an operational balancing act for hospitality operators. Businesses often find themselves operating in a way to protect comfort and safety. For businesses able to afford air conditioning, constant use drives energy bills to peak levels, highlighting the urgent need for site-level shifts toward passive cooling design, building orientation and structural retrofitting. Moving to climate adaptation Currently, many organisations are focusing on decarbonisation and transitioning to net zero on various pathways – ultimately reducing their impact on the planet. While this is still critical, there is a dangerous blind spot regarding the immediate, physical impact on the business. Many become trapped in a reactive survival mode, treating each heatwave as a short-term emergency rather than a recurring financial threat. Building genuine business resilience requires a structured transition towards physical climate adaptation: Utilising TCFD frameworks: leverage the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) reporting process not merely as a compliance exercise but as a practical tool to map physical climate risks across locations, logistics routes and supply chains Audit infrastructure: assess refrigeration, cold-chain thresholds and ambient warehouse environments to bring in upgrades before heatwaves occur Supply chain collaboration: work directly with agricultural suppliers and transport partners to build flexible sourcing schedules, account for harvest volatility and support long-term water management strategies Adapt workplaces: formalise heat-response protocols, including flexible shift timings to protect workforce productivity and health Record-breaking summer temperatures are becoming a permanent feature of the UK commercial landscape. By identifying vulnerabilities early and embedding physical measures for resilience within core energy and operational strategies, food and beverage businesses can protect their supply chains, safeguard their workforces and secure long-term profitability.

The Americas Food & Beverage Show & Conference (AF&B), produced by World Trade Center Miami (WTCM), will mark its 30th anniversary this year, returning to the Miami Beach Convention Center from 14-16 September 2026. For three decades, AF&B has served as a premier meeting point for manufacturers, distributors, retailers, importers, exporters and buyers from across the Americas and beyond. Since its founding, AF&B has grown from a regional trade event into one of the industry's most significant international gatherings, drawing over 1,000 exhibitors and buyers from 120+ countries and welcoming more than 10,000 attendees each year. Over 30 years, the show has helped thousands of small and medium-sized businesses expand into new markets, forge lasting trade relationships and grow from local brands into global players. Ivan Barrios, president and CEO at WTCM, said: “This 30th anniversary is a milestone worth celebrating, but it's also a reminder of why this show exists. Over three decades, AF&B has stayed true to its mission of helping small and medium-sized businesses find real opportunities to grow internationally, and that mission is more important today than ever.” The 2026 edition will honour the show's history while expanding its programming, with an enhanced Center Stage and Beverage Stage line-up, an expanded Conference Program addressing tariffs, FDA compliance and international logistics, and special 30th anniversary programming and networking events to be announced in the coming weeks. Registration and Exhibitor information are available at AF&B's website.

Trubar Kids, a US-based plant-based snack bar brand, has introduced a new chocolate banana bread flavour in a collaboration with film producer Illumination, inspired by its Minions film. The chocolate banana bread bar delivers 8g of plant-based protein and 5g of sugar per bar, aiming to bring the indulgent taste of banana bread to a school lunchbox-friendly snacking format. It joins Trubar Kids’ existing line-up of flavours, including Fudge-Tastic Brownie, Iced Oatmeal Blast and Pop Goes Confetti, all of which will feature new Minions packaging as part of the collaboration. Trubar Kids’ bars are all made with 100% plant-based, gluten-free ingredients, and without seed oils or sugar alcohols. The range also contains no peanuts or tree nuts, further catering to free-from demand. The Minions collaboration products will be available at Sprouts, Albertsons and Safeway stores across the US, with further roll-out of the new offering set for Walmart and Whole Foods this autumn.

Unilever has confirmed that it is seeking a buyer for its Colman’s mustard brand as it looks to address potential competition concerns surrounding the planned combination of its food business with McCormick. The move comes as US food group McCormick prepares to acquire Unilever’s food operations in a $15.7 billion deal, which would bring together a portfolio including Hellmann’s, Knorr, Marmite and Pot Noodle. McCormick already owns French’s, one of the world’s leading mustard brands. A Unilever spokesperson told FoodBev: “A decision has been taken to market the Colman’s brand and assets to potential buyers in order to proactively seek to address potential competition concerns from the planned combination of Unilever Foods and McCormick. Discussions are ongoing and the operations continue as usual.” Sky News reported that the sale process was initiated while competition regulators scrutinise the proposed transaction. The valuation of the Colman’s brand is currently unclear. Under the deal, which is expected to close next year, Unilever shareholders will hold 65% of the combined company, with McCormick shareholders owning the remaining 35%. According to Sky News, the planned McCormick transaction is expected to create a global food business valued at approximately $66 billion. Top image: © Unilever

GEA has expanded its digital offering for the food industry with the launch of Changeover Assist, a new application designed to help food manufacturers reduce errors, material waste and downtime during product and format changeovers. The digital tool provides standardised, recipe-based instructions directly through the SmartControl human-machine interface (HMI), guiding operators through each stage of a changeover. The application is initially available for GEA PowerPak thermoformers and the GEA MaxiFormer drum former, with additional equipment, including the GEA OptiSlicer, planned for future rollout. The software was primarily developed at GEA's Biedenkopf-Wallau site in Germany, the company's centre of excellence for horizontal packaging machines. Product changeovers can be a challenging stage of food production, particularly as manufacturers manage increasingly diverse product ranges, high employee turnover and seasonal workforces. GEA said errors such as selecting incorrect packaging materials or missing individual changeover steps can result in wasted product and materials, rework, quality issues and production interruptions. Changeover Assist is intended to standardise the process by displaying only the instructions relevant to a particular product changeover. Operators confirm each completed step, with the process documented to provide greater traceability. The system also supports multiple languages and allows manufacturers to add images, videos and other work instructions to individual steps. Production cannot restart until all mandatory changeover activities have been confirmed. Michel Theiss, product manager, Digital Solutions at GEA, said: “With Changeover Assist, we make valuable machine and process knowledge available at all times. This helps our customers carry out changeovers safely and efficiently, regardless of individual experience levels. The result is fewer operator errors, less material and food waste, faster onboarding of new employees and greater overall production reliability.” The application integrates with GEA's cloud-based InsightPartner platform, allowing manufacturers to centrally manage their changeover instructions and update them as processes evolve. Instructions can be enhanced with multimedia content, creating what GEA describes as a digital knowledge base that can be shared across production sites. The approach is designed to help manufacturers retain operational knowledge while providing a consistent process for operators working across different facilities. GEA has also introduced an InsightPartner Notification Service and associated mobile app, which can deliver real-time machine notifications to designated personnel. The combination of operator guidance, centralised instructions and machine notifications forms part of GEA's wider strategy to connect equipment and digital services across food processing and packaging operations. GEA said Changeover Assist will continue to be developed at Biedenkopf-Wallau as the company expands the application to additional machines. The company also plans to consolidate the slicing and loading systems portfolio of its Food Solutions business unit at the German site. According to GEA, bringing the portfolio together will reduce interfaces between functions and support more closely integrated development of individual machines and complete line solutions. By April 2028, GEA plans to consolidate customer-facing functions including sales, service and final customer acceptance testing at Biedenkopf-Wallau.

Saint James Iced Tea is entering the functional beverage category with the launch of Saint James Yerba Mate, a new certified organic line designed to provide consumers with a higher-caffeine alternative to the brand's existing ready-to-drink tea portfolio. The launch marks Saint James' first move beyond organic iced tea and comes as the company continues to expand its retail footprint across the US and Canada. Available in Mango Passionfruit, Raspberry Lemon and Strawberry Tangerine, each 16oz bottle contains 150mg of natural caffeine, between 20 and 25 calories, and 3-4g of sugar. The beverages are certified organic and non-GMO, with yerba mate sourced from South America. The drinks also contain naturally occurring compounds including polyphenols and theobromine, alongside caffeine, positioning the range within the growing market for functional and energy-focused beverages. Brenden Cohen, co-founder and co-CEO of Saint James Iced Tea, said: “Our consumers already turn to Saint James as part of their daily routine, so creating a more functional option was the next logical step. Saint James Yerba Mate delivers the same quality and taste our customers expect from us, now with a more substantial amount of natural caffeine.” The new line introduces a more distinctive visual identity for Saint James, with green and chrome packaging for its recyclable and resealable aluminium bottles. The three-strong flavour range is designed to combine fruit-forward profiles with the natural caffeine credentials of yerba mate: Mango Passionfruit, Raspberry Lemon and Strawberry Tangerine. Saint James said the new product maintains its focus on clean-label and organic ingredients while offering a more functional proposition for consumers seeking sustained energy throughout the day. Saint James Yerba Mate is available now online in 12-packs priced at $39.99, with retail distribution set to expand through Kroger and Albertsons banners.

A family-owned Yorkshire potato supplier is investing £1.65m in automation and future growth as its long-standing partnership with Aldi UK continues to expand. Cockerill, which is based just outside York, has supplied the discount supermarket since Aldi first entered the UK market. The business now provides potatoes across bagged and loose lines, including more than 16 million loose baking potatoes each year. The supplier said the volume of potatoes it provides to Aldi has more than doubled since 2023, giving the family-owned business greater confidence to invest in technology, people and its farming operations. The £1.65m investment is focused on new technology and automation designed to improve productivity as the business scales its operations. Alongside investment in its packing capabilities, Cockerill is continuing to develop regenerative farming practices, including the use of cover crops. The company is also pursuing initiatives aimed at reducing waste both in the field and throughout its packing operations. Cockerill supplies traditional varieties such as Maris Piper, alongside a wider range of fresh potatoes sold in 1kg and 2.5kg packs and loose baking potatoes. Joanne Forster, account manager at Cockerill, said: "As a family business, we're incredibly proud to supply quality British potatoes to millions of Aldi customers and we're excited to bring our produce to even more shoppers across the country as the partnership continues to grow.” The investment highlights the role that long-term supermarket supply partnerships can play in giving food producers and agricultural businesses the confidence to invest in capacity and operational improvements. For Cockerill, the growth in Aldi volumes is supporting a combination of automation and on-farm investment, while also creating opportunities to increase the availability of British-grown potatoes across the retailer's estate. Julie Ashfield, chief commercial officer at Aldi UK, said: “It’s fantastic to work with family businesses like Cockerill, who have been growing quality British produce for generations. It's rewarding to see the business continue to invest in the local community as our partnership goes from strength to strength.” As retailers continue to focus on strengthening domestic supply chains, Cockerill's investment demonstrates how sustained volume growth can support further investment in technology, productivity and farming practices within the UK's fresh produce sector.

Yann Bottoli Most people rarely think about the processes, facilities and engineers that make the production of their favourite foods possible. Particularly underappreciated is the role of electric motors: the machines that help to pump, mix, chill, and shuttle the food and drink we consume daily. Yann Bottoli, global sales manager, ABB, explores these invisible workhorses humming away in the background of practically every industry, and how they shape successful F&B production. While the role of electric motors generally is understood, what is even less acknowledged is the environmental toll these motors can carry. Food and beverage production ranks among the most energy- and resource-intensive industries, with food production alone responsible for an estimated 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to Our World in Data. Many F&B processes run on legacy direct-on-line (DOL) induction motors. These fixed-speed motors operate at full capacity and are adjusted by mechanical throttling or dampers. It’s a bit like driving a car with the accelerator floored and using the brake to control speed. In the F&B sector, this issue hits even harder, with energy now ranking among the highest costs across the food supply chain. Processes such as beverage and dairy pumping, dough mixing and agitation and refrigeration or packaging compression are inherently highly dynamic, with loads that fluctuate continuously. For a large plant, electricity demand can top hundreds of megawatt hours a month. Cutting consumption is therefore simultaneously an operational necessity and a sustainability lever. Major food producers are pursuing ambitious Scope 1 and 2 decarbonisation targets, and minimum motor efficiency regulations based on IEC standards continue to raise the bar on minimum motor efficiency. For manufacturers, sticking with legacy DOL motors risks higher compliance costs today, and inevitable upgrades tomorrow. Control and quality work in unison Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) deliver substantial energy savings by matching motor speed precisely to process demands, typically reducing power consumption by 25% or more in pumping, mixing and conveying applications. They allow smooth ramp-up and ramp-down sequences, sparing equipment from the jolt of sudden starts and stops. This reduced mechanical stress results in less wear on gearboxes and bearings, fewer breakdowns, and longer equipment life. More critically for food production, precise motor speed control underpins consistent product quality. In dairies, gentle pump operation prevents foaming and protein denaturation. In bakeries, torque‑accurate mixing delivers consistent dough texture and batch uniformity. And on bottling lines, variable speed conveyors handle products more carefully during start‑ups and changeovers. Packaging lines highlight the flaw of fixed speed: demand constantly shifts with container sizes, filling rates and pack formats. Yet traditional fixed-speed motors still operate at full power, wasting energy during standby or part‑load operation. That wasted energy is released as heat, while the motor racks up wear as if it were running under peak load, a sure recipe for premature fatigue. So why aren’t VSDs everywhere by now? Despite being proven for decades, adoption lingers around 26% worldwide, even though roughly half of all industrial motors would benefit from speed control. The barrier isn't performance, but practicality. Traditional drives need external cabinets, extra wiring, installation downtime and expert commissioning. In hygiene-critical facilities with tight layouts and minimal tolerance for downtime, these complexities can be a dealbreaker. This is where variable speed motors (VSMs) offer a smart alternative. Presenting the VSM Inefficiency may be baked into much of the F&B sector, but the VSM offers an effective solution. Instead of treating motor and drive as separate components, VSMs unite them in a streamlined, single plug-and-play solution. With plug-and-play functionality, the motor and drive are commissioned and optimised to work together before leaving the factory, making installation fast and easy with no need for cabinets or electrical rooms. These systems pair a permanent magnet motor with an axially integrated drive, enabling them to achieve the IEC’s IE5 ‘Ultra-Premium’ efficiency rating. An IE5 motor has 40% lower energy losses than commonly used IE3-level products. Paired with speed control, the motor only draws the power the process actually demands. For example, a typical 15 kW centrifugal pumping application in beverage or dairy facilities can save over €121,000 on electricity costs over a 15-year lifetime, with a lifetime avoidance of 174,000 kg in CO₂ emissions. Scale that across fleets of equipment and you're quickly uncorking savings worth millions of euros, with an equally substantial emissions reduction. Variable speed also dovetails neatly with automation. Motors can dynamically adapt to viscosity changes or process stages, ensuring consistency without over-processing. Production agility gets easier, from recipe tweaks to line speed adjustments. VSMs are designed to complement this agility with compactness: up to three frame sizes smaller than equivalent induction motors, they cover power ranges from 1.1 to 30 kW, with rated speeds up to 4,500 rpm, making them suitable for pumps, agitators, compressors and conveyors. Their permanent magnet design delivers high power density and high efficiency over the entire speed range, with low-speed, high-torque operation ideal for viscous or stop-start processes. A lever for change F&B producers face several hurdles, including severe energy intensity, regulatory scrutiny, uncompromising hygiene standards, and relentless productivity demands. Given that motors are the single biggest users of electricity on the floor, they’re also the single biggest lever for change. The variable speed motor shows what’s possible when efficiency and practicality converge: measurable drops in energy use and emissions, extended equipment lifetimes, and operational resilience. A fleet-wide rollout can deliver the scale that Scope 1 and 2 decarbonisation targets demand, while keeping operations cost-competitive. Ultimately, investing in streamlined motor drive technology isn’t just a hardware upgrade, but a step change in the quest for sustainable food production.

Pringles is expanding its snack portfolio this September with two new product launches aimed at giving consumers more variety in both format and flavour. The headline innovation is Pringles Dippers, the brand's first thicker, sturdier and wavier crisp, developed specifically to hold dips without breaking. Alongside the new format, Pringles is also adding Sweet & Salty to its growing Mingles range of puffed snacks. Pringles Dippers feature a thicker construction and a scooped, curvy shape designed to pick up and hold more dip. The new product is intended to address a common challenge in the sharing-snack category, where thinner crisps can struggle to support heavier dips. The range will launch in three varieties: Pringles Dippers Original – the brand's classic salty and savoury Original flavour in the new thicker, wavier format. Pringles Dippers French Onion – combining sweet, caramelised onion notes with a tangy and creamy flavour profile. Pringles Dippers Bacon Cheddar – blending cheddar cheese flavour with smoky bacon notes. The new range can be eaten on its own or paired with dips, positioning the product for entertaining, sharing occasions and at-home snacking. Eileen Flaherty-Yao, senior director of salty at Mars Snacking North America, said: “We know it can be frustrating if your typical salty dipping vessel prevents your perfect scoop or breaks as you dip, which is why we've created Pringles Dippers.” She added that the brand's iconic parabolic crisp shape has been reimagined in a thicker and wavier format designed to handle everything from lighter dips to heavier scoops. Pringles is also expanding its Mingles line with the launch of Pringles Mingles Sweet & Salty. The bowtie-shaped puffed snack combines a light and airy texture with brown buttery sweetness and a salty finish, adding a sweet-and-savoury flavour profile to the existing Mingles portfolio. The dual launch demonstrates a continued focus on format innovation within the salty snacks category, with Pringles moving beyond its traditional crisp format while also experimenting with different textures and flavour combinations. “With this innovation and the Sweet & Salty addition to our Mingles lineup, Pringles brings new ways to take on your favourite snack,” Flaherty-Yao said. Both Pringles Dippers and Pringles Mingles Sweet & Salty are scheduled to begin arriving on shelves in September.

Maash – a start-up with operations in Belgium and France, focused on developing mycoprotein ingredients for the food industry – has secured a €12.5 million funding package to accelerate its next phase of growth. The company, headquartered in Brussels, said the funding will support the launch of its demonstration plant in Carling-Saint-Avold, France, preparing the company for further scale-up of up to 10,000 tons of annual industrial production. The package includes a €5.85 million equity raise from five new investors – Ambra Capital, InvestPro, BPIFrance Amorçage Industriel, Nordzucker and Tereos. Additionally, BPIFrance has supported with €4.3 million through its Première Usine programme, supported by France 2030, and a €2 million BPIFrance loan through its Prêt d’Amorçage Investissement. Maash acquired the site in Carling-Saint-Avold, previously owned by former French biotechnology firm Metabolic Explorer (Metex), in 2024 after the company went into liquidation. LoCylia is Maash’s fermentation-derived mycoprotein ingredient, made from fungi and offering a high-protein and fibre-rich solution designed for multiple food applications. As a B2B ingredient supplier, Maash said it aims to differentiate itself through ‘industrial discipline, cost competitiveness and close alignment with customer needs’. The company aims to become a European leader in mycoprotein by combining its fermentation expertise with a ‘pragmatic approach focused on competitive capital investment and production costs’. Gaspard Gilbert, co-founder and current managing director at Maash, said: “Acquiring the former Metex site gave us an industrial base. Over the past two years, we have worked to turn that base into a credible and executable project. This financing marks an important step in that journey: we now have the partners, resources and leadership in place to move from preparation to industrial deployment.” In September, Maash also welcomes Samah Garringer to the role of chief executive officer. Her appointment aligns with the company’s shift into a new phase of development as it prioritises delivering the pre-industrial project and building commercial momentum. Garringer brings more than 25 years of international experience spanning food, ingredients, nutrition and industrial scale-up. Her background includes roles at DSM, Avril Group and fellow mycoprotein specialist Enough Foods. As part of the transition, MD Gilbert will take on the role of chief commercial officer, while also serving as acting chief finance officer. He said that Garringer’s appointment gives Maash the “industrial, human and commercial capabilities it needs to scale”. Commenting on her appointment, Garringer said: “I am thrilled to join Maash at this pivotal moment. Together with the team and our new partners, we will deliver the pre-industrial project, accelerate commercial rollout and build a resilient, cost-competitive platform to bring nutritious, sustainable mycoprotein to market at scale.” Top image: © Maash