At Vitafoods Europe 2026, FoodBev Media's Melissa Bradshaw caught up with Chris Whiting, European nutrition category manager at Synergy Flavours, to discuss the trends shaping the future of functional nutrition. From GLP-1 companion products and high-protein innovation to taste modulation and multifunctional formulations, Whiting shares how Synergy is helping brands tackle some of the category’s biggest challenges, including improving flavour, masking bitterness and creating more consumer-friendly nutrition solutions. Watch the full interview to hear more about the evolving functional nutrition landscape, from changing consumer preferences and emerging ingredient trends to the growing focus on balancing functionality with taste and overall product experience.

Beavertown Brewery is expanding its Cosmic Drop range with the launch of Cosmic Drop Tropical, a new fruit-infused lager designed to capitalise on growing demand for lighter, flavour-forward beer styles. The new variant builds on the success of Cosmic Drop Berry and combines a crisp lager base with juicy tropical fruit notes aimed at casual social occasions and warm weather consumption. Positioned as a fruit-forward twist on traditional lager, Cosmic Drop Tropical has been developed to balance clean lager drinkability with vibrant tropical flavour. Genna Burchel, head of commercial marketing at Beavertown, said: “We’re seeing strong demand for lighter, fruit-led beers, especially in summer. Cosmic Drop Tropical builds on the success of Berry, giving retailers a fresh, tropical take on lager to tap into that trend.” Cosmic Drop Tropical is launching nationwide this summer and will be available through selected retailers and pubs across the UK. Founded in 2011, Beavertown has grown from a small scale operation in London into one of the UK’s best known craft breweries, producing around 90 million pints annually from its brewery in Enfield.

Andreas Schneider Dupe culture - born in beauty aisles and amplified on TikTok - has arrived in beverages, and it is accelerating a structural shift in how retailers approach product development, private label investment and competitive differentiation. Andreas Schneider, co-founder and EVP at FedUp Foods, argues that dupe demand is converging with a deeper generational realignment: shoppers are becoming loyal to retailers, not CPG brands, and that shift is rewriting the rules for the entire beverage aisle. Walk into any grocery store, and you’ll see it happening in real time: the lines between premium brands and private label are blurring, and fast. Private label now accounts for roughly 19-20% of total US CPG dollar sales, according to NielsenIQ, and in some beverage subcategories, it’s growing even faster. At the same time, food-at-home prices remain elevated, up more than 25% cumulatively since 2020, based on US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Out of necessity, consumers have recalibrated how they define value. And that’s where 'dupe culture' enters the conversation. The loyalty inversion For previous generations, brands ruled grocery. Shoppers were loyal to Coca-Cola, Campbell’s and Nabisco, and retailers competed to stock those brands at the best price. The landscape featured dozens of regional chains, largely interchangeable in assortment, differentiated mainly by location and weekly circulars. That landscape is fundamentally changing. Retail consolidation and the rise of e-commerce have produced a handful of dominant players, with a smaller number of regional grocers and speciality insurgents carving out durable competitive moats through distinctive store experiences. The result is that retailers have become the brands. For Gen Z and Millennial shoppers (now the fastest-growing private label adopter segments), this inversion feels entirely natural. According to McKinsey, 62% of Gen Z consumers would consider alternatives even when they have a favourite brand. They are not disloyal; they are loyal to a different thing. Dupe culture is the consumer expression of this shift: the willingness to try a retailer’s alternative is an extension of trusting the retailer itself. R&D at retail speed The dupe dynamic has fundamentally changed what retailers expect from manufacturing partners. What started on TikTok as a hunt for luxury lookalikes has evolved into something much more meaningful in food and beverage: a willingness to experiment, compare and ultimately switch, if the experience holds up. When a functional beverage goes viral, whether through a celebrity endorsement, a TikTok trend or a Super Bowl ad, the window for a retailer to have a comparable product on shelf is measured in weeks, not quarters. Traditional branded R&D pipelines, stretching twelve to eighteen months from concept to commercialisation, cannot match that cadence. This is where co-manufacturing partnerships become strategic assets. Contract manufacturers with modular formulation platforms and flexible production lines can move a retailer from trend identification to shelf-ready product up to three times faster than a conventional pipeline. Leading manufacturers have expanded their technical toolkit, enabling store brands to match quality claims that once belonged exclusively to premium independents. The retailers gaining the most ground treat private label as an innovation lab: launching limited-time offerings, iterating based on sell-through data and graduating successful SKUs into permanent assortment. Value and values: the dual mandate One of the most striking dynamics of the current market is that cost-conscious shopping and values-driven purchasing are no longer in tension. Younger consumers expect affordability, clean labels, sustainability commitments and transparent sourcing from the same product. A lower price is the entry point; the ethical and functional proposition closes the sale. For retailers, this creates a powerful flywheel. A store brand that delivers genuine functional benefits with transparent ingredients reinforces consumer trust in the retailer, which makes them more receptive to the next private label launch. Legislation is accelerating this cycle in Europe and in the United States. Retailers who treat clean-label reformulation as a brand investment rather than a compliance cost are crafting the strongest moats. Where dupes meet differentiation Here is the paradox at the centre of this trend: dupe culture starts with imitation, but the retailers winning the most are using it as a launchpad for genuine differentiation. The most compelling innovation in beverage aisles today is not retailers copying branded products. It is retailers leveraging demand signals to develop products that branded competitors have not yet brought to market. With point-of-sale data, loyalty programmes and direct customer feedback, retailers have insight into shopper behaviour at a granularity most CPG companies cannot match. Consider multi-benefit formulations, what some in the industry call 'functional stacking.' Consumers want beverages that deliver on multiple fronts: a prebiotic soda that supports energy, a protein coffee with adaptogens, a hydration drink fortified with collagen. Branded players pioneering these combinations get the headlines, but retailers with the right manufacturing partners can move faster, test more aggressively, and scale what works. The new competitive map The beverage aisle is being reshaped by two converging forces. Dupe culture has normalised the idea that a store brand can match or exceed a national brand. And a generational shift in loyalty means retailers (not CPG companies) increasingly own the consumer relationship. Together, these forces are creating a competitive map in which retailers compete through the distinctiveness of their own brands, while CPG brands compete to prove they still deserve shelf space. For B2B professionals across the supply chain, the strategic imperative is clear. The dupe effect is not a passing social media trend. It is one surface expression of a deeper structural realignment in how value, innovation and trust flow through the grocery channel. The companies that build infrastructure to meet this moment – fast formulation, flexible production, transparent sourcing – will shape what comes next.

The UK food industry has responded to alleged government proposals for retailers to cap the prices of essential grocery items such as bread, eggs and milk in return for easing certain regulations. According to reporting by the Financial Times, the government has put pressure on UK supermarkets to voluntarily freeze prices of grocery staples in exchange for incentives such as easing of packaging regulations and delays to healthy food policy changes. This comes as the latest inflation data shows the annual rate of food price rises climbed higher than the overall inflation rate last month, rising above 3%. Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson has denied claims the government is looking at bringing in price caps. Though reportedly suggested as a voluntary measure rather than mandatory legislation, several key figures in the food industry have reacted with strong criticism, including executives at retailers M&S and Ocado. A spokesperson from the Food and Drink Federation said it is “not clear how these proposals would work in practice,” commenting: “Government needs to focus on the root causes of rising food inflation, not the symptom.“ The spokesperson added: “For food and drink manufacturers, we need government to prioritise regulation so it doesn’t all come at once, and ensure it’s going to have the intended outcome. Too much regulation is too complex and too costly to implement, which is taking up businesses' time, resources and focus while they're also grappling with a global energy shock.” Jan Schneiderbanger, Partner at LEK Consulting, said a request to hold prices must be reconciled with a cost base that policy has actively raised. “If retailers comply, the cost has to land somewhere – there is limited room for further margin compression, so freezing prices on certain lines is likely to result in higher prices on the rest of the basket, or in lower payments to suppliers and farmers.” He added that supply chain resilience and cyber security are additional concerns to consider, with these areas funded from the same margin pool that a freeze would compress. “The 2025 cyber attacks on M&S and the Co-op illustrated both the scale of investment now required to operate a modern grocery business safely, and the disruption consumers face when that investment proves inadequate,” Schneiderbanger said. “Compressing margins in the short term reduces the sector's capacity to invest in the resilience that protects consumers over the long-term, including against the kind of supply shocks that current Middle East disruption is already creating.”

Italian-inspired food brand Brami has secured $33 million in Series B funding in a round led by VMG Partners, as the company looks to expand its supply chain capabilities and accelerate growth. The funding round also included participation from existing investors La Molisana, Pentland Ventures, Lerer Hippeau and Gather Ventures. Founded in 2016 by first-generation Italian American Aaron Gatti, Brami has positioned itself as a challenger brand in the better-for-you pasta category by emphasising traditional ingredients and production methods. The company’s pasta products are made using just two ingredients – durum wheat semolina and lupini bean flour, a combination designed to deliver higher protein and fibre while maintaining the taste and texture of traditional Italian pasta. Gatti said: “Our goal is for Americans to reconsider their relationship with Italian cuisine, starting with pasta. Italians eat significantly more pasta than Americans and yet consistently rank among the healthiest populations in the world. The difference is in the quality.” Brami says the new capital will support investments in manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure as demand continues to grow. The investment comes as demand for functional and protein-forward foods continues to reshape centre store grocery categories. Wayne Wu, general partner at VMG Partners, said: “We believe Brami has been able to redefine the category in part because of their high standard for real ingredients and artisan manufacturing integrity. The team is meticulously focused on ingredients, process and quality, which becomes increasingly difficult as brands scale.” A key component of Brami’s production strategy is its partnership with Italian partnership with Italian pasta manufacturer, La Moslina. The company’s growth also reflects broader consumer interest in foods that combine protein with additional nutritional benefits such as fibre.

Nestlé Professional has expanded its out-of-home bakery offering with a new range of branded muffins, developed in partnership with Cherrytree Bakery and now core listed through Sysco/Brakes. The new range features three muffin variants inspired by Nestlé confectionery brands: Aero, Rolo and Munchies, targeting growing consumer demand for familiar branded bakery products within foodservice. According to Nestlé Professional, 63% of consumers in the UK and Ireland are more likely to purchase sweet bakery products featuring a recognised brand, with Nestlé brands generating particularly strong interest. The launch comes as the UK sweet bakery market reaches an estimated value of £2.8 billion, presenting opportunities for operators to drive incremental sales through premium bakery formats. Kate Alexander, head of food & commercial channels at Nestlé Professional UK & Ireland, said: “Branded sweet bakery continues to be a strong driver of growth out-of-home, giving operators a simple way to elevate their offer while meeting clear consumer demand for familiarity and quality.” The muffins are designed to cater to multiple consumption occasions. Alexander continued: “This range has been designed to combine the strength of well-loved Nestlé brands with the convenience and consistency operators need, helping them deliver standout bakery options with minimal effort and maximum impact.” Available through Brakes, the products feature a thaw-and-serve format intended to reduce waste and improve operational flexibility.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally cleared the proposed merger between Associated British Foods’ (ABF) bakery business and Hovis across the whole of the UK, following additional analysis conducted as part of its Phase 2 investigation. ABF, owner of the Kingsmill brand, supplies bread and other bakery products across the UK through its Allied Bakeries division, competing with companies including Hovis and Warburtons. Allied Bakeries and Hovis are also key suppliers of own-label bakery products to major supermarkets. The proposed transaction was first announced in August 2025, when ABF agreed to acquire Hovis Group in a deal expected to reshape the UK bakery sector. In January 2026, the CMA fast-tracked its review of the merger into an in-depth Phase 2 investigation under new powers introduced by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The regulator’s interim findings, published in March this year, provisionally cleared the merger in Great Britain while raising competition concerns in Northern Ireland. At the time, the CMA’s independent inquiry group believed that, had the merger not proceeded, another buyer could have acquired Allied Bakeries’ Northern Ireland operations and continued competing with Hovis in the region. However, following further evidence-gathering and analysis – including a review of Allied Bakeries’ financial performance in Northern Ireland and discussions with potential purchasers – the CMA has revised its provisional position. The regulator now considers it more likely that Allied Bakeries’ Northern Ireland business would have closed if the merger had not gone ahead, as no alternative purchaser would have continued operating the business as a competitor to Hovis. As a result, the inquiry group has provisionally concluded that the transaction would not substantially lessen competition in Northern Ireland, aligning its position with its earlier provisional clearance in Great Britain. The CMA is now provisionally minded to approve the merger across the UK. Stakeholders have until 5pm on 28 May 2026 to submit comments on the supplementary interim report, with a final decision due by 24 June 2026.

Heineken has launched Heineken Ultimate, a new lower-calorie beer variant debuting exclusively in Brazil before a wider rollout. Heineken Ultimate, the new lower-calorie beer variant. The new product contains 97 calories, 30% fewer calories than the standard Heineken offering and features a gluten-free formulation and lower alcohol content. The company said the launch is aimed at consumers seeking moderation and balance while maintaining the brand’s core taste profile. According to Heineken, the launch reflects changing consumer habits in Brazil, with growing demand for products linked to wellness and lifestyle flexibility. Mauricio Giamellaro, managing director of Heineken Brazil, said the product was developed in response to consumers seeking “more balanced relationships with consumption”. He added that Brazil being selected as the first market for the launch highlights the country’s strategic importance to the brand globally. The launch also supports the company’s broader portfolio diversification strategy in Brazil. In recent years, Heineken has expanded its offering with products including Heineken 0.0, Amstel Ultra, Sol, Praya Lager, Baer Mate and Mamba Water. Jules Macken, global innovation director for the Heineken brand, said the product was developed after identifying consumer demand for options that support both social occasions and wellbeing goals. Distribution of Heineken Ultimate will begin in May in São Paulo and Minas Gerais, before expanding to Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo in July, followed by a broader rollout across Brazil.

ADM has announced the launch of eight new plant-based protein ingredients across North America and Europe, as the company strengthens its position in the alternative protein market. The new additions to ADM’s ProFam and Arcon portfolios span soy protein isolates, concentrates and pea-based ingredients designed for applications including beverages, dairy alternatives, meat products, bakery and plant-based foods. The launches come amid continued global demand for diversified protein sources, with ADM citing proprietary consumer research showing that 66% of consumers are looking to increase their protein intake and 86% believe it is healthier to obtain protein from a variety of sources. Greg Dodson, vice president of protein for North America at ADM, said: “Protein is one of the most dynamic areas of nutrition with consumers now asking for more variety, functionality and choices than ever before.” Among the new launches is ProFam 883, a soy protein isolate formulated for protein-rich beverages and powders, offering clean taste and high solubility. ProFam 894 is targeted at dairy alternative applications, including Greek-style yogurt alternatives and drinks. ADM has also introduced several functional soy protein concentrates under its Arcon range. Arcon IH has been developed for processed meat applications, while Arcon SB and Arcon 412 are designed to support texture, juiciness and yield optimisation across sausages, meatballs, deli meats and chicken. In addition, the company unveiled a new pea flour ingredient positioned as allergen-friendly, gluten-free and non-GMO. ADM said the ingredient delivers neutral flavour and colour while providing fibre functionality for applications including batters, breading, cereal and baked goods. “With new ingredient introductions and expanding capabilities in facilities across the globe, ADM is uniquely positioned to not only meet that demand at scale but to also shape the future of protein innovation,” Dodson continued. For the European market, ADM launched European-sourced Arcon R and Arcon T soy protein concentrates, targeting meat alternatives, hybrid products and extender applications. The announcement reflects ADM's broader strategy to expand plant-based capabilities across key global regions. The company’s protein innovation network includes facilities in the US, as well as the Netherlands, Serbia and Brazil. Tony Payne senior director, creation, design and development at ADM, said: "By expanding our protein portfolio, we're giving customers more precise, functional solutions that will perform across a wide range of applications. This is about delivering choice, and giving consumers access to protein sources that are backed by decades of plant-based expertise and global innovation.” ADM’s history in plant proteins dates back to the 1960s, when the company introduced the first textured vegetable protein. Today, the company continues to focus on soy and pea protein developments as manufacturers increasingly seek ingredients that can improve taste and texture while supporting regional sourcing.

Rodda’s is investing £6 million in a new cottage cheese production facility at its Scorrier creamery in Cornwall. The new state-of-the-art facility is currently entering its final commissioning phase and will house specialist cottage cheese manufacturing equipment alongside Rodda’s existing operations. Once fully operational, the site is expected to produce up to 4,000 tonnes of cottage cheese annually and create up to 20 new skilled jobs in the region. The investment comes as the UK cottage cheese category experiences rapid growth, driven by changing dietary habits and increasing consumer interest in protein-rich, natural dairy products. According to Worldpanel by Numerator data for the 52 weeks ending 28 December 2025, UK cottage cheese market spend increased by 41.9% to £102.2 million, while purchase volumes rose 28.1% to 25.6 million kilograms. Additional data from NIQ Homescan POD shows monthly UK cottage cheese sales volumes grew by approximately 88% between early 2023 and December 2025, prompting manufacturers to increase production capacity to keep pace with supermarket demand. Rodda’s said the new facility will position the company among a small number of dedicated cottage cheese manufacturers in the UK, strengthening domestic dairy production capacity while enabling the business to diversify its product portfolio for major retailers. The move also supports Rodda’s wider operational efficiency and sustainability ambitions. The company processes around 61 million litres of milk annually, with only around 7% historically used for its flagship clotted cream production. Much of the resulting skimmed milk has traditionally been sold back into the commodity market. By manufacturing cottage cheese on site, Rodda’s aims to utilise more of its milk intake in value-added dairy products, improving overall yield and creating additional returns across its supply chain. Talking about the rise in popularity of cottage cheese and the new investment, Nicholas Rodda, managing director of Rodda’s, said: "This facility allows us to respond to that demand while getting more value from every litre of milk we buy from our farming families. This more efficient use of our milk intake will not only support farmgate returns, but also provide more predictable demand for farming families in the Rodda’s supply chain, and strengthen domestic food production resilience.” he project will introduce new automation technologies and production processes at the Scorrier site, while also supporting workforce development through upskilling programmes and technical dairy manufacturing roles. The investment has received £500,000 in support from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, allocated by Cornwall Council via the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme. Production at the new facility is expected to begin this summer, while Rodda’s existing creamery operations, including clotted cream, butter and speciality milk production, will continue as normal.

French anti-fraud officers have raided Perrier bottling and laboratory sites owned by Nestlé as part of an investigation linked to allegations surrounding the treatment of natural mineral water in France. The raids were carried out yesterday, 19 May, at two of its water facilities in Vergèze, southern France, where Perrier is bottled, as well as at a laboratory in the Vosges mountains. A Nestlé Waters spokesperson told FoodBev: “Unannounced inspections were carried out at two of Nestlé Waters’ sites in France on 19 May. We continue to cooperate fully with the authorities involved.” According to Reuters, the raids form part of an investigation launched after a consumer group filed a complaint with the Paris prosecutor alleging “deceit”. French broadcaster Radio France first reported the development. Perrier and several other mineral water brands have faced scrutiny since French media reports in 2024 alleged that producers had used water treatment methods intended to prevent contamination, potentially conflicting with regulations governing products labelled as natural mineral water. A French court rejected a separate consumer group case against Perrier in late 2025.

Valio has announced plans to relocate production from its Oulu factory to facilities in Riihimäki, Jyväskylä and Joensuu as part of a broader effort to improve operational efficiency and competitiveness. If implemented, the proposal would result in the closure of production operations at the Oulu site, although the distribution warehouse and several support functions, including sales operations, would remain at the premises. The company said the move is being driven by rising operating costs and declining production volumes at the Oulu facility. By concentrating manufacturing activities at other sites, Valio aims to strengthen production efficiency, profitability and long-term competitiveness in line with its corporate strategy. Change negotiations concerning the proposed production transfer are scheduled to begin on 25 May 2026 and will involve 264 employees at the Oulu factory. According to current plans, up to 140 positions could be affected. The negotiations, based on production-related, economic and operational reorganisation grounds, are expected to last three weeks. Juha Penttilä, Executive Vice President, Operations at Valio, said: “With the planned transfer of Oulu factory’s production, we aim to improve Valio’s production efficiency, profitability and competitiveness. With profitable and competitive business, we ensure the vitality of our owners, i.e. Finnish dairy farms, also in the future, and secure the continuity of domestic food production.” Under the current proposal, production activities at the Oulu factory would be phased out by the end of the first half of 2028. Valio emphasised that no final decisions have yet been made. Penttilä added that the company intends to manage the process responsibly and support affected employees where possible, including offering open positions at other Valio locations if the restructuring moves forward. The Oulu factory currently employs around 300 people and manufactures a range of products including fresh dairy items, fermented milk products, plant-based semi-finished products and ice cream. Overall, Valio employs approximately 4,600 people, with around 4,000 based in Finland. The company is owned through cooperatives by roughly 3,000 Finnish dairy farmers.