Irish dairy company Kerry Dairy Ireland has officially rebranded as Kinisla, unveiling a €300 million investment programme designed to accelerate growth and expand innovation. The announcement follows a landmark year for the business, which recorded a turnover of €1.4 billion in 2025 and began its transition towards full farmer ownership after Kerry Co-Operative Creameries acquired a 70% shareholding in the company last year. The new Kinisla identity reflects what the company describes as a renewed focus on its Irish roots, farming heritage and future-facing ambitions. The name combines themes of kinship and island identity, reinforcing closer ties between the business, its farmer suppliers and consumers. Alongside the rebrand, Kinisla confirmed plans to invest €300 million over the next five years across manufacturing innovation, operational scale-up and sustainability initiatives. Chris Roberts, managing director of consumer foods at Kinisla, said: “Powered by people and shaped by the land, we are laser-focused on creating and supplying high-quality products that deliver on what consumers really want.” The programme will also support efforts to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and is expected to create more than 100 new jobs across innovation, commercial operations and central functions over the next 12 to 24 months. Roberts continued: “This investment will turbocharge our innovation pipeline, strengthen our supply chain and support our ambition to reimagine dairy and inspire what’s next for the category.” The company said the investment programme will also expand its Evolve RegenDairy initiative, which supports dairy farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture practices aimed at improving the long-term environmental, social and economic sustainability of dairy farming. Snacking will remain a key strategic priority for the business, building on the continued momentum of its consumer brands portfolio. Kinisla is increasingly targeting demand for healthier, protein-rich and convenience-led snacking products as consumers seek more functional food options. Recent launches include MunchMix, alongside Smug Dairy’s high-protein Cheese & Crunch snacks aimed at adult consumers. The transition to Kinisla comes as the company positions itself for long-term growth under a farmer-led co-operative ownership structure, with full farmer ownership targeted by 2035.

Chicago-based Pringles and beer brand Miller Lite are expanding their limited-edition summer snack partnership with the launch of two cookout-inspired crisp flavours. The 2026 line-up introduces the new Pringles x Miller Lite Beer Cheese Burger crisps, alongside the returning Pringles x Miller Lite Beer-Braised Steak flavour, which debuted last year. Both SKUs will begin rolling out to participating retailers nationwide in June for a limited time. The collaboration continues a growing trend of cross-category partnerships between snack and beverage brands aimed at driving seasonal engagement and attracting consumers seeking experimental flavours. Mauricio Jenkins, US marketing lead for Pringles, said: “The response to our first collaboration with Miller Lite was incredible, and we knew we had to bring it back for another summer. These crisps combine all the best fresh-off-the-grill and fresh-out-the-cooler flavours into one snackable bite.” According to the companies, the new Beer Cheese Burger variety combines notes of sharp beer cheese and grilled burger with Miller Lite’s signature light beer profile. The returning Beer-Braised Steak flavour features savoury steak, black pepper and umami-inspired seasoning balanced by malt and hop-forward beer characteristics. Courtney Benedict, VP of marketing at the Miller family of brands, said: “Fans love to pair Miller Lite with their summertime staples, so bringing it all together into one snack with Pringles again this year is pretty special.” Pringles is part of the Mars snacking portfolio, which acquired the brand as part of its merger with Kellanova earlier this year. Miller Lite is owned by Molson Coors Beverage Company. The limited-edition flavours will be available at selected retailers while supplies last, beginning in June.

Suntory Group has launched a new water replenishment initiative in Queensland’s Brisbane River catchment as part of its wider global water stewardship strategy, alongside a new research partnership with Australian Rivers Institute at Griffith University. The initiative will focus on restoring waterways and supporting long-term water sustainability in the Brisbane region, where increasing population growth and climate pressures have heightened concerns around drought and water scarcity. The programme will begin in May 2026 and aims to replenish more water than Suntory’s Swanbank Beverage Facility uses annually. Planned projects include waterway restoration, riparian planting, irrigation optimisation and crop rotation improvements, delivered in collaboration with local communities. Suntory said the move builds on the roll-out of its Mizuiku environmental education programme in Australia last year and forms part of its broader environmental commitments under its 2050 Environmental Vision. Jun Asaki, chief sustainability officer at Suntory Holdings, said: “Suntory recognises that water is a local resource, and we are committed to be a positive force in promoting healthy water cycles in the regions in which we operate". He added that the company would work with local partners and communities to develop “science-based approaches” tailored to the region’s specific water challenges. The Brisbane River catchment was selected due to its strategic importance to the region’s water supply and the location of Suntory Oceania’s Swanbank production facility nearby. The company said Brisbane’s efforts to become a “water smart city” through its Total Water Cycle Management Plan also aligned with the initiative’s objectives. Alongside the replenishment programme, Suntory has entered a three-year partnership with Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute to support research into the effects of climate change on water quality and availability. The collaboration will combine local field data from the Brisbane catchment project with ecohydrological modelling and water flow analysis, with the aim of supporting future water management and restoration strategies. Dai Minato, CEO of Suntory Beverage & Food Oceania, said the partnership reflects the company’s long-standing sustainability commitments. “For more than 125 years, Suntory has been growing for good,” he said. “By working together, we can safeguard water for communities and for future generations.” Professor David Hamilton, director of ARI, said rivers, lakes and reservoirs act as “the canary in the coal mine” for environmental stress linked to human activity and climate change. Australia becomes the eighth country to host Suntory water source initiatives, following programmes launched in Japan and other international markets over the past two decades.

Lactalis UK & Ireland is expanding its Leerdammer portfolio into the cheese snacking category with the launch of Leerdammer Mini Cubes, a new bite-sized product aimed at capitalising on growing demand for convenient snacking options. Made using Leerdammer Original cheese produced in the Netherlands, the cubes are designed for adult snacking, grazing and sharing occasions. According to Lactalis UK & Ireland, the launch comes as cheese snacking continues to grow, with the segment increasing 13.3% year-on-year. The company said the new format is intended to help expand Leerdammer beyond its traditional sliced cheese offering while targeting additional consumption occasions. According to the company, Leerdammer Mini Cubes are targeted at ABC1 adults and families, as well as consumers seeking an alternative to cheddar. The cubes are made with 100% cheese and contain no artificial additives. Héloïse Le Norcy-Trott, group marketing director at Lactalis UK & Ireland, said: “Cheese snacking is becoming an increasingly important part of the category, as shoppers look for products that balance convenience, quality and great taste". “Leerdammer Mini Cubes bring our distinctive mild, nutty flavour into a new format designed for everyday grazing and sharing occasions. As well as extending Leerdammer beyond slices, the launch gives retailers a compelling branded proposition in a growing part of the fixture.” The launch will be supported with in-store marketing activity, including aisle fins and shelf barkers designed to drive shopper awareness and trial. The new product is available in Morrisons stores in a 110g resealable pack for £2.

Fox’s Chocolatey is introducing a new Matcha Indulgent Creams biscuit as the brand looks to capitalise on growing consumer demand for matcha-flavoured products driven by social media trends. The limited-edition launch marks the second release in Fox’s Chocolatey’s viral-inspired innovation series, following last year’s “Dubai Style” Indulgent Creams. According to the company, the earlier launch attracted 850,000 new shoppers to the brand, highlighting the role trend-led flavours can play in driving incremental category growth. The new product combines Fox’s Chocolatey’s signature chocolate-coated biscuit with a shortcake base and smooth matcha cream filling, tapping into the increasing popularity of matcha across food and beverage categories. Jo Harwood, chief sales and trade marketing officer at FBC (Fox Burton Companies), said: “Matcha has rapidly grown from a niche trend into a mainstream flavour, driven by its strong social media presence and growing appeal amongst younger shoppers. Its eye-catching colour, versatility and cultural appeal are just some of the reasons why.” The company noted that matcha-related content has generated more than 10 billion views on TikTok and 9.5 million Instagram posts, while matcha menu items have grown by more than 30% year-on-year in 2025. “With our track record of bringing viral flavour trends into the biscuit aisle, we’re confident Fox’s Chocolatey Matcha will drive incremental shoppers and category value, while giving retailers a compelling premium proposition,” Harwood added. The product launches this week in Tesco and Booker Group stores, with wider distribution planned from 20 June. The biscuits will be sold in packs of eight with a recommended retail price of £3 for a 122g pack. The launch reflects a broader trend within the confectionery and snacking sectors, where manufacturers are increasingly leveraging social media-driven flavour trends to attract younger shoppers and create premium, limited-edition offerings. Matcha has become one of the fastest-growing flavour profiles across beverages, desserts and snacks as brands seek to capitalise on consumer interest in globally inspired and visually distinctive products.

Ardagh Glass Packaging (AGP) has announced a restructuring of its management team, along with two new appointments. The structural changes aim to enhance regional autonomy, drive a more structured commercial approach and position the company for long-term success. Alexander Kuzan has been named the new chief executive officer for AGP Europe, while current chief transformation officer Timur Colak will take on the expanded role of chief commercial officer for AGP. The glass packaging company is restructuring its management reporting following the announcement that current CEO Mike Dick will be retiring at the end of May 2026. CEOs for regional businesses – Brian Brandstatter for North America, Paul Curnow for Africa and Kuzan for Europe – will report directly to Mark Porto, executive chairman of Ardagh Group. Colak will also continue reporting directly to Porto. Kuzan joins AGP from Novelis, where he served as VP and general manger of the company’s Can division in Europe since 2017. During this time, he was responsible for developing and implementing the company’s F&B packaging strategy across Europe. Colak’s expanded role as chief commercial officer of AGP, in addition to his responsibilities as chief transformation officer, will see him lead the global sales process with a more structured, value-based approach. Commenting on the appointments and restructuring, chairman Porto said: “By empowering our regional leaders and sharpening our commercial focus, we are positioning ourselves to operate with greater speed and agility. This new structure allows us to be more responsive to our customers' needs and builds a strong foundation for sustainable growth and continued industry leadership.”

Bertolli is expanding into the butter and spreads category with the launch of Bertolli Spreadable with Butter and Olive Oil, a new four-ingredient blend combining dairy butter and olive oil. The new product, positioned as a Mediterranean-inspired alternative in the spreads segment, contains 57% dairy butter, 23% olive oil, water and salt. Bertolli said the launch reflects the brand’s heritage of combining Italian-inspired flavour with everyday versatility for cooking, baking and spreading. Founded in Tuscany in 1865, Bertolli has built its reputation around Mediterranean cuisine and olive oil-based products. The company said the latest innovation is designed to bring that olive oil proposition into the chilled butter category while delivering a creamy texture and buttery taste profile. The product will debut in Tesco stores from May 18, followed by rollout in Morrisons from May 28. The 400g tub will carry an introductory retail price of £3.25, with a recommended retail price of £4.50. Additional retailer listings are expected later this year. According to Ian Hepburn, head of marketing UK & Ireland at Flora Food Group, said: "The Bertolli Spreadable Butter & Olive Oil is a milestone for the brand, bringing a distinctive olive oil proposition into the butter category. It has been specifically developed to deliver a rich, creamy texture with a smooth buttery flavour, making it a versatile ingredient for cooking, baking and spreading.” The launch comes as food manufacturers continue to introduce hybrid dairy and plant-oil products aimed at consumers seeking convenience, flavour and Mediterranean-inspired ingredients. Olive oil blends have become an increasingly active area within the spreads category as brands look to capitalise on demand for premium cooking staples and flexible meal preparation products. Bertolli Spreads and Spreadable Butter are part of Flora Food Group, which manages a portfolio of plant-based and dairy-related food brands across international markets.

Mondelēz International has been found by a German court to have misled consumers after reducing the size of its Milka chocolate bars from 100 grams to 90 grams without making substantial changes to the product’s packaging. The lawsuit was brought by the Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg at the Regional Court serving the German federal state and city of Bremen. The ruling, case 12 O 118/25, concluded that the packaging created the expectation that the product quantity had remained unchanged despite the reduction introduced earlier in 2025. According to the court, consumers familiar with the longstanding Milka packaging would reasonably assume the chocolate bars still contained 100 grams. Judges said the discrepancy between the visual presentation and the actual net weight risked misleading buyers unless accompanied by a clear and visible notice on-pack. The court stated that Mondelēz should have included a comprehensible notice of the quantity reduction for at least four months following the change, to give consumers adequate time to recognise the adjustment. The decision is not yet final, and Mondelēz has one month to appeal the ruling. A spokesperson for Mondelēz told Reuters: “We take note of and take seriously today’s court ruling and are now examining the court’s reasoning in detail." The maker of brands including Milka and Oreo said it reduced the weight of some Milka bars last year in response to increasingly volatile market conditions while aiming to maintain expected product quality standards.

Private equity firms including Blackstone and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice are exploring potential bids for The Magnum Ice Cream Company, according to a Reuters report citing sources familiar with the matter. The firms are understood to be in the early stages of assessing a possible move, with discussions said to be focused on monitoring Magnum’s share price performance before deciding whether to proceed. Magnum, which owns brands including Magnum, Cornetto and Ben & Jerry's, was spun out of Unilever less than six months ago and listed in December 2025 at a valuation of around €7.8 billion. Unilever still retains a 19.9% stake in Magnum and plans to exit its holding within five years. According to Reuters, private equity firms are expected to wait until after Magnum reports its summer sales performance before deciding whether to pursue a bid, as the company generates a significant portion of its revenue during the warmer months. Sources also told Reuters that other buyout firms are monitoring the business. FoodBev has contacted CD&R for comment, while Blackstone declined to comment.

Sauce Shop has partnered with Cheshire-based cheese manufacturer Helers to launch two new spicy sliced cheese products in UK supermarkets. Produced by Helers under licence from Sauce Shop, the new Buffalo Hot Sliced Cheese and Original Hot Sliced Cheese combine processed cheese slices with the sauce brand’s hot sauce flavours. Original Hot Sliced Cheese incorporates Sauce Shop’s signature Original Hot Sauce flavour, described by the company as delivering a fruity and spicy profile designed for sandwiches, burgers and toasties. Pam Digva, co-founder of Sauce Shop, said: “Hot flavours in everyday staples are having a real moment right now, consumers want that excitement at every meal, not just when they reach for the sauce bottle.” She added that the partnership with Helers combined “serious craft and heritage” in cheese-making with Sauce Shop’s flavour expertise. Melody Chapman, sales and marketing director at Helers, said the collaboration aimed to bring more branded innovation into the cheese category, which she described as historically dominated by own-label products. Chapman said: “By combining their distinctive flavours with our cheese-making expertise, we’re creating products that cut through, add value, excite shoppers and help retailers inject fresh energy into the category.” The products are now available in the chilled aisles of Sainsbury's and Morrisons nationwide.

Louis Dreyfus Company and PepsiCo are partnering on a regenerative agriculture initiative in Saskatchewan aimed at scaling sustainable canola production for ingredients used in PepsiCo products sold across the US and Canada. The programme, launched in one of the world’s leading canola-growing regions, is designed to help farmers adopt regenerative and restorative agriculture practices intended to improve soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support local ecosystems. Participating growers receive training and technical support through the Canadian Prairies Trusted Advisor Partnership (TAP), which provides practical, science-based guidance for implementing regenerative farming practices. In 2025, the initiative supported 16 farmers across 25,000 acres, producing approximately 26,000 tons of canola grown under the program’s regenerative agriculture framework. The companies plan to expand the initiative to 45,000 acres in 2026 as they work to accelerate adoption across the province. Paul Hrycyk, regenerative agriculture project manager at LDC, said: “With climate challenges affecting crops and farmer livelihoods, the long-term resilience of food and agricultural supply chains requires a transition to more sustainable practices at farm level." Programme outcomes will be measured using the Cool Farm Tool, a standardised platform used to estimate and track metrics including farm-level emissions and biodiversity indicators. The companies said the data-driven approach is intended to help growers monitor performance over time and refine farm management strategies. “Our programme with PepsiCo reflects our shared focus on supporting regenerative agriculture practices through this collaboration, and our belief that joint investment and actions are essential to scale and accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices,” Hrycyk added. Margaret Henry, vice president of sustainable and regenerative agriculture at PepsiCo, said: “PepsiCo is rooted in agriculture, and farmers are central to the food systems we depend on. By working closely with farmers to understand what works best for their operations, we can help promote the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices that can support soil health and strengthen resilience on the farm.” Founded in 1851, LDC operates across the agricultural value chain, with activities spanning origination, processing and transportation of commodities including grains, oilseeds, coffee, cotton, rice and sugar. The company says it handles approximately 100 million tons of products annually and operates in more than 100 countries.

The food and beverage landscape in Asia-Pacific (APAC) is evolving rapidly, shaped by consumers seeking authentic, visually distinctive and natural products. Colour plays a central role in this shift. It influences first impressions, communicates quality and helps products stand out in increasingly competitive markets. Among emerging shades, ube-inspired purple has become a powerful tool for differentiation, but translating this trend into scalable, stable applications can still present technical challenges for R&D teams. This is where a practical approach makes the difference. Exberry by GNT has introduced a new paper, 'The power of purple (ube),' developed to support product developers in understanding and applying this trend effectively. The paper demonstrates how to achieve the recognisable ube-like purple appearance using plant-based colour solutions derived from fruits, vegetables and plants, allowing developers to meet clean-label expectations while maintaining performance. Inside the paper, you’ll discover how ube purple has evolved from a culturally significant Asian reference into a global colour and flavour cue. For R&D teams, the value lies in translating this perception into products that deliver consistent results. Ube-inspired purple resonates strongly with consumers because it combines multiple emotional and functional cues. The colour evokes a sense of comfort through cultural familiarity, while also conveying creativity and supporting new, exploratory concepts. It is further associated with wellbeing through its connection to a natural ingredient, alongside a modern appeal aligned with current visual trends The paper also explores how this colour trend has gained momentum globally. Driven by social media visibility and growing interest in Asian-inspired products, purple shades have become highly recognizable and visually impactful across categories. For product developers in APAC, this creates a clear opportunity to innovate with colours that are both locally relevant and globally appealing. However, achieving the desired shade and performance requires careful formulation. Replicating the rich, vibrant look associated with ube, while ensuring stability across pH, temperature and processing conditions, can be complex when working with natural ingredients. Exberry can help you to address this challenge. By combining selected plant-based raw materials, they enable developers to recreate a wide spectrum of purple shades suitable for different applications. These solutions offer: Consistent and vibrant colour performance Flexibility across formats and processing conditions Compatibility with a wide range of food and beverage applications Clean and simple ingredient labelling aligned with consumer expectations The paper includes application examples across categories such as dairy, confectionery, beverages and bakery, illustrating how ube-inspired purple can be successfully implemented in real-world formulations. It also provides guidance on how formulation choices influence the final visual outcome. Looking ahead, ube-inspired purple is expected to expand further into multiple applications. For R&D teams, this makes it a future-relevant colour direction. Download 'The power of purple (ube)' to explore how Exberry can help you bring this trend to life.