St Pierre has launched two new sandwich carriers, Soft Pretzel Rolls and Mediterranean Herb Brioche Rolls, marking the premium bakery brand's first move into the sandwich roll segment. The launch is backed by category data. Lunch occasions for the brand have grown 46 per cent year on year, with in-home lunches up 42 per cent and lunch now accounting for 27 per cent of all St Pierre occasion spend. The wider UK lunch occasion is valued at £26.4bn by Worldpanel data. Consumer behaviour is also shifting away from sliced bread. One in five lunchtime sandwiches now features an alternative carrier such as a roll or bun, the highest proportion recorded in five years and rolls' share of lunch occasions has also reached a five-year high. The Soft Pretzel Rolls carry the distinctive flavour associated with pretzels in a softer texture, and come pre-sliced. The Mediterranean Herb Brioche Rolls pair the brand's brioche base with aromatic herbs and are positioned for both hot and cold fillings. Both products are HFSS compliant, weigh 67g per roll and carry an RRP of £2.50 for a four-pack. Alison Palmer, head of brand development at St Pierre Groupe, said the launch represented "a natural next step in our journey to broaden the occasions where shoppers can enjoy our products," adding that the rolls were intended to offer "premium taste, variety and versatility to the lunchtime occasion." Soft Pretzel Rolls are currently available in 320 Tesco stores and 248 Asda stores, with a rollout into 320 Sainsbury's stores beginning 14 October. Mediterranean Herb Brioche Rolls launched in 254 Asda stores from 14 September.

Agri-tech start-up AgroNetica has announced plans to advance toward commercial deployment of a transgene-free, gene-edited cacao with improved disease resistance, aiming to tackle one of the cocoa supply chain’s biggest challenges. AgroNetica is a US-based subsidiary of BetterSeeds, an agri-tech company headquartered in Israel. It was established based on BetterSeeds’ second-generation gene editing platform, adapting the technology to cacao specifically. According to the company, its gene-edited cacao has improved resistance to Phytophthora, the pathogen responsible for black pod disease. Its work builds on research conducted by scientists in Penn State University’s Department of Plant Science. In controlled disease assays, the transgene-free edited cacao plants reportedly showed approximately 42% less disease damage following Phytophthora infection. The edited trait was successfully transmitted to the next generation, paving the way for multiplication and commercial planting material, AgroNetica highlighted. Climate change and disease have put significant pressure on the chocolate industry. African cacao-producing countries, which account for more than 60% of the global cacao supply, expect a major production decline through 2027. Experts have cited the impact of the strengthening El Niño weather event, which occurs due to warming ocean temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, as well as disease risk. With cocoa prices remaining well above pre-crisis levels, AgroNetica noted the chocolate industry’s need for cacao genetics capable of maintaining yields under harsher growing conditions. Ido Margalit, CEO of BetterSeeds and AgroNetica, said: “The cocoa industry does not only have a supply problem – it has a plant problem”. “Disease, heat and drought all begin at the farm. Our objective is to use gene editing to build cacao trees that can perform better under the conditions growers are facing today and will face in the years ahead.” BetterSeeds has already developed, patented and implemented its second-generation technologies and trait solutions in other crops. Relevant existing capabilities include heat and drought tolerance, improved yield and agronomic performance, accelerated maturation, plant architecture and synchronised pod formation for more efficient and mechanised harvesting. Additionally, ArgoNetica is planning more cacao-specific traits, including reduced heavy metal uptake and caffeine-free varieties. Conventional breeding can require decades to introduce and validate new traits, as cacao trees take years to mature. By combining an advanced disease-resistant cacao line with BetterSeeds’ technologies, AgroNetica believes it can substantially shorten the timeline. Field validation, multiplication and commercial development are the immediate focus, with commercial stages targeted during 2027. Notably, AgroNetica also aims for improved economics and ethics of cacao production – which is linked to sustainability and social responsibility challenges around deforestation and child labour. When disease, drought and heat reduce yields, farmers face less pressure to produce more from additional land. More productive and resilient cacao trees can help growers produce more from land already under cultivation and reduce the economic pressure to expand into new forests, the company noted. This is particularly relevant as the EU Deforestation Regulation begins applying to large and medium operators on 30 December 2026, with cocoa that enters the EU subject to deforestation-free requirements. Additionally, healthier trees, lower crop losses, stronger yields and more efficient harvesting can improve farm productivity and income. AgroNetica hopes this will contribute toward addressing some of the economic pressures that lead to the use of child labour in cacao-growing communities. In June 2026, the EU adopted a new framework for plants developed using new genomic techniques, such as gene editing. AgroNetica believes that evolving regulatory approaches in Europe and other markets will support gene-edited cacao in moving from research into real agricultural use. The company is pursuing collaborations and joint ventures with chocolate manufacturers, processors, growers and other stakeholders across the cacao value chain. Margalit commented: “The industry has made enormous progress in tracing and measuring the sustainability and ethical challenges around cacao. We believe the next step is to improve the plant itself - so growers can ethically produce more reliably, on existing land, with fewer losses and a stronger economic foundation.”

Mettler Toledo is expanding its x-ray reclaim foreign-material re-inspection services with a new facility in Dallas, Texas, scheduled to open 5 October. The facility is designed to support food, beverage, ingredient, personal care and pet food manufacturers across Texas and surrounding markets that need to evaluate quarantined products following suspected foreign-material incidents. The Dallas operation will provide professionally managed re-inspection, contaminant extraction, application validation and documented reporting. Manufacturers will be able to ship affected finished goods to the facility or request mobile re-inspection services at their own sites. JP Perreault, head of x-ray reclaim services at Mettler Toledo, said: “Manufacturers need rapid access to reliable inspection resources when responding to potential foreign material incidents. The Dallas facility strengthens our ability to support customers through both dedicated in-house re-inspection and mobile operations deployed directly to customer sites.” The Dallas facility will offer manufacturers an alternative to conducting re-inspection within their own production environments. Quarantined finished goods can be transported to the dedicated facility, where the x-ray reclaim team will manage product intake, inspection, contaminant extraction and documentation. Mettler Toledo said the service is intended to accommodate different project sizes and product types. Before a project begins, application testing is carried out to assess the product, packaging, suspected contaminant and inspection objectives. The results are used to establish detection thresholds and determine an appropriate inspection approach. According to the company, mobile deployments are typically available within 48 hours following application validation and project authorisation, subject to project scope, location, equipment requirements and scheduling. Mettler Toledo says the combination of fixed-site and mobile services is intended to give manufacturers flexibility in determining how to manage affected inventory, depending on factors such as product volume, logistics, facility capacity and response timelines. X-ray reclaim services use Mettler Toledo's PXT photon-counting X-ray inspection technology. The technology is designed to detect a range of foreign materials, including ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless-steel contaminants, as well as glass, stone, bone, mineralised contaminants and selected low-density materials. PXT photon-counting technology is also available in the company's Eagle product line. Application testing forms part of the X-ray Reclaim process, with testing used to determine detection capabilities for the specific combination of product, packaging and suspected contaminant. For manufacturers dealing with quarantined inventory, the testing and validation process can help establish an inspection strategy before larger-scale re-inspection begins. The Dallas opening forms part of Mettler Toledo's broader expansion of x-ray reclaim capacity across North America. The company says the new facility will add a regional in-house option while also supporting the coordination of mobile projects at customer sites. It has also indicated that further updates regarding planned enhancements to its Ontario, Canada, operation are expected later in 2026.

New brand launches Vanilla and Caramel coffee creamers exclusively through Ocado, targeting a largely untapped UK category. Brooklyn Halo is set to bring US-style flavoured coffee creamers to the UK grocery market, launching two products exclusively with Ocado in October. The new brand, created by Hunts Coffee Creamers, will initially launch with Vanilla and Caramel variants. Made with real milk and cream, the creamers are designed to be poured directly into hot or iced coffee, offering consumers an alternative to their usual combination of milk and sugar. The launch marks Brooklyn Halo’s attempt to establish a dedicated flavoured coffee creamer category in the UK, where the format has yet to achieve the level of penetration seen in the US. According to market data cited by the brand from DigiRoads, the US flavoured coffee creamer market is worth $4.26 billion. Ross Hunt, co-founder of Hunts Coffee Creamers, said: “We’ve been developing Brooklyn Halo for several years, and are very excited to be establishing a new American-style coffee creamer category in the UK grocery market and launching exclusively with Ocado." The company has developed the range with UK consumer preferences in mind, positioning the products as less sweet than some traditional US-style creamers. “Coffee creamers are a huge part of coffee culture in the US, but British consumers have never really had the same choice,” Hunt said. “We’ve adapted this proven concept for UK tastes with a less-sweet, more balanced formulation, giving people a simple way to transform an everyday coffee into something more indulgent and enjoyable.” The products will be available in 500ml cartons at an RRP of £3.69 and 1-litre cartons priced at £5.99. Brooklyn Halo is UHT treated and aseptically filled, giving the range shelf-stable characteristics and allowing it to be stored either ambient or chilled, according to the company. Brooklyn Halo Vanilla and Caramel will be available from Ocado from October.

Keurig Dr Pepper has appointed Kimberly-Clark executive Russ Torres as chief executive officer of its planned Global Coffee Co, as the company moves toward the separation of its coffee and beverage businesses. Torres will join Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) on 3 November 2026, initially serving as CEO of the company's Coffee Operating Unit. In that role, he will oversee the integration of KDP's and JDE Peet's coffee operations ahead of the planned separation, which is targeted for early 2027. Following the separation, Torres will become CEO and a member of the board of the future Global Coffee Co. KDP CEO Tim Cofer will become CEO of the company's future Beverage Co. Torres joins KDP from Kimberly-Clark Corporation, where he is currently president and chief operating officer, with responsibility for operations spanning more than 30 countries. He has three decades of experience in the consumer goods sector, including leadership positions at Newell Brands, Bain & Company and Mondelēz International, formerly Kraft Foods. At Kimberly-Clark, Torres previously served as group president of North America, where he was responsible for driving growth across the company's regional portfolio. Pamela Patsley, chairman of KDP's board and future chairman of Global Coffee Co, said: “Russ is a proven leader with extensive experience building consumer brands, guiding global organisations through complex change, and delivering consistent results with high-performing teams." Cofer said Torres would join with time to work with KDP's coffee teams ahead of the separation and focus on integration and synergy opportunities. The appointment comes as KDP prepares to combine its coffee operations with those of JDE Peet's into a standalone global coffee company. The planned business is expected to generate approximately $16 billion in annual revenue, employ more than 25,000 people and operate across more than 100 markets, according to KDP. Its portfolio will span single-serve systems, roast and ground coffee, whole bean, soluble coffee, ready-to-drink products and away-from-home formats. Brands will include Keurig, Jacobs, Peet's, L'OR and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, alongside regional brands. The creation of the business will bring together KDP's substantial single-serve coffee platform with JDE Peet's portfolio of international coffee brands and formats. Torres said: “Coffee is one of the most exciting and resilient categories in consumer goods today. With the remarkable talent across this business and powerhouse brands like Keurig, Peet’s, L’OR, Jacobs and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Global Coffee Co is uniquely positioned to drive growth, deliver game-changing innovations, and delight consumers around the world.” KDP said the planned separation remains targeted for early 2027.

Bringing innovative food products to market has never been more challenging. Food and beverage manufacturers must respond quickly to changing consumer demands while maintaining product quality, food safety, sustainability, and profitability. Whether developing alternative proteins, functional ingredients, nutraceuticals, starches, sweeteners, or new applications for food by-products, success depends on one critical factor: the ability to test, validate, and scale processes with confidence before making major investments. ANDRITZ helps food producers bridge the gap between innovation and industrial production. As a trusted long-term partner, the company combines process expertise, one of the industry's broadest portfolios of mechanical and thermal separation technologies, and world-class testing capabilities to help customers reduce risk, accelerate development and bring new products to market faster. A cornerstone of this approach is its Food Innovation Xperience (FIX) centre in Waddinxveen, Netherlands. Designed around the philosophy of 'Imagine – Explore – Create,' the FIX centre provides food manufacturers with a collaborative environment where new ideas can be transformed into practical production solutions. Customers work side-by-side with ANDRITZ specialists to conduct feasibility studies, evaluate emerging technologies, and optimize production processes under food-grade operating conditions. The centre features dewatering, extraction, milling, filtration, cooking, and drying technologies, allowing customers to validate concepts and generate reliable process data before moving to full-scale production. Additionally, expansion of testing capabilities in evaporation and spray drying is planned for 2027. Beyond testing individual technologies, the centre enables customers to evaluate complete process chains for applications including alternative proteins, food ingredients, starch processing, fermentation products, side-stream valorisation, pet food and feed production. By combining customer product expertise with ANDRITZ process know-how, innovative concepts can be developed faster, more efficiently, and with significantly lower scale-up risk. To complement these capabilities, Andritz continues to expand its North American innovation platform through the ANDRITZ Dedert pilot facility in Homewood, Illinois, USA. This advanced testing centre provides food and beverage manufacturers with pilot-scale drying, evaporation, extraction and separation technologies that support product development and process optimisation closer to their markets. The Homewood facility is equipped with a comprehensive portfolio of thermal separation technologies, including spray dryer, ring dryer, falling film evaporator and forced circulation evaporator, allowing customers to evaluate product behaviour, energy efficiency, concentration performance and final product quality before commercial implementation. Recently, the pilot plant was expanded with two exciting additions: the ANDRITZ Decanter Centrifuge F2000 and the ANDRITZ Turbex extractor. The food-grade decanter centrifuge enables pilot testing across a wide range of applications, including proteins, starch, yeast, food ingredients, oils, fats, biofuels and animal by-products. It allows customers to generate real processing data, optimise yields and verify product quality under realistic operating conditions. The addition of the Turbex extractor further strengthens ANDRITZ's capabilities in high-value ingredient recovery and food by-product valorisation. Utilising advanced high-shear cavitation technology, Turbex enables efficient extraction of valuable compounds such as essential oils, polyphenols, antioxidants, proteins, amino acids, alginate and carrageenan. Applications include the valorisation of citrus peels, spent coffee grounds, tea leaves, olive leaves, algae and many other agricultural side streams, creating new opportunities for circular food production and additional revenue generation. Together, the FIX centre in Europe and the Homewood pilot facility in North America create a unique innovation ecosystem spanning mechanical separation, extraction, evaporation and drying technologies. From initial concept development to industrial-scale production, Andritz provides the expertise, technologies and testing infrastructure food manufacturers need to innovate with confidence. Bring your products. Bring your ideas. Bring your challenges. Together with ANDRITZ, you can develop the next generation of food and beverage solutions and transform innovation into sustainable commercial success.

Arla Foods is investing more than €63 million to expand skyr and cottage cheese production in Germany and Sweden, as demand for high-protein dairy products continues to grow across Europe. The farmer-owned dairy cooperative is investing €35 million at its Upahl site in Germany to increase skyr production capacity, while a further €28.3 million will be invested in cottage cheese production and site modernisation at its Falkenberg dairy in Sweden. Arla said the investments will help it respond to growing demand across European markets while creating greater value from its farmer owners’ milk. The company reported that skyr volumes across its European markets have increased by more than 33% over the past three years, while cottage cheese volumes have risen by 25% over the same period. Peder Tuborgh, CEO of Arla Foods, said: “Consumer preferences continue to evolve, and we see growing demand for products with high-protein combined with convenience and great taste. Dairy products such as skyr and cottage cheese continue to resonate with consumers across many markets, and these investments reflect our ambition to make these products available to more people.” The €35 million investment at Upahl will add skyr production capacity as part of Arla’s wider European skyr network. The company said skyr has become one of the fastest-growing dairy categories across Europe, as consumers seek protein-rich products that can fit into everyday eating occasions. The investment follows €51 million that Arla has invested since 2023 to increase skyr capacity and efficiency across its dairies in Denmark, Germany and Sweden. The new Upahl investment is expected to support increased production and network efficiency, with commercial production scheduled to begin in the second half of 2028. Arla is also expanding its cottage cheese operations at Falkenberg, which it describes as Europe’s largest cottage cheese production site. The €28.3 million investment will increase production capacity and modernise the Swedish facility, with the work expected to be completed gradually through 2028. Arla said cottage cheese has benefited from increased consumer interest in protein-rich foods, with the category increasingly being used across meals and snacks due to its versatility and nutritional profile. Market growth over the past year has ranged from 13% in Sweden to 37% in Denmark and the UK, and 38% in the Netherlands, according to Arla. The company said it is the largest branded supplier of cottage cheese across its European markets, with a particularly strong presence in Sweden and Denmark. The Falkenberg investment follows €34 million invested in Swedish cottage cheese production since 2025. Arla has also expanded its international cottage cheese business through the acquisition of Australian producer Brancourts earlier this year Arla said the investments reflect its expectation that demand for skyr and cottage cheese will continue to grow as consumers seek products combining protein, convenience and taste. “Together, these investments ensure that we can continue meeting growing consumer demand, supporting our customers and creating long-term value from our farmer owners’ milk. The growth we are seeing in skyr and cottage cheese gives us confidence in the long-term potential of these categories," Tuborgh said. The investments form part of a wider push by dairy producers to increase capacity in categories benefiting from the growing consumer focus on protein and active lifestyles.

Krzysztof Krajewski As the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) pushes recycled content and recycling higher up the food packaging agenda, the industry is being forced to look beyond simply whether a pack can be recycled. The more important question is whether recycled fibre is being designed back into the packaging loop in the first place. For food brands, that means challenging the long-standing assumption that virgin fibre belongs in premium packaging while recycled content is reserved for less demanding applications. As Krzysztof Krajewski, chief sustainability and innovation officer at RDM Group, argues, true circularity starts at the design stage, with recycled fibre treated not as an afterthought, but as a credible, high-value material for food packaging. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is pushing recycled content and recycling targets to the top of the food packaging industry's agenda. That's welcome, but it feeds an assumption worth challenging: that a higher recycling rate automatically means greater circularity. It doesn't, not on its own. More recycling might happen once PPWR reaches full implementation, but the real question for cartonboard is what happens to material once it re-enters the system, and what it was made of to begin with. Recycled vs virgin packaging Part of the problem is a habit baked into how food packaging gets designed. Virgin fibre is treated as the default for anything premium, like a shiny box of biscuits, but rarely containing recycled content in it. That ordering is the issue. If recycled content is reserved as an option for secondary applications or other 'less demanding' packaging industries, it quickly drops down in the tier of possible applications. Not because it can't perform, but because nobody built a place for it at the start. This has created a false association: recycled as cheaper, virgin as premium. There's no technical reason cartonboard made with recycled content can't sit at the same premium tier as virgin board on a shelf-edge food packaging. Food contact safety requirements are the one real constraint, and they apply to a narrower slice of the category than brands assume. Outside of that, the constraint lies entirely in the design process. Brands without a safety reason to insist on virgin fibre should be specifying recycled content from the first sketch of a pack, not leaving it for another brand down the line to deal with. Virgin material should be kept for cases where it's required, not reserved by habit for whatever needs to look shiniest on shelf. Recycled fibre is already used safely in food packaging across many categories: cereals, bakery products, confectionery, fruit and vegetables, frozen foods and other dry foods. Recycled fibres may carry trace contaminants from the recovery stream, but this is controlled through strict sourcing of raw materials, de-inking and cleaning processes, compliance testing, and functional barriers where needed. Fatty, moist or long shelf-life foods need extra protection, which barrier layers or inner liners provide by preventing substance migration. This risk-based approach shows that recycled content and food safety aren't at odds; packaging can deliver both. The 'recyclable' claim has its own problem with risking greenwashing, and food cartonboard is where it shows up most. A pack can be technically recyclable and contain no recycled content whatsoever, and plenty on supermarket shelves do. Putting a recyclable label on a carton that was never designed with recycled fibre gives the impression of sustainability while sitting outside the loop it claims to support. Recyclable and recycled are different things, and only one of them proves the loop is closing. If you're not putting recycled content in, claiming the recyclable badge is taking credit for a job you haven't done. The packaging debate Much of the packaging debate fixates on substrate: paper versus plastic, cartonboard versus film. This misses the point. What matters is what happens to the material after use, and what went into it in the first place, not just which category it falls into. A carton that's recyclable in theory but built entirely from virgin fibre hasn't done anything for circularity yet. It's simply deferred the question to someone else, later, maybe. PPWR sets thresholds for recycled content, but the fibre space isn't regulated on this the way plastics are, and a threshold on paper doesn't tell you who is actually recycling food cartons, at what rate, or whether that material is finding its way back into equivalent food-grade packaging. None of this argues against PPWR's ambitions. It argues for food brands to stop treating recycled content as something reserved for lower tiers, and to stop treating 'recyclable' as a finished answer. High-value cartonboard packaging should include recycled content from the start, as standard, not as an afterthought, and not as a label used in place of the real thing.

Belgian precision fermentation start-up Those Vegan Cowboys has secured over €1.2m in subsidy through the EU-backed OPZuid programme, together with partners Interfood, HAS Green Academy and XXL Nutrition, aiming to accelerate animal-free casein in sports nutrition applications. The project brings together protein production, nutritional research and consumer insight, aiming to pave the way for new protein-rich products in the active nutrition market. The subsidy comes from the European Regional Development Fund, the Dutch government and the province of North Brabant, via the OPZuid programme. Together with the partners’ own contributions, the total budget comes to approximately €2.58 million. The partners are working on the production and application of precision-fermented casein, studying how it behaves in food products and developing prototypes for the spots nutrition industry. Consumer research will also be carried out, exploring what consumers expect from these products and which applications are most promising. Those Vegan Cowboys is contributing its casein production and scale-up capabilities, while Interfood brings knowledge of dairy proteins and product development, and insights from international nutrition markets. HAS Green Academy contributes practice-based research and knowledge sharing, and XXL Nutrition brings sports nutrition expertise and direct consumer insight. Casein is a protein naturally found in milk and widely used in food applications. Those Vegan Cowboys’ precision fermentation platform enables the high-quality protein to be produced using microorganisms, eliminating the need for animal input. According to Those Vegan Cowboys, its microbes can produce casein five times more efficiently than a traditional dairy cow. It uses its stainless steel ‘cow’ fermenter to produce the ingredient for 24 hours a day, year-round. Hille Van der Kaa, CEO of Those Vegan Cowboys, said: “The next step is translating that protein into products people actually want to use: nutritious, tasty and affordable”. She added: “In this consortium we're bringing together the knowledge to take that step. In doing so, we're also building a new source of protein for a world where food security matters more every day." The project comes as the traditional dairy protein market faces supply chain shortages and surging ingredient prices, driven by the sharp increase in demand for high-protein food and beverage products aligning with global functionality and wellness trends. “Global demand for protein is growing faster than supply,” commented Wouter Berendsen, global F&B director at Interfood. “That's why we're proud to be part of this consortium, which is working on the capabilities that will be needed in the future. From our R&D department, we're looking forward to connecting market insights with science.” The initiative – named ‘Pioneer, Pilot, Powerhouse - Brabant Breaking New Ground in Precision Fermentation’ – strengthens collaboration between companies and researchers in North Brabant. This includes a proving ground at Interfood, where the partners will combine their knowledge of precision fermentation and product development. Precision fermentation, a process that closely resembles beer brewing, has been used in the food industry for decades – most rennet used in cheese sold across supermarkets is already microbially-derived. However, its use to create animal-free casein and whey for food and beverage product applications has become a promising area of focus for the alternative protein industry in recent years, responding to demand for a more diversified protein supply, high-value nutrition ingredients, and ingredients that are independent of animal agriculture – addressing consumer concerns around environmental sustainability and animal welfare. Top image: © Those Vegan Cowboys

US-based premium wine company The Duckhorn Portfolio has announced several new executive leadership appointments, including a new chief operating officer. P.J. Alviso will take on the role of executive vice president, chief operating officer, effective from 1 February 2027. He succeeds Zach Rasmuson, who has served as COO since 2012 and will now join the company’s board of directors. Alviso joined The Duckhorn Portfolio in June 2007. Over nearly two decades, he has expanded his responsibilities while strengthening the company’s processes, strategies and culture. In his new role, he will oversee the vineyard, winemaking, winery operations, supply strategy, supply chain, engineering and grower relations functions. Rasmuson has been with the company since 2003 and has served as COO since 2012, and will continue in his current role through the transition. He will also continue to lead The Duckhorn Portfolio’s Founders Fund, which supports educational programmes for historically disadvantaged groups within employees’ local communities. He commented: “After 23 years, I could not be more confident in the organisation’s direction, or in P.J. as my hand-picked successor. I am honoured to continue serving The Duckhorn Portfolio on the board of directors and look forward to continuing my work at the Founders Fund to support educational programs in our communities.” Commenting on his appointment, Alviso said: “It is such an honour to succeed my long-time mentor, Zach, and build on the strong foundation he has helped establish over more than two decades”. He added: “Having spent nearly 19 years growing alongside The Duckhorn Portfolio, and a lifetime spent on vineyards like ours, I have a deep appreciation for the people, craftsmanship and commitment to quality that have made this company what it is today”. The company has also appointed Paul Passaro to the role of executive vice president, chief sales officer, and Chanel Caplan to executive vice president, chief marketing officer. Passaro will take up the role on 5 October 2026, while Caplan’s promotion is effective as of yesterday (30 September 2026. Top image: © The Duckhorn Portfolio

UK veg-forward food brand Gosh! has expanded its Super Plants range with the launch of two new Super Burgers: Thai-inspired Broccoli and Red Pepper with Ginger and Lemongrass, and Middle Eastern-inspired Three Bean with Lemon & Garlic. The Thai-inspired burgers contain 18 different plant varieties and 8.6g of fibre per serving, while the Middle Eastern-inspired burgers contain 16 plant varieties and 10g of fibre per serving. Gosh!’s latest launch marks the first burger-format product to debut in the Super Plants range. The brand said its new burgers respond to data showing 71% of consumers are concerned about the health impact of ultra-processed foods. Gosh! aimed to address these concerns with burgers made from natural and minimally processed whole-food ingredients. Naturally high in plant-based protein and fibre, the products also aim to address the UK’s ‘fibre gap,’ with research suggesting 96% of consumers are not eating the recommended 30g of fibre per day. They contain the greatest plant diversity of any Gosh! product yet, with awareness of plant diversity’s contribution to a healthy gut and immune system having grown significantly in recent years. The brand partnered with registered nutritionist Becca Meadows to develop the range. Commenting on the burgers’ formulation, Meadows said: “When we developed the Super Burgers, it was important to look beyond individual nutrients like protein or fibre. Balanced nutrition is about getting a range of nutrients from real food, and these burgers deliver meaningful amounts of fibre and plant-based protein alongside an incredible diversity of whole plant ingredients.” Caroline Hughes, marketing director at Gosh!, added: “Consumers today are driven by more than just taste, they're looking for food that delivers real value to their health and wellbeing”. “Following the success of our Super Plants Sausages, we're bringing that same mindset to our new Super Plants Burgers, creating something that helps people feel their best without compromising on flavour.” The new burgers have launched in Tesco stores nationwide and online now, priced at an RRP of £3.25 per two-burger pack.

Myprotein is extending its sports nutrition proposition into the chilled soup category with the launch of a new range of high-protein soups, produced in partnership with free-from manufacturer Kirsty’s. The five-strong range has been developed to combine protein, convenience and globally inspired flavours, with each 375g pot containing between 19g and 23g of protein and fewer than 250 calories. Flavours include Thai Red Chicken, Chicken & Red Lentil Daal, Golden Chicken & Turmeric, Classic Chicken & Veg and Chipotle Chicken. The soups are being produced under licence at Kirsty’s dedicated 14-allergen-free facility in Harrogate. The launch extends an existing partnership between the two businesses, following the success of Myprotein Lunch Pots and expanding the collaboration into soups and wellness bowls. The launch comes as the UK chilled soup category continues to grow. According to data cited by Myprotein from Euromonitor International, the category is worth £271m, while globally inspired flavours account for less than 15% of the market. Myprotein said this presents an opportunity to introduce greater flavour variety to the category while appealing to younger consumers looking for higher-protein food options. The brand's existing Lunch Pots proposition has generated £22m in retail sales value since launch, according to the company, with the products currently stocked by retailers including Sainsbury’s, Asda, Co-op and Ocado. Consumer research cited in the launch material found that three in four younger shoppers would consider buying Myprotein Soup, while three in five said protein was important to their diet. The company also highlighted the potential relevance of portion-controlled meals to changing eating habits, including among consumers using GLP-1 medications. The range launches exclusively in Tesco stores in the Republic of Ireland from 14 September, before rolling out across UK stores from 5 October. UK distribution will include Co-op, Budgens, Londis, Booker Premier and Cash & Carry AF Blakemore. Kirsty’s was founded in 2009 by Kirsty Henshaw and operates from a dedicated free-from facility in Harrogate, supplying chilled and frozen meals and other products to retailers across the UK and Ireland.