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What changed in food & beverage regulation and policy this week?
Government decisions, new rules and policy shifts reported this week.
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President Donald Trump announced on August 21, 2026, that he will grant tariff relief for specific ground beef imports.
Read at bloomberg.com ↗03
The Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry has authorized the duty-free import of 1 million metric tonnes of raw sugar to curb record-high domestic prices.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗04
British food and drink manufacturers have requested financial relief from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Read at bloomberg.com ↗05
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is nearing the deadline for public comments regarding the proposed revocation of Citrus Red No. 2 as a food color additive.
Read at foodsafetynews.com ↗06
UK retailer Marks & Spencer has petitioned the UK government to simplify official health claim language regarding fibre, specifically requesting the replacement of technical terms like 'faecal bulk'.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗07
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its import alerts to strengthen enforcement of food safety regulations for imported seafood, candy, and canned goods.
Read at foodsafetynews.com ↗08
Following the implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR 1) on February 1, 2026, the US saw a significant decline in grocery purchase volumes.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗What funding rounds and acquisitions happened in food & beverage this week?
The week’s notable investments, financing rounds, acquisitions and strategic deals.
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The allergen-free granola brand Nakey Bakey, founded by Megan Murrie, has secured a £100,000 invoice facility from the Bank of Scotland.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗10
Danone has received regulatory approval from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to acquire Huel for £860 million.
Read at foodmanufacture.co.uk ↗11
Honest Farms, a consumer food brand subsidiary of the agritech startup DeHaat, has raised ₹35 Cr in a pre-Series A funding round led by OTP Ventures.
Read at inc42.com ↗12
Ferrero Group has signed an agreement to acquire the US-based wellness food brand Purely Elizabeth.
Read at consumergoods.com ↗13
Pilgrim’s Europe has agreed to acquire Walkers Deli & Sausage Co from Samworth Brothers for an undisclosed price.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗14
Green Arrow Capital and Unigrains Iberia have signed a definitive agreement to sell the Spanish food company Ñaming to Palacios Alimentación. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, pending approval from the Spanish competition authority (CNMC).
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗15
Italian confectionery company Ferrero Group has entered a definitive agreement to acquire the US-based wellness food brand Purely Elizabeth.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗16
Elizabeth Stein has agreed to sell her natural food brand, Purely Elizabeth, to the Italian confectionery giant Ferrero.
Read at forbes.com ↗What products launched in food & beverage this week?
Notable product launches, releases and platform updates from the week.
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Gopuff has expanded its private label offerings by launching its first-ever seasonal product lineup.
Read at cstoredive.com ↗18
Maggi has launched a new trio of single-serve ramen products in the UK, available in Tom Yum with Chilli, Beef and Lemongrass, and Soya Chicken with Mushroom flavors.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗19
Portuguese food retailer Continente has launched several new own-brand ice-cream products in Portugal as of August 2026.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗20
The Vegan Society has unveiled a new design for its Vegan Trademark, featuring interconnected 'V' shapes to modernize its certification scheme.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗21
Nestlé is developing a new line of tailored nutrition products specifically designed for users of GLP-1 weight-loss medications.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗22
Nestlé is utilizing artificial intelligence to develop nutritionally-tailored food products specifically for individuals using GLP-1 weight loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗23
Nestlé is developing new food products tailored for users of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to address side effects such as muscle loss.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗24
WK Kellogg Co announced it will remove artificial colours and the preservative BHT from its entire cereal portfolio by the end of 2026, one year ahead of its original schedule.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗8 of 12 product launches events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What financial results were reported in food & beverage this week?
Earnings, guidance and other financial results reported this week.
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PepsiCo reported in its 2025 ESG report that it reduced virgin plastic usage in primary packaging by 6% between 2024 and 2025, while increasing recycled plastic content to 18%.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗26
Walmart reported a 2.6% same-store sales growth for Q2 2026, missing analyst expectations of 3.5% and falling from 4.6% a year prior.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗27
PepsiCo's 2025 ESG report indicates the company exceeded its targets for reducing added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats across its global beverage and snack portfolios.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗28
Target reported a 15% year-over-year increase in snack sales and a 7% rise in total food and beverage sales during the second quarter of 2026.
Read at modernretail.co ↗29
Nomad Foods reported a 3.1% revenue decline to €724 million for Q2 2026, alongside a 4.3% drop in adjusted EBITDA to €124 million.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗30
Swiss dairy group Emmi reported sales of CHF 2.3 billion and an organic growth of 3.6% for the first half of 2026.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗What court rulings and legal actions hit food & beverage this week?
Court rulings, filings and legal actions reported this week.
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The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) filed a lawsuit on August 19, 2026, in the US District Court for the District of Columbia against the USDA and HHS.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗32
Cargill ended an 89-day lockout at its Fort Morgan, Colorado, beef facility on August 17, 2026, following a new five-year agreement ratified by 1,700 Teamsters Local 455 members.
Read at inboundlogistics.com ↗What research was published in food & beverage this week?
New research findings and studies published this week.
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The UK Met Office has forecasted that the 2026 El Niño event could be the largest since the 19th century, with sea-surface temperature rises potentially exceeding 3°C. Professor Adam Scaife and Dr. Nick Dunstone warn that this unprecedented climate event is expected to disrupt global weather patterns, negatively impacting agricultural yields in regions including India, Central America, and South America. The phenomenon is projected to make 2027 the warmest year on record.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗34
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have launched a five-year coordinated research project to assess the safety of edible insects and other novel foods.
Read at foodsafetynews.com ↗35
Food safety agencies from 15 European countries, coordinated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), conducted a safety assessment of ready-to-eat plant-based dairy, meat, and fish substitutes.
Read at foodsafetynews.com ↗36
The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) led a panel of 13 experts to develop a consensus definition for 'gut health' to address widespread ambiguity.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗What incidents and outages hit food & beverage this week?
Incidents, outages and safety events reported this week.
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A salmonella outbreak in the UK has resulted in one death and hundreds of illnesses.
Read at bbc.co.uk ↗38
Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream has initiated a nationwide voluntary recall of select Outshine Fruit Bars due to potential glass contamination.
Read at thestreet.com ↗39
One person has died and hundreds have fallen ill in the United Kingdom due to a salmonella outbreak.
Read at bbc.co.uk ↗40
Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream has initiated a voluntary nationwide recall of select Outshine fruit bars due to potential glass contamination.
Read at foxbusiness.com ↗41
Salata Dressings, based in Houston, Texas, has initiated a recall of its Jalapeno Avocado Dressing due to potential Salmonella contamination.
Read at foodsafetynews.com ↗42
Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Inc. has initiated a nationwide recall of select Outshine Fruit Bars due to potential glass contamination reported by consumers.
Read at foodsafetynews.com ↗43
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall for a granola product specifically formulated for breastfeeding mothers due to potential Salmonella contamination.
Read at businessinsider.com ↗44
The US Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture have overseen numerous food recalls in 2026, including over one million eggs from Midwest Poultry Services and various products from Taylor Farms.
Read at theverge.com ↗What partnerships were announced in food & beverage this week?
Partnerships, integrations and joint projects announced this week.
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