01
What changed in food & beverage regulation and policy this week?
Government decisions, new rules and policy shifts reported this week.
02
The French government has proposed a new tax on ultra-processed foods in its 2027 budget, aiming to generate €300 million in revenue.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗03
A report by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and Argon & Co indicates that unstable UK health policies and high reformulation costs are deterring food manufacturers from investing in healthier product innovation.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗04
Republican Congressman John Moolenaar has demanded that Starbucks close its two new stores in Urumqi, Xinjiang, which opened in late September 2026.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗05
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) launched the ACEND Nutrition in Medical Education Microcredential Framework in the United States in September 2026.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗06
The UK Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has banned an advertisement from the nutrition brand Huel on October 1, 2026.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗07
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2244 into law on September 28, 2026, establishing a voluntary 'Non-Ultraprocessed Certified' label for food products.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗08
The U.S. administration has suspended a 26.5% tariff on 300,000 metric tons of Brazilian beef imports for a three-month period starting September 1, 2026.
Read at insurancejournal.com ↗8 of 20 regulation and policy events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What funding rounds and acquisitions happened in food & beverage this week?
The week’s notable investments, financing rounds, acquisitions and strategic deals.
09
Hormel Foods has announced the acquisition of chicken processor Brakebush Brothers for $1 billion.
Read at cstoredive.com ↗10
Chilean retailer SMU has filed a request with the Fiscalía Nacional Económica (FNE) to acquire the hard-discount chain Ahorra Food Depot.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗What products launched in food & beverage this week?
Notable product launches, releases and platform updates from the week.
11
Mondelēz International has launched a new limited-edition product, Cadbury Twirl Golden Dipped, featuring a caramelised white chocolate coating.
Read at confectionerynews.com ↗12
Jeff’s Bagel Run opened its 40th and 41st locations on October 2, 2026, in Cumming, Georgia, and Brandon, Florida.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗13
Lidl Belgium has launched two initiatives to reduce food waste, including selling hail-damaged apples starting in mid-October 2026 and introducing 'Look, Smell, Taste' labels on 32 Milbona dairy products.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗14
Nordstrom has launched a new pop-up retail concept called The Corner Market in New York.
Read at retaildive.com ↗15
The British Standards Institution (BSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) launched the BS ISO 20001 global standard on 30 September 2026.
Read at edie.net ↗16
Lindt & Sprüngli has launched its Christmas 2026 product collection, featuring both traditional festive items like advent calendars and chocolate teddies, and new snacking products.
Read at confectionerynews.com ↗17
Chipotle Mexican Grill is launching the 'Summon the Spirits Tour,' a five-city pop-up event in October 2026 featuring the return of its margarita.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗18
Hat Creek Burger Company has officially added Classic and Strawberry margaritas to its permanent menu at most locations across Texas as of September 2026.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗What financial results were reported in food & beverage this week?
Earnings, guidance and other financial results reported this week.
19
Conagra Brands has officially discontinued its Celeste frozen pizza brand as part of a portfolio review to focus on higher-growth products.
Read at thestreet.com ↗20
Arla Foods is investing a total of €63 million to expand production capacity for high-protein dairy products at two facilities.
Read at foodmanufacture.co.uk ↗21
Swiss chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli has lowered its 2026 organic sales growth forecast to a range of 0% to 2%, down from the previous 4% to 6% guidance.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗22
According to the BRC-NIQ price monitor, UK food inflation fell to 2.5% in early September 2026, down from 2.8% in August.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗23
AG Barr, the maker of Irn-Bru, reported an 8.5% revenue increase to £247.4 million and a 2.6% rise in adjusted profit to £36.1 million for the first half of the year ending June 30, 2026.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗24
Greek dairy producer Kri-Kri reported a 25.9% turnover increase to €203.9 million for the first half of 2026, driven by international demand for Greek yoghurt.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗25
UK-based peanut butter brand Pip & Nut reported an operating profit of £251k for the 2025 financial year, ending 31 December 2025, compared to a £168k loss in 2024.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗26
Aldi announced a record £900m investment for 2027, which includes opening 40 new stores and expanding its distribution network in the UK.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗What research was published in food & beverage this week?
New research findings and studies published this week.
27
A study led by Miguel Gómez and Pei Zhou at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business analyzed nearly 150,000 food and beverage products launched in the United States over the past decade.
Read at cornell.edu ↗28
A study by the Consumer Goods Retail Research Institute (IELKA) published in August 2026 indicates that Greek grocery prices remain among the most affordable in Europe.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗What incidents and outages hit food & beverage this week?
Incidents, outages and safety events reported this week.
29
Star Meat Delivery Inc. has initiated a recall of 167,639 pounds of beef, pork, and goat products.
Read at forbes.com ↗30
Sierra Nevada Cheese Company has issued a nationwide recall of all Grazier Raw Milk Cheese products due to potential E. coli O26:H11 contamination.
Read at fastcompany.com ↗31
G. L. Mezzetta Inc. has initiated a recall of its 32-ounce Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat due to a consumer report of a pest found in a jar.
Read at foodsafetynews.com ↗32
Sierra Nevada Cheese Company has initiated a nationwide recall of its Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheeses following an E. coli O26 outbreak.
Read at thestreet.com ↗33
Researchers in France identified a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak that affected 81 people between May 3 and August 12, 2026.
Read at foodsafetynews.com ↗What people moved in and out of food & beverage roles this week?
Executive appointments and departures reported this week.
34
The Hershey Company has appointed Amanda Almond as its new international president, effective 12 October 2026.
Read at confectionerynews.com ↗35
General Mills has appointed current COO Dana McNabb as the new CEO, effective January 1, 2027.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗36
Greggs has announced plans to close four factories in the UK, potentially resulting in 740 job losses over the next two and a half years.
Read at theguardian.com ↗37
Nestlé has appointed Manuela Bernasconi as the new group general counsel, effective at the start of 2027.
Read at globallegalpost.com ↗What else happened in food & beverage this week?
Developments from the week that fit none of the other sections.
38
The Hershey Co. is transitioning its retail strategy from a seasonal-only model to an 'always-on' approach focused on cultural tentpole moments like the Fourth of July, football season, and the Olympics.
Read at consumergoods.com ↗39
The Andersons Centre reported that agricultural input inflation in the UK reached 7.8% in the year to September 2026, significantly outpacing the 3.1% consumer price inflation recorded in August.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗40
Seven Idaho startups participated in the annual Trailmix competition held on Wednesday, October 1, 2026, in Boise, Idaho.
Read at courthousenews.com ↗41
Food fraud is an increasing challenge for the dairy and tea industries in the UK and globally due to complex supply chains.
Read at foodsafetynews.com ↗42
The article discusses the economic impact of the 1929 stock market crash and the subsequent Great Depression in the United States.
Read at thestreet.com ↗43
Food and beverage companies are increasingly incorporating forest-inspired ingredients like juniper and pine into products to appeal to consumers seeking a connection with nature.
Read at nytimes.com ↗44
Barry Callebaut CEO Hein Schumacher announced a strategic 'Focus for Growth' plan at the Barclays 19th Annual Global Consumer Conference in Boston on September 28, 2026.
Read at foodnavigator.com ↗45
Mars, the candy and pet care manufacturer, reported that its suppliers sourced 98% of cocoa through a responsible sourcing program in 2025.
Read at supplychaindive.com ↗8 of 14 other developments events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.