Testing Feb 2026
January in review: Infant formula crisis, cultivated meat collapse, EU trade deals

January in review: Infant formula crisis, cultivated meat collapse, EU trade deals

In January 2026, a major recall of infant formula products unfolded across multiple countries due to contamination. The crisis, initially involving Nestlé, spread to other major companies like Lactalis and Danone, affecting a range of formula brands. The EU-Mercosur agreement sparked debate over its impact on European food supply chains, while the EU-India trade deal promised to slash tariffs on Indian exports, such as spices, tea, and processed foods.
ISM & ProSweets 2026 live: Roquette explores texture science behind plant-based and sugar-free jellies
ISM & ProSweets 2026 live: Roquette explores texture science behind plant-based and sugar-free jellies
Jelly confectionery formulations require a careful balance of taste, texture, and mouthfeel. At the ongoing ISM & ProSweets 2026 trade show in Cologne, Germany (Feb 1-4), Roquette discusses the science behind soft confectionery texture, with a spotlight on plant-based, sugar-free jellies, using its sensory analysis tool.
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods join forces on ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate alternative
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods join forces on ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate alternative

Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods discuss their strategic partnership to develop and scale cocoa-free chocolate alternatives worldwide. Alvaro Alonso, president Western Europe at Barry Callebaut (left), and Max Marquart, CEO of Planet A Foods (right), explore the R&D behind cocoa-free formulations, their role in strengthening supply chain resilience, and the consumer and sustainability trends reshaping chocolate innovation.

ISM & ProSweets 2026: Solving supply and reformulation challenges
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Solving supply and reformulation challenges
At ISM & ProSweets 2026 in Cologne, Germany, innovation converged around supply chain resilience, product reformulations, and sensory excellence in confectionery and snacks. Exhibitors showcased cocoa-free alternatives, sugar-reduced solutions, and clean label colors and flavors. The show highlighted how collaboration, social media-driven trends, and smart ingredient designs are reshaping the future of scalable, high-quality confections and snacks.
Defending dairy: European Commission hits back at China over “questionable allegations”
Defending dairy: European Commission hits back at China over “questionable allegations”
24 Sep 2024 --- The European Commission (EC) has launched a consultation request at the World Trade Organization (WTO), challenging China’s initiation of an anti-subsidy investigation against imports of some EU dairy products. This marks the first time the EU has challenged an investigation at its initiation stage and aims to defend the interests of the EU dairy industry and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) against “abusive proceedings” from China.

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Tyson Foods’ beef losses surge twelvefold as US cattle herd hits 74-year low
Tyson Foods’ beef losses surge twelvefold as US cattle herd hits 74-year low
Tyson Foods has reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 sales of US$14.3 billion — a 5.1% increase on the same period last year — with growth in its chicken and prepared foods divisions masking a sharp deterioration in its beef business. The US meat giant’s chicken arm posted its fifth consecutive quarter of rising volumes, while prepared foods brands, including Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farm, delivered their strongest quarterly performance in over a year.

However, Tyson’s beef division swung to a US$319 million operating loss — more than 12 times the US$26 million loss recorded a year earlier — as the US cattle herd shrank to levels not seen since the 1950s. 
Barry Callebaut commits €250M to upgrade world’s largest chocolate factory
Barry Callebaut commits €250M to upgrade world’s largest chocolate factory
Barry Callebaut is investing €250 million (US$297 million) in its Wieze facility in Belgium — the world’s largest chocolate factory — as part of a multi-year plan to modernize production lines and improve operational safety. A further €125 million (US$149 million) will go toward upgrading the company’s factory in Halle, Belgium.

Part of the spending falls under the company’s previously announced BC Next Level restructuring program, with the remainder classified as regular capital expenditure. 
dsm-firmenich completes consumer pivot with €2.2B Animal Nutrition divestment
dsm-firmenich completes consumer pivot with €2.2B Animal Nutrition divestment
dsm-firmenich has agreed to sell its Animal Nutrition & Health (ANH) business to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners for approximately €2.2 billion (~US$2.6 billion), which includes an earnout of up to €500 million (US$590 million). The company will retain a 20% equity stake in the divested business. The deal marks the final step in dsm-firmenich’s transformation into a consumer-focused company centered on nutrition, health, and beauty. 
Hershey’s net income drops 60% as cocoa costs devour price increases
Hershey’s net income drops 60% as cocoa costs devour price increases
Hershey’s net income plunged 59.9% to US$320 million in the fourth quarter, extending a damaging year for the chocolate maker as soaring cocoa and tariff costs overwhelmed successive price increases. Full-year net income fell 60.3%, with adjusted earnings per share down 32.7% to US$6.31. Sales rose 7% to US$3.09 billion in Q4, comfortably beating analyst forecasts, but the widening gap between revenue growth and collapsing profitability defines these results. 
Ingredion banks on texture innovation as beverage sweetener demand cools
Ingredion banks on texture innovation as beverage sweetener demand cools
Ingredion posted record full-year reported earnings per share of US$11.18 — up from US$9.71 in 2024 — despite a 3% decline in net sales to US$7.2 billion, as the company’s texture and clean label portfolio outperformed a struggling North American sweetener business hit by production setbacks and weakening beverage demand. For 2026, the company expects sales to grow by a few percentage points and per-share profits to land between US$11.00 and US$11.80. 
World Pulses Day 2026: How animal agriculture and meat consumption hinder...
World Pulses Day 2026: How animal agriculture and meat consumption hinder nutrition security

Nutrition Insight

On World Pulses Day 2026, we examine the nutritional, policy, and food-systems case for this plant-based protein source as animal-source food consumption continues to exceed healthy diet benchmarks. Francesca Gallelli, Food System policy officer at the World Federation for Animals, tells Nutrition Insight about protein diversification, gaps in dietary guidance, and the barriers holding pulses back from wider adoption.
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Biofach 2026: Clean label, climate pressure and organic...
The organic F&B sector is facing a period of adjustment shaped by cost pressures, changing consumer priorities, and sustainability and transparency expectations. As organic products move further into the mainstream, companies are focusing on innovation and differentiation to stay competitive. In the EU, organic food and farming has grown year-over-year in the last three decades. In the region, organic farmland covered about 17.7 million hectares in 2023, with the organic retail market reaching about €46.5 billion (US$54.9 billion), according to IFOAM Organics Europe.
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Ingredion banks on texture innovation as beverage sweetener...
Ingredion posted record full-year reported earnings per share of US$11.18 — up from US$9.71 in 2024 — despite a 3% decline in net sales to US$7.2 billion, as the company’s texture and clean label portfolio outperformed a struggling North American sweetener business hit by production setbacks and weakening beverage demand. For 2026, the company expects sales to grow by a few percentage points and per-share profits to land between US$11.00 and US$11.80. 
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ADM earnings slide as flavors and specialty ingredients...
ADM has released its full-year earnings report for 2025, revealing that Nutrition, which includes flavors and specialty ingredients, was the company’s only growth segment. Full-year revenues fell to US$80.3 billion from US$85.5 billion, total segment operating profit dropped 23% to US$3.24 billion, and adjusted earnings per share came in at US$3.43 (down 28%).The damage was sharpest in Crushing (the process of processing oilseeds, such as soybeans, to extract vegetable oil and protein meal), where operating profit collapsed 81% to US$159 million from US$844 million a year earlier, driven by compressed margins tied to prolonged US biofuel policy uncertainty. 

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Enhanced mouthfeel experiencesFeb2026

Data from Innova Market Insights shows that consumers are increasingly curious about texture when selecting indulgent F&B. They are drawn to smooth, creamy textures while also exploring sensory ex...

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Sweetener trends & insights: Opportunities for calorie-conscious innovation Feb 2026

Innova Market Insights reveals that nearly half of consumers globally are turning to sweeteners to satisfy their sweet cravings while aiming to reduce their calorie intake. This growing demand for lower-calorie options is fueling innovation in the sweetener market, presenting new opportunities for the development of novel sweetener solutions in F&B products.

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Maintenance AleFeb 2026

Executive Summary

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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Cargill on reimagining chocolate without cocoa

Cargill’s Anne Mertens-Hoyng, bakery category directory, unpacks NextCoa — a cocoa-free innovation reimagining chocolate through upcycled grape and sunflower seed ingredients. The conversation explores taste validation, carbon and resource impact claims, cost volatility, formulation challenges,...

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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods join forces on ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate alternative
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Palsgaard’s emulsifier and stabilizer solutions for smarter bakery and chocolate formulation
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Capol advances vibrant, customized color and coating solutions
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