McCormick Unilever Foods Combination Structure

When most people think of PepsiCo, they immediately think of beverages. But that's exactly why this article caught my attention. As emerging beverage brands continue to flood the market—especially in energy, hydration, functional wellness, protein, and better-for-you categories—competition on the beverage shelf has never been more intense. Disruptor brands are moving faster, targeting niche consumers, and forcing even the largest players to continually innovate. Rather than chasing every emerging trend, PepsiCo is reinforcing something many people forget: They are also one of the world's largest food companies. Frito-Lay, Quaker, and their extensive snack portfolio provide PepsiCo with a level of diversification that few beverage companies can match. Continuing to invest in food innovation, affordability, and portfolio optimization is a smart long-term strategy that balances the volatility of the beverage market while capitalizing on enduring consumer demand. So why am I sharing this? Because strategic decisions like these have ripple effects throughout the supply chain. Every new SKU, flavor extension, limited-time offering, value pack, club-store configuration, or retail promotion eventually has to be commercialized. That's where secondary packaging becomes a critical part of the equation. Contract packaging partners are increasingly asked to deliver: • Variety packs and mixed assortments • Club store multipacks • Retail-ready displays • Promotional and seasonal packaging • E-commerce configurations • Faster launches with greater operational flexibility Packaging is no longer just about protecting the product—it's become a strategic enabler of speed, agility, and market responsiveness. I enjoy sharing articles like this because they help connect executive business strategy with what happens on the manufacturing floor. Whether you're a brand owner, converter, supplier, co-manufacturer, or retailer, understanding these shifts helps us all anticipate where investment, innovation, and packaging demand are heading next. Sometimes the biggest story isn't what's changing... It's where an industry leader chooses to place its next bet. #CPG #PepsiCo #FoodManufacturing #SecondaryPackaging #ContractPackaging #Packaging #SupplyChain #ConsumerGoods #Innovation #Manufacturing #BusinessStrategy

I've spoken to a lot of people that see Beyond Meats share price tanking, hear doom and gloom stories about the plant-based category and think that consumer demand has evaporated. The Good Food Institute's latest foodservice report shows it's actually the opposite, demand for animal-free is GROWING, so long as you have a product that meets consumer expectations 🥛 Plant-based milk is up 14% in 2025, growing faster than conventional milk. It has a 13% share of the whole foodservice milk category and it's still priced 72% above conventional — people are paying more for it anyway. 🧀 Plant-based cheese is getting hammered. Down 15% in 2025. Down every year for the last three. It's sitting at 0.2% share of the cheese market for a simple reason: it doesn't taste or melt like cheese. So it's not that people don't want animal-free dairy. Milk proves that wrong. It's that most plant-based cheese is starch and oil trying to imitate what casein does, and you can tell. It doesn't taste, look or function at all like cheese At New Culture we make animal-free dairy cheese that is indistinguishable to conventional dairy cheese because we know that's exactly what consumers want. It has always been what they wanted. The market for animal-free cheese isn't small. It's just been waiting for something that actually works 🍕 See here for the report: https://lnkd.in/gz9gwReF

Cadbury Revamps Dairy Milk with Resealable Packaging - Cadbury is transforming snacking habits across the UK with its innovative “Grab & Go” packaging, set to hit the market in July 2026. This new format is tailored for individuals on the move, featuring a resealable wrapper designed to promote portion control. This approach allows consumers to enjoy some chocolate... - https://lnkd.in/eKvjeWRZ

For many food and beverage brands, shelf life is no longer just a technical requirement, it's a business strategy. When products can remain safe and high quality for extended periods without refrigeration, it fundamentally changes what's possible. Brands gain greater flexibility in distribution, can serve more distant markets, reduce inventory pressure, and lower the risk of product spoilage. What's particularly interesting is that longer shelf life doesn't just benefit manufacturers. Retailers gain more flexibility, and consumers can access products that maintain their quality for longer periods. As the food industry faces increasing complexity across global supply chains, aseptic packaging is proving that preservation technology can be a powerful enabler of growth and resilience. It's one of the reasons why more companies are looking at packaging decisions through a strategic lens, not simply an operational one. Read the full article of my colleague Rana Baydoun- Reckart here: https://okt.to/JYCw0T SIG Group #AsepticPackaging #FoodInnovation #SupplyChain #FoodIndustry #SIG #forbetter

Mondelez International's State of Snacking research has identified a fundamental shift in consumer expectations that is reshaping product innovation across the snacking category. The data reveals shoppers now require simultaneous delivery of protein content, sugar reduction, clean label ingredients, sustainability credentials and competitive pricing - with minimal willingness to compromise on any dimension. Protein fortification has transitioned from premium positioning to baseline expectation across mainstream snacking categories. Consumers increasingly view protein content as a standard requirement rather than a value-added feature, forcing manufacturers to reformulate existing portfolios while maintaining organoleptic quality. The clean label mandate has intensified in parallel, with shoppers scrutinizing ingredient declarations and rejecting formulations perceived as overly processed or chemical-dependent. This requirement intersects with technical challenges around shelf stability, texture delivery and cost management. Sustainability expectations now extend beyond product formulation to encompass packaging recyclability, supply chain ethics and carbon footprint reduction. The research indicates consumers expect brands to absorb the incremental cost of these improvements rather than passing premium pricing through to retail. The convergence of these demands creates significant complexity for product development teams. Manufacturers must balance reformulation imperatives with supply chain restructuring, packaging innovation and cost optimization - while defending taste and texture standards that remain non-negotiable for consumers. The brands that successfully navigate this multi-dimensional brief will establish new category benchmarks for snacking innovation. First FMCG - AI-ranked wholesale marketplace for food and beverage. firstfmcg.com

Though describing consumer awareness of UPFs as “nascent,” The analysis found that, in those categories, US tracked channel data (Nielsen, for the 52 weeks ended June 13) showed retail sales growth of the Nova 1 - Unprocessed or minimally processed - products outpacing that of the Nova 4 -industrially produced products with five or more ingredients, which may include additives and artificial ingredients not typically found in home cooking - products by approximately 7%. For Nova 1 products, sales were up almost 15% in yogurt, 10% in frozen meals and vegetables, about 2.5% in fruit snacks and candy, and roughly 2% in nut butters and cereal/granola. That compared with Nova 4 product sales up approximately 2% in yogurt and less than 1% in cereals/granola but down around 2.5% in nut butters, 2% in frozen meals and vegetables, and less than 2% in fruit snacks and candy. “We believe US tracked channel data clearly demonstrates that consumers are starting to turn around the package and make purchasing decisions based on ingredient lists and perceived levels of processing,” Oatly, The Hershey Co. and Flowers Foods Inc. as the most UPF-exposed packaged food companies that it covers, saying they derive over 92% of their US retail sales from UPFs. Not far behind were Kraft Heinz Co., Mondelez International, Conagra Brands Inc., General Mills Inc. and The Campbell’s Co., which the investment firm’s research reckoned source at least 77% of their US retail sales from UPFs.

#Monitor: Beyond Meat is expanding retail availability of its Beyond Steak Filet to Meijer stores in July 2026, following recent launches at Wegmans Food Markets and H-E-B. The Meijer rollout reflects continued retailer interest in differentiated meat alternatives across U.S. grocery. #PlantProtein #Meat #Retail #Mycelium https://lnkd.in/du2bW32H

🥛 Varun Beverages Enters the Dairy Business Varun Beverages Limited (VBL), one of PepsiCo's largest bottling partners, is expanding beyond carbonated beverages with a strategic move into the value-added dairy segment. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, VBL Industries (Kenya) Limited, the company has agreed to acquire the value-added dairy beverages, juices, and packaged drinking water business of Devyani Food Industries Kenya Ltd for US$32 million. 🔍 Why This Acquisition Matters ✅ Expands VBL's presence in the fast-growing value-added dairy market. ✅ Diversifies revenue beyond carbonated soft drinks, reducing seasonal dependence. ✅ Strengthens its portfolio across dairy beverages, juices, and packaged drinking water. ✅ Leverages VBL's extensive distribution network for cross-selling opportunities. ✅ Positions the company to benefit from rising consumer demand for protein-rich and functional beverages. 📈 Industry Insight The boundaries between beverage companies and dairy companies are rapidly disappearing. Consumers are increasingly choosing healthy, convenient, and high-protein drinks, making value-added dairy one of the fastest-growing beverage categories. For beverage manufacturers, diversification into dairy offers opportunities for: 🥛 Higher-value product portfolios 🌍 Expansion into new consumer segments 📦 Improved distribution efficiency 📊 Long-term, sustainable business growth 💡 What This Means for the Industry Varun Beverages' move signals a broader shift in the global beverage market. As consumer preferences evolve toward nutrition and wellness, more beverage companies may invest in dairy, functional drinks, and other health-focused categories to drive future growth. The future of beverages is no longer just about soft drinks—it's about offering complete nutrition and convenience in every bottle. #VarunBeverages #PepsiCo #DairyIndustry #FoodIndustry #BeverageIndustry #BusinessNews #FoodBusiness #FoodTechnology #Innovation #FoodManufacturing #ValueAddedDairy #ConsumerTrends #BusinessStrategy #FoodProcessing #RDKCertification

🥛 Varun Beverages Enters the Dairy Business Varun Beverages Limited (VBL), one of PepsiCo's largest bottling partners, is expanding beyond carbonated beverages with a strategic move into the value-added dairy segment. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, VBL Industries (Kenya) Limited, the company has agreed to acquire the value-added dairy beverages, juices, and packaged drinking water business of Devyani Food Industries Kenya Ltd for US$32 million. 🔍 Why This Acquisition Matters ✅ Expands VBL's presence in the fast-growing value-added dairy market. ✅ Diversifies revenue beyond carbonated soft drinks, reducing seasonal dependence. ✅ Strengthens its portfolio across dairy beverages, juices, and packaged drinking water. ✅ Leverages VBL's extensive distribution network for cross-selling opportunities. ✅ Positions the company to benefit from rising consumer demand for protein-rich and functional beverages. 📈 Industry Insight The boundaries between beverage companies and dairy companies are rapidly disappearing. Consumers are increasingly choosing healthy, convenient, and high-protein drinks, making value-added dairy one of the fastest-growing beverage categories. For beverage manufacturers, diversification into dairy offers opportunities for: 🥛 Higher-value product portfolios 🌍 Expansion into new consumer segments 📦 Improved distribution efficiency 📊 Long-term, sustainable business growth 💡 What This Means for the Industry Varun Beverages' move signals a broader shift in the global beverage market. As consumer preferences evolve toward nutrition and wellness, more beverage companies may invest in dairy, functional drinks, and other health-focused categories to drive future growth. The future of beverages is no longer just about soft drinks—it's about offering complete nutrition and convenience in every bottle. #VarunBeverages #PepsiCo #DairyIndustry #FoodIndustry #BeverageIndustry #BusinessNews #FoodBusiness #FoodTechnology #Innovation #FoodManufacturing #ValueAddedDairy #ConsumerTrends #BusinessStrategy #FoodProcessing #RDKCertification

Shout out to my pal Matt Williams and The CPG Collective for doing amazing work in California. California is such an important market with a diverse mix of natural, conventional, and specialty retailers making it an excellent testing ground for launching and scaling in CPG. Matt comes from the brand side, and manages brands as such—which is such a bonus when working with a broker partner.