Food Processing & Ingredients

JARAGUÁ DO SUL – November 10, 2026 -- DR Flavors & Ingredients has introduced DR NutraOne, a nutraceutical platform that combines ingredients, technologies and formulation expertise to build customized products for supplement, food and beverage manufacturers.

Mintel 2027 trends drive demand for targeted functional benefits

Mintel's 2027 trends show consumers seeking solutions for energy, physical performance, immune support, digestive health and longevity. Buyers are weighing specific functional benefits more heavily than product category. That shift is blurring the lines between the food, beverage and supplement industries.

Hamburg – November 09, 2026 -- Germany's fish industry is struggling to turn the protein boom into counter sales, according to practitioners at the 10th Fischwirtschaftsgipfel in Hamburg. Shoppers buying fish ask about taste, bones and preparation rather than protein content, retail and gastronomy experts told the audience.

The two-day conference ran on 3 and 4 November at the Empire Riverside Hotel. Fischmagazin invited more than 200 representatives from nearly 100 companies, associations and institutions. Norway attended as partner country, and delegates also came from Bremerhaven and Emden.

SHANGHAI – November 06, 2026 -- Damin International brought 15 specialty functional ingredients to SupplySide Global 2026 and debuted a tea-derived natural caffeine with content above 20%. The show closed October 30 in Las Vegas.

Damin extracts natural caffeine from tea leaves without organic solvents

The caffeine is produced through a purely physical process, with no organic solvents added at any stage. Damin targets energy drinks, sports nutrition and dietary supplements, citing market interest in clean-label and naturally sourced ingredients.

Theabrownin content exceeds 85% in Damin's dark tea extract

Damin uses the same solvent-free physical process to raise theabrownin content above 85%. The company cites research indicating the compound may help regulate blood glucose, lower uric acid and cholesterol, support the gut-brain axis and increase satiety.

Waco, Texas – November 06, 2026 -- Mars, Incorporated has invested $165 million in its Waco manufacturing site since 2024, directing recent capital projects toward energy efficiency and operational excellence as the plant marks 50 years of operation.

Waco plant employs nearly 900 and produces three major confectionery brands

Established in 1976 as Mars' first manufacturing facility in Texas, the Waco site produces SNICKERS, SKITTLES and STARBURST. It employs nearly 900 Associates, the company's term for staff. Mars says it has steadily expanded and modernized the plant over five decades to meet growing consumer demand while advancing environmental sustainability.

Erik Owino, Senior Vice President of Supply for Mars Snacking North America, said the ongoing investments reflect a commitment to building an agile, sustainable and modern supply chain.

OVERLAND PARK – November 05, 2026 -- Hill's Pet Nutrition has released its World of the Small Dog Report, which finds that dogs under 25 pounds need roughly twice the calories per kilogram of large breeds. They also face sharply higher risks of dental, orthopedic and urinary disease.

Small dogs make up more than 52% of the global canine population, citing Euromonitor International data. Hill's says urbanization and changing lifestyles are driving their popularity. The report argues that veterinary teams have historically treated these animals as scaled-down large dogs, despite distinct anatomical, metabolic and behavioral profiles.

Report quantifies disease risk gaps between small and large breeds

Hill's highlights five clinical areas:

Washington – September 17, 2026 -- More than 200 sales and warehouse workers at Bimbo Bakeries have ratified a new six-year contract by a 90 percent vote, averting a strike that members had authorized earlier this month.

Workers authorized strike after pay dispute

Members of Teamsters Local 170 and Local 633 voted to strike after Bimbo Bakeries refused to offer area standard wages or real wage adjustments during negotiations. The threat of a walkout pushed the company back to the table with an improved offer.

New contract delivers wage gains and reduced health costs

The ratified six-year agreement includes pension improvements, wage increases, reduced health care costs, and job security protections for the bargaining unit. Jeff Padellaro, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 633 and Director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference, said the workforce's determination forced Bimbo to recognize the Teamsters' contributions.

New York – September 16, 2026 -- Karas Wines, an Armenian winery founded in 2004, has been nominated for 'New World Winery of the Year' in the 2026 Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards, marking a milestone for the country's wine sector on the international stage.

Karas cultivates over 400 hectares at elevations above 1,300 meters in Armenia's Ararat Valley

The estate, located in the Armavir region, grows both indigenous Armenian grapes and international varieties in mineral-rich volcanic soils. Karas has supported ampelographic research identifying more than 120 indigenous Armenian grape varieties, including Areni and Sireni, combining traditional clay vessel fermentation with modern viticulture.

Winery became first in Armenia to certify an organic vineyard

Karas has invested in solar energy, advanced drip irrigation and digitally managed water systems to address vineyard management challenges in the semi-arid Ararat Valley climate.

Old Town, Maine – September 16, 2026 -- The Wild Blueberry Association of North America (WBANA) has released a free consumer-education toolkit designed to simplify scientific terminology around plant compounds for reporters, educators, parents and caregivers ahead of the back-to-school season.

WBANA responds to rising consumer confusion over bioactive compound terminology

Colleen Craig, who leads WBANA's Health Research Committee, said the trade group observed a surge in consumer publications using bioactive compound terms when discussing wild blueberries, generating increased customer questions about phytonutrients such as anthocyanins and antioxidants. The toolkit, titled 'The ABCs of Phytonutrients: A Back-to-School Guide to Wild Blueberry Plant Power,' is positioned as a first-step communications resource for the industry.

Reedsburg, Wis. – September 16, 2026 -- More than 40 Teamsters at Foremost Farms' butter production facility in Reedsburg, Wisconsin have ratified a new four-year contract delivering a 27 percent wage increase.

Workers secure retroactive pay and preserved health coverage

The agreement, reached by members of Teamsters Local 120, includes retroactive pay, additional vacation time, and preservation of TeamCare health coverage. It also delivers improved overtime protections, enhanced paid leave provisions, and measures addressing chronic staffing shortages at the plant.

Successor clause shields workers from ownership changes

The contract contains strong successor language designed to protect workers in the event of a plant sale, transfer, or change in ownership at the dairy cooperative facility.

Las Vegas – September 16, 2026 -- Superfruit Juice Company LLC has launched its SOPREMETM Soursop brand on Amazon, marking a new phase in the company's push to expand wholesale distribution of soursop-based beverages across the United States.

Company positions SOPREME as world's first premium soursop juice brand

SOPREMETM Soursop makes a 100% pure juice with pulp derived from a single ingredient: non-GMO soursop fruit, scientifically known as Annona muricata and also called guanabana or graviola. The fruit is widely consumed across the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia but remains largely unfamiliar to U.S. consumers, a gap the company is targeting for growth.