AGP Executive Report

Food Safety & Waste Tech: Canada is testing small sensors and camera-based systems to spot spoilage earlier, aiming to cut its ~$58B avoidable food waste problem. Public Health: A study links climate change to more drug-resistant Salmonella, with rising temperatures and shifting rainfall tied to higher antimicrobial resistance genes. Food Fraud Watch: IIT-BHU research says carrot extract can help “fake ghee” pass some quality tests—raising concerns about what’s actually in the jar. Retail & Consumer Costs: Japan expects June price hikes on 1,078 food and beverage items as supply crunches and higher input costs ripple through categories like seasonings and processed foods. Beverage Industry Moves: Solos expands NoLo dealcoholization capacity in Switzerland via Rimuss & Strada and Dealco Swiss, targeting premium alcohol-removed wine. Market & Supply Chain: Oilseed demand for edible oils, animal feed and biofuels is driving growth in the global oilseed market, with Asia Pacific leading. Hospitality & Drinks: Spokane Cocktail Week returns with dozens of bars and restaurants spotlighting local mixology through June 7.

Food Safety Crackdown: The UK Food Standards Agency says DNA testing found 73 meat-and-fish products with undeclared species, including ham pineapple pizzas containing turkey, lamb curries with 60%-100% cow DNA, and goat meat actually containing mutton—fueling renewed pressure on food crime enforcement. New Openings: Enchanted Cottage Café is set to open in Billericay, expected in early June, with hiring underway for barista and food service roles. Local Hospitality Funding: Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority is ramping up restaurant incentives via FAB-REP, including a $590,000 package for Vinyl Room that blends music, tech sound, and a snacky menu. Beverage Trends: All Día launches real tequila canned cocktails at 2.5% ABV and 50-60 calories, aiming at the low-alcohol, wellness-shift crowd. Business Moves: Cal-Maine Foods expands prepared foods with the Van’s Foods acquisition, targeting growth in better-for-you frozen breakfast. Fraud Warning: South Africa’s police warn diners and suppliers to verify “SAPS” food orders after fake requests were placed in the name of a Walmer station. Drink Retail Buzz: Starbucks is reportedly bringing back its s’mores Frappuccino (and a new cold brew) for a June 30 return.

Fast-Food & Coffee: McDonald’s UK is adding a Vanilla Matcha Frappé to its chilled menu from June 2, while Dunkin’ is pushing National Donut Day with limited free tote bags for customers buying at least six donuts on June 1. Beverage Policy & Regulation: The Hemp Beverage Expo returns in Austin with industry groups warning that a looming Nov. 12 policy deadline could reshape the THC beverage market. Food Safety & Consumer Trust: Tunisia’s watermelon scare spread via social media after a family tragedy; officials say watermelons weren’t to blame, but hygiene and proper storage after cutting remain the key takeaway. Global Ingredients & Trade: Spain’s olive oil sector is ramping up a two-year push in China, targeting major cities and retailers/restaurants to grow extra virgin adoption. Sustainability & Packaging: Texans for Clean Water renews calls for deposit recycling to stop beverage containers escaping into waterways. Local Food Culture: Tokyo’s metro is backing matcha to help preserve tea farming as sencha fields give way to housing. Tequila Spotlight: Augusto Joven was named world’s best Blanco Tequila at the Global Spirits Masters.

Trademark & Hospitality: A federal judge ruled Philly’s oldest wine school couldn’t prove its rival violated its trademark, keeping the “Philly Wine School” fight in court. Dairy Shift: Kwality Walls is moving its India ice-cream portfolio to milk-based products, phasing out vegetable-fat “frozen dessert” positioning. Reuse Infrastructure: TOMRA installed cup return machines at Freiburg Central Station in Germany, linking automated returns to the RECUP system. Circular Economy Awards: The New European Reuse Alliance named its first “Reuse Champions,” spotlighting reuse leaders across policy, education and industry models. Food Supply Strain: In Cuba’s Ciego de Ávila, residents reportedly had bread only two days in May as flour deliveries fell to “negligible” levels. Beverage Retail & Trends: A Virginia Beach shop is leaning into “dirty sodas” with sugar-free-heavy syrups, creams and cold foams. Restaurant Economics: Sysco’s claims that independents are doing better drew pushback from an independent restaurant coalition citing closures and survey risk. Airline Dining: Hawaiian Airlines is moving main-cabin meals to a pre-order menu model starting July 1 with chef-curated options. Legal/Brand Watch: Dr. Brown’s Co. asked a Missouri judge to declare it doesn’t infringe soda trademarks tied to Dr. Brown’s Beverage Co.

Food Safety: FDA issued a Class I highest-risk warning tied to Wawa Beverage Company’s voluntary recall of four drinks over undeclared milk allergens, including Wawa Iced Tea Lemon and Diet Lemonade. Retail & Expansion: Wawa opened its first Wilmington-area store in North Carolina, with plans for about 90 stores statewide and dozens already under contract. Packaging & Industry: Nampak reported mixed results, with resilient growth in its beverage packaging business offset by a downturn in diversified operations. Beverage Trends: Rum cocktails are gaining momentum as younger legal-drinking consumers explore rum’s range and craftsmanship. Consumer Health: A fiber “maxxing” push is gaining traction as many Americans fall short on daily fiber targets, with gut health driving demand. Local Hospitality: Milwaukee’s Red Arrow Park may soon get a new downtown beer garden, with an outdoor start and indoor food-and-beverage space for winter. Innovation & Drinks: Night-shift physician Dr. Thomas Jeider launched Night Shift Energy, aiming to offer energy drinks designed for healthcare workers rather than gym-and-gamer stereotypes.

FDA Shake-Up: The FDA commissioner’s departure is tied to pressure over food and drug policy fights, including a crackdown on artificial food dyes and scrutiny of drug TV ads. Food Prices in Focus: Japan expects June price hikes across 1,078 food and beverage items, with seasonings and processed foods hit hardest as supply costs ripple through. Retail Beverage Strategy: Prepared drinking water is being reframed as a strategic retail category, not just a low-margin commodity. Restaurant Economics: Operators are raising menu prices as protein and seafood costs climb, with “check creep” starting to pressure traffic. Plant-Based Pullback: The plant-based boom is cooling fast, with Clover Food Lab closing remaining locations and signaling the fad’s retreat. Alcohol Rules: Thailand extends alcohol sales hours, while Royal Gazette updates in Rayong tighten permitted windows and require screening measures. Industry Moves: Red Robin agrees to sell 30 locations for $23.5M in a refranchising push, aiming to strengthen its balance sheet.

Reformulation Push: ADM is expanding its Erlanger, Kentucky innovation capacity, investing $26M this year to help food brands cut sugar and add “better-for-you” nutrients while keeping taste consistent. Corporate Leadership: Husky Technologies (GPGI) named Mohammad Kanaan CFO and Karen Stone CHRO, signaling a push for financial rigor and culture change. Food Safety: A salmonella-linked powdered milk recall tied to California Dairies has expanded nationwide, now pulling in additional items sold at Kroger, Walmart, Target and Aldi. Value & Deals: Del Taco relaunches a $1 starting Value Menu with 10+ items, betting on budget-friendly cravings. Beverage & Sustainability: Iraq’s plastic waste problem is worsening as recycling stays under 20%, with most plastic ending up in dumpsites. Hospitality Pressure: Waitangi’s iconic Whare Waka Cafe in New Zealand is closing amid tourism and cost-of-living strain. Functional Confectionery: Gum demand is surging as consumers seek sugar-free and functional benefits, not just breath freshening.

Market Watch: Specialty salts are forecast to climb from US$4.7B in 2026 to US$7.1B by 2033 as consumers keep pushing for premium, natural, mineral-rich options across food, wellness and personal care. Menu Strategy: Mad Greens is rolling out a major menu reset—overhauling 80% of its lineup with 20 new salads, warm bowls, wraps and sides—to compete on craveable flavor, not just health claims. Food Safety & Recalls: The FDA/FSIS expanded a powdered-milk recall tied to California Dairies, pulling multiple products sold at Aldi and other major retailers, with more items possible. Retail & Hospitality: Cinnabon is upgrading its beverage platform nationwide by pairing with Seattle’s Best Coffee to drive beverage attachment and franchisee performance. Alcohol Policy: Shreveport revoked a grocery store’s liquor license after a shooting and reports of illegal drug sales, while another Shreveport bar was cited for underage drinking after a graduation party. Pricing Pressure: US grocery prices face renewed inflation risk from weather, tariffs, and supply shocks, with Iran war and El Niño potentially worsening affordability into 2027.

Airport Retail & Dining Expansion: Avolta won a 12-year deal with Norfolk International Airport for nine new retail and food & beverage outlets, including four hybrid dining-and-shopping concepts, aiming to lift passenger spend with national brands plus local concepts. Trade Show Spotlight: THAIFEX-ANUGA ASIA 2026 opened in Bangkok with buyers from 130+ countries, adding a dedicated area for emerging brands and new products, as Thailand pushes its “future food hub” agenda. Food Safety in Schools: South Africa’s school nutrition system is under pressure as experts call for tighter hygiene, storage, and monitoring across kitchens and supply chains to prevent outbreaks. Sweetener Deal: Heartland Food Products agreed to buy Whole Earth Brands’ Americas business, bringing Equal under Heartland’s umbrella and expanding its low-calorie and sugar-reduction portfolio. Restaurant Industry Stress: Clover Food Lab will close all 11 locations and its meal-box delivery, blaming inflation, thin margins, and limited ability to raise prices. Sustainability in Beer: Protein Industries Canada backed a project to upcycle brewers’ spent grain into new high-value ingredients via Terra Bioindustries and Great Western Brewing. Functional & Wellness Drinks: Upstate Elevator’s Yuzu Lemonade THC Spritz leans into “functional spritz” positioning with 5mg/10mg options and added adaptogens. EU Clean Heat Funding: The European Commission selected 65 industrial heat projects for about €400m, including food and beverage sector sites, to cut fossil-fuel heat use.

Sports-to-sips marketing: Wawa is teaming with the Philadelphia Flyers’ mascot, Gritty, for a limited-edition “Gritty Smoothie” (mango, pineapple, tart cherry) sold at Wawa stores in the Philly area during the playoff run. Sustainability engineering: A new look at flexible packaging argues caps and spouts can drive real recycling and material-reduction gains—if designers optimize weight, sealing, and manufacturing efficiency, not just swap materials. Policy pressure on businesses: California’s Senate passed SB 1123 to speed up regulations with major public benefits, as lawmakers push back on what they call federal rollbacks. Food & drink on the move: Pike Place Market is piloting “Sip & Savor,” letting visitors roam with ID-checked alcohol in designated cups. Local openings & events: Fort Worth names Mitch Whitten president/CEO of its convention-focused DMO, while North Vancouver readies Canada Soccer House with big-screen match viewing and tiered programming.

Thailand Policy Push: Thailand’s health ministry is reviving a draft law to curb kids’ exposure to marketing for unhealthy foods and drinks, targeting HFSS products high in fat, sugar and/or sodium as childhood obesity and NCD risk climb. Retail Price War: Kroger says it will cut prices on thousands of items to narrow the affordability gap with Walmart, Costco, Aldi and Trader Joe’s. Labeling Battle: A fresh petition is reigniting France’s fight over mandatory Nutri-Score front-of-pack labels, with supporters arguing consumers need consistent nutrition info. Summer Menu Moves: SONIC brings back its Red, White & Blue Slush Float and launches a new Tropical menu starting May 26. Beverage Brand Momentum: Echo Falls’ viral blue “Blue Raspberry” wine hits UK supermarket Asda at £5.27, while Carlsberg Malaysia rolls out Chongqing Beer locally across Malaysia. Foodservice Expansion: Stewart’s Shops announces a $55M push to expand and renovate stores in New York and Vermont, including more food and beverage offerings.

Caffeine Reality Check: A growing share of drinkers say caffeine sensitivity is hitting them with jitters, headaches, anxiety and bad sleep—so they’re rethinking not just how much they drink, but when. Food Safety Alert: A Cerritos contract manufacturer recalled powdered drink mixes and specialty beverage bases in 25 states over possible Salmonella contamination from a dairy supplier; no illnesses reported, but cafes and consumers are told to quarantine and check lot codes. Starbucks Fallout (Korea): Starbucks Korea’s “Tank Day” promotion sparked a political firestorm; Shinsegae fired the Korea head after an internal probe, citing serious risk-management flaws. Halal Trade Talks: Indonesia and Peru are exploring mutual recognition of halal certificates to open wider trade. Hospitality Deal: SICO says it completed a BFLC–Truffle share-swap, creating a larger listed GCC hospitality and F&B group. Pricing Pressure (Japan): Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan will raise prices on 165 products from September as raw material and energy costs bite.

Wine Format Shift: On National Wine Day (May 25), Americans are reaching for lighter, colder, more portable bottles—sparkling and rosé are stealing occasions from traditional still wine, with sparkling up 33% in 2026 and outdoor drinking driving the change. Singapore Macro Mood: Singapore kept its 2026 growth forecast at 2%–4%, but warned risks have risen after a stronger-than-expected Q1 (6% y/y) amid US–Israel–Iran uncertainty. Protein Push: ADM rolled out eight new plant-based protein products across North America and Europe, betting on soy and pea for more variety and functionality in foods and drinks. Fortification for Health + Imports: Ethiopia’s Food and Beverage Industry Research and Development Centre is scaling fortification of staples like wheat flour, oil, salt and maize to cut import dependence and tackle micronutrient gaps. Brazil Agro Output: Brazil’s agroindustrial output rose 2.9% in March, led by food and beverage growth (food +2.7%, beverages +3.3%). Local Dining Buzz: New Orleans is gearing up for summer menus and lighter fare as its dining guide expands to 175+ listings, while Florida’s Sebastian-area restaurants roll out weekly specials.

Trade Show Push: Malaysia’s MBG is sending 23 export-focused food and beverage firms to THAIFEX Anuga Asia 2026 (May 26–30), aiming for at least RM15 million in sales and leaning on repeat-exhibitor experience plus targeted market research. Packaging Spotlight: Taiwan bubble tea brand BOBA CHiC just won a Better Future Award in Milan for switching to stand-up aluminum pouches in Germany, where shoppers pay €0.25 less at checkout. Zero-Proof Momentum: Beer giants are betting big on alcohol-free products for the 2026 World Cup as younger drinkers shift toward moderation. Sugar-Sweetened Backlash: Nigeria’s CAPPA premiered “Sweet Poison,” calling for tougher sugary drinks rules amid rising non-communicable disease concerns. Tea as Experience: Assam’s Amchong Tea is launching an immersive “tea experience centre” to reconnect consumers as auction prices and climate pressures squeeze the industry.

Hospitality Talent Boost: Malaysia’s KEDA College just racked up 32 medals at the World Chefs Championship 2026—12 gold, 19 silver and a bronze—showcasing everything from char kway teow to freestyle teh tarik. Food Policy Pressure: Bangladesh’s PRAN-RFL chairman Ahsan Khan Chowdhury is urging the national budget to avoid new taxes on everyday food, warning that any added business costs get passed straight to consumers. Freshness Hacks: Wendy’s customers are sharing a simple move—ask for fresh fries—backed by the chain’s Hot & Crispy Fry Guarantee. Community Kitchen Growth: Minneapolis opened NEON Collective Kitchens, a 25,000-square-foot incubator meant to help caterers, bakers and packaged-food startups scale. Public Health Alert: The U.S. issued a salmonella-linked recall of specialty powdered drink mixes sold across 25 states. Summer Demand Surge: A heatwave is already lifting sales for ice cream, beverages and ACs, with quick-commerce driving big May jumps.

Philippines Trade Push: First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos used IFEX Philippines 2026 to spotlight Filipino farmers and MSMEs, pitching “Tropical Flavors for the World” to win global buyers as the show drew 500+ exhibitors and 100 international brands. Gulf Coast Sanitation Expansion: Prime Dumpster is expanding porta potty rentals in Biloxi, MS, targeting construction, casinos, military bases, and year-round events. Hong Kong Retail Shift: Mainland brands are still flooding in, but the newest wave is led by fashion and beauty—not F&B—helping landlords fill vacancies as categories broaden. Summer Beverage Hype: Capital One Cafés are offering 16 free drinks this summer (Mondays May 25–Sept 7) with no banking required. Food Industry Pressure (BC): B.C. Food and Beverage Association warns costs are rising faster than revenues, squeezing margins and threatening closures. On-Brand Pop Culture: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce turned Knicks-Cavaliers Game 3 into a beer-chug moment that didn’t help Cleveland avoid a 3-0 series deficit.