Krispy Kreme is accelerating its international expansion with a new franchise partnership in Netherlands, teaming up with Jafa Holding BV to bring the brand into the Dutch market. The agreement represents another step in the company’s capital-light growth strategy. Plans include the launch of a flagship “Hot Light Theater Shop” in late 2026, designed to serve both as a retail outlet and a production hub. This opening will anchor a phased rollout, with around 30 locations expe

Sami Siddiqui, CFO at Restaurant Brands International acknowledges that priorities for 2026 might not sound particularly exciting at first glance. However, after several years of major investments and structural changes, he sees that simplicity as a positive sign. The company, which owns Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs, is now shifting its focus toward streamlining operations after a period of aggressive transformation. Speaking at a recent industry conf

Earlier this year, KFC revealed plans to expand its “Kwench by KFC” drinks concept across the U.K. and Ireland following a successful 38 location trial. The move marked the brand’s first major attempt to scale the beverage focused idea internationally. That rollout is just one part of a much broader strategy. During its fourth quarter earnings update, Yum! Brands confirmed that Kwench is expected to reach around 3,000 locations this year. The concept introduces a range of spe

There is a shift happening at the top of the food and beverage industry. Not loud enough to dominate headlines, but visible in the way decisions are being made, businesses are being run, and priorities are being reset. For years, the playbook was clear. Grow, expand, scale. Add more stores, more products, more markets. Momentum was the goal, and scale was the signal of success. That model is now under pressure. What once drove growth is beginning to create drag. Complexity ha

For years, Franco Manca was one of the UK’s most recognisable casual dining success stories. Built on slow-fermented dough, simple menus and accessible pricing, it turned sourdough pizza into a high-street staple. Now, it’s pulling back. The brand is set to close around 16 restaurants, more than a fifth of its UK estate of roughly 70 sites, as part of a restructuring led by parent company The Fulham Shore. The move puts around 225 jobs at risk and will be executed through a C

The colour hits first. Ube’s soft violet hue is appearing in iced lattes, bubble teas and frappés across cafés and social feeds, designed as much for the camera as for the cup itself. Long a staple in Filipino desserts, ube is now moving from heritage ingredient to mainstream beverage trend. Its rise has been driven less by traditional retail and more by independent cafés experimenting with global flavours, where it has quickly become a standout addition to iced drinks menus.

The merger between Unilever and McCormick & Company is officially happening, creating a $66bn food powerhouse and signalling a major shift in the industry. This is about more than size. It’s about owning flavour end to end. Unilever brings global strength in sauces and packaged foods, while McCormick dominates in spices and seasonings. Together, they span everything from raw ingredients to finished products, giving them a unique ability to respond quickly to changing consumer

Inside Joe & The Juice’s global expansion strategy for 2026 and beyond Few brands in the fast casual space have scaled with the same clarity of identity as Joe & The Juice. What began as a niche, lifestyle-driven concept has evolved into a globally recognised brand, now entering a new phase of accelerated expansion. In 2026, the company is not just growing, it is refining how it grows. With ambitions to surpass 1,000 locations globally by 2028, the focus has shifted from rapi

In 2026, innovation in food and beverage is no longer defined by product launches alone. It is measured by how effectively a company can integrate data, technology, and consumer insight into a cohesive, scalable system. PepsiCo is emerging as one of the clearest examples of this shift in action. Not through a single breakthrough, but through a consistent, system-wide approach to innovation that spans product, operations, and consumer experience. Moving beyond product-led inno