AGP Executive Report

Retail Cybersecurity: Hackers pushed refrigeration systems at hundreds of French supermarkets to 50°C, spoiling food and sparking fires. The attack exposed how connected store equipment can put food stocks and supply chains at risk. Food Safety Rules: The FDA is proposing to widen an exemption that could allow some chemicals to be added directly to food without safety review, drawing warnings from public health advocates. Beverage Manufacturing: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is boosting capacity at its Kewdale plant with a new can line capable of producing about 384 million cans a year. Cultivated Meat: Ever After Foods and Roslin Technologies report gains in protein and biomass productivity, a step toward more efficient cultivated-meat production. Food Costs: India’s retail inflation climbed to 5.54% in September, a nine-month high, as food prices rose.

Retail Resilience: A cyberattack hijacked refrigeration controls at hundreds of French supermarkets, heating units to 50°C and spoiling food; authorities are investigating the potential wider risk. Aquaculture Scrutiny: A five-year investigation found farmed salmon and prawns can rely on wild-caught fish for feed, adding pressure on fish stocks and diverting food from communities, while exposing environmental and labor concerns. Packaging Innovation: Cirkla, Belmark and Ossid unveiled a resealable fiber-tray system for fresh protein, produce and ready meals, combining molded-fiber packaging with automated sealing. Agrifood Investment: The Philippines is pitching $57.4 million in projects across coffee, seaweed, mango, jackfruit and cocoa to investors at an FAO forum. Guyana, meanwhile, says agriculture has grown 10% annually since 2022 and is building food-storage capacity to help steady prices. Beverage Production: Oman’s Salalah Free Zone signed a $10 million deal for a factory making carbonated drinks, juices and energy drinks, with production expected to start in six months.

Market Shifts: Japanese food and drink companies face consumers demanding affordability, health, safety and convenience as rising costs squeeze producers. California vintners are planting agave as wine demand falls and water limits tighten, but scarce local distilling capacity makes the pivot risky. Automation: Circus has launched its autonomous food-production system in the UAE with caterer Royal Prestige, which produces more than three million meals a year. The system can prepare over 200 meals per load using locally sourced ingredients. Trade and Investment: McCain Foods is acquiring an Indian potato-processing business in Gujarat, while Indonesia is urging ASEAN cooperatives to strengthen links between farmers, financing, processing and markets. Food Safety: FDA proposals on chemicals added directly to food have drawn concern over wider exemptions from safety review; the agency has also released its 2026 Food Code for retail and foodservice operators. Supply and Sustainability: Food makers warn that a strong El Niño could disrupt supply, while Scotland has opened Pulpex’s first commercial fibre-bottle factory near Glasgow.

Changing Consumer Demand: GLP-1 use is reshaping eating habits, putting snack makers under pressure as drugmakers stand to gain. U.S. use of the drugs for weight loss has climbed to 11% of adults, from 3% in 2024. Climate and Supply: A strong El Niño could shift Pacific tuna grounds and fishing activity through 2027, threatening catch rates and island economies. Food Waste: Greece discards more than 2 million tonnes of food a year, even as 12.7% of its population faces food insecurity; supermarkets are urging better measurement, donations and clearer date labels. Export Growth: Korean instant-noodle exports rose 27.9% in the first half to $935 million and could top $2 billion this year, with demand spreading beyond leading brand Buldak. Food Pricing: South Korean regulators found major producers colluded on sugar, flour and starch prices; cumulative fines against four companies exceeded 1 trillion won. Poultry Investment: Ghana’s Bechem poultry and meat-processing plant is about 50% complete, with commissioning planned for early 2027 and hopes it will create a market for local farmers.

Grocery Retail: Greek supermarket sales rose to €16.2 billion in 2025, but net profit margins slipped to about 1.1% as operating costs climbed and investment increasingly relied on borrowing. Supply Chains: The Philippines’ ube boom is exposing a supply gap: exports are growing even as domestic production declines, raising pressure to improve output, quality and coordination. Food Delivery: India’s quick-commerce order value could grow up to 21.6% quarter-on-quarter, while food delivery is forecast to maintain roughly 18% annual growth. In Bangladesh, Chattogram restaurateurs are threatening to stop taking Foodpanda orders unless fees are capped and payments made faster. Food Safety: UK authorities warned consumers and businesses against using eggs from Ukrainian supplier Yasensvit after Salmonella was detected; the affected eggs are commonly used by caterers and food manufacturers. Regulation: The FDA is proposing wider exemptions for chemicals added directly to food, drawing alarm over the potential for ingredients to avoid safety review.

Climate & Supply: Philippine senators are pressing agencies to prepare for a severe El Niño forecast to last into early 2027, warning of risks to agriculture and food supplies. Food Safety: U.K. authorities recalled eggs linked to 36 salmonella cases, while separate outbreaks have been tied to sprouts and cheese. Market Pressures: Pakistan’s wheat prices have jumped, and rice exports fell to 4.3 million tonnes in FY2026 from a record six million two years earlier, despite subsidies. Poultry Growth: Pakistan’s finance minister sees investment and export potential in a sector producing about 2.5 billion kilograms of meat and more than 28 million eggs. Trade & Innovation: Abu Dhabi’s Global Food Week closed with reported deals worth $1.88 billion, as food makers face new salt and sugar rules in the UAE. Consumer Trends: Protein-added groceries are booming, though nutrition experts caution that extra protein does not automatically make products healthier.

Retail Innovation: Mars sees confectionery shopping shifting toward automated, immersive stores built around discovery and community over the next decade. Brewing: Carlsberg Britvic plans to close Marston’s Brewery and its logistics operation in summer 2027, citing a steep decline in UK cask ale sales; it is seeking new owners for some regional brands. Farm Supply: New Zealand’s National Party proposes fertiliser security deals and $300 million in water-storage loans to shore up farm resilience. Rice Production: Ghana secured an $18.8 million AfDB grant to expand cultivation, processing and storage, aiming for rice self-sufficiency by 2028 and supporting more than 20,000 farmers. Livestock Processing: Indonesia plans three egg- and meat-processing plants to strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce import dependence. Food Safety: Nigeria’s NAFDAC says it found toxic pesticides in beans and seized banned chemicals worth 800 million naira, renewing pressure for stronger oversight. Catering Deals: Uber’s planned $2.3 billion acquisition of ezCater would expand its corporate food-delivery business. Market Growth: PepsiCo reported growth in its India food and beverage business in Q3.

Food Safety: Kuwait inspectors destroyed 773 kilograms of spoiled fish in a market sweep. In the U.S., confidence in supermarket food safety has fallen to 65%, down from 81% in 2024, as outbreaks draw scrutiny. Animal Health: Washington confirmed H5N1 in dairy cattle for the first time; officials say commercial milk remains safe and biosecurity support is available to producers. Restaurant Deals: Starbucks is reportedly weighing a takeover of Chipotle, while Coca-Cola is looking to sell Costa Coffee eight years after buying it. Portfolio Moves: MTY Group may sell weaker-performing restaurant brands and is shifting toward franchising. Farm Costs: U.S. farmers face rising expenses and worker shortages, pressures that could feed through to food prices.

Beverage Manufacturing: The Turmeric Co. has invested £3.6m to bring high-pressure processing in-house, aiming to speed production and expand its functional drinks operation. Farm Costs: NFU Scotland is urging the UK government to extend farmers’ fuel-duty relief and create energy support, warning volatile costs threaten domestic food production. Food Supply: A new Irish flour mill is planned to produce about 80,000 tonnes annually, reducing reliance on imports. Investment: NABARD’s second venture fund has secured Rs 450 crore at first close, targeting agriculture, food businesses and rural supply chains. Cooperatives: Malaysia’s cooperative sector is forecast to reach RM100bn in revenue this year, with food security a growing priority. Product Expansion: Ghirardelli is moving beyond chocolate with its first packaged-cookie range. Travel Foodservice: SSP reported 4% fourth-quarter like-for-like sales growth but expects lower annual profits as conflict weighs on passenger numbers. Food Inflation: Iran’s dairy industry says imported animal feed is pushing up milk costs amid the rial’s sharp decline.

Market Pressure: PepsiCo’s North American soda slump points to consumer strain, and the company plans price increases after a weak quarter. Food Safety: A London inquest heard that a 12-year-old died after a cafe milkshake was contaminated by hazelnut residue in an unwashed blender, underscoring the risks of poor allergen controls. Industry Deals: Uber agreed to buy ezCater for $2.3 billion, expanding into corporate food delivery and bringing a major new channel to restaurants. Regional Growth: Saudi food giant Almarai is planning $4 billion in expansion through 2031. Innovation: Abu Dhabi introduced a framework for tasting and sensory testing novel foods, including cultivated meat and alternative proteins, before market approval. Supply Chains: New Zealand’s food and fibre exports hit a record $65.2 billion for the year to June, led by dairy, meat and wool. Manufacturing: A new survey found six in 10 food and beverage manufacturers report declining productivity despite technology investments.

Foodservice Deals: Uber agreed to buy ezCater for $2.3 billion, adding corporate catering to its platform and putting growth, margins and customer loyalty in focus. Supply Chain Investment: East Africa Foods completed a roughly $40 million funding round to expand its farm-to-market network, which works with more than 28,000 smallholders and cuts food loss across its operations. Alternative Proteins: French startup Edonia raised €15 million to scale its spirulina-based ingredient, with the funding supporting a new production facility and expansion into foodservice. Manufacturing & Innovation: Caldic opened a Food Innovation Hub in Mumbai to help develop and scale nutrition, texture and taste solutions; British confectionery equipment maker BCH will exhibit at Gulfood Manufacturing in November. Policy & Costs: Tesco urged the UK government to reform business rates, warning that higher taxes on warehouses could feed through to grocery prices. In India, PepsiCo, Monster and Reliance won court relief allowing existing stocks carrying “energy drink” labels to be sold.

Restaurant Supply Chains: Subway’s purchasing co-op is at the center of an alleged $200 million kickback scheme; its former CEO and her brother face federal bribery charges. Restaurant Strategy: Chick-fil-A says it will keep drive-thru ordering human, even as rivals pursue AI, while its CEO sees intensifying chicken competition as a reason to keep improving. Workplace Catering: Uber agreed to buy ezCater for $2.3 billion, expanding its corporate-meals business and adding a platform serving 140,000 U.S. restaurants. Food Regulation: India’s Delhi High Court let PepsiCo, Monster and Reliance sell existing beverage stock labeled “energy drink” while their challenge to the regulator’s order proceeds. Food Safety: The FDA expanded a frozen blueberry recall weeks after an E. coli outbreak was declared over.

Water & Infrastructure Risk: ESI Africa warns water constraints are becoming a defining economic and public-health risk, stressing better management of existing networks, metering, and revenue to avoid system failures. Trade & Produce: Spain’s Murcia region boosted UK agri-food exports 18.8% to €566m in the first seven months of 2026, helped by Brexit-era paperwork adjustments and a phytosanitary certificate delay to Jan 2027. Restaurant Labor Pressure: Chicago restaurants say federal immigration enforcement during “Operation Midway Blitz” worsened staffing shortages, hitting back-of-house workers and raising fear-driven call-offs. Monetary Shock to Food Costs: India’s RBI raised the repo rate to 5.5% and signaled “calibrated tightening,” citing inflation pressures from energy and food. Food Safety & Labeling: Jersey’s “Natasha’s Law” allergen labeling is still stalled, while a separate report highlights low consumer trust in food influencers. Agritech Innovation: A study finds biodegradable nanoparticles carrying gibberellic acid can significantly improve grape yield and quality. Plant-Based Push: Mercy For Animals urges McDonald’s to expand plant-based options in the US, citing gaps versus global menus. Blue Food Strategy: Indonesia spotlights seaweed as “blue food” to meet rising protein demand without further land strain. Beverage Transparency: A US piece criticizes weak ingredient clarity on alcoholic drinks, calling for better labeling oversight.

Food Safety & Animal Health: Luzon’s African swine fever response is widening, with Tabuk City recommending a state of calamity and a 30-day ban on live hog and pork by-products to curb spread. Hospitality & Dining: Burger King’s CMO says the brand is leaning into authentic “You Rule” hospitality—without forcing it—while Richmond’s Xiaoyu Bistro opens as a late-night Taiwanese comfort-food spot. Beverage & Deals: Constellation Brands beat Q2 estimates and is buying SpikedAde for at least $75M to push further into spirit-based RTDs. Retail & Consumer Value: Sam’s Club is running Member’s Mark price cuts for October, spotlighting deals on pantry staples and snacks. Agri-Food Policy & Growth: Moldova is set to negotiate loans to modernize farm machinery and boost vocational training, while Guyana hands NAREI ~$60M in vehicles to strengthen extension and fruit-fly surveillance. Wine & Awards: Moldova’s National Wine Day hit records with 114 wineries and 116,880 tastings. Healthcare Foodservice: Morrison Healthcare launches an after-hours patient menu, and Elior North America rebrands Cura Hospitality into Elior Healthcare and Elior Living. Restaurant Industry Moves: True Food Kitchen filed for Chapter 11, closing 12 locations while keeping 34 open and seeking a court-supervised sale.

Food Waste & Climate: UN says rotting food waste drives up to 10% of global greenhouse gases—about five times aviation—pushing methane cuts higher on the agenda. Packaging Compliance: Tetra Pak warns packaging choices now hinge on EPR rules, carbon reporting, recyclability and logistics, not just cost and shelf life. Cocoa Volatility: Cocoa prices stay elevated and jump again after late-summer spikes, with climate-linked structural risks making margin planning harder for chocolate makers. Supply Chain Pressure: Diesel at record highs has pushed 16 trucking firms into bankruptcy in 30 days, threatening food transport capacity and costs. Trade & Exports: Spain’s Murcia region claims 42% of the growth in Spanish fruit and veg exports through July, underscoring export momentum. Food Security Support: Virginia Fresh Match wins $1m to help SNAP households stretch budgets via matching funds for fruits and vegetables. Biofuel From Grain: SunBridge BioEnergy starts commercial ethanol at a 300 KLD plant in Madhya Pradesh, with more capacity planned. Regulatory Spotlight (India): IRDA’s commission-cap crackdown is roiling insurers and distributors, with long-term changes needed to protect policyholders.

Digital Food Security & Livestock: Kuwait unveiled a national digital livestock management platform to unify breeder data, improve subsidy governance, animal health, traceability and food safety, using AI and analytics for data-driven planning. Smart Agriculture Push: Moldova’s agriculture minister says smart farming must scale nationwide using digitalization, AI and science-backed research, with a comprehensive study planned for 2027. Wine Exports & Tourism: Moldova’s National Wine Day drew 114 wineries, 116,880 tastings and visitors from 70+ countries, with the event also setting a Guinness record. Food & FMCG Growth: India’s AWL Agri Business reported 24% YoY revenue growth in Q2 FY27 and a Food & FMCG milestone—₹2,000 crore in a quarter—driven by wheat/rice and fast-rising pulses and adjacent staples. Poultry Biosecurity Tech: Synexis and Customate will expand touchless continuous pathogen control across the UK and Ireland poultry value chain. Food Safety Regulation: FDA moved to prevent future cyclospora outbreaks after a major case surge, while PepsiCo recalled 122,000 cases of Gatorade over undeclared dyes. Industry Pressure on Costs: Australia’s food and grocery manufacturers warned that energy, transport and packaging costs remain elevated despite easing inflation. Hospitality Ops: Sodexo says smart combi ovens help it keep patient-menu consistency across locations.