Zespri’s SunGold kiwifruit secures Good Housekeeping’s Best Snack Award for the fifth consecutive year, cementing its status as the growth driver of the kiwi category and a rising star in global fruit consumption. This follows the recent recognition by the EU of the Green Kiwifruit of its 'health giving' qualities.

US based, The Mushroom Meat Co.’s expansion into four new pre-seasoned SKUs taps directly into the global mushroom market boom. Convenience, clean label, and cultural flavour profiles (Mexican, Korean, Southern) position them for chef adoption and viral consumer pull.

The 2025 NZ Seaweed Summit represents a convergence of political will, industry innovation, and Māori leadership. A government minister’s attendance elevates the agenda, positioning seaweed not as an experiment but as a candidate for real policy backing and investment. Zespri’s involvement underscores the strategic opportunity to integrate marine bio-resources with established export powerhouses. AgriSea’s presence keeps the narrative grounded in local entrepreneurship and in

Oscar Mayer’s 'EveryBun Pack' signals a major packaging pichange - appeasing flexitarian households without forcing blended compromises. By sealing meat and vegan dogs together in one tray, Kraft Heinz is acknowledging dual appetites in the same kitchen, betting on convenience as the mediator.

Lidl GB is weaponising its private-label clout with the Live Well  logo, effectively embedding the Planetary Health Diet into the UK’s retail mainstream. With 100 products carrying the logo in the next six months and a 10% private-label compliance pledge, Lidl is building a new baseline for health-and-planet aligned shopping. This move could force other retailers into similar schemes or risk being seen as laggards on food system responsibility.

New Zealand's, Fix & Fogg has secured one of the most coveted positions in American retail: eight nut butter SKUs ranged nationally across all Whole Foods Market stores. From a farmers’ market side-hustle in Wellington to 3,500+ U.S. stockists, their rise underscores how small, values-driven Kiwi brands can scale into global grocery giants. The U.S. nut butter aisle is brutal, yet Fix & Fogg has carved out premium territory, powered by sustainability credentials, B Corp statu

Talent is leaving faster than policy can respond. Without a scientific and technical base, the Kiwi food sector risks being hollowed out, reducing exports to raw commodity flows and ceding the value-added future to others.

University of Windsor researchers, with Shogun Maitake Canada, are releasing a mushroom-based cancer fighter linked to immune-driven cancer cell destruction. Uniquely, they’re distributing it free of charge, positioning the work as a public-good experiment rather than a commercial asset.

Collaboration is proving to be the growth lever for ANZ’s next-gen food players. By linking startups, research hubs, and international buyers, the region’s innovators are solving for scale, nutrition, and taste in one move. LILO Desserts illustrates how co-creation with partners unlocks new markets, new product formats, and new consumer occasions.

Oaty Butter (Butter Luxe Co) wins New World Emerge with an oat-based spread fortified with prebiotic fibre and plant protein, positioned as NZ’s first of its kind. The prize matters in the form of a fast-track shot at nationwide New World shelves plus mentor support — i.e., real retail pipes, not just PR. Globally, oat-milk-butter is no longer a novelty

Cultivated meat has finally achieved regulatory approval in Australia, yet political pressure is rising: at Queensland’s LNP gathering, there’s a deliberate push to outlaw lab-grown meat, revealing entrenched agri‑power pushing back. This is a pivotal moment where regulatory triumphs might be undone by legislative bloc. Cultivators must now navigate not just food-safety exams, but political capture.

Hawkens Gingerbread, based in Grantham, has achieved a UK first, growing ginger commercially in flood-and-drain hydroponic tunnels. Founder Alastair Hawken developed a controlled tropical environment (25–30 °C and ~85% humidity) to bypass the UK’s unsuitable climate, aiming to reduce import reliance and cut 38 tonnes of CO₂ emissions linked to imported ginger.

Christchurch’s plant-based leaders Grater Goods and Green Dinner Table have joined forces in a strategic acquisition aimed at long-term survival in a volatile food landscape. Flip Grater’s deli brand has acquired Green Dinner Table’s meal box business, keeping both labels intact while integrating operations, logistics, and creative development. The collaboration aims to safeguard values-led, independent food culture in New Zealand while broadening reach to more consumers.

The Monash Alt Protein Project is proof the next wave of sustainable food innovation isn’t waiting for corporate R&D labs to set the pace. This student-led initiative, selected by The Good Food Institute to join a global network of alt-protein university projects, is connecting Monash’s biotech, food science, and environmental expertise with Melbourne’s growing start-up scene.

PETA (US) has escalated its “Vegan Cheese, Please” campaign by buying stock in Domino’s U.S. This gives them formal pathway access to annual meetings and shareholder resolutions—directly pushing for vegan cheese on U.S. menus. Domino’s already offers it internationally, suggesting proven product viability.

Plant-based retail is heading into Plant Based World North America with a market tailwind. U.S. CPI for food has fallen from 10.1% in January 2023 to 2.6% in February 2025, while average plant-based shelf prices have flipped from +10.5% YoY to –3.8% YoY. This shift signals easing pricing pressure and room for value-driven growth strategies. Data-Spins Satori, 2025

The 2025 KiwiNet Awards for Research shortlist reveals how New Zealand’s deep science is shaping the future of food and marine industries. Standouts include Ocean Intelligence from the Cawthron Institute, a biological forecasting platform designed to give marine farmers advanced insights into water conditions, enabling better planning, stock management, and environmental stewardship.

Australian alt-meat leader v2food is making a rare offensive move in a cooling global plant-based market, acquiring US-based Daring Foods.

Heinz Kethchup Smoothie-meets-condiment campaign is a textbook example of narrative disruption in functional snacking. With consumers embracing fluid food categories and novelty formats, this limited-edition drop fuses comfort, curiosity, and controversy, all in one sip.

MG Group’s decision to convert five hectares of its Warkworth (North of Auckland) capsicum glasshouse into tomato production signals a renewed strategic focus on domestic food resilience amid rising pressure in both local and regional produce markets.