Walmart has announced that Doug McMillon will retire as CEO in January after more than a decade at the helm. John Furner, currently president and CEO of Walmart US, will take over following the end of the fiscal year on Feb. 1. During McMillon's tenure, Walmart underwent transformative growth, dramatically increasing its market capitalization by $576 billion and seeing shares rise over 400%.

PepsiCo is launching a new "Simply NKD" line of Cheetos and Doritos that removes artificial dyes and added colors, resulting in snacks that are a natural pale yellow rather than their usual bright hues. The NKD line aims to closely replicate the taste of the original snacks while offering a cleaner label.

General Mills has responded to market pressures and consumer preferences by introducing products such as Cheerios Protein and new Nature Valley granola varieties, said CEO Jeff Harmening at a recent event, noting that Cheerios Protein has become a $100 million business. The company has also amplified marketing for Cinnamon Toast Crunch, resulting in significant social media engagement and sales growth.

Dive into a realm where chocolate becomes a bespoke journey. Visit our booth to explore daring new tastes, healthier choices like dairy-free and plant-based, alongside tailored manufacturing for your private label dreams.

Campbell's has partnered with Pokémon to engage the gaming community, introducing eight collectible soup cans featuring Pokémon characters and a sweepstakes offering prizes such as a Nintendo Switch 2. "Our core audience is families, but we also know Campbell's has broad appeal across many households in America," said Marci Raible, vice president of media strategy and digital growth. "When looking at Pokémon, we saw the same broad appeal and beloved by both younger and older generations."

Brands are leveraging TikTok and TikTok Shop to quickly capitalize on viral food trends, transforming the platform into a potent innovation pipeline, according to data from Spate. My/Mochi exemplifies this by launching products like Pickle Mochi Ice Cream and My/Mochi Ice Cream Sandwiches, inspired by TikTok trends and supported by influencer marketing. Trending flavors such as Dubai Chocolate Bar and honey chipotle sauce are seeing explosive growth, with some trends reaching mainstream retailers within months.

Ahold Delhaize USA has completed the rollout of its proprietary digital platform, developed and managed by in-house technology teams, which now serves as the digital foundation for all five of its grocery brands. The cloud-based architecture supports ecommerce, digital engagement and personalized experiences, enabling faster deployment of new features and resource efficiency across the portfolio. It has already improved site performance and account management, as well as personalized promotions, the company reports.

Microsoft and Land O'Lakes have partnered to develop an AI assistant called Oz, using Azure AI Foundry to give agronomists quick access to 20 years of crop data to reduce costs and stabilize yields amid rising input prices. The initiative highlights the increasing importance of digital infrastructure in sustainable farming and food security.

An action-oriented approach is at the heart of FMI’s newly released "2025 Action Guide: Key Steps to Move the Fresh Industry Forward." The guide spotlights action steps identified by attendee breakout groups at FMI’s Fresh Forward conference in August in San Diego. The steps provide a robust roadmap for the fresh industry to overcome challenges and make progress on its biggest opportunities.