Weekly Digest #19
08.12.2025
Welcome to The Fork’s Lens
Every week, we serve up a quick, flavourful dose of what’s cooking at the intersection of food, drink, and entrepreneurship.
Expect:
🍴 Sharp founder insights
📊 Bite-sized industry trends
🛠 Tools & tips to level up
🔥 Events & openings worth your time
For those of you building food brands, launching products, or just hungry for what’s next – this one’s for you.
Trends, Treats & Takeover
📨 Weekly #19: Trends, Treats & Takeover
🍴 What’s Up?
UK food prices ease, but essentials stay costly, pushing brands to innovate. Gail’s expands, Authentic Brew debuts, and Graze changes hands, while globally, Nestlé eyes a Blue Bottle sale and Whole Foods highlights 2026 trends in fiber, nostalgia, and premium convenience.
🇬🇧 This Week’s UK F&B Headlines
UK inflation cools but price pain persists
Shop-price inflation slowed to 0.6% in November from 1.0% in October, and food inflation eased to 3.0%, marking the lowest rates in years for fresh and ambient categories. However, prices for cooking oils, meat, and fish continued to rise as producers absorbed and passed on elevated input costs. (Reuters)Gail’s doubles down on growth despite losses
Upmarket bakery and café chain Gail's plans to open 40 new sites by February 2026 after launching 36 last year. Sales rose by around 20% to £278 million, but rising staff, energy, and opening costs pushed pre-tax losses to £7.8 million, showing the company is confident in a strategy focused on growth even amid inflation. (The Guardian)Small brewers and pubs warn of a rate shock
Leaders representing over 700 small breweries have warned that proposed business rates reforms could sharply increase costs, with some forecasts suggesting a 76% rise in liability by 2029. Industry voices are calling on the Treasury to provide transitional relief to prevent closures. (The Guardian)Authentic Brew makes its UK debut
London-based functional energy drink brand Authentic Brew officially launched this week. The no-caffeine, no-added-sugar beverage is powered by medicinal mushrooms, seaweed, fermented rhodiola, L-Theanine, ginseng, and other active ingredients, offering a functional energy alternative to traditional caffeinated drinks. (Authentic Brew)Unilever sells Graze to Katjes International
Unilever has sold UK healthy snack brand Graze to German confectionery group Katjes International, the owner of Candy Kittens. This move reflects Unilever’s strategy to focus on its core global brands such as Hellmann’s and Knorr while allowing Katjes to expand into the growing better-for-you snack category. (Unilever)
🌍 Global News
Nestlé explores sale of Blue Bottle Coffee
Nestlé is working with Morgan Stanley on a potential sale of Blue Bottle Coffee. Nestlé acquired a majority stake in 2017 for approximately US$700 million. The potential sale reflects a strategic refocus under Nestlé’s new leadership. (Reuters)
Mike’s Hot Honey enters the beverage market
Mike’s Hot Honey has launched Mike’s Hot Honey Syrup, enabling baristas, bartenders, and consumers to add a sweet and spicy kick to any beverage. This is a strategic extension of the brand into the beverage space. (NOSH)Grüns launches Jüced pre-workout gummies
The new brand Jüced offers 95 mg of caffeine, 2,000 mg of L-Carnitine, and other active ingredients per serving. It targets fitness-focused consumers looking for convenient and effective supplements. (Jüced)TRUBAR acquired by ETİ Gıda
Canadian plant-based protein bar brand TRUBAR has been acquired by Turkish consumer goods firm ETİ Gıda for CAD 201 million (approximately US$140 million). Founded in 2019, TRUBAR sells through more than 15,000 retail doors across North America and is projected to exceed US$100 million in sales by 2026. (Stack3d)
🔭 Whole Foods’ 2026 Trend Forecast: Highlights
Based on the 2026 Trends Report from Whole Foods Market, these are the food and drink directions to watch.
Nostalgic fats return
Beef tallow is making a comeback as a high smoke point and flavor-rich cooking staple. It appears in fries, baked goods, and even as a cooking spray.
Fiber becomes the star ingredient
Consumers are seeking more fiber-forward breads, crackers, pastas, and snacks. Prebiotic beverages featuring roots such as cassava or chicory and gut-friendly oats are also on the rise.
Vinegar renaissance
Premium, small-batch, fruit-infused, and living vinegars are becoming more popular not just for cooking but also for dressings, condiments, and beverages such as cocktails and mocktails.
Frozen meals reach fine dining quality
A new wave of frozen meals including arancini, pupusas, and chef-style mains is aimed at consumers looking for convenience without compromising on taste.
Instant options reimagined
Elevated meals in a cup, premium pour-over lattes, and shelf-stable gourmet options are bridging convenience with quality.
Mindful sweets and pantry as décor
Snacks are increasingly sweetened with real cane sugar, fruit, honey, or maple syrup, combined with stylish, design-forward packaging to appeal to consumers seeking healthier treats that still feel premium.
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We believe bold food brands deserve bold support. That’s why we’ve built a collective of seasoned foodies, retail rebels, creative storytellers, and numbers nerds – people who’ve been in the kitchen, the boardroom, and the shop floor. We jump in where you need us most, helping you turn big ideas into bites people can’t stop talking about. Because building a food brand isn’t just business – it’s passion, flavour, and a little bit of chaos. We’re here to make sure it’s the good kind.
