Food & Drink News - March 2026

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Big food is moving into functional and complete nutrition, traditional categories (beer, tea, wine) are reinventing themselves and hospitality and brands are building direct-to-consumer routes

Danone moves into ‘complete nutrition’ with Huel acquisition
Danone has struck a deal to acquire Huel, strengthening its position in functional nutrition and entering the fast-growing “complete food” space. A clear signal of where big FMCG is heading.

Morrisons sales grow again despite tough market
Morrisons reported Q1 growth, driven by price cuts and loyalty investment. Value is still doing the heavy lifting.

Amazon expands rapid grocery with new dark stores
Amazon has opened new sites in Battersea and Lewisham for its Amazon Now service - pushing 30-minute delivery deeper into London.

Aldi UK’s premium range hits £1.6bn (+11%)
Aldi says Specially Selected sales are up 11%, with nearly 16 million households buying into the range. Discount and premium are no longer opposites - they’re coexisting.

Tennent Caledonian Breweries Ltd.’s joins the fruit beer wave
Tennent’s launches a zesty lager, joining brands like Peroni and Heineken tapping into fruit-led beer innovation.

Côte Brasserie launches direct-to-consumer wine shop
Côte Brasserie introduces Côte Uncorked, offering 200+ French wines - bringing restaurant credibility into the home.

JOE & THE JUICE profits soar nearly 500%
Joe & The Juice saw profits jump to £8.1m, driven by expansion and continued demand for premium food-to-go.

LIPTON Teas and Infusions targets Gen Z with cold brew tea bags
Lipton launches a cold brew range to tap into new consumption occasions and younger shoppers.

Jacob’s Creek set for UK relaunch under new owner
Jacob's Creek will return to Tesco shelves under Vinarchy, aiming to re-establish relevance in a competitive wine category.

Source: Danni Horsley

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