McDonald’s has appointed company veteran Skye Anderson as president of its US business, effective immediately. Skye Anderson Anderson will oversee nearly 14,000 restaurants in the company’s largest market and support the implementation of its McDonald’s > Next growth and productivity strategy. She succeeds Joe Erlinger, who is leaving the fast-food group after more than 20 years with the company, including almost seven years leading its US operations. Anderson has worked at McDonald’s for more than 26 years and returned to its US division as chief operating officer earlier this year as part of a planned leadership transition. Her previous roles have included financial leadership positions in Australia, field and regional leadership across the US and the establishment of McDonald’s Global Business Services. During four years leading the company’s US West Zone, Anderson supported the modernisation of more than 5,700 restaurants. McDonald’s said the region achieved comparable sales growth of more than 30% and increased average restaurant cash flow by $100,000 during her tenure. Chris Kempczinski, chairman and CEO of McDonald's, said: "Skye combines deep operational discipline with strong financial judgment and has earned the trust of owner/operators, suppliers and employees". "I've had the opportunity to work closely with Skye throughout much of her career, and I've repeatedly turned to her to lead some of our most important businesses and transformation efforts because she's a proven change agent who can act with urgency to mobilise our system." Anderson commented: "As we bring McDonald's > Next to life, the US business has a critical role to play in translating our ambition into action for customers, crew and owner/operators". "Having led the US business myself, I understand the opportunities and challenges ahead. Skye knows that great strategies only matter if they create better outcomes in restaurants. I look forward to working closely with her and the US leadership team to help accelerate performance and unlock the significant opportunity in front of us, and I have tremendous confidence that she is the ideal leader for this next phase of our US business." Anderson commented: "McDonald's has always been at its best when we harness the strength of our unique system to serve customers and communities. I am honoured to lead the US business and build on the strong foundation already in place." "Together with our owner/operators, suppliers and employees, we'll remain focused on serving great food, delivering exceptional experiences, earning the right to be our customers' first choice and bringing McDonald's > Next to life across our restaurants every day."

Plant-based nutrition brand Huel has expanded its portfolio in the US with the addition of a new Mixed Berry flavour to its Black Edition Ready-to-Drink (RTD) line-up. Launching exclusively in Walmart stores, the new flavour provides a ‘refreshing, berry-inspired taste with a smooth, lightly sweet finish’. It aims to bring a ‘vibrant and approachable’ option to the Black Edition range, designed for consumers seeking a convenient and nutritionally complete meal replacement option with a ‘fruit-forward’ flavour. The drink contains 35g of plant-based protein as well as a blend of 27 vitamins and minerals, 6g of fibre, and 400 kcal per bottle.

Carlsberg Group is expanding its long-standing partnership with PepsiCo, taking on production, sales and distribution of PepsiCo’s soft drinks portfolio in Azerbaijan from 1 January 2027. Under the new agreement, Carlsberg will become PepsiCo’s bottling partner in the market, with the partnership expected to double the brewer’s business in Azerbaijan. To support the agreement, Carlsberg will expand its Xirdalan brewery, enabling the site to produce PepsiCo’s beverage portfolio alongside the company’s existing local beer operations. The move will further diversify Carlsberg’s presence in Azerbaijan, bringing PepsiCo’s soft drink brands into its established local beverage portfolio. The agreement also expands Carlsberg’s bottling relationship with PepsiCo to 15 markets. These currently include the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos and Cambodia, with Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania set to join from 2029, alongside Azerbaijan from 2027. Jacob Aarup-Andersen, CEO of Carlsberg Group, said: “We’re excited about the further expansion of our long-standing partnership with PepsiCo to Azerbaijan. With the new agreement, we’re adding PepsiCo’s iconic brands to our strong local beer portfolio in the country and significantly growing our business in that market, which will allow us to offer consumers more relevant and diverse choices across occasions.” Eugene Willemsen, CEO of International Beverages at PepsiCo, said “We’re proud to expand our long-standing partnership with Carlsberg to Azerbaijan, an important step in strengthening our footprint across high-potential markets." Willemsen continued: “Carlsberg brings deep local expertise and strong execution capabilities, and together we’re well positioned to accelerate growth, build our brands and deliver even more for consumers and customers across Azerbaijan.” The agreement forms part of a wider expansion of the Carlsberg-PepsiCo partnership, which has grown to encompass multiple markets across Europe and Asia.

Starbucks has expanded its UK ready-to-drink portfolio with two permanent matcha lattes and a limited-edition pumpkin spice Frappuccino. The Starbucks Matcha Latte combines milk with matcha, while the Strawberry Matcha Latte adds a strawberry flavour to the same base. The products will join the company’s core chilled drinks range from August. Meanwhile, the new Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino brings Starbucks’ seasonal flavour to its ready-to-drink range for the first time. The beverage combines the company’s coffee with milk and pumpkin spice flavouring and is packaged in a bottle featuring autumn-inspired imagery. Charlotta Oldham, marketing director for EMEA at Starbucks, said: "With these new additions to our ready-to-drink range, we're giving consumers more choice than ever before. Our new Matcha Latte range celebrates the distinctive taste and ritual of matcha, creating refreshing moments that can be enjoyed all year round, while our Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino captures the comforting, nostalgic flavours that have become synonymous with the arrival of autumn." "Together, these launches showcase how we're continuing to bring consumers the quality, flavour and innovation they expect from Starbucks in convenient ready-to-drink formats." The Matcha Latte and Strawberry Matcha Latte will be available through supermarkets and grocery stores across the UK for £2. The limited-edition Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino is priced at £2.20 and will be stocked by Sainsbury’s, SPAR and other major retailers while supplies last.

Indian coffee equipment and services provider Kaapi Machines has secured an equity investment of INR 500 million (approx. $5.3 million) from B2B hospitality solutions company Sedna Horeca. The companies have also entered into a strategic partnership aimed at expanding Kaapi Machines’ product portfolio and strengthening its manufacturing, technology, warehousing and service capabilities. Kaapi Machines will also explore opportunities in adjacent product categories for its existing customer base, drawing on Sedna’s broader capabilities in the hotel, restaurant and catering sector. Founded in 2007, Kaapi Machines supplies equipment, training and after-sales services to café chains, quick-service restaurants, speciality coffee roasters, hotels, retailers, corporate customers and vending operators across India. The company, led by managing director and CEO Abhinav Mathur, expects its revenue to exceed INR 1.5 billion (approx. $15.7 million) during the current financial year. It plans to pursue pursue further expansion over the next two to three years amid growing coffee consumption and increasing demand from India’s hospitality sector. Mathur said: “We are excited to partner with the Sedna team as we set forth on our new growth trajectory at Kaapi Machines. As the horeca industry continues to grow and gets more organised, we want to expand our capabilities to offer our customers new and innovative products, technologies and solutions. Our ethos of being competence-led and customer-first will continue to be at the core of our business, where we see a shared value system with Sedna." Saurabh Pandey, managing director of Sedna Horeca, described Kaapi Machines as a “highly synergistic addition” to Sedna’s operations, citing the company’s coffee expertise, brand presence and nationwide service network. He added that the investment supported Sedna’s ambition to develop a comprehensive B2B platform serving India’s foodservice industry.

Angel Group has launched a new faucet-mounted water purifier in Thailand, designed to remove common contaminants from household water. The Angel Faucet Water Purifier features an eight-stage filtration system combining a washable ceramic filter with carbon-fibre ultrafiltration technology. The system is designed to remove sediment, rust, residual chlorine, odours and other impurities. It also incorporates Angel's patented APCM antimicrobial technology, which the company said achieves a physical antimicrobial rate of 99.99% and provides protection against contaminants including ESKAPE pathogens. Users can switch between filtered and unfiltered water modes, helping to extend the filter’s lifespan by reserving purified water for cooking and drinking. The unit delivers filtered water at a flow rate of one litre per minute. The purifier is available through HomePro in Thailand, with installation and after-sales support provided by Angel's local partner, Mazuma. The launch forms part of a wider rollout that also includes Angel's new Whole-House Mini Water Softener, developed to reduce hard-water minerals and limescale.

Damm UK has acquired a stake in London-based Dalston’s Soda Co, making the soft drinks producer the first non-beer partner to join its Accelerator Programme at the Damm Eagle Brewery in Bedford. The Accelerator Programme supports emerging beverage brands with manufacturing, innovation and distribution, drawing on Damm’s experience producing and distributing soft drinks in Spain. Under the partnership, Damm will provide Dalston’s with production, distribution and commercial support as the soda brand seeks to expand across the UK on- and off-trade markets. Dalston’s produces soft drinks using real fruit, with no added sugar, artificial sweeteners or flavourings. The company is also a certified B Corp. Luke White, managing director of Damm UK, said: “We are excited to welcome Dalston’s as our first soft drinks partner which is well aligned with Damm’s premium offering that centres around craftsmanship, excellent ingredients and outstanding quality. We look forward to seeing Dalston’s flourish as we work together to help support its growth in the UK and beyond.” Dalston’s founder Duncan O’Brien described the investment as a “huge vote of confidence” in the business, adding that working with Damm would provide significant opportunities for growth. Giles Brook, chairman of Dalston’s Soda Co, said the brand could play an important role in Damm’s developing soft drinks portfolio, offering trade customers a natural alternative to conventional soft drinks. The deal follows Damm’s acquisition of the Old Speckled Hen beer portfolio earlier in July and forms part of the brewer’s strategy to develop into a broader beverage company. Damm relaunched its Bedford facility as the Damm Eagle Brewery in October 2025 following a £70 million modernisation programme. The upgrades included new syrup handling and mixing equipment, alongside a new canning line and additional production capacity. The site has the potential to expand to an annual capacity of two million hectolitres, with Damm now planning a further phase of improvements. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.

Fairtrade International has announced increases to its minimum prices for arabica and robusta coffee, as it seeks to strengthen financial protection for farmers facing rising production costs and volatile commodity markets. From 1 December 2026, the Fairtrade Minimum Price for washed arabica beans will rise by 11%, from $1.80 to $2 per pound. Washed arabica accounts for more than 80% of Fairtrade coffee sales. The minimum price for natural robusta beans, which represent less than 10% of Fairtrade coffee sold, will increase by approximately 8%, from $1.20 to $1.30 per pound. Prices for natural arabica and washed robusta will also rise by $0.20 and $0.10 per pound, respectively. Fairtrade’s minimum price acts as a global floor, taking effect when market prices fall below the specified level. Farmers and cooperatives can continue to receive higher prices when market rates exceed the floor. According to the organisation, coffee market prices have remained above $2 per pound since March 2024. The changes follow a year-long review involving production cost data, market analysis and consultation with farmers, traders and other industry stakeholders. Fairtrade’s Standards Committee, which includes representatives from producer and commercial organisations, approved the final prices earlier this month. Data for the review was collected from 57 cooperatives across 13 countries for the 2023-2024 crop period. The figures were adjusted to reflect inflation and exchange rates up to September 2025 and assessed alongside external market information. More than 600 stakeholders responded during a two-month consultation period. Fairtrade said the review considered factors including production costs, market conditions, fairness and the relationship between its minimum prices and additional payments. The organisation will retain its existing Fairtrade Premium of $0.20 per pound and organic differential of $0.40 per pound, citing the need to provide cooperatives and traders with greater predictability during a period of historically high coffee prices. The Fairtrade Premium is paid in addition to the selling price and can be invested by cooperatives in areas such as production improvements, infrastructure and community projects. Fairtrade coffee cooperatives received more than €57 million through the mechanism in 2024. Meanwhile, the organic differential is intended to compensate farmers for the additional costs associated with organic production. Fairtrade said its research found average organic production costs remained broadly aligned with the existing payment. Colleen Anunu, senior advisor for coffee at Fairtrade International, said: “Fairtrade's price review process is unique in the coffee sector, as the only methodology that provides an essential understanding of the various stakeholders in the value chain – from farmer cooperatives to roasters to brands and retailers – as well as civil society pushing to create a thriving coffee system.” “Coffee farmers want to earn a dignified livelihood. The Fairtrade pricing structure is a critical safety net for cooperatives that supports farmer resilience in the face of climate change and emerging regulatory pressures, and also supports the security of global supply chains.” Fairtrade has committed to conducting a comprehensive review of its coffee prices every four years as part of efforts to improve producer resilience and support more sustainable supply chains.

Califia Farms is expanding its portfolio in the US with the launch of Banana Crème Almond Milk Latte and Organic Banana Crème Almond Milk Coffee Creamer, tapping into the popularity of banana-flavoured coffee options. The plant-based beverage brand noted that banana-flavoured lattés and café-inspired at-home recipes are gaining traction on social media platform TikTok, with banana flavours bringing a fun and fresh twist to coffee and creamer aisles. Banana Crème Almond Milk Latte offers a ready-to-drink (RTD) almond milk-based latté, blending banana crème flavour with rich coffee and warm cinnamon notes. The drink can be enjoyed straight from the bottle or poured over ice. The Organic Banana Crème Almond Milk Coffee Creamer provides a USDA Organic almond milk-based creamer with a creamy banana flavour and warm cinnamon, designed to add a sweet, dessert-inspired twist to hot or iced coffee. Both options will launch at Kroger stores nationwide, both priced at an MSRP of $6.49.

Sweet Robo has partnered with Santa Cruz Fun Foods to commercially launch a range of automated machines that turn Icee flavours into freshly spun candy floss. The range includes two models: the 'Icee Cotton Candy Vending Machine,' which is a fully automated, self-service unit designed for locations such as shopping centres, amusement parks, cinemas and family entertainment venues; and the 'Icee Cotton Candy Mini Pro,' which offers a smaller, countertop format aimed at convenience stores, specialist retailers and other point-of-sale environments. Each model can offer between four and six flavours, including several established Icee varieties. Sweet Robo’s automated technology prepares and dispenses fresh candy floss on demand, with the company positioning the machines as a consistent and efficient foodservice option for operators. Piny Vind, CEO of Sweet Robo, said: "Consumers are looking for experiences, not just products. By combining the iconic flavours of Icee with our robotics platform, we've created something that delivers both nostalgia and entertainment while giving retailers a new revenue-generating attraction." The company said its first shipment would comprise 100 machines, with commercial installations planned at retail, entertainment and other high-footfall locations across North America during summer 2026.

Pret A Manger has appointed Anita McDonnell as president of its international division, effective from late August. McDonnell will oversee the food-to-go and coffee chain’s operations across Europe, Asia and Africa. She will work alongside Felipe Athayde, president of North America, and Ross Warnes, president of the UK and Ireland, as Pret seeks to accelerate growth across its 21 international markets. She joins Pret from Taco Bell, where she most recently served as managing director for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, having previously been the company’s chief growth officer for the region. McDonnell has more than 20 years of experience in franchised food and beverage businesses. Her previous roles include leadership positions at Domino’s and Costa Coffee, where she worked with franchise partners and managed operations across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Europe. She succeeds Eira Jarvis, who will leave Pret at the end of 2026 following 13 years with the company. Jarvis has opted to remain in Asia rather than relocate to the UK, where the international president role will be based. She will continue in the position until the end of the year to support the leadership transition. Pano Christou, CEO of Pret A Manger, said: "We're delighted to welcome Anita to Pret. She brings extensive global experience and a deep understanding of franchised businesses, with a strong track record of leading teams across multiple markets". He continued: "It's rare to find someone with such deep expertise in food, coffee and hospitality across such a wide range of Asian markets, and we are really lucky Anita has decided to join Pret. I'm looking forward to working with her as we continue to strengthen our international business and support our franchise partners around the world." Christou also thanked Jarvis for her contribution to the company, including her role in developing Pret’s international business and mentoring colleagues across the organisation.

Svedka Vodka has unveiled a limited-edition drinks dispenser designed to resemble an oversized can of its Vodka Water ready-to-drink beverage. Standing more than five feet tall, the Svedka vodka watercooler replaces the traditional blue water bottle with a large glass replica of the brand’s transparent can. The fully functional unit dispenses hot and cold water from a built-in tank, while a separate tap serves chilled Svedka Vodka Water. The cooler also includes a compartment for storing additional cans and is positioned for use at workplace celebrations, post-work gatherings and other social occasions. The launch follows the introduction of Svedka Vodka Water, which the company describes as the world’s first transparent canned vodka water. American actor and comedian Craig Robinson is supporting the launch. David Binder, senior brand director at Svedka, said: “When we introduced the world’s first transparent canned vodka water, we challenged expectations around what a ready-to-drink cocktail could look like". "The Svedka vodka watercooler continues that idea by reimagining another familiar icon through the lens of transparency, creating something that's unexpected, undeniably SVEDKA Vodka Water and built to bring people together."