Nichols, the soft drinks group behind brands like Vimto, has announced the appointment of Matthew Rothwell as its new chief financial advisor and company secretary, effective no later than 13 April 2026. Rothwell brings a wealth of experience from senior financial roles across major UK-listed, consumer-facing businesses, having previously worked at Asda, Sainsbury's and THG. Nichols’ board said Rothwell’s appointment reflects its commitment to strengthening the group’s leadership as it continues to execute its long-term growth strategy across both its UK and international soft drinks markets. Liz McMeikan, chair of Nichols, said: “Following a comprehensive, diligent search process, we are delighted to announce Matthew’s appointment to the Board. This appointment reflects our commitment to attracting high-calibre leadership, and his experience and capabilities align very well with our strategic priorities.” Rothwell will succeed David Taylor, who has served as interim finance director since February. Taylor will step down at the end of the month after providing support during the transitional period. McMeikan continued: “On behalf of the board and everyone at Nichols, we thank David Taylor for his contribution and exceptional commitment during this interim tenure". To ensure continuity until Rothwell’s arrival, Rebecca Hughes, the group’s financial controller, will serve as non-board finance director and support the senior leadership team. Commenting on his upcoming appointment, Rothwell said: “I’m excited to be joining Nichols, a business with a proud heritage, iconic brands and a clear strategy for future growth. I look forward to working with the board and management team to build on this strong foundation and deliver sustainable performance and value for shareholders.”

Flavia, a coffee system brand owned by Lavazza North America, has expanded its beverage portfolio with the launch of Cocoa Bliss. The new product aims to offer consumers a simple way to enjoy a comforting, chocolate-based drink throughout the colder months. Cocoa Bliss joins Flavia’s existing range of drinks, which includes coffees, lattes, tea lattes and infused waters. The beverage is made with real cocoa, contains 11g of sugar and 70 calories per serving, and is ready to drink in about a minute. Flavia said the product offers a 'rich and indulgent taste' and a 'luxuriously smooth' consistency designed to enhance moments of relaxation at home or in the workplace. Daniele Foti, VP of Marketing at Lavazza North America, said: "As we head into the colder months of the year, we wanted to introduce something new that invites people to take a moment for themselves and indulge in a seasonal classic that can be enjoyed all year long. Cocoa Bliss will be an important part of our specialty beverage offering, adding a sweet option that customers can enjoy as part of their everyday routine." Cocoa Bliss is available through select beverage distributors and online.

UK soft drinks manufacturer Radnor Hills has unveiled a new carbonated beverage line, Radnor Spring, as it continues to expand its portfolio of low-calorie, functional drinks. The new Radnor Spring range features sparkling water with B vitamins in four fruity flavours – Black Cherry & Blackcurrant, Mango & Passionfruit, Pineapple & Grapefruit and Strawberry & Raspberry. Each 500ml bottle is 100% recyclable and made with 30% recycled plastic, with a recommended retail price of £1 for price-marked packs. Chris Sanders, sales and marketing director at Radnor Hills, said: “ We have carried out extensive consumer research among 3000 18-35 year olds who grew up with our brands and are now looking for exciting options. Radnor Spring is the perfect next step – a juicy, carbonated soft drink bottled at our zero-to-landfill site in Wales.” Now in its 35th year, Radnor Hills produces more than 400 million units from its Knighton, Powys site, and reported £55.3 million in revenue for the year to May 2024, up to 15% year on year. Designed for leisure, retail, vending, grab-and-go and convenience channels, Radnor Spring will roll out nationally from January 2026.

Primo Brands Corporation has named Eric Foss as its new chairman and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Foss succeeds Robbert Rietbroek, who is stepping down from the role. He brings extensive experience leading global consumer goods and beverage companies. Foss previously served as chairman and CEO of several large-scale, brand-focused businesses, earning recognition for his leadership approach and focus on innovation, execution and long-term growth. Dean Metropoulos, director and former non-executive chairman of the board, said: "I am delighted to announce Eric has agreed to take up the positions of chairman and CEO of Primo Brands. He knows the company well, having served on our board (and the board of Primo Water)." "With his extensive experience as chairman and CEO of global branded beverage and direct store distribution businesses, Eric is highly qualified to lead Primo Brands' future growth and value creation." Foss added: "It is a true privilege to serve as chairman and CEO of Primo Brands. The company is well positioned in the large, attractive and growing healthy hydration market. We have an industry leading brand portfolio, a strong go-to market system and a team of talented and committed teammates." "We continue to progress, unlocking the power of last year's business combination and have multiple growth vectors as we move forward. I want to thank Robbert for his service and contributions. I look forward to continuing to work with Dean as a member of the board and want to thank the board for their support and confidence." Metropoulos, who is stepping down as non-executive chairman but will remain on the board, added: "Following conversations with the board as we move into the next phase of the breakthrough merger that established Primo Brands, I believe now is the right time to step away as non-executive Chairman. I am confident that Eric's extensive experience in consumer driven at-scale selling and service-oriented business models across the food and beverage industry will drive progress at Primo Brands." "I want to thank Robbert for his leadership and contributions to the company. Robbert's leadership was foundational in orchestrating the first year as Primo Brands and establishing it as a leader in the North American branded beverage space with a focus on healthy hydration. We wish him continued success." Top image: © Primo Brands

Soul Kitchen, a female-founded food UK brand, has unveiled a new line of single-serve, clean label soups designed specifically for modern workplaces, micro markets and travel. This launch responds to rising consumer demand for healthier, convenient food options, with the instant soup market projected to grow from $742 million to $1.17 billion by 2035. The new Soul Kitchen Plus+ range features two initial offerings: Super Greens (Broccoli, Leek & Spinach) and Lion’s Mane Mushroom with B12, Thyme & Black Pepper. Both soups are produced in the UK at a Salsa-approved facility, using gently dehydrated vegetable powders, herbs and spices, without any gums, emulsifiers, palm oil or artificial flavourings. Each 20g sachet is ready in under three minutes, addressing the needs of busy consumers seeking nutritious meal solutions. This launch comes at a time when 77% of UK consumers express concerns about ultra-processed foods, signaling a shift towards simpler ingredient lists. The demand for functional foods is on the rise, with plant-based products growing at an annual rate of over 11%, currently valued at £389 million. The introduction of clean label soups aligns with these trends, offering a solution that combines convenience with quality. The Lion’s Mane Mushroom soup taps into the burgeoning global functional mushroom market, which has more than doubled in the last five years and is projected to reach $19 billion by 2030. While research on the cognitive benefits of such mushrooms is ongoing, there is a notable increase in consumer interest in adaptogenic ingredients. Each serving of the Super Greens soup delivers 4.6g of protein sourced from sunflower, while the Mushroom soup provides 100% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B12, a critical nutrient often lacking in plant-based diets. Eiméar Sutton, head of nutrition at Biovit, said: “Biovit’s vitamin B12 and vitamin D are derived from mushrooms and remain within a food matrix, enhancing nutrient absorption and providing additional health benefits”. Soul Kitchen’s soups are available in cases of 12, with a recommended retail price starting at £1.79. Initial listings include over 100 independent retailers, such as Earthfare in Glastonbury and The General Store in Manchester, with plans to expand into travel retail through partnerships with Eurostar and Rail Gourmet. Bella Acland, founder of Soul Kitchen, highlighted the brand's commitment to quality and simplicity: “Consumers want simplicity they can trust. We’re not chasing trends; we’re re-imagining something familiar and doing it properly.” This philosophy underscores the brand's mission to provide nutritious, satisfying meals that fit seamlessly into modern lifestyles. Ky Wright, CEO of Biovit, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, noting, “We’re delighted to be partnering with Soul Kitchen for Biovit’s first product launch in the soup category". "Their all-natural mushroom soup is fortified with Biovit’s naturally-sourced vitamin D and B12, confirming that it only contains natural nutrients with proven bioavailability.”

UK coffee brand Grind has entered the canned cocktails market with the launch of a new RTD espresso martini, available at Waitrose and WHSmith. Grind was born in 2011 following the opening of its first café in Shoreditch, East London. The brand has served nearly a million espresso martinis in its coffee shop since then, and is now bringing the signature cocktail into the RTD space. According to Grind, its new RTD cocktail offers a ‘smooth, sweet and rich’ finish, delivering bar-quality taste for consumers on-the-go. Available ahead of the festive party season, the can is also being sold in Grind’s restaurants and coffee shops as well as online and via selected retailers. Grind’s mission is to ‘change the way we drink coffee for the better,’ aiming to make craft coffee more accessible to more people in more places. Its speciality coffee can be found online through its DTC business, as well as in UK supermarkets and through partnerships with Soho House and British Airways. The brand focuses on ethically sourced coffee from sustainable farms, and has set up The Better Coffee Foundation – a charity aiming to reverse the environmental damage done by the wider coffee industry. It has introduced products such as home-compostable coffee pods and plastic-free packaging, and recovered over 120,000kg of plastic from the ocean in 2023 and 2024.

Tropicana Brands Group (TBG) has appointed Paul Chibe as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. Paul Chibe Chibe succeeds Glen Walter, who will remain with the company in an advisory role until the end of the year. He brings more than 25 years of experience in the consumer goods and beverage sectors. Before joining TBG, Chibe served as CEO of Pabst Brewing Company. His previous roles include president and CEO of Ferrero North America, US chief marketing officer at Anheuser-Busch InBev and senior leadership positions at Wrigley. Chibe is credited with driving brand expansion and innovation at major global companies, including launching new products at Anheuser-Busch InBev, expanding Ferrero’s North American footprint and leading growth initiatives at Pabst Brewing Company. Frédéric Stévenin, chairman of the board at TBG, said: “We are excited to welcome Paul as TBG’s new CEO and look forward to working with him to build the company’s next chapter of growth and value creation". "Paul’s experience driving growth through innovation, adapting to a dynamic consumer landscape and integrating complex operating environments will be impactful at TBG. We want to thank Glen for his leadership during TBG’s transition as a standalone company.” Chibe added: “Joining TBG is an incredible opportunity to lead a portfolio of some of the most beloved brands in the beverage industry.“ "It’s that brand equity coupled with a commitment to quality, and talented team that provide a strong foundation for growth. I look forward to working together to accelerate innovation and capture new opportunities across the evolving beverage landscape.” Top image: ©Tropicana Brands Group and its licensors

Worldline and Deliverect have expanded their partnership to deploy smart self-ordering kiosks across hospitality businesses in the UK. The collaboration integrates Worldline’s SoftPOS (Tap on Mobile) payment solution with Deliverect’s all-in-one kiosk system, recently strengthened by Deliverect’s recent acquisition of Tabesto . The system enables restaurants and quick-service outlets to manage orders and payments from a single device. Already active in more than 12 European countries, the kiosk solution is now being introduced to British operators with multiple locations. According to Worldline, the partnership combines secure, scalable payment infrastructure with Deliverect’s ordering technology to improve service speed and reduce queues. The Tap on Mobile system allows businesses to accept contactless card and mobile wallet payments directly on the kiosk without extra hardware. Deliverect said the solution offers UK hospitality businesses a cost-efficient way to modernise operations and improve efficiency through integrated order and payment management. Habib Ansari, UK country head for small and medium business at Worldline, said: “Worldline’s partnership with Deliverect brings together two complementary areas of innovation: smart ordering and flexible payment acceptance. Together, we’re helping UK restaurants, cafés, and quick-service businesses improve efficiency, accelerate service, and deliver the kind of seamless experience today’s customers expect.” Pierre Nonnenmacher, strategic programme manager at Deliverect, added: “At Deliverect, we are proud to partner with Worldline to expand our exclusive all-in-one kiosk solution across the UK. With Worldline’s Tap on Mobile technology, we are accelerating order taking and payment, helping restaurants serve customers faster, operate more efficiently, and ultimately drive more value for their business.”

Functional beverage brand Trip has reached a $300 million valuation after securing $40 million in new funding from a roster of celebrity investors and growth-stage capital partners. The round was led by Coefficient Capital and included high-profile backers, including celebrities like Joe Jonas, Alessandra Ambrosio, Paul Wesley and Ashley Graham. Trip positions itself at the intersection of better-for-you and alcohol-alternative trends. Its drinks, infused with adaptogens and botanicals, offer functional benefits aimed at relaxation and stress relief without compromising on flavour or sophistication. With products on shelves in 10,000 US retail locations and 50,000 locations globally, Trip is now one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the States, according to data from Spins. The company expects to generate $100 million in revenue in 2025, and to double that figure by 2026. The brand’s collaboration with meditation and sleep app Calm underscores its commitment to accessible mindfulness. Calm offers a free membership with every can sold, integrating physical and digital wellness experiences. “We created Trip to make daily calm accessible to everyone, everywhere,” said co-founder Olivia Ferdi. “On a mission to create a billion moments of calm, Trip's community is at the heart of the brand, driving growth and guiding its innovation.” This valuation underscores an evolving beverage sector marked by a rise in functional ingredients and 'better-for-you' formulations, with mental and physical wellbeing moving higher among consumers' priorities.

Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Cotti Coffee, one of China’s fastest-growing retail coffee chains, to boost the export and visibility of Ugandan coffee across Asia. The agreement was signed at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai and establishes a framework for cooperation between Uganda and Cotti Coffee, which operates more than 7,500 coffee shops in 28 countries. The partnership cover areas such as farmer training, research and technology transfer, value addition and post-harvest handling. The new partnership with Cotti Coffee is expected to strengthen Uganda’s foothold in the Asian market and raise the profile of its distinctive Arabica and Robusta varieties among Chinese consumers. According to MAAIF, the collaboration aims to link Ugandan producers directly with China’s retail market, ensuring stable demand and improved returns for farmers. “This partnership... ensures our farmers are not only producing coffee but connecting directly with a global retail network that values their work and their story,” a ministry representative said during the signing. Cotti Coffee described Uganda as a “partner of choice for quality and sustainability,” citing its consistent bean quality and favourable growing conditions. Uganda’s coffee exports to China have grown by 190% in 2025, reflecting rising demand from café chains and roasters in the country. The Chinese coffee market is projected to exceed $45 billion by 2030, driven by strong consumer interest and rapid retail expansion. Uganda’s government has focused on improving seedling quality, farmer training, irrigation and value addition to increase production and exports. The country produces both arabica and robusta varieties grown in highland and lowland regions.

Sidel has introduced Nitro Square, a new high-performance square bottle design for still water using liquid nitrogen dosing. According to Xavier Monnier, Sidel’s packaging innovation polymer expert, the nitrogen-dosed water market has so far been dominated by cylindrical bottles, as this shape naturally accommodates the internal pressure of the contents. “Nitro Square allows manufacturers to elevate their brands with a unique square design that stands out on the shelf, secures its shape and performance across the supply chain and is valid for rPET," he said. The new design balances rigid structural sections with flexible, pressure-absorbing surfaces to maintain the square shape while ensuring resistance and stability. It also incorporates Sidel’s StarLITE-R Nitro base, designed to enhance impact resistance and improve bottle stability. Sidel said the design is easy to customise for different brand positions – from premium to mainstream – and is available in both single- and multi-serve formats. The bottle is compatible with Sidel’s existing production systems, including Universal, Series 2 and EvoBLOW machines, allowing production speeds of up to 2,600 bottles per hour per mould.

Yusuf Amanullah From functional ingredients to cold brew culture, coffee is undergoing one of its biggest transformations in decades. Once defined by café culture and social connection, the category is now driven by innovation, premiumisation and health-forward trends. Yusuf Amanullah, founder of Unconform, – winner of FoodBev’s World Coffee Innovation Awards 2025 – explores how shifting consumer expectations are reshaping how, when and why people drink coffee today. The coffee market has undergone a seismic shift. Once viewed as a social lubricant in cafés and 'third spaces,' coffee is now driven by innovation, flavour and functionality. Consumers want more – more formats, more variety and more purpose in their cup. This comes from a few key areas when looking at the data. Convenience has been a major growth driver. Ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee continues to outperform the wider drinks market (NIQ), mirroring a broader shift seen across categories from cocktails to matcha. At the same time, premiumisation is redefining expectations. People are settling less for average coffee. It started with single-origin beans, championing heritage, culture, story and innovation. While this still has a place, it has now become less of a selling point, but instead a standard. Customers are now looking at premium preparations instead. That is why cold brew has become so much more popular. It is important to note that cold brew and iced coffee are not necessarily the same – cold brew is the process of steeping coarse-ground coffee beans in cold water for 15-24 hours. This extracts the flavour and caffeine from the beans, without the acidity and bitterness. Iced coffee, while it covers cold brew as a subset, is generally a hot espresso shot over ice. So much is the demand for premiumisation, that 90% of consumers are willing to pay the premium for coffee experiences, and there has been a 300% increase in demand for cold brew. It’s given rise to the likes of Blank Street Coffee, who have travelled across the pond from the US and have succeeded quite spectacularly, particularly in London. What perhaps still needs work on, however, is the education piece around cold brew. While it is a popular go-to in America, cold brew is still synonymous with ‘iced coffee’ (much to my ongoing frustration). Perhaps it is because it is still a foreign concept to many in the UK, but personally I think it says more about the maturity of the coffee market in the country. Go to the US, and cold brew is a regular drink consumed by many. Australia has one of the most sophisticated coffee markets in the world, as they pride themselves to be ‘coffee purists’. If you go to the likes of Saudi Arabia or the UAE, you have a wide selection of coffee preparations on tap at any store, from cold brew to drip to V60 and others. The UK still has a long way to go, but it clearly is waking up to the fact that there is more out there to consider. Functionality and health take centre stage The third area is the focus on functional health. While still in its infancy in the coffee space, functionality in drinks is the area of focus. It comes from a general wave of focus around what people put in their bodies. For example, Mintel data shows 83% of people now search for low- or no-sugar alternatives, while Ocado has reported a 54% year-on-year rise in 'health drink; sales. More than half of consumers (56%, Attest) seek energy and focus through sustainable, healthier options. Growth in the likes of Tenzing, as well as new entrants like Celsius, show that people are after more sophistication in their energy drinks too, so it is no surprise this is moving into the coffee category. This shift has opened the door to functional ingredients, or 'nootropics,' such as Ashwagandha, Lion’s Mane and L-Theanine. Retailers and cafés are taking notice – M&S launched a mushroom latte in partnership with Kew Gardens earlier this year, while Black Sheep Coffee now offers functional add-ons across its menu. It’s clear that coffee’s role is evolving far beyond the morning pick-me-up. As consumers demand more from every cup, brands that combine education, innovation and wellbeing will define the next chapter of coffee culture. There is still a long way to go, and the onus is on brands to educate the consumer on what their coffee can do for them. And while the classics do and always will have a place, people are willing to try new and different ways to have their coffee, be that preparation, contents or occasion. It’s an exciting time for the space, and there is no doubt that there is more ground to be covered.