All PFN ARTICLES

IKEA’s global decision to halve weekday restaurant prices is less about moving meatballs and more about social responsibility. Ingka Group, the retail giant behind the IKEA brand will slash meal prices Monday to Friday and let children eat free in dozens of markets, framing the move as “support for everyday life” rather than an inventory clear-out.

There’s a quiet little revolution brewing in your supplement drawer and it’s not ashwagandha, rhodiola, or yet another adaptogen with a complicated name and questionable Instagram science. Nope. This one’s been around since Cleopatra and has been flavouring bouillabaisse and biryanis for centuries. Say hello (again) to saffron, the golden-hued stamen of Crocus sativus, now armed with clinical receipts.

But forecasts don’t pay at the checkout. Grocery aisles are still ruled by price paranoia - retail inflation has shoppers trading down, not trading up. The very same study concedes stubborn production costs keep most patties dearer than the real-meat equivalent which is a handbrake on mainstream uptake. So the move is on for more hybrid meats.

The shelves may still be stocked, but behind the scenes, one of the world’s most recognisable food brands is collapsing under the weight of its own cans. Del Monte Foods Corp. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US, announcing a fire-sale of assets and a management pledge to “reset” the company under new ownership.

Circana’s June report confirms what supermarket aisles have been quietly whispering for months and this is emotional eating is having a very public moment. Sales of products offering mental wellness benefits are holding strong, despite belt-tightening elsewhere in the basket. While shoppers are trading down on pantry basics, they’re deliberately trading up on food feeding the mind. And mood foods are leading the way.

Developed by São Paulo’s food-tech boffins at UNICAMP and ITAL, with help from Germany’s Fraunhofer IVV Institute, the new ‘vegan meat’ is based on sunflower flour, the stuff left behind after extracting oil from sunflower seeds. Think of it as culinary upcycling with some pretty smart tweaks.

Britain’s Generation Z (16–30 years) are emerging as early adopters of cultured meat, marking a significant milestone for cellular agriculture. A new Ipsos Observer UK poll of 1,098 adults reveals 47% of Gen Z Brits would be willing to eat cultivated meat. That’s nearly half of young consumers open to ditching meat derived from living animals for something brewed in a bioreactor.

Enter Beleaf. The Californian plant-based outfit just dropped a game changer: allergen-free Plant-Based Shrimp and it doesn’t just mimic the real thing, it does it without a trace of crustacean, contamination risk, or cleanup hassle.

Kiwi start-up. Little Pips Soda Syrups, a boutique beverage company founded by Pip Malpas, has celebrated a major milestone with its inaugural large-scale production run at the New Zealand Food Innovation Network (NZFIN).

From next week, every Swiss steak, sausage, litre of milk or carton of eggs must reveal if the animal was castrated, dehorned, beak-trimmed, tail-docked or otherwise “worked on” without anaesthetic – a move the Swiss says will drag hidden suffering “out of the shadows and onto the shelf”. Imported products aren’t spared - exporters shipping into Zurich or Geneva will have to print the same bad news 'Pain Notice' on the pack.

Epic Kiwi Cheese, a bold plant-based upstart crafted smack bang in the middle of dairy country. Made in Hamilton, New Zealand, this new range isn’t just daring to exist, it’s thriving, and it’s heading to the Waikato Food Show on July 5–6 with a mission to win hearts, melt toasties, and reclaim the Cheese Hall, one dairy-free wedge at a time.

Australia’s cult chilli oil brand UmamiPapi has officially hit shelves in Malaysia’s retail giant AEON, and for Ethan, it’s not just a business move, it’s a spicy homecoming. The founder and CEO, who grew up on Chinese-Malaysian flavours, called the moment “surreal” as he wandered through AEON and spotted his own creation among the aisles.