AGP Executive Report

Ultra-processed food scrutiny: A new large-scale analysis links just an extra 3½ ounces of ultra-processed foods a day to higher chronic disease risk, including cardiovascular events and cancer. Public health anxiety over chemicals: In Lancashire, a mother near a chemical factory says blood tests found raised PFAS (“forever chemicals”) and she’s campaigning for more action after families stopped eating home-grown vegetables. Food safety and trust: A UK TikTok backlash flared after a tourist’s “Auschwitz cafe” review claimed drinks tasted like “toilet cleaner,” sparking outrage over judging and pricing at a former death camp. Tourism and demand pressure: Bohol’s tourism slowdown is hitting bookings and jobs, with arrivals down nearly 22% in the first half of 2026 as travellers cite cost. Beverage culture, Italy-style: Sambuca is often served with coffee beans in Italy—tradition tied to “digestivo” rituals after meals. Food & drink M&A: A roundup highlights major deals reshaping the sector, from Mars’ Kellanova bid to other big moves in coffee, flavour and functional nutrition.

Competition Enforcement: Czech pet-food distributor Plaček Pet Products was fined CZK 36.438m for setting minimum resale prices for dog and cat food and pet supplies over nearly a decade, with the decision now final. Food Security & Policy: FAO says a new partnership with Azerbaijan is at the final stage, with seed production set to be a key focus after the country’s July seed law. Agriculture Digitalisation: Spain’s Ifapa is pushing Digisost.OLI, a 2030 project to digitise olive groves using tech plus governance and public-policy design to boost sustainability and competitiveness. Retail & Nutrition Brands: The Quality Group expands in the UK via Superdrug, placing ESN and More Nutrition products into 350+ stores and online, including protein powders, iced coffee and protein bars. Climate & Crops: Reuters reports El Niño could be among the strongest on record, raising risks of floods, droughts, extreme heat and crop losses. Consumer Health: A study highlighted by outlets says common sweeteners may alter gut microbiomes and affect glucose tolerance, raising metabolic-disease concerns. Invasive Pest Alert: Hungary’s food safety agency confirms the spotted lanternfly in the EU for the first time, triggering quarantine measures. Food Culture: South Africa’s Rooibos is featured in a Cape Malay koesister rework for World Koesister Day, blending heritage and innovation. Hospitality & School Meals: Germany showcases how local, partly organic school catering can stay affordable while cooking on-site for children.

EU Food Funding: The EU has signed €24m of new projects to strengthen Yemen’s food and agricultural systems, backing work with FAO, UNDP and Solidaridad plus technical help on export standards. Organic Push: The European Commission targets at least 25% of EU farmland farmed organically by 2030; Greece is already above the EU average at 17.2% of utilised agricultural land. Food Security Under Pressure: Ukraine’s grain exports remain at risk as Russia’s Black Sea blockade continues, with 51 countries backing calls for safe passage. Diesel Shock: Record diesel prices are feeding into wider grocery and transport costs, as politicians debate export limits. UK Alcohol Rules: UK Labour leader Andy Burnham floats a trial to allow alcohol in some English football stands, arguing the 1985 ban is outdated. McDonald’s Modernisation: McDonald’s plans an $8.5bn global upgrade, including hand-breaded chicken tests and new menu formats. F&B Business Finance: FEMSA issued CHF $300m in Swiss bond markets to improve debt flexibility. Cocktail Culture: The 50 Best Bars expands its 2026 rankings with a new 51–100 list.

Clean-Label Push at Anuga: U100 showcased additive-free dried fruits and “clean label” expectations as European buyers demand transparent ingredient lists. Ultra-Processed Food Health Warning: A new analysis links higher ultra-processed intake with higher risks for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and death. Food Security Under Strain: Extreme weather is flagged as Europe’s biggest food-security worry, while the Black Sea blockade threat raises the risk of a global food shock. EU Product & Greenwashing Rules: The European Product Act and new EU greenwashing rules are set to tighten product safety and marketing claims across food and drink. UK Agriculture Alert: Britain’s bluetongue cases (BTV-3) are surging, with officials warning clinical cases may emerge soon. Industry Moves: Butterfly agreed to acquire food packager Sabert, and Pinta acquired seven UK anaerobic digestion sites. Retail & Consumer Pressure: Co-op is axing jobs amid widening losses, reflecting cost pressure on UK food retailers. Energy Costs Hitting Food: OECD warns global growth resilience depends on a durable Middle East resolution, with energy-price risks feeding through to costs.

Ukraine Grain Shock: Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s ports and logistics are cutting grain exports by about half versus 2025, with fears of a 2026 harvest loss that could ripple into 2027 and push up global food prices. UN Security & Food Links: Macron told the UN that Kyiv needs more interceptor missiles and urged a “dual moratorium” on strikes against energy/civilian infrastructure and Black Sea hostilities to restart grain exports. EU Food Security Pressure: A Eurobarometer survey finds extreme weather is Europe’s top food-security worry, with 92% saying it affects supply and 75% backing farm adaptation even if it hurts competitiveness. EU Product Rules: A leaked European Product Act draft points to a major overhaul of EU product safety and compliance, with online marketplaces in the spotlight ahead of an expected 6 October proposal. FAO & Aquaculture Biosecurity: FAO renewed Mississippi State University as a Reference Centre on antimicrobial resistance and aquaculture biosecurity through 2031. Travel Money Deal: Travelex won a five-year Düsseldorf Airport contract for foreign exchange and tax refunds starting 1 Feb 2027. Food & Drink Tech: accesso Intelligence launched agentic AI to automate reporting, forecasting and analysis for visitor attractions, including food and beverage operations. Wine/Drinks Culture: Grey Goose created the “Goose Breaker” cocktail for the 2026 Laver Cup at London’s O2.

Food Safety & Recalls: Europe’s food and beverage recall surge is getting harder to manage, with recalls up 7.6% in H1 2026 and agri-food fraud suspicions rising across EU alert systems—pushing firms to improve supplier-manufacturer links, not just add more traceability data. Health & Regulation: A UK judge ruled an “anti-ageing” drink isn’t food, after a £3.6m tax fight—another reminder that product classification can make or break business models. Agrifood Supply Chains: The EU’s shrimp market is shifting: imports are down in 2026 so far, with Southern Europe hit harder than the north—forcing producers and retailers to tailor formats and purchase frequency by country. Water & Chemicals: Dutch water firms and Greenpeace are calling for PFAS chemicals to be banned in pesticides after analysis found high PFAS exposure in drinking water across large parts of the Netherlands. Food Culture & Retail: Lidl is set to open 30 new stores in France, while France’s vegetarian scene is expanding—though it’s also sparking a wider culture debate. Industry Watch: Lightspring (France) raised €3.5m to scale optical packaging for photonic chips, a sign of how fast “tech for manufacturing” is moving into Europe’s industrial food-adjacent supply chains.

Market Outlook: Precision fermentation protein ingredients are forecast to surge from $6.33bn (2025) to $9.54bn (2026), with a reported ~50% CAGR, as biotech investment and demand for animal-free protein keep accelerating. Food Heritage: Bulgaria’s Provadia–Solnitsata saltworks has new finds suggesting beer production as far back as 4,500 BC, potentially the earliest in Europe. Hospitality & Policy: UK Reform vows to scrap Andy Burnham’s “tourist tax” (Overnight Visitors Levy), warning it could cost jobs and hit the hospitality economy. Corporate Fallout in Russia: Russia has placed Nestlé and Auchan assets under temporary control via L.E.V. Management; Nestlé says it will keep operating and meet obligations. Nutrition & Health: A study links multiple healthy dietary patterns to slower biological aging, while another report flags several common food preservatives as associated with higher blood pressure and heart disease risk. Regional Food Trends: Spain’s market for Italian dairy is diversifying, with shoppers increasingly seeking provenance, quality and regional specialities.

Food & Trade Diversification: Busan is sending a 10-company consumer goods mission to Baku and Tbilisi (Nov 8–14) to tap the Caucasus as Europe’s protectionism and Middle East instability bite, with support for fares and local meetings. R&D & Local Flavour: PepsiCo opened a $10m Regional R&D hub in Riyadh to develop Middle East-focused flavours, packaging and “better-for-you” options using local scientists alongside its global network. EU-UK Retail Expansion: Action opened its first Slovenian store in Velenje, with a second nearby in Maribor and further growth planned across the region. Ready Meals & Packaging Tech: MULTIVAC showcased connected ready-meal lines in Germany, pairing tray sealing, labelling and AI vision checks with microwave pasteurisation for 30–50 day shelf lives. Dairy & Indian Food in UK Supermarkets: Golden Acre Foods expanded Dairy Valley Paneer listings with Sainsbury’s (from this week) and Tesco (from November). Frozen Branded Meals: Pilgrim’s Europe and AB World Foods launched Patak’s and Blue Dragon frozen ready meals in Tesco, with 10 SKUs priced at £2.50 and under 10 minutes’ cook time. Food Safety Controls: The Ulster Farmers’ Union urged the EU to uphold import standards after an audit flagged systemic shortcomings in Thailand’s poultry export controls. Marketing Scrutiny: A UK-led study found junk food and drink ads were shown tens of thousands of times during FIFA World Cup 2026 match play, visible for 28.1 hours.

EU-Canada Trade & Energy Politics: France’s Macron backs a Canada-EU rapprochement, while Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet warns any deal must not become a “Trojan horse” for exporting gas and oil. Food Prices & Fuel Costs: Europe’s diesel crisis is worsening, with France hitting a new diesel price record and analysts warning higher imported food prices could follow. Olive Oil Market Watch: Greece’s 2026/27 olive oil season opens with lower prices, but producers are watching Spain’s harvest size closely for the next price swing. Biodiversity & Bees: IUCN has added wild EU honeybee populations to its Red List as endangered, projecting major declines if beekeeping inputs don’t increase. Food Security Under Pressure: Saint Martin’s leaders are debating how to boost local food supply amid fuel-price strain, port disruptions and invasive species threats. Ukraine & Food Security: Zelensky says he’ll meet Trump during UN week, with energy and food security among the topics as Russia steps up strikes. High-Mountain Gastronomy: Andorra Taste highlights high-altitude cuisine and international chef participation, positioning gastronomy as a tourism draw.

Heat-Resilient Farming: French cereal farmers are trialling African sorghum to cope with repeated heatwaves, with cultivation expanding as the crop thrives in hotter conditions. Animal Health Alert: Bulgaria’s Food Safety Agency confirmed sheep and goat pox in a Plovdiv-region village, triggering protection and surveillance zones plus movement restrictions. Hospital Food Push: Dutch hospitals are rolling out a fully plant-based seven-day meal blueprint, built to hit protein targets and support the country’s sustainable healthcare goals. Food Diplomacy: India’s “gastrodiplomacy” debate is back in focus after BRICS dinner menus sparked criticism over vegetarian choices, even as India has served non-veg at other state banquets. Real Ale Culture: A UK cask ale campaign urges pub-goers to support local breweries and try cask-conditioned “real ale” as Oktoberfest season kicks off. Food Industry M&A: Robam plans a USD 175m move to buy a 60% stake in iTronics to expand its overseas kitchen thermometer business across Europe and North America. Crisis on the Plate (Cuba): In Havana, the Catholic Church is stepping in as Cuba’s power and supply shortages deepen, offering a social safety net for struggling families.

Oktoberfest & Beer Culture: Lufthansa is marking Oktoberfest 2026 with new Bavarian crew uniforms, themed onboard menus and Bavarian beer in German lounges, rolling out from 19 September. Food Safety Watch: Bulgaria’s Food Safety Agency reports an avian flu (influenza A) outbreak at a mule duck facility near Plovdiv, with protection and surveillance zones and planned cleaning/disinfection. Retail & Food Demand: UK retail sales volumes rose 0.5% in August (defying forecasts), with food sales among the categories up as households keep shopping despite cost pressures. Food & Trade Risk: Great Lakes shipping is under strain as US-Canada tariffs imperil iron ore flows, a reminder of how trade frictions can ripple into food supply chains. Health & Food Security Context: Research on Australia’s pre-colonial population highlights how disease and food supply destruction drove major collapses—useful context for today’s food-system resilience debates. Energy Pressure on Food Costs: Fiji secured US$210m ADB financing to bolster fiscal resilience and disaster preparedness as higher fuel and food costs weigh on agriculture and households.

Russia-Ukraine Business Shock: Nestlé says it’s assessing options after the Kremlin placed its Russian food unit under temporary external administration, alongside Auchan assets—another sign of widening state seizures of Western-owned firms. EU Energy & Food Costs: Eurozone finance ministers in Dublin weighed an oil-and-gas windfall tax as prices stay high, warning of renewed inflation pressure on households and businesses. Spanish Cost-of-Living Crunch: Spain is negotiating how to extend support for households and the agri-food supply chain beyond 30 September as fuel and grocery prices bite. Oktoberfest Opens: Munich’s Oktoberfest kicked off with crowds racing for beer-tent spots, with the festival expected to draw 6+ million visitors over 16 days. Beer Label Reality Check (UK): A study claims 39 “foreign” beers sold in Britain are actually brewed in the UK, including Madri and Stella Artois. Food Culture Under Pressure (Spain): Spain’s midday aperitivo ritual is reportedly being squeezed by tourist habits and table-turning demands. Innovation in Ice Cream (China): China’s ice cream market keeps growing as expos showcase creative, export-ready flavours. Retail & Traceability (Aldi): Aldi faces shopper questions about salmon sourcing as it reiterates its seafood sustainability and traceability policy. Israel Wine Demand Slips: Israel’s wine industry is battling falling demand as younger drinkers cut alcohol and consumers trade down.

Russia-asset clampdown on food firms: Putin signed a decree putting temporary Russian management over European retailers, including Nestlé’s Russian entities and Auchan’s Russian unit, citing “unfriendly” ownership. EU beef health rules: The EU banned Brazilian beef and poultry from Sept 3 over antibiotic and welfare assurances, raising knock-on fears for UK beef prices if stock reroutes. Azerbaijan & FAO green farming: Azerbaijan took part in an FAO interregional dialogue on greening agrifood systems in Budapest, with a field visit to Hungary’s regenerative landscape examples. Food security finance: ADB approved $210m in Fiji loans to cushion fuel and food price shocks and strengthen disaster readiness. Agri-food investment in Canada: Farm Credit Canada launched a $1bn agri-food processing finance fund plus a $150m equity fund to close processing capacity gaps. Heat and food risk backdrop: A UN warning says current climate policies put the world on track for at least 1.8°C warming, with Europe heatwaves already hitting food systems. Italy travel food culture: A guide highlights common visitor mistakes in Italy—especially sticking to the same dishes—urging diners to try more local specialities.

Food & Health: A new study links daily sugary drinks with a higher risk of gastric cancer, adding to growing concerns about sugar-sweetened beverages. Packaging & Sustainability: ALPLA and CCL Label unveiled a stackable 0.33-litre PET beverage can designed to look like metal, run on existing PET lines, and use a detachable shrink sleeve to aid recycling. Legal & Environment: A French appeal court ordered a fresh hearing in the Nestlé Waters case over alleged illegal waste dumping near bottling sites, after earlier rulings excluded key test reports. Russia Business Shock: Russia seized residual Nestlé and other French firms’ assets, with Nestlé saying it is assessing options; separately, Putin extended Russia’s Western food import ban through 2028. EU Food Systems: A Nature Food report says the world is on track to meet just one 2030 food-systems target, with greenhouse-gas goals far off. Trade & Prices: Undercurrent proposed new Europe-bound Ecuadorian vannamei shrimp price assessments to improve export-level pricing transparency. UK Coffee Retail: Greggs overtook Costa as the UK’s biggest branded coffee operator after further expansion.

EU Aviation Fuel Push: EASA says EU sustainable aviation fuel supply hit 2.8% in 2025 (1.1m tonnes), up from 193,000 tonnes in 2024, with SAF delivered at 121 airports—on track for the 6% 2030 blending target. Health & Nutrition: A new study links daily sugary drink intake with higher gastric cancer risk, adding to concerns about sugar-sweetened beverages. Agri-Tech & Fertiliser Efficiency: A University of Minnesota dataset maps crop-specific fertiliser use from 1980-2022, highlighting where overuse persists and where better targeting could cut pollution while feeding more people. Food Industry Regulation Watch: UK regulators are scrutinising the $65bn Unilever–McCormick food merger. Wine & Culture: Spain’s “fino” sherry is getting a spotlight as a dry, tapas-friendly style that can surprise newcomers. Hospitality Openings: High Stakes by Bartolotta opens in downtown Milwaukee with an international steak and Mediterranean seafood focus.

Food Security Shock: Europe’s potato crop is reeling after a run of summer heatwaves, with an estimated 3.1m tonnes wiped out and frozen-fries exports squeezed—expect smaller, pricier fries. Public Health & Nutrition: A new study links daily sugary drinks with higher gastric cancer risk, adding to concerns over sugar-sweetened beverages. EU Food Policy: The EU is moving to expand plant-based label restrictions, weeks after record heatwaves pushed the debate back into focus. Animal Health: EFSA and the European Commission are rolling out practical #NoBirdFlu biosecurity steps to help farmers cut bird flu risk. Wine & Grapes: Spain’s APAG Extremadura ASAJA is demanding grape-price recovery as harvest volumes come in lower than expected. Retail & Hospitality Tech: European malls are accelerating food-court automation, swapping staffed counters for robot kiosks. Packaging Innovation: Tageos has launched microwave-compatible RAIN RFID inlays for packaged food, aiming to keep tags on packs through heating and traceability needs. Organic Farming Spotlight: A Cork organic farmer has reached the finals of the European Organic Awards.