AGP Executive Report

Pet Food Recall: Go Raw expanded a voluntary recall of Steve’s Real Food Freeze-Dried Chicken Recipe pet food over possible low thiamine (vitamin B1), warning of neurological symptoms and urging refunds/returns. World Cup Food Prices: Fans are outraged by steep Seattle Lumen Field beer and water prices, adding pressure as venue rules limit what bottles can be brought in. Fertilizer & Food Inflation: U.S. urea prices have fallen back toward pre-conflict levels, but El Niño-linked drought risks could still keep food inflation pressure on. Sustainable Farming Policy: UK Defra opened details for a revamped Sustainable Farming Incentive, with applications starting 30 June for small farms and those without existing ELM revenue. Restaurant Hiring & Growth: Cava plans to hire 2,500 workers and open 75+ restaurants in 2026, adding an assistant general manager role to strengthen operations. Co-Branding Push: Wetzel’s is scaling via co-branded units with Cold Stone, targeting at least 17 new locations this year across multiple states. Food Security Support: North Dakota SNAP recipients may get replacement benefits after June storms spoiled food, while Indiana’s Mid-North Food Pantry adds Saturday summer hours. Blue Economy & Fisheries: Liberia and China discussed fisheries modernization and investment to boost the country’s blue economy and food security.

Fertilizer Watch: U.S. urea prices have slid 36% from April’s peak and returned near pre-conflict levels, easing pressure for American farmers—though El Niño and ongoing shipping/feedstock risks still threaten food inflation. EU Food Security: The EU’s agriculture chief warns long-term fertilizer supply fixes are needed to avoid shortages, with a new action plan offering more than €500M in near-term support. Food Safety Policy: Qatar’s MoPH rolled out a Food Establishments Guide for recall requirements, aiming to standardize traceability, recovery, and incident response across the food chain. Ultra-Processed Scrutiny: A European Heart Journal study links several common preservatives (including potassium sorbate and sodium nitrite) with higher hypertension risk, urging regulators to revisit safety assessments. Retail & Value: New Orleans’ Flour Moon Bagels was named Louisiana’s top bagel shop by Chowhound, while a Louisville street food festival is pitching $5-or-less bites and free first drinks. Consumer Costs: A new report shows inflation accelerating to 4.2% year-on-year, with energy driving grocery and household pressure.

Food & Health Research: A large European Heart Journal observational study links higher intake of several common food preservatives (including potassium sorbate, citric acid, sodium nitrite and ascorbic acid) with increased hypertension risk, prompting calls for regulators like the FDA and EFSA to re-check safety assessments. Food Security: The WFP warns Iran-war ripple effects are worsening hunger risk as Strait of Hormuz disruptions raise fuel costs and block fertilizer supplies, while funding shortfalls force cuts that reduce food access. Food Safety & Compliance: India’s IRCTC says it’s cracking down on unauthorized rail e-catering operators, alleging hygiene and staff screening failures, and urging passengers to use official booking channels. Beverage Trends: Gen Z’s cold coffee habits are driving rapid growth in India’s cold coffee category, with major brands expanding ready-to-drink and cold formats. Community Food Relief: Omaha’s College World Series is helping feed local families via a food rescue partnership that delivers fresh surplus to a pantry twice weekly. Culinary Spotlight: Filipina chef Rhoda Magbitang wins Top Chef season 23 with a Filipino-forward menu built around sweet potato, congee and a caldereta finale.

Food Safety Recall: GO Raw LLC expanded its FDA-linked recall after freeze-dried and frozen raw pet foods were found with dangerously low thiamine (Vitamin B1), adding more affected products and lot codes. Airline Pricing: Air India plans a trial that lets domestic Economy passengers opt out of meals/snacks for a Rs 500–600 fare reduction, while keeping beverages included. Travel & Dining: JFK Terminal 5 is adding three NYC staples—Melt Shop, The Halal Guys, and Nom Wah Tea Parlor—turning airport waits into full-on food stops. Food Policy & Health: A European Heart Journal study links higher intakes of several common preservatives (including potassium sorbate and sodium nitrite) with increased hypertension risk, urging regulators to revisit safety assessments. Sustainability at Work: Green Space Innovations launched the UK’s first office food digester, converting on-site food waste into compost to cut collection and boost workplace circularity. Hospitality & Alcohol Rules: Alberta will allow licensed bars/restaurants to serve alcohol from 6 a.m., reducing paperwork for early service. Industry & Events: SFA and Good Food announced the 2026 Good Food Awards winners ahead of major NYC celebrations.

Ready-to-Drink Cocktails: Marks & Spencer marked 40 years of canned cocktails with a new report on UK RTD tastes, showing regional standouts like mojitos in the west and spritz styles in northern cities. Food Safety Recall: New Zealand’s Food Safety ordered a recall of Pak’nSave Rangiora “Death by Chicken” burger and chicken katsu salad after concerns the chicken was undercooked, warning of possible campylobacter illness. Import Controls: Taiwan rejected two shipments of Japanese mitten crabs after dioxin levels exceeded limits, triggering stricter batch-by-batch checks for future imports. Beverage Market Trend: India’s FMCG growth is increasingly beverage-led, with coffee, RTD drinks, protein products and low-sugar juices outpacing broader categories. Hospitality Pressure: UK retail sales rose in May, but the hospitality sector is still under strain as independent closures continue and VAT/tax burden debates heat up. Food Preservation & Cold Chain: Demi Co. showcased fresh absorbent pads at global food exhibitions, pitching moisture-control packaging for longer perishable transport. Spirits Leadership: HiteJinro’s Jinro soju was named the world’s best-selling spirit for a 25th straight year, with 94.5 million nine-liter cases sold.

Food Safety & Health: A large European Heart Journal study links higher intake of common food preservatives (including potassium sorbate, citric acid, sodium nitrite and ascorbic acid) with increased hypertension risk, prompting calls for FDA/EFSA to re-check safety reviews. Cold Chain & Packaging: Cosmo Plastech launched “Freezer Grade” PP sheets for frozen and cold-chain packaging, targeting trays and rigid formats for seafood, meat and dairy. Retail Logistics: Target opened a $367M, 529,000-sq-ft temperature-controlled distribution center in Thornton, Colorado, built to improve two-day replenishment and in-stock reliability for 129 stores across 11 states. Food Access Funding: New Brunswick’s Holt Liberals signed a $9M, three-year long-term deal with Feed NB to support 69 food banks and community kitchens. Food Industry Reformulation: The UK’s Food and Drink Federation urged government to revisit nutritional profiling rules, citing member reformulation progress on salt, sugar and calories. Food & Beverage Expansion: PopUp Bagels officially debuted in Charleston, South Carolina, with plans for more locations statewide. Cold-Weather Cooking: A New York Times recipe spotlights cold peanut ginger noodles as a make-ahead summer pasta salad alternative.

M&A Shake-Up in Sweeteners: Ingredion has agreed to buy Tate & Lyle in a £2.7bn deal, ending the UK firm’s 87-year London listing and reshaping the ingredients market. Food Safety Watch: India’s FSSAI renewed its warning against wrapping hot, oily street foods like vada pav in newspaper, citing ink and hygiene risks. Climate Pressure on Supply: A new analysis warns El Niño-driven heat stress is already cutting farm work hours in key supplier nations, putting UK food imports (rice, coffee, tea, cocoa) at risk. Fertiliser Crunch: Kenya’s NCPB met farmers in the North Rift to address a top-dressing fertiliser shortage under the subsidy programme. Nutrition & Contaminants: A nutritionist highlights how pollution can raise heavy-metal and microplastic concerns in seafood, urging smarter fish choices. Price Pain at the Checkout: Central Visayas (Philippines) stayed the inflation hotspot in May, with food prices driving double-digit increases. Product Innovation: Tanmiah won Product of the Year Gulf 2026 awards for a frozen breaded chicken range and a fresh marinated Shaqra pepper chicken line.

Food Safety Watch: Kuwait’s Public Authority for Food and Nutrition marked World Food Safety Day, stressing safe food “everywhere” across the supply chain and announcing mall-based awareness activities plus stronger inspections, lab testing, and digital regulatory services. Recall & Consumer Risk: The UK Food Standards Agency warned shoppers not to open Dalston’s pineapple soda cans after reports of a packaging defect that could cause cans to rupture and leave sharp edges. Regulatory Enforcement: The FDA issued five citations to Nature’s Best, LLC after a New York facility inspection, including missing foreign supplier verification and hazard review documentation. Nutrition & Health Claims: Eli Lilly presented post-hoc trial results showing its Foundayo (orforglipron) linked to significant weight loss for women at every menopause stage, including those with type 2 diabetes. Food Security & Community: A Pittsburgh-area dad’s PGH Meals effort helped fill a truck with $50,000 in food and drinks for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to support summer meals. Local Food Culture: A South Downs Food Festival returned with stalls and demos, while Barbados’ Cutters leaned into its rum punch reputation with a “#1 rum punch” draw.

Food Safety & Hygiene: Warrington’s latest food hygiene ratings show multiple businesses scoring the top mark, with inspectors checking cleanliness, food safety procedures, and hygienic handling. Policy & Public Health: Nepal’s Health and Food Safety minister Nisha Mehta says food-borne disease remains a major challenge and points to stronger testing, risk-based monitoring, and reforms under the Food Hygiene and Quality Assurance Act. Global Hunger Pressure: WFP warns the Iran conflict is pushing millions toward acute food insecurity, with millions in Somalia, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka among those at risk, while funding shortfalls force aid cuts. Food Prices & Energy Link: A report ties rising global food costs to energy-market shocks, citing FAO’s Food Price Index up year-on-year as fuel pressures feed into groceries. Food Systems Investment: Ghana’s President Mahama tours Belarus agro-processing facilities, including dairy lines making baby food, cheese, and milk powder, as part of efforts to modernize agriculture and boost food security. World Food Safety Day: Qatar’s MoPH marks World Food Safety Day with awareness campaigns and honors for top-performing food establishments. Hospitality & Dining: Richmond’s Spaghetti Club opens as a Southern Italian-style trattoria, while Sydney’s InterContinental Coogee rebrand highlights renewed culinary ambition. Local Food Access: Thailand donates 12 metric tonnes of rice to WFP for vulnerable Nigerians facing severe food insecurity.

Global Hunger Watch: The UN’s World Food Programme warns the Middle East war is worsening food insecurity as oil prices stay high and the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, with tens of millions facing acute hunger risk. Food Safety Spotlight: Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health marks World Food Safety Day 2026 with a “safe food everywhere” push, including training for food handlers and recognition for top-performing establishments. Recall Alert (UK): Dalston’s Soda Company recalled a pineapple fizzy drink sold at Asda and Waitrose after a packaging defect could cause cans to rupture and leave sharp edges. Food Security (Canada): Saskatchewan’s food insecurity rate rose to 26.7% in 2025, and a local food bank reported a sharp jump in demand, prompting tighter eligibility rules. Local Food Culture Clash (India): Haridwar seers urged vendors to stop using “biryani” on signs, asking for “veg pulao” instead. Industry Risk (US/Trade): California CDFA urged people who bought grapevines from Costco to report purchases after detection of an invasive sharpshooter linked to lethal vine disease.

Food Security Shock: The UN World Food Programme warns Iran-war spillovers could push millions more into acute hunger, citing added strain from higher energy and food prices across Somalia, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Global Markets Watch: The FAO says global food prices stayed near a three-year high in May, with oil-price drops only partly offsetting grain and sugar gains tied to disrupted input flows. Geopolitics & Supply Chains: Escalating Iran–US strikes around the Strait of Hormuz raise fears of wider trade disruption, with energy-market jitters likely to feed back into food costs. Food Safety & Hygiene: Dorset and Bradford-area authorities published fresh food hygiene ratings, while El Paso restaurant inspections show several eateries landing in the “barely passing” range. Consumer Deals: Singapore restaurants are leaning into shareable meal deals and other promotions as diners cut back on eating out. Local Food Culture: Metro Detroit spotlights chef-driven food trucks, while Derby’s Bustler Market is set to welcome an American-style cookie brand.

Food Safety Policy: New York State, ahead of World Food Safety Day, cut its lead action level for specific spices by 40% to 0.6 ppm and says it will alert consumers and push removals starting Jan. 1, 2028 if recalls don’t happen. Food Access & Justice: Milwaukee’s African American Roundtable launched “Feed the Change MKE,” targeting a $1M push for grocery, gardens, markets, and nutrition education on the Northwest Side. Animal Health vs. Food Safety: Texas officials updated the New World screwworm case, stressing it’s a food production issue, not a food safety problem, and urging wound monitoring. Hospitality & Tech: Shake Shack aims to reduce long drive-thru waits without chasing “fast food” speed, while a podcast weighs whether AI ordering can fit hospitality-first brands. New Beverages: Saratoga Water plans flavored sparkling launches; 5-Hour Energy, Bero, and Bulletproof also roll out limited-time donut, shandy, and coffee tie-ins. Community Food Events: Montreal’s free Les Premiers Vendredis returns with 40+ food trucks and live programming. Industry Investment: Cargill is investing €56M in Belgium to expand food production. Food Aid Politics: The U.S. House passed a bill that would reduce WIC food aid for millions of women and children.

Food Safety Recall: Waitrose is recalling packs of 4 Richly Fruited Hot Cross Buns after barley was found but not declared on labels, raising allergy risk for customers with barley allergies. Public Health & Food Safety: Hyderabad’s H-FAST raided Vignette Food Specialties over alleged expired flavours and missing expiry/batch details, seizing 200+ kg of chocolates and additives. Climate-Linked Safety: The EU-funded HOLiFOOD project is launching a World Food Safety Day campaign to explain how warmer temperatures and extreme weather can raise risks like Salmonella/Campylobacter and toxins in crops. Inflation Watch: Philippines inflation eased to 6.8% in May as transport and food price growth slowed, with food inflation down to 5.7%. Supply Chain & Prices: India’s RBI warned a weak southwest monsoon and possible El Niño could still push food inflation, even as headline inflation stays near target. Beverage Industry: A report says beverage brands are reconsidering can overdependence as can availability disruptions spur shifts back toward glass and PET. Food Access: A Mobile Food Pantry is set for June 10 in Cass County to reduce barriers to nutritious food for local families.

Food Safety & Inspections: Health inspectors in the Tennessee Valley shut down one restaurant over unsafe refrigeration and cross-contamination, and forced another to discard four pounds of moldy salsa plus weeks-old spinach pie and other improperly stored food. Public Health Impact: The WHO estimates more than 800 million people get sick from unsafe food each year and 1.5 million die—urging stronger food-safety strategies. Food as Medicine: A new “Food is Medicine” toolkit helps clinicians turn nutrition into practical care, including medically tailored meal models. Food Access Policy: New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin backs a $25M boost to Community Foods Connection to expand healthy, culturally competent meals via kitchens and pantries. Energy Drinks Under Scrutiny: Texas AG Ken Paxton opens an investigation into Celsius/Alani Nu over caffeine risks for kids and teens. Community Food Support: Sudbury Food Bank launches an Amazon wishlist to make it easier for donors to ship needed items directly to its warehouse. Food & Tech/Operations: CISA, NSA and FBI warn that attackers are targeting fuel tank “automatic tank gauge” systems, urging stronger passwords and removing devices from the internet. Local Food Culture: Elmhurst Day in Queens spotlights neighborhood cuisines via self-guided “International Mile” walks and an Indonesian Food Bazaar.

Non-alcoholic beverages & celebrity tie-ins: Tom Holland’s Bero brand is drawing fresh buzz after launching a new shandy range inspired by Zendaya’s preference for non-alcoholic drinks. Food safety ratings: Swindon Borough Council reported multiple food businesses earning top 5/5 hygiene scores in May inspections, while Auckland’s Levain bakery was temporarily closed over cockroach control failures. Food policy & consumer protection: North Carolina’s attorney general is pushing the FTC to crack down on hidden food delivery fees and marked-up menu prices. Hunger & summer feeding: Wegmans kicked off its “Fill the Bus/Fill the Backpack” scan campaign to support Feeding America partners, as Yemen faces acute food insecurity affecting nearly 5 million people. Agriculture & climate pressures: Utah drought is expected to worsen fishing conditions by shrinking water and stressing fish through heat and low oxygen. Beverage market competition: Dutch Bros says it’s ready for intensifying beverage competition, while Luckin Coffee hosted a “coffee omakase” tasting in NYC.

Food Safety & Local Rules: Burlington’s board of health is reminding restaurants about U.S. food-allergy requirements, including the top nine allergens and inspection expectations for safer dining. Sports Drinks & Functional Hydration: Coca-Cola-owned Bodyarmor is rolling out Bodyarmor Fit, its first sparkling sports drink, adding electrolytes, caffeine, choline and green tea extract in sugar-free flavors. Food Systems & Climate Risk: Experts warn a “Super El Niño” could intensify droughts, floods and extreme heat, with knock-on effects for water, forests and global food systems. On-Premise Beer Trends: The Beer Institute reports aluminum cans dominate beer packaging (63.4%) while draft beer continues gaining share, pushing for policies that support modern draft systems. Food Retail & Supply Chain Tech: Chemco received FSSAI authorization to make food-grade RPET resin for food-contact uses, signaling continued investment in packaging materials. Food Insecurity Support: Human Bean’s Northern Colorado Give-Back Day will donate $1 per drink to local food banks, pairing coffee promotions with hunger-relief drives. Market Watch: Controlled environment agriculture is projected to surge through 2034, reflecting growing interest in year-round, tech-driven food production. Local Food Scene: Denver Central Market vendors are exiting, leaving empty stalls and raising questions about what’s next for the food hall.