AGP Executive Report

Food Safety: Maharashtra’s FDA has named Reliance and Blinkit officials in a probe into allegations that expired products re-entered the food supply chain, and suspended five establishments’ licences. Beverage Deals: KFC will replace Pepsi with Coca-Cola at about 3,700 US restaurants, starting in January 2027 and aiming to complete the switch by spring. Food Imports: Nigeria spent $1.19 billion on food imports in the first half of 2026, up 11.4% year over year despite efforts to boost domestic production. Farm Support: Ogun State is providing inputs, equipment and digital tools to 10,000 rice and cassava farmers to raise productivity and strengthen food security. Egg Industry: Cage-free commitments by major global food companies are accelerating a shift in egg supply chains, with animal welfare increasingly part of business and investment decisions.

Food Prices: Oman’s inflation reached 3.2% in September, with food and non-alcoholic drinks up 8% year on year. In the Philippines, 35% of respondents said affordable food should be the government’s top priority. Food Safety: Maharashtra authorities are investigating Reliance, Blinkit and Zomato Hyperpure over expired products, saying contractors’ disposal of stock could not be verified. Product Launches: PepsiCo India is extending Quaker into snacks with protein ladooz and chikki bites, priced at ₹10 a pack. Restaurant Growth: Burma Burma operator Hunger Pangs filed for an IPO to fund new outlets; it runs 22 restaurants across nine Indian cities. Beverage Deals: KFC is switching its US drink supplier from PepsiCo to Coca-Cola, putting PepsiCo’s food-service ties under pressure. Supply Risks: India has halted sugar-based ethanol procurement for the coming supply year as weak monsoon conditions threaten sugar output. Operational Resilience: A cyberattack disrupted refrigeration at hundreds of French supermarkets, causing food losses and fires.

Food Costs: Food affordability is again Filipinos’ leading concern: 35% want government action, rising to 55% among the poorest households. In Bukidnon, September food inflation reached 12.4%, with rice prices up 38.3%. Supply Resilience: Guyana is expanding local crop production and processing, aiming to meet domestic corn and soy demand and save up to US$40 million in imports. Retail Risk: A cyberattack that drove refrigerators at 700 French supermarkets to 122°F caused fires and major food losses, highlighting the threat to food supply chains. Beverage Deals: KFC is replacing Pepsi with Coca-Cola as its US drink provider, a setback for PepsiCo’s food-service business. Food Safety: India’s FSSAI issued notices to BigBasket and Flipkart over alleged misleading claims, adding pressure on online food retailers to tighten compliance.

Food Safety: India’s FSSAI issued notices to the operator of Radisson Blu Delhi and retailers Flipkart and BigBasket over hygiene failures and misleading edible-oil claims. Cold-Chain Risk: A cyberattack hijacked refrigeration controls at more than 700 French supermarkets, overheating units to 50°C and spoiling food, exposing the risks of connected systems. Beverage Deals: KFC will switch from PepsiCo to Coca-Cola at thousands of US restaurants from January; PepsiCo will continue supplying KFC internationally. Sector Investment: Canada is investing C$50 million in food-processing innovation and automation through the Canadian Food Innovation Network. Food Security: World Food Day highlights pressure on food access: the UN says 645 million people faced hunger last year, while 2.7 billion could not afford a healthy diet.

Food Innovation: Canada is investing C$50 million in the Canadian Food Innovation Network to help food and beverage processors, especially small businesses, adopt automation, AI and digital manufacturing. Food Safety: India plans tighter checks on food companies, restaurants and quick-commerce platforms, raising compliance pressure; separate lawsuits in Texas accuse Gerber and Nestlé of selling baby food with toxic heavy metals, claims the companies may contest. Supply Chain Risks: UN officials warn that failure to activate a Hormuz fertilizer plan could trigger a food crisis, as shipping disruption threatens supplies and costs. Processing Investment: Foyle Food Group is putting £15 million into its Omagh beef operation to boost productivity and skills. Waste and Costs: Australian hospitality businesses lose an estimated A$6.4 billion a year to food waste, underscoring a costly challenge for operators.

Food Manufacturing: Strategic buyers have an exclusive window to bid for the former Cutrale citrus-processing campus in Florida before its equipment auction, now set for Oct. 26–27. Restaurant Operations: An American buffet chain plans to make Beyond Oil its frying standard across more than 200 locations after a five-site pilot. South Jersey’s Goodbeet has ended dine-in service amid staffing problems and competition, but will continue wholesale and online sales. Beverage Business: Beyond Meat has launched a sparkling protein-and-caffeine drink online, while tequila maker Chilco River signed a Texas distribution deal for its Diamond Edition. Market Expansion: OneDayOne and Saudi importer Francaise Food are growing sales of Asian specialty fruits and Chinese mushrooms in Saudi Arabia. Food Safety: Texas is suing Gerber and Nestlé, alleging they misled parents about heavy metals in baby food; the companies have not been found liable. Ireland reported 12 food-business closure orders in September over safety breaches. Supply Risks: A UN official warns that failure to secure fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz within weeks could disrupt planting and deepen food risks in Asia and Africa. Farm Resilience: Wiltshire councillors will consider a partnership and drought plan to protect farms, water supplies and food production.

Food Safety: Fresh-produce leaders say a major cyclospora outbreak hurt consumer trust and cost retailers an estimated $280 million in monthly sales; better traceability could limit future damage. Restaurant Delivery: In Singapore, two platforms dominate food delivery as growth slows, leaving independent restaurants reliant on them while high checkout fees drive customers away. Supply Chain: Canada’s food and beverage manufacturers face tariffs and rising costs; first-half sales rose 4%, but inflation-adjusted volumes were flat. Alcohol Distribution: Metcash is winding down Tasman Liquor’s New Zealand wholesale operations, putting about 100 jobs at risk and ending a key hospitality supplier. Food Prices: South Korea’s antitrust watchdog has launched a probe into suspected price coordination across everyday food categories, including tofu, kimchi and instant rice. Foodservice Restructuring: True Food Kitchen has filed for Chapter 11, closed 12 locations and says 34 restaurants will remain open during its restructuring.

Retail Cybersecurity: A cyberattack overheated refrigeration systems at hundreds of French supermarkets, spoiling food and triggering fires; officials are investigating, with incidents also reported elsewhere in Europe. Climate & Supply Chains: Dunya Analytics warns that the “Super El Niño” could hit crop yields across several regions and drive a 9% global food-price surge lasting into 2028. Food Prices: South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has opened an investigation into alleged price-fixing by major food companies, including Daesang, Ottogi and CJ CheilJedang. Global Trade: Brazil’s vice-president says the country could overtake the US as the world’s top food exporter this year, after opening 700 new markets for agricultural products since 2023. Waste Reduction: South African retailers have recovered more than R15 million from surplus-food sales through the Refreshi platform, which offers discounted unsold food to shoppers. Foodservice Finances: Nearly one in five Australian food-and-beverage service payments are more than 60 days overdue, making the sector the weakest performer in new business-payment data.

Restaurant Economics: Domino’s said heavy discounting is pressuring franchisee profits, even as promotions support order growth. Foodservice Competition: Sysco is urging regulators to approve its proposed Restaurant Depot purchase, arguing the outlet could help Charleston restaurants and hotels fill urgent supply gaps. Cybersecurity: A hack of supermarket refrigeration controls across Europe spoiled food worth tens of millions of dollars; separately, a cyber incident knocked Ahold Delhaize USA grocery websites and apps offline. Market Loss: Fire devastated Paris’s Marché des Enfants Rouges, the city’s oldest covered food market, destroying about 20 vendors’ stalls. Regulation: The FDA proposed easing food-tracing requirements for some smaller restaurants and retailers. Food Safety: UK regulators warned businesses after Salmonella was found in imported eggs.

Food Manufacturing: Greencore raised its annual profit forecast after fourth-quarter sales and volumes beat expectations, with growth outpacing the wider UK grocery market. Coffee Expansion: Polish manufacturer Instanta Coffee is opening a UK base in Redditch to distribute products, with recruitment pointing to future production and packing operations. Retail Resilience: A cyberattack disrupted refrigeration at hundreds of French supermarkets, forcing retailers to discard food after some units warmed to 50°C. India Investment: McCain Foods agreed to acquire Falcon Agrifriz’s potato-processing business in Gujarat, expanding its manufacturing footprint. Food Technology: Ever After Foods and Roslin Technologies reported a major productivity gain in cultivated-meat production, including higher protein and biomass output. Export Markets: Japanese food producers are pursuing halal certification to grow sales in Muslim-majority markets, with beef exports to Saudi Arabia among the gains. Food Costs: India’s September food inflation reached 7.74%, raising pressure on household budgets and the food sector.

Hospitality Investment: Hospitality Qatar 2026 opened in Doha with 120 exhibitors showcasing food and beverage, catering equipment and technology, as the country courts tourism-sector investment. Food-Supply Disruption: A cyberattack on supermarket refrigeration systems in France spoiled food across hundreds of stores, with losses estimated in the millions; some stores also reported fires. Market Loss: Fire destroyed Paris’s 17th-century Enfants Rouges market, the city’s oldest covered food market. Restaurant Operators: Singapore’s Crystal Jade closed four outlets and issued termination notices to about 120 workers amid restructuring ahead of a proposed sale; nine outlets remain open. Food Manufacturing: McCain Foods is acquiring an Indian frozen-food company’s potato processing business in Gujarat, expanding its presence in a growing market. Costs and Staffing: India’s food inflation reached 7.74% in September, while Japan plans to adjust foreign-worker classifications to keep hiring in food service without raising its overall cap.

Food Manufacturing: McCain Foods is acquiring Falcon Agrifriz’s frozen potato business in Gujarat, adding a processing facility, more than 450 employees and links to over 1,000 farmers as competition in India’s fries market heats up. Food Prices: India’s retail inflation climbed to 5.54% in September, with food inflation rising to 7.74% and adding pressure for shoppers and food businesses. Food Service Technology: AI-powered food production system CA-1 has made its first deployment outside Europe, partnering with UAE contract caterer Royal Prestige, which produces more than three million meals annually. Restaurant Industry: Starbucks is reportedly exploring a possible acquisition of Chipotle, a high-risk deal that could put former Chipotle chief Brian Niccol in charge of turning around his old company. Market Shock: A fire destroyed Paris’s historic Enfants Rouges covered market, displacing about 20 traders. Industry Costs: Food giants face up to $820 million in fines in a price-rigging case involving sugar, flour and starch.

Food Safety: A free school-meal program in Medan, Indonesia, is under scrutiny after 17 pupils became ill and six were hospitalized; laboratory results are pending. PepsiCo also recalled 122,021 cases of Gatorade across 37 states over undeclared food dyes. No illnesses have been reported. Food Industry: Four South Korean food makers face cumulative fines of 1.19 trillion won for colluding on sugar, flour and starch prices, including delaying price cuts. Meanwhile, Korean ramyeon exports rose 27.9% in the first half to a record $935.4 million, putting the sector on course to top $2 billion this year. Food Distribution: Theft and damage have sidelined seven Second Harvest trucks in Toronto, disrupting deliveries to more than 300 nonprofits as the food-rescue charity works to restore its fleet. Food Waste: Greece generates more than 2 million tonnes of food waste a year, while 12.7% of its population faces food insecurity, according to the supermarket industry group.

Food Safety: India stepped up festival checks after 40 students fell ill following a hostel meal in Bhopal; separately, authorities seized 74.6 tonnes of edible oil in Maharashtra. The UK also recalled Ukrainian eggs after Salmonella was found. Delivery & Dining: India’s quick-commerce orders are forecast to grow up to 21.6% quarter-on-quarter, while food delivery is expected to maintain 18% annual growth. Illinois is expanding its Restaurant Meals Program, which lets eligible SNAP customers buy prepared meals at participating restaurants. Foodservice Investment: Knowledge Economic City has partnered with TGP International on a new food hall in Madinah, bringing local and international dining concepts together. Trade: A UN Economic Commission for Africa initiative is connecting more than 150 West African rice businesses to strengthen regional trade and processing. Awards: Isle of Wight Distillery won gold for its Mermaid Salt Vodka at the Great British Food Awards, while Isle of Wight Tomatoes took gold for its cherry tomato sauce.

Food Prices: Ahead of World Food Day, residents in Ghana’s Sekondi-Takoradi are calling for action as the cost of essentials rises, urging investment in cold storage and stronger supply chains. Food Safety: UK authorities have recalled Ukrainian-supplied eggs after Salmonella was detected; caterers and other food businesses are told to check stock, withdraw affected eggs and alert customers. Workforce: India’s Krystal Integrated Services plans to add more than 10,000 jobs across 25-plus cities by March, including roles in catering and other operations. Industry Deals: Global Food Week in Abu Dhabi closed with $1.88 billion in deals. Uber Eats is set to buy workplace food provider ezCater for $2.3 billion, while Sodexo has expanded its UK catering business through Olive, adding 150 clients. Restaurant Business: True Food Kitchen filed for Chapter 11, with closures reported at several locations.

Brewing: Carlsberg Britvic proposes closing Marston’s Brewery in summer 2027, citing a sharp decline in UK cask ale; some brands may find new owners. Food Processing: Albanian manufacturers want lower VAT on food processing and tax breaks for machinery and materials to ease rising costs. Food & Drink Awards: Six Limerick producers won Blas awards, while Isle of Wight Distillery took gold for its salt vodka and Isle of Wight Tomatoes for its sauce. Food Safety: A major US outbreak sickened nearly 20,000 people, putting supply-chain safety and public health oversight under renewed scrutiny. Restaurant Business: True Food Kitchen filed for Chapter 11 and is closing 12 locations, though some restaurants remain open. Food Supply: Woolworths received approval to acquire a major supplier employing 8,000 people and selling more than 1,400 products.