Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda launches 10-litre Rwenzori water pack

        Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda (CCBU) has introduced a 10-litre packaging format for its Rwenzori Pure Natural Mineral Water brand, expanding the product’s available pack sizes in the Ugandan bottled water market. The launch was announced in 2026 and aims to provide an intermediate option between small retail bottles and the larger 20-litre …

Henkel to acquire ”Not Your Mother’s” hair care and styling brand

      Henkel has signed an agreement to acquire the consumer hair care and styling brand “Not Your Mother’s” from private equity investor Main Post Partners, the company announced from Düsseldorf. The transaction, which remains subject to regulatory approvals, will add a hair care portfolio with approximately €190 million in sales in fiscal year …

FIX launches Ramadan collection with new white chocolate knafeh bar

    FIX Dessert Chocolatier has announced its Ramadan collection, introducing a new white chocolate version of its knafeh-inspired bar alongside the return of two seasonal flavours. The collection will be available exclusively on Careem from 18 February.     The new product, “Can’t Get Knafeh Of It,” expands on the brand’s existing knafeh bar …

L’Oréal launches €100 million L’AcceleratOR program with focus on packaging innovation

        L’Oréal has launched L’AcceleratOR, a €100 million sustainable innovation program designed to accelerate scalable solutions addressing climate, nature, and circularity challenges. Run over five years in partnership with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), the program will support pilot-ready technologies and enable selected companies to develop and scale …

Maggi partners with Ninja to launch air fryer mixes in retail-ready pack formats across MENA

Nestlé’s iconic Maggi has partnered with kitchen appliance manufacturer Ninja to introduce a new range of Maggi Air Fryer mixes across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), responding to rising demand for convenient, appliance-specific home cooking solutions. The collaboration combines Maggi’s culinary expertise with Ninja’s strong presence in the air fryer category, targeting consumers seeking …

Infant formula recalls widen in MENA as UAE regulator adds Nestlé batches

      Precautionary recalls of infant formula products across the Middle East and North Africa have expanded, bringing renewed focus on batch traceability and regulatory coordination in the packaged nutrition sector.     Earlier this month, Nestlé announced a voluntary recall of selected batches of its NAN, S-26 and ALFAMINO infant formula products distributed …

Al Wafir Proposes Conditional Offer to Acquire Majority Stake in UNIKAI Foods

      Al Wafir for Marketing Services K.S.C.C., a Kuwait-based company, has announced a voluntary conditional cash offer to acquire between 50% plus one share and up to 51% of the issued and paid-up ordinary shares of UNIKAI Foods P.J.S.C., one of the UAE’s oldest food and beverage companies. The offer, priced at AED …

Marks & Spencer expands Only Ingredients range after labelling scrutiny

    Marks & Spencer has expanded its Only Ingredients food range as part of a broader response to criticism around ultra-processed foods and concerns over on-pack labelling transparency.     In 2025, the retailer faced accusations that some own-brand products understated ingredient information on packaging. The Real Bread Campaign alleged that one white bread …

DS Smith and Serele SupeR launch fibre-based tomato punnets to replace ten million plastic packages

    DS Smith has partnered with Romanian agricultural cooperative Serele SupeR to replace ten million single-use plastic packages with fibre-based corrugated cardboard solutions for fresh tomato products. The project was implemented following an assessment of existing plastic packaging formats and resulted in the development of four recyclable corrugated punnets designed for different cherry tomato …

Mitsubishi Chemical develops PFAS-free barrier coating for paper-based food packaging

    Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC) has developed a new coating technology that imparts gas barrier and oil-resistant properties to paper-based packaging, using its proprietary SoarnoL™ solution. The development is positioned as a PFAS-free alternative for food packaging applications, addressing growing regulatory concerns around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).     The technology enables the …