March in review: EU and US trade agri-food tariffs, NPEW 2025, Chocolate’s alt-cocoa future

This month, the EU leveled tariffs against the US as retaliation for US President Donald Trump’s levies on European products. The new rules target around US$28 billion in agri-food imports. We looked back at Natural Products Expo West 2025 (NPEW), where organic produce and weight loss medications took center stage.

Also, we discussed the confectionery industry’s latest attempts to replace cocoa in chocolate products amid sharp fluctuations in prices and availability. 

Here, we recap the most significant stories of the month to ensure you stay informed about key F&B industry developments and insights. 

EU’s Vision for Agri and Food: ING Research talks emission reduction targets and future farming

The European Commission (EC) released its Vision for Agriculture and Food, offering a new roadmap for the future of farming. The strategy received a lukewarm response from the industry, with detractors saying it lacked concrete commitments and contained vague wording. We spoke to Thijs Geijer, sector economist for Food & Agri at ING Research, to discuss the strategy, unpick some key points, and understand what they could mean for the F&B industry.

Tariff turmoil: Canadian seafood farmers call for government support amid US levy concerns

The US’ 25% tariff on Canadian products will have “devastating” impacts on food security, Canada’s seafood farmers have warned. If implemented, the taxes will make it harder for US and Canadian consumers to access healthy and fresh protein, especially amid the surge in food prices due to years of inflation.

Trailblazing cultivated meat companies join cell-based program to accelerate regulatory approval

The EU announced retaliatory tariffs against the US worth US$26 billion in agri food trade.Mosa Meat became one of eight firms collaborating with the UK Food Standards Agency in a partnership poised to take cultivated meat to the next level. The two-year tie-up is geared toward helping the industry navigate the regulatory landscape of the burgeoning cell-based industry. The collaboration — called CCPs Regulatory Sandbox — is designed to advance co-learning with the industry on key food safety issues for the benefit of all regulatory applicants and risk assessors working to efficiently evaluate new cell-cultivated products (CCPs). 

EU targets US poultry, beef, seafood, and other agri products in €26BN countermeasures against Trump tariffs

The EC responded to US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs on EU aluminum and steel imports by announcing €26 billion (US$28.3 billion) worth of retaliatory measures that include US agricultural products like poultry, beef, and certain seafood. US imports of nuts, eggs, dairy, sugar, and vegetables to the EU will also receive trade levies, as will industrial products like steel and aluminum. In a statement, EC President Ursula von der Leyen says taxes “are bad for business, and worse for consumers,” but “the EU must act to protect consumers and businesses.”

NPEW 2025 review: Organics take center stage amid policy shifts, weight loss and public health concerns

Over 70,000 people attended Natural Products Expo West (NPEW) in Anaheim, California, where over 3,300 F&B industry companies exhibited their latest products and R&D. We spoke with numerous experts and industry representatives at the show and overwhelmingly heard concerns over public dietary health in the US, as well as proposals to limit processed foods and alter industrial agricultural practices. Specifically, organics advocates stressed the importance of strong policy measures to support the expansion of organic production, better consumer education, and a scaling back of the agrochemical industry. 

Outlawing food additives: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presses industry to cut synthetic colors or face a ban

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. began ramping up pressure on food companies to ban certain color additives amid growing health concerns. Kennedy has been in talks with industry stakeholders this week, pushing for them to take a proactive approach to some artificial food additives; otherwise, the US government will intervene and force a ban. The discussions come as several US states make moves to ban common food dyes, citing health risks, and closely follow the US Food and Drug Administration amending its color additive regulations to no longer allow for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 earlier this year. 

“A devastating hit”: Trump threatens 200% tariff on EU wines and spirits as trade dispute escalates

Cocoa prices are pushing confectionery companies to search for alternative ingredients.US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on all wines and alcoholic products coming to the US from Europe if the EU does not revoke its planned levies on American whisky. The warning has confirmed the EU alcohol industry’s fears of retaliation from the US, which is the biggest importer of European spirits outside the EU. “If the proposed 200% tariffs on EU wines are implemented, it would effectively shut down the US market for EU wines — a devastating hit for our industry,” Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins, the European association of wine companies, told us. 

Chocolate’s next chapter: Alt-cocoa, farmer collaborations and retail tactics emerge amid economic downturns

We discussed the chocolate industry’s efforts at navigating record cocoa price hikes amid consumers’ sustainability and ethical demands in an exclusive interview with Dr. Madhav Durbha, group VP of CPG and Manufacturing at Finland-based Relex Solutions, which provides supply chain and retail planning solutions to F&B companies. Research indicates the costs will stay elevated in the medium term, driven by supply constraints and strong demand, with prices expected to stabilize at around US$6000/ton once the market rebalances. In response, formulators are embracing alt-cocoa innovations, downsizing products amid the “shrinkflation” trend, and exploring alternative ingredients like fava beans.

Campaigners urge EU lawmakers to block industrial octopus farming after permits approved

Animal welfare campaigners in Europe called on EU lawmakers to prevent food corporations from establishing large-scale octopus farms throughout the continent following the recent acquisition of a hatchery permit by multinational fishing group Grupo Profand. Keri Tietge, aquatic animals project officer at Eurogroup for Animals, told us that whatever the company’s true intentions are, the research findings could be used to advance captive octopus breeding. She said the upcoming revision of EU animal welfare legislation, due next year, is a significant opportunity.

Ingredion: Promoting vegan egg alternatives amid rising global price and supply volatility

Fluctuating egg and oil prices and a surge in consumer demand for clean label products are driving sauce and dressing manufacturers to find vegan substitutes for their formulations. Ron Pagaoa, senior marketing manager at Ingredion, told us that vegan options are a growing market opportunity but that the unique formulation challenges of replicating eggs for texture and performance. He explained how supply instability due to avian flu and the volatility of egg prices make it challenging to give consumers the eating experiences they seek while managing costs. According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of a dozen eggs rose by 65% in December 2024, with the national average price hitting US$4.15.