Works

New data from Kantar suggests small brands grow faster through depth of connection than breadth of reach. Here’s what that means for founders deciding where to spend.

There’s an opinion piece moving through nutrition science right now, and it’s worth talking about.

Caffeine has never been freely addable to food in this country. The Code’s general prohibitions already stop you from using it as a food additive or a nutritive substance, and permitted flavouring substances are permitted at GMP, with caffeine expressly carved out. The only meaningful permissions sit with cola-type drinks and formulated caffeinated beverages.

Queensland’s procurement policy sets a whole-of-government target of sourcing 30% of procurement spend by value from Queensland small and medium enterprises. It took effect at the start of 2026, it applies across the state’s annual spend, and it is a figure agencies are measured against rather than a vague nod to backing local business.

Right now, shoppers are switching supermarkets based on whoever’s cheapest that week. Consumer confidence is down, the cost of living is biting, and people are dropping brands they’ve bought for years the moment a competitor looks like better value.

A new report has mapped out where flavour innovation is heading, and it reads like a list of commercial opportunities. Comfort. Discovery. Authenticity. Sensory experience. All of it live, all of it fundable, all of it landing in product briefs right now.