Food & Beverage — Why Big Food's New Playbook Is Rewriting Industry Evolution

Food & Beverage · 2026-03-21

OPENING The traditional boundaries between food industry players are dissolving at a dizzying pace. This week's potential McCormick-Unilever deal, alongside shifting startup dynamics and established brands' category expansions, signals a fundamental reimagining of how food companies will compete and grow in the coming decade.

The potential acquisition of Unilever's food business by McCormick would do more than create a condiments powerhouse – it would exemplify how the industry's historical lanes are becoming increasingly irrelevant. We're witnessing a transformation where flavor companies are becoming full-fledged food manufacturers, while traditional CPG giants are simultaneously consolidating their core businesses and hunting for innovative edges. The parallel developments of Clif Bar's expansion into energy bites and Jimmy Dean's protein play further illustrate how established brands are refusing to be boxed into their legacy categories.

What's particularly telling is the evolving relationship between Big Food and startups. While venture funding may have cooled, the acknowledgments from industry giants like Cargill and PepsiCo that startups remain "critical" for competitiveness reveals a deeper truth: innovation is no longer just about internal R&D or major acquisitions. The industry is moving toward a more nuanced ecosystem where partnerships, strategic investments, and selective acquisitions create a web of innovation that benefits both established players and emerging brands.

This shift is creating a new playbook for success in the food industry. The old model of staying in your lane – being either a flavor company, a CPG giant, or a scrappy startup – is giving way to a more fluid approach where companies must simultaneously play multiple roles. McCormick's potential move exemplifies this new reality, where being a specialty ingredient player no longer precludes becoming a major branded food manufacturer.

WHAT TO WATCH Keep an eye on how other mid-sized food companies respond to this shifting landscape in the coming months. The McCormick-Unilever talks could trigger a wave of similar moves as companies realize that their traditional market definitions may be limiting their growth potential. Watch especially for more unexpected category jumps from established brands and new forms of startup collaboration that go beyond simple acquisition deals. The companies that will thrive are those that recognize that in today's food industry, the old rules of staying in your lane no longer apply – and may actually be a recipe for stagnation.