I read 21 CAGNY 2026 presentations and transcripts — from Conagra to Coca-Cola, PepsiCo to Celsius, Mondelez to Newell. What emerged wasn’t the usual story of companies weathering a storm or optimizing their way to modest growth. It was something more fundamental: 17 companies simultaneously rewriting the rules of CPG growth, and converging on a set of conclusions that challenge most of what brand teams assume about their consumers.

Here are the seven shifts that stood out — and why they should change how you build brands.