< Previouswww.fdiforum.net NPD 20 Food innovation faces a new era of scrutiny Consumers expect more from their food, demanding health benefits, clean labels, and sustainable sourcing without compromising taste. For product developers, balancing functionality, regulation, and sensory appeal has never been more complex. A t the heart of this transformation is the fundamental question of what people want on their plates and what they want from the companies that produce their food. For product developers, this means scrutinising every aspect of new formulations, from nutritional benefits and ingredient functionality to sourcing transparency and environmental impact. One of the strongest forces shaping new product development this year is the demand for food that actively contributes to health and wellbeing. Consumers are looking beyond basic nutrition and asking for tangible functional benefits. The pandemic years firmly embedded the idea of food as medicine into everyday www.fdiforum.net NPD 21 © stock.adobe.com/Vadym thinking, and while the initial wave of immune- boosting products has matured, there is now a sharper focus on holistic wellbeing. This includes stress management, sleep support, and hormonal balance, areas that were once the domain of supplements but are now crossing over into mainstream food and beverage applications. This has created an opportunity for innovative use of ingredients with proven bioactive properties. Adaptogens and nootropics continue to feature prominently, with ingredients such as ashwagandha, lion’s mane, and bacopa being reformulated into beverages, snacks, and even bakery products in ways that maintain their stability and efficacy. Meanwhile, prebiotics and postbiotics are joining probiotics as the triad of gut health support, with new research uncovering the benefits of short-chain fatty acid production and the gut-brain axis. For formulators, the challenge is delivering these functional benefits without compromising on taste, texture, or clean-label expectations. Clean-label remains a critical driver across the market. The definition of ‘clean’ is broadening to include ingredients perceived as natural and those that carry minimal processing and a clear origin story. Consumers want to understand the origin of each component of their food, how it was produced, and its impact 22 Áwww.fdiforum.net NPD 22 on their health and the environment. This has prompted food developers to reassess long- standing emulsifiers, thickeners, and preservatives, leading to the replacement of synthetic or chemically modified ingredients with plant-based or fermentation-derived alternatives. Ingredient sourcing decisions are under scrutiny as businesses strive to meet environmental targets and address consumer concerns about planetary health. This includes reducing reliance on ingredients linked to deforestation, lowering carbon footprints through local sourcing, and adopting upcycled ingredients. Upcycling, in particular, is gaining momentum as food manufacturers seek ways to reduce waste in their production processes. Ingredients derived from spent grain, fruit peels, and vegetable by-products are being utilised in a diverse range of applications, from flour blends to fibre-enhanced snacks and beverages, offering both nutritional and environmental benefits. Plant-based innovation continues to surge but is now entering a more mature phase. In earlier years, the focus was primarily on developing meat alternatives that closely mimicked traditional animal products. The category is diversifying into products that prioritise nutrition, clean-label formulations, and culinary authenticity rather than direct mimicry. There is growing consumer awareness that ‘plant-based’ does not automatically mean ‘healthy’, pushing brands to reformulate products with reduced sodium, higher protein quality, and fewer additives. Regulatory changes are also influencing ingredient selection and product development priorities. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling schemes, sugar reduction targets, and salt reformulation programmes are pressuring manufacturers to rework legacy products and ensure new launches can achieve compliant and favourable nutrition scores. This has driven renewed focus on fibre enrichment, natural sweeteners, and mineral salt replacers. In sweetening systems, there is increased exploration of blends that balance flavour performance with gastrointestinal tolerance, as erythritol and certain polyols face scrutiny over metabolic impacts and regulatory review. The sensory aspect of product development remains paramount. Consumers may be motivated by health, sustainability, or functionality, but they will not compromise on taste or the overall eating experience. Texture remains a powerful differentiator, particularly as the growing popularity of high-protein and plant-based products creates formulation challenges related to mouthfeel, binding, and water retention. Ingredient suppliers are responding with next-generation hydrocolloids, enzyme systems, and texturising blends designed to deliver optimal sensory performance while keeping labels clean and natural. Fermentation is emerging as both a technology platform and a source of ingredients. Precision fermentation enables the production of dairy-identical proteins without the use of animals. In contrast, traditional fermentation is used to enhance flavour complexity, nutritional profiles, and bioavailability in plant-based foods. Fermented botanicals, grains, and legumes are increasingly © stock.adobe.com/_KUBE_ 0044 (0) 2084467127 info@halalfoodauthority.com www.halalfoodauthority.com Unit 15, Linen House, 253 Kilburn Lane, Queen's Park, London, W10 4BQ, UK www.fdiforum.net NPD 23 appearing in snacks and beverages, with claims centred on gut health, nutrient absorption, and natural preservation. Global influences are also shaping new product launches, as consumers become more adventurous in their flavour choices. The rise of digital food culture and short-form recipe content has introduced shoppers to ingredients and culinary styles from across the world, leading to demand for authentic profiles as well as hybridised fusions. This creates opportunities for spices, extracts, and naturally derived flavourings that can bring vibrancy and novelty to everyday products. The challenge for food businesses is to integrate all these demands into commercially viable products. Innovation pipelines are becoming more interdisciplinary, with collaboration between R&D, regulatory teams, marketing, and sustainability officers to ensure products resonate in a complex market landscape. YOUR HALAL GATEWAY TO GLOBAL MARKETS GLOBALLY RECOGNISED HALAL CERTIFICATION BODYwww.fdiforum.net SUPPLY CHAIN 24 Behind every meal lies a supply chain in rapid transformation, driven by innovation and the push for sustainability. When shoppers pick up their weekly groceries, few pause to consider the extraordinary network of growers, processors, distributors, and retailers that work in precise concert to place each item on the shelf. Yet this hidden network is under greater scrutiny than ever, driven by a combination of shifting consumer expectations, technological advancements, and global pressures that continue to reshape the journey of food from farm to fork. A decade ago, supply chains were primarily viewed as operational backbones, the silent enablers of consumer choice. Today, they are front and centre in discussions around sustainability, climate resilience, food security, and ethical sourcing. This evolution has not been optional. Climate volatility has altered growing seasons and yields. Pandemic-era shocks exposed fragilities in logistics. Geopolitical tensions have rerouted trade flows and compelled firms to reassess their sourcing dependencies, which once seemed immutable. One clear outcome has been an acceleration in the demand for traceability. Consumers want to know the provenance of their food, and retailers are under pressure to provide not just origin information but assurances around welfare standards, environmental impacts and even farm-level carbon footprints. This demand has given rise to new platforms that integrate data from across the chain, offering near real- time insights into everything from soil health to processing energy use. At the same time, regulators in multiple markets are mandating higher standards of reporting on emissions, waste, and resource use, propelling firms to dig deeper into their operations. For many, this has exposed a problem: supply chains that were built to be How food chains are being reimagined How food chains are being reimagined www.fdiforum.net SUPPLY CHAIN 25 fast and efficient are often opaque and difficult to understand. In response, companies are embracing technologies once seen as futuristic, such as blockchain, AI-powered predictive analytics, and Internet of Things sensors – weaving them together to achieve both transparency and resilience. On a lettuce farm, for example, sensors track irrigation levels, fertiliser use, and temperature to optimise yields while minimising environmental damage. At the processing stage, AI systems analyse incoming produce to reduce waste by diverting imperfect items to alternative uses. During distribution, predictive tools dynamically adjust delivery schedules to avoid traffic delays and temperature excursions, thereby reducing spoilage and emissions. Yet these solutions are not mere embellishments. Efficiency is now integral to reducing the environmental burden of the food supply. Food waste remains a significant global problem, with approximately a third of all food produced being lost before it is consumed. Innovations in cold chain management, packaging, and logistics planning are gradually reducing this figure, but the road ahead remains long. In parallel, sustainability commitments from major retailers are filtering down the supply chain, forcing suppliers to adapt or risk losing contracts. Scope 3 emissions reporting is now a board-level priority in many food businesses, driving changes in sourcing, transport, and energy use. For producers, this has meant rethinking everything from fertiliser inputs to packaging choices, while logistics providers invest in electrified fleets and route optimisation systems to remain viable partners. Among the more radical changes is the growing interest in regenerative agriculture as a pillar of the supply chain. Rather than simply offsetting carbon emissions, some food firms are investing directly in farming practices that © stock.adobe.com/HISTOCK 26 Ásequester carbon in soil, improve biodiversity, and strengthen local water systems. This strategy is both a risk management approach that builds resilience against climate shocks and a storytelling opportunity to differentiate products on environmental grounds. Such shifts do not come without friction. Small producers often struggle to meet the data demands of large buyers, risking exclusion from lucrative markets. Technology providers are attempting to bridge this gap with more accessible traceability and compliance tools, but digital adoption remains uneven, particularly in developing regions. The consequence is an intensifying debate about equitable transition pathways that protect livelihoods while raising standards. Labour remains a perennial challenge. Shortages of seasonal workers have plagued many countries, driving investment in automation. In packing houses and warehouses, robots now carry out tasks once reliant on human dexterity, from sorting fruit to stacking pallets. For businesses, automation addresses both cost and reliability concerns, but it also raises questions about job displacement and the erosion of skills in rural economies. Where humans remain indispensable is in quality control and innovation. Teams continue to experiment with new crop varieties that can withstand heatwaves or droughts, or require fewer chemical inputs. In logistics, planners are reimagining networks to serve the rapid demand for e-commerce, creating micro-fulfilment hubs closer to urban www.fdiforum.net SUPPLY CHAIN 26 © stock.adobe.com/itchaznongwww.fdiforum.net SUPPLY CHAIN 27 centres to reduce last-mile delivery times. The final link in the chain, retail, is also undergoing a subtle transformation. Fridges and freezers powered by low-emission refrigerants are becoming standard. Stores are collaborating more closely with suppliers to align promotions with availability, avoiding surpluses that end up in bins. And digital shelf labels now dynamically adjust pricing to reduce waste from perishables approaching their use- by dates. All these advances are part of a wider shift towards systemic thinking in food supply. Businesses are learning that isolated improvements are rarely enough. Optimising transport emissions while ignoring farm inputs, or reducing packaging weight without considering product spoilage risks, can lead to unintended consequences. What is emerging instead is an era of integrated planning, where sustainability, efficiency and resilience are treated as interconnected goals rather than separate metrics. While many of these innovations are designed to future-proof supply chains against shocks, their benefits are already being felt. Faster identification of contamination risks, for example, prevents costly recalls and protects public health. Advanced demand forecasting ensures that retailers keep shelves stocked with the right products, improving profitability while reducing overproduction. Consumers, for their part, may not see the sensors in the soil or the algorithms in the warehouse, but they increasingly feel the impact through more consistent availability, better-quality products and the reassurance that their purchasing choices align with their values. As climate and geopolitical uncertainties persist, the expectation that food supply chains must be smarter, cleaner and more transparent will only intensify. acAttkucrTkorFof The leading UK Manu liftT ershatoffet od and drink hmentsc er acturuf Call alue, vyqualit e , wyindustr 0er 5vh oWit likorFof 006 611 2 e & inn viceomise a personal serpr ohe fears experience in t y acAttk ucrTiftT hmac-attliftkor.uk | fcoents. .ukcoments. www.fdiforum.net 28 Food Matters Live Rotterdam 23 - 24 September Rotterdam, The Netherlands Food Matters Live is heading to Rotterdam, bringing its unique blend of innovation, insight and ingredient discovery to the heart of Europe’s food and nutrition community. The event is designed for R&D, technical, NPD and innovation professionals working across the food, drink, and nutrition landscape. With more than 750 attendees, 100 expert speakers, and 100 curated sessions, the programme offers a rare opportunity to explore the future of innovation from every angle of the ingredients value chain. PPMA Total Show 23 - 25 September Birmingham, UK The PPMA Total Show is the UK’s biggest, free- to-attend processing and packaging machinery event. It brings together leading exhibitors from across industry, showcasing a wide range of the latest innovations and solutions, with expert-led seminars, live demonstrations and exciting networking opportunities. Responsible Packaging Expo 30 September - 1 October London, UK The Responsible Packaging Expo is the UK’s leading event for sustainable packaging solutions tailored to the hospitality and foodservice industries. From refillable and reusable formats to recyclable and even edible innovations, this is where the future of responsible packaging takes centre stage. Designed to inspire change and drive industry-wide progress, the expo serves as a powerful platform for conversation, collaboration, and actionable solutions. Whether you’re a restaurant, café, hotel, or food brand, discover the tools and technologies that will help you reduce waste, lower your environmental impact, and align your business with a more circular, sustainable future. London Packaging Week 15 - 16 October London, UK London Packaging Week gives you access to 190+ of the very best packaging suppliers and innovative solutions in design, sustainability, branding, e-commerce and more! Gain competitive advantage with the free-to-attend conference programme that discusses challenges and solutions in the packaging industry. Fi Europe 2 - 4 December Paris, France Fi Europe unites the world’s leading food & beverage suppliers, buyers, R&D experts and production specialists all under one roof. Showcase and source F&B ingredients, technologies and solutions, build valuable connections with industry leaders and innovators, gain a competitive advantage with cutting-edge insights, and forge new partnerships that fuel your brand’s success. Gulfood 26 - 30 January Dubai, UAE In 2026, Gulfood enters a bold new era. For the first time in its history, the world’s largest F&B sourcing event will span two iconic venues, Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Expo City, creating the most expansive, immersive, and strategically connected edition to date. With over 6,500 exhibitors, representation from 130+ countries, and 12 power-packed sectors including an all-new tech vertical and future-focused platforms, Gulfood 2026 will not just reflect where the food industry is - it will define where it’s going. Backed by game-changing alliances, record-breaking participation, and a renewed commitment to sustainability, innovation, and global food security, this is where supply chains reset, partnerships realign, and the architecture of global food is redrawn. Events & ShowsFRUIT LOGISTICA 4 - 6 February Berlin, Germany The best time for successful growth is each year in early February. That’s when the world’s most important trade show for the fresh produce business opens its doors, and the biggest industry players come together with trade visitors and friends from all over the world to make productive connections. But FRUIT LOGISTICA doesn’t see itself purely as a meeting place for contacts old and new. Above all, it is a source of inspiration and a driver of innovation, covering the entire value chain – from producer to consumer, from point of seed to point of sale. Empack 11 - 12 February Birmingham, UK Get ready to experience packaging technology in action. Here, you’ll explore the latest in machinery, industrial robots, and automation designed to elevate your production lines. Walk through live demos, uncover cutting-edge trends, and find tools that enhance your efficiency, reliability, and output – all under one roof. This is where technologists, engineers, and industry www.fdiforum.net 29 ProSweets Cologne 1 - 4 February Cologne, Germany ProSweets Cologne is the only trade fair worldwide that focuses on the international supplier sector of the sweets and snacks industry. The leading suppliers from all relevant product sections - from machines, systems and packaging, through to production technology and food safety - exhibit here. In direct conjunction with the co-staged ISM, the world biggest trade fair for sweets and snacks, and ISM Ingredients, the new trade fair format for the suppliers of raw materials, ingredients and semi- finished products, ProSweets Cologne offers a unique stage for a targeted exchange. leaders come together to collaborate, learn, and innovate in real time. Ready to connect with the future of packaging technology? Your journey to a smarter, faster production line starts here. Future Food-Tech 19 - 20 March San Francisco, USA Meet the global leaders building a healthy and sustainable future at Future Food-Tech San Francisco. Join CPGs, retailers, ingredient and technology providers, cutting-edge entrepreneurs and investors on March 19-20, 2026 and connect for targeted networking, exclusive industry insights and start-up discovery. IFE 30 March - 1 April London, UK IFE is the UK’s largest and most successful product sourcing platform and takes place as part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week. Meet face-to- face and showcase your products to buyers across retail, wholesale, import/export, and hospitality who are actively on the hunt for the latest innovations across food and drink. © stock.adobe.com/Olga KrigerNext >