Hügli snack seasonings banner with spice powders and colorful pouches, text reading “Be the first to try our new concept” and “Curries from around the world.”
Plant-based meat on supermarket shelf.

Plant-based naming dispute: How the EU’s new rules could disrupt food marketing

Yesterday saw an EU trilogue discussion about whether plant-based foods can use meat-related names on alternative F&B products — and the result is a mixed bag of bans and restrictions on certain terminology, which will have an impact on farmers, brands, and companies operating in the plant-based space.
Consumer shopping for snacks in supermarket.
Snack reformulation trends: How can brands boost nutrition without sacrificing sensory appeal?
Health is no longer a niche positioning in snacks — it’s a consumer expectation — but indulgence remains critical. Snack reformulation has moved beyond single-ingredient swaps, as manufacturers increasingly adopt integrated systems that balance protein fortification, sugar reduction, and clean label transparency, without sacrificing sensory appeal. Innova Market Insights data shows that global consumers seek protein (60%) and fiber (55%) when purchasing snacks. However, most (74%) say flavor, taste, and texture are the most important factors when choosing between snacks.
Cargill at Expo West 2026.
Expo West 2026 live: Inside Cargill’s functional F&B focus on indulgence without compromise
This year at Natural Products Expo West (Mar 3–6) in California, US, Cargill is tackling the growing consumer demand for functional F&B products that support health goals without sacrificing the indulgent flavors people crave. The company’s showcase underscores how it is bridging the gap between higher protein, fiber-rich, and reduced-sugar formulations while maintaining great taste — all at a value-conscious price point. Featured products like the Mango Guava Protein + Prebiotic Soda highlight Cargill’s ability to help manufacturers create functional beverages with less than 1 g of sugar per serving, while offering 5 g of protein and fiber. Similarly, its Ultra-Filtered Double Chocolate Protein Shake delivers 32 g of protein per serving and rich flavor, all without added sugars.
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Future of food processing
According to Innova Market Insights, attitudes toward ultra-processed foods are changing. Consumers increasingly associate ultra-processed foods with unhealthy indulgence, but their habits are shifting, particularly with a rise in cooking from scratch. This shift means many products require reformulation to deliver the fresh, authentic characteristics consumers seek.
MeelunieTP
“Whey + Fava: A Hybrid Protein Innovation for Sports Nutrition”
Amino Power represents a meaningful innovation in functional sports nutrition, combining three distinct value drivers: enhanced amino acid composition, cost competitiveness relative to whey-only protein concentrates, and superior organoleptic characteristics compared to plant-only alternatives. This hybrid dairy-plant formulation addresses key market gaps.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Meelunie.
Video Thumbnail: Cargill trade show booth with branded signage, attendees networking, and a featured staff member in a circular inset at a food industry expo
Expo West 2026 live: Cargill’s fermentation-driven sugar reduction for sustainability & cost benefits

Amber McKinzie, Cargill’s marketing manager for sugar reduction, highlights the sustainability and cost benefits of fermentation-derived sweeteners like EverSweet, the company’s stevia-based ingredient. With Cargill making significant investments in fermentation, McKinzie explains how the method reduces land and water use and mitigates supply chain risks, as it can be implemented anywhere globally.

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Nestlé adopts ChoViva as confectionery giants embrace cocoa-free solutions
Young consumers eating ChoViva products.
Planet A Foods’ ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate alternative is gaining traction with F&B giants, as confectionery and snack brands work to future-proof themselves against cocoa supply volatility. Nestlé Germany will expand its Choco Crossies “Snack Vibes” line using ChoViva next month, while Planet A Foods tells us it is talking to several other major brands about similar product launches. ChoViva already features in over 120 products across 10 countries, including private labels and well-known brands, such as Griesson - de Beukelaer, Treets, and Jokolade. Planet A Foods has partnered with industry giant Barry Callebaut to ensure global availability of its ingredient, which is primarily made from fermented, roasted sunflower seeds and oats.
Ultra-processed foods: WiseCode launches classification standard to combat...
Supermarket scan.
US food tech company WiseCode has launched a consumer-facing classification app and a brand verification program built around its own definition of ultra-processed food (UPF). The app caters to a market where competing frameworks and limited regulatory consensus are shaping — and complicating — how shoppers and manufacturers consume and produce UPFs.WiseCode debuted both products at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, US, this week, where interest in clean label and minimally processed food are major themes. The company’s Non-UPF Shield is a verification mark for brands whose products clear WiseCode’s non-ultra-processed threshold, while a redesigned mobile app allows consumers to scan packaged goods and receive an instant classification. 
Expo West 2026 live: Givaudan presents personalized beverages, GLP-1 insights &...
crowd of people outside Givaudan booth at a trade show
Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing is highlighting its flavor, color, and functional beverage ingredient innovations at the ongoing Natural Products Expo West 2026 in Anaheim, US (Mar 3–6). The company is showcasing how it can support manufacturers in boosting their health-forward solutions through a combination of science, digitalization, and consumer insights.
Mexico joins global movement to ban octopus farming amid mortality rate...
Octopus.
Mexico has introduced legislation to ban all cephalopod (octopus) farming nationwide, making it the second Latin American country to propose such a prohibition after Chile’s federal bill last year. The bill, presented by Mexico’s Green Party, proposes reforms to the General Law of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture that would prohibit breeding or growth of any cephalopod species in Mexican territory. The bill is intended to protect small-scale farmers and prevent human health risks associated with industrial farming, but also follows animal welfare concerns that have been reflected in a wave of similar legislative efforts across the Americas and Europe.  

The bill now moves to the Mexican Senate commissions for discussion. 
Symrise posts decade-high profitability as F&B division fuels growth
Symrise flags.
Symrise has reported its highest profitability in a decade for FY 2025, with an adjusted profit margin of 21.9% — up 120 basis points year-on-year — as organic sales growth of 2.8% and €50 million (US$54 million) in cost savings and efficiency gains, exceeding its €40 million (US$43 million) target, drove a record cash performance. Reported revenues for the German flavor and fragrance specialist totaled €4.9 billion (US$5.3 billion), with adjusted earnings rising to €513 million (US$554 million) attributable to shareholders and adjusted earnings per share of €3.67 (US$3.96), up from €3.42 (US$3.69) in 2024. 
Gnosis by Lesaffre champions women’s health supplements at Expo West 2026
Gnosis by Lesaffre Expo West 2026

Nutrition Insight

Women’s health is taking center stage at the ongoing Natural Products Expo West 2026 trade show. Gnosis by Lesaffre is showcasing women’s wellness ingredients that support prenatal health, digestion, and bone density, as well as heart, vaginal, and brain health. On the showroom floor in Anaheim, California, US, Nutrition Insight catches up with Alina Slotnik, the company’s marketing director for the Americas, to discuss opportunities to address women’s health needs and consumer demands. 
Highlighted features
Shipping.
Business News
Energy shock, fertilizer crunch, freight surge: Food...
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing US-Israeli strikes on Iran has triggered a supply chain crisis that extends far beyond crude oil, threatening food ingredient markets through a cascade of fertilizer shortages, vegetable oil price spikes, sugar refinery disruption, and a sharp escalation in logistics costs that industry analysts warn could persist for months.The strait — a 21-mile-wide chokepoint between Iran and Oman through which approximately 20% of the world’s seaborne oil and 20% of its liquefied natural gas transits daily — has been functionally closed for commercial shipping since Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps began issuing radio warnings prohibiting vessel passage. 
women performing quality control in fish factory
Food Ingredients News
EU Commission sounds €440B PFAS cost alarm as food sector...
A new study commissioned by the European Commission warns that Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” could have far-reaching societal and economic consequences, including for the F&B industry. The report estimates that the compounds’ present levels of pollution could cost the EU approximately €440 billion (~US$520 billion) by 2050, without regulatory action.
F&B February industry review 2026.
Food Ingredients News
February in review: Major divestments, cultivated cacao...
In February 2026, major F&B companies released their full-year results amid challenging global headwinds, including inflationary pressures, rising energy costs, and supply chain disruptions. IFF put its Food Ingredients segment up for sale, while dsm-firmenich agreed to sell its Animal Nutrition & Health business. Barry Callebaut outlined a roadmap for the chocolate industry following the cocoa crisis, as Cargill and Puratos revealed investments in cultivated cacao for commercial food applications.

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Snacking trends in focus: Flavor, protein & fiberMar2026

Innova data shows consumers prioritize protein and fiber when purchasing snacks. However, flavor remains the most important factor in snack choice, driving steady annual growth in product launches fro...

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Product innovation

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Future of food processing Mar 2026

According to Innova Market Insights, attitudes toward ultra-processed foods are changing. Consumers increasingly associate ultra-processed foods with unhealthy indulgence, but their habits are shifting, particularly with a rise in cooking from scratch. This shift means many products require reformulation to deliver the fresh, authentic characteristics consumers seek.

Trend analysis

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Vanilla’s adaptive edge spurs NPDMar 2026

Vanilla is proving its adaptive edge in global F&B innovation. New product launches featuring vanilla ingredients witnessed a large annual growth rate globally between 2023 and 2025, signaling sustained cross-category demand. More than a third of global launches were from Europe.

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Video Thumbnail: Cargill trade show booth with branded signage, attendees networking, and a featured staff member in a circular inset at a food industry expo
Video03:50
Expo West 2026 live: Cargill’s fermentation-driven sugar reduction for sustainability & cost benefits

Amber McKinzie, Cargill’s marketing manager for sugar reduction, highlights the sustainability and cost benefits of fermentation-derived sweeteners like EverSweet, the company’s stevia-based ingredient. With Cargill making significant investments in fermentation, McKinzie explains how the method...

Brad Schwan, ADM
Video05:24
Expo West 2026 live: ADM targets reformulation trends as health fuels F&B innovation
EIT Food Thumbnail
Video14:57
EIT Food: How fiber, protein & GLP-1 trends drive indulgent F&B formulations 
Guillaume Blancher, Kerry
Video17:33
Kerry: Addressing bitterness, mouthfeel & GLP-1 taste shifts in sugar reduction
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