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Gen Alpha children eating burgers looking at laptop screen.

Symrise reveals Gen Alpha’s growing impact on household food choices

Adolescents are not just a “future-consumer” focus — F&B businesses should already be targeting Gen Alpha consumers as a longer-term growth lever. Companies that ignore 6–14-year-olds risk losing influence at the family decision-making level, while early engagement could help secure early and lasting brand loyalty. But what do Gen Alphas prioritize when making F&B purchases, and how can ingredient producers empower brands to reach this increasingly influential consumer base? A new study by Symrise across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East (EAME) has sought to answer these questions, revealing how adolescents shape F&B choices in these regions.
man wearing black gloves holding a glass jar of brown protein chunks
Plant-based innovation: Ingredient leaders drive shift from meat replacements to nutrient-rich solutions
The bar for plant-based innovation has risen over the past few years. Consumers now expect more than meat-free substitutes — they want high-protein, nutritionally optimized products that align with evolving health trends, such as GLP-1 use, while also addressing growing environmental concerns. For manufacturers, the challenge is delivering both consumer and planetary health without compromising product taste and enjoyment.
Father and daughter drinking milk.
Inside Kerry’s multi-technology approach to lactose-free, reduced sugar dairy
The dairy market is rapidly evolving, driven by consumer demand for lactose-free and reduced sugar products. Increased awareness of lactose intolerance, alongside regulatory and cost pressures, is pushing manufacturers to innovate — without compromising taste, texture, or processing performance.
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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.
Guillaume Blancher, Kerry
Kerry: Addressing bitterness, mouthfeel & GLP-1 taste shifts in sugar reduction

Sugar taxes and front-of-pack labeling rules are accelerating sweetener innovation. Guillaume Blancher, global portfolio director for Sweetness at Kerry, explains why removing sugar is not simple, and how “sweetness optimization” can help overcome bitterness exposure and thin mouthfeel challenges. He also discusses how GLP-1s are reshaping taste expectations and beverage formulation strategies.

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Investors back Mycoverse’s biological solution for potato late blight
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Danish agri-tech company Mycoverse has raised €2.4 million (US$2.78 million) in pre-seed funding to combat potato late blight — one of Europe’s most destructive crop diseases. The company’s AI-based fungal platform identifies promising fungal strains to enhance crop protection and replace chemical pesticides with data-driven biocontrol solutions.
NSF-Circle H alliance fast-tracks halal certification as global demand surges
Women with halal food.
As the global halal F&B market experiences massive growth, the boom in halal products is expected to gather momentum, driven by growing Muslim demographics and wider consumer acceptance. NSF and Circle H International have joined forces in a collaboration that targets companies and brands navigating complex global certification requirements.
EU Commission sounds €440B PFAS cost alarm as food sector accelerates...
women performing quality control in fish factory
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.
“Frankenchickens” resurrected: Why did UK restaurant chains abandon the Better...
KFC restaurant fried chicken and fries.
Major UK restaurant chains, including Nando’s, KFC, Wagamama, and Burger King, have withdrawn from the Better Chicken Commitment, citing supply constraints and increased environmental impacts due to the requirement to source only slower-growing breeds. The hospitality industry has instead formed the Sustainable Chicken Forum, which supports the industrial farming of fast-growing chickens (known as “Frankenchickens”), engineered for rapid meat production.
British beef enters US market tariff-free amid severe supply shortage
Beef shipment.
The first tariff-free shipment of British beef has arrived in the US under the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal, entering a market where cattle herds have fallen to their lowest level in 75 years, and retail beef prices have surged 72% since 2020. The reciprocal 13,000-ton quota secured under the deal is worth up to £70 million (US$88.5 million) a year if fully utilized, according to the UK government. UK Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds is leading the country’s first dedicated agri-food trade mission to Washington, DC, to build on the deal. 
Global Omega-3 Day: Advances in ocular health and cancer prevention potential
Omega-3 oil

Nutrition Insight

Today’s annual Omega-3 Day spotlights a critical deficiency affecting most of the global population. Sourced mainly from cold-water fatty fish and algae, the nutrient plays a role in a broader conversation about broad gaps in diet quality. The human body does not produce two of the most essential fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on its own, which drives up demand for convenient, clinically backed, and effective solutions. Nutrition Insight spotlights the latest research developments in omega-3, with insights on new cancer research, ocular health innovations, and global deficiencies from Nordic Naturals, Ocusoft, and the University of Michigan, US.
Highlighted features
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.
male chef decorating steak with rosemary leaf in kitchen
Food Ingredients News
Flavor-forward: ADM unveils key culinary trends...
ADM has outlined how F&B manufacturers can advance flavor innovation in its 2026 Global Culinary Trends report — highlighting how “Third Culture Cuisine,” values-driven purchasing, GLP-1-influenced eating behaviors, and the growing demand for immersive dining experiences are reinventing innovation processes.
Young consumers drinking alcohol-free beer at party.
New Product Development
How the alcohol industry is rethinking R&D amid falling...
The global alcohol industry is in structural retreat as global consumers continue to drink less. Producers are scrambling to reformulate beverage R&D and regain their falling profits. Core beer fell below half of Carlsberg’s revenue for the first time in 2025. Pernod Ricard offloaded the bulk of its international wine portfolio to concentrate on premium spirits and non-alcoholic alternatives. Diageo’s operating profit dropped 27.8% in the fiscal year to June 2025, yet its alcohol-free portfolio grew roughly 40% over the same period.

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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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Lallemand Bio-Ingredients

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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EIT Food Thumbnail
Video14:57
EIT Food: How fiber, protein & GLP-1 trends drive indulgent F&B formulations 

Durk Bosma, head of insights at EIT Food Consumer Observatory, discusses the gap between consumer health intentions and indulgent food choices. He emphasizes the need for F&B manufacturers to tailor products for consumers who are “health optimizers” or “balance cravers.” Bosma also comments...

Guillaume Blancher, Kerry
Video17:33
Kerry: Addressing bitterness, mouthfeel & GLP-1 taste shifts in sugar reduction
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Döhler Thumbnail
Video04:59
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Döhler spotlights cost-effective indulgence and trending flavors
Oliver Coppenuer
Video02:22
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Vegetables marry chocolate in “Vegilate” creation
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