Apetit Horizontal Banner February 2026
Danone.

Danone’s high-protein bet pays off as dairy giant posts solid growth

Danone has reported full-year 2025 sales of €27.3 billion (US$28.6 billion), up 4.5% on a like-for-like basis — a measure that strips out currency swings and acquisitions to show underlying business performance — with double-digit growth in its high-protein portfolio and strong performance in Specialized Nutrition underpinning the French dairy giant’s continued recovery. Volume and mix contributed 2.7% to growth, with pricing adding 1.8% — a balance CEO Antoine de Saint-Affrique frames as “broad-based, quality growth” driven by the company’s “health-focused portfolio.” 
Woman eating chocolate cookies.
Maximizing mouthfeel in healthier F&B: How ingredient innovators tackle texture challenges
Food and beverage brands are reformulating their products to better align with changing consumer preferences for healthier offerings and keep pace with the shifting regulatory landscape and government-backed dietary recommendations. Maintaining the texture and mouthfeel of F&B products is a central priority for manufacturers.
teenage boy with energy drink can in supermarket
Hydrogen water: Is 2026 the breakout year for a new functional beverage category?
As interest in functional beverages continues to grow, hydrogen water is moving from elite athletic and recovery circles into the mainstream, prompting a wave of curiosity (and some skepticism) among consumers. Several peer-reviewed and pilot studies have explored hydrogen-rich water in controlled settings, including reductions in post-exercise blood lactate, improvements in perceived exertion and ventilatory efficiency, increases in antioxidant enzyme activity, and early findings related to alcohol related outcomes. While the research is still developing, consumer interest is accelerating quickly.
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Sweetener trends & insights: Opportunities for calorie-conscious innovation
Innova Market Insights reveals that nearly half of consumers globally are turning to sweeteners to satisfy their sweet cravings while aiming to reduce their calorie intake. This growing demand for lower-calorie options is fueling innovation in the sweetener market, presenting new opportunities for the development of novel sweetener solutions in F&B products.
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.
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ISM 2026 recap: Alternative ingredients address confectionery industry challenges

Price volatility and dietary demands are changing confectionery’s core ingredients. Missy Green, editor of The World of Food Ingredients, explores how alternatives to cocoa, gelatin, and refined sugar are reshaping the confectionery industry on the ISM 2026 show floor.

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UN FAO and EFSA collaboration to strengthen food safety and regulatory science
two men in suits shaking hands at a partnership meeting
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration on food safety and public health protection through “sound regulatory science.” The aim is to promote science-based solutions for safe, sustainable, and resilient food systems.
Roquette launches pea protein isolate for neutral taste and label simplicity
Asian man and woman in white shirts holding protein shake bottles
Roquette has introduced a pea protein isolate for advanced sensory performance in plant-based F&B. The new ingredient addresses common formulation challenges, enabling manufacturers to create plant-based alternatives with cleaner, more neutral taste profiles.
Cargill-Kokomodo collaboration poised to scale cell-based cacao
cacao beans in human palms
Kokomodo has joined forces with Cargill in a project supported by European food innovation initiative, EIT Food, to evaluate cell-based cacao ingredients for commercial food applications. It comes in the wake of the cocoa crisis, which saw prices skyrocket and heavily impact confectionery and chocolate brands.
Scientists unlock genetic resistance to combat Fusarium wilt disease in bananas
man and woman in lab with plant tissue sample
Scientists in Australia have identified a genetic trait in the wild banana subspecies Calcutta 4 that can help tackle Fusarium wilt, or “Panama disease,” which threatens the global supply of farmed Cavendish bananas. The findings could lead to the development of stronger and disease-resistant commercial banana varieties for farmers by supporting plant breeding programs.
California food safety bill poised to overhaul chemical regulations
two female scientists talking in food factory
A bill introduced this week in the US California State Assembly, which could reform food chemical safety regulation in the state, is set to divide consumer health advocacy groups and F&B and chemical industry associations.
Expo West 2026: Exploring natural products for longevity and energy
Natural Products Expo West 2025

Nutrition Insight

Ahead of the upcoming Natural Products Expo West 2026 trade show, Nutrition Insight discusses botanical ingredients and market developments with exhibitors Sabinsa, Layn Natural Ingredients, and BioVivo Science. At the “premier” gathering for the natural products industry in Anaheim, California, US (Mar 3–6), the companies will showcase a range of solutions for longevity, cellular health, and energy. The experts shine a light on new product launches, bioavailability, industry developments, and supply consistency. 
Highlighted features
Tractor fertilizing field.
Regulatory News
EU restrictions on Russian fertilizer threaten to drive up...
Europe is making it significantly harder and more expensive to import fertilizer from Russia, through a combination of new carbon levies, escalating tariffs, and fresh sanctions. Farm groups say fertilizer imports have already collapsed by more than 80%, and warn of a repeat of the 2022 price shock — when fertilizer costs surged globally, and food prices followed. For the food ingredients sector, one of the most exposed downstream markets is palm oil. Since January 1, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) — a carbon levy on imports of emissions-heavy products — has applied to fertilizers entering the bloc. At the same time, tariffs on Russian and Belarusian fertilizer that took effect in July 2025 are set to rise sharply.
Nestlé.
Business News
Nestlé posts steady organic growth as infant formula recall...
Nestlé has reported full-year 2025 sales of CHF 89.5 billion (US$101.5 billion) with 3.5% organic growth, driven by a second-half acceleration in real internal growth (RIG) from 0.2% to 1.4%. However, net profit dropped 17% to CHF 9.0 billion (US$10.2 billion) and the company’s 2026 outlook is clouded by the financial and reputational fallout from the recent global infant formula recall that triggered criminal complaints in France and product withdrawals across more than 60 countries.“I am encouraged by our performance during 2025, which reflects the targeted actions we have taken in a difficult external environment,” says Nestlé CEO Philipp Navratil. The underlying trading operating profit (UTOP) margin came in at 16.1%, down 110 basis points year on year, while free cash flow reached CHF 9.2 billion (US$10.4 billion). Navratil says improving organic growth, RIG, and market share trends in the second half “show that our actions are working.” 
Arnold Delhaize.
Business News
Ahold Delhaize’s reformulation drive elevates “healthy”...
Ahold Delhaize has reported fourth-quarter 2025 net sales of €23.5 billion (US$27.8 billion), an increase of 6.1% at constant exchange rates, with 52.1% of own-brand food sales now classified as “healthy” — a figure that signals the Belgian-Dutch retailer’s reformulation commitments and health-driven product strategy are succeeding commercially. Full-year net sales hit €92.4 billion (US$109 billion), with an underlying operating margin of 4.0%. Comparable sales excluding gasoline rose 2.5% in Q4, outpacing a US supermarket market where volumes declined 2% over the year. 

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Consumers crave enhanced mouthfeel experiencesFeb2026

Data from Innova Market Insights shows that consumers are increasingly curious about texture when purchasing indulgent F&B products. They are drawn to smooth, creamy textures while also exploring ...

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Sweetener trends & insights: Opportunities for calorie-conscious innovation Feb 2026

Innova Market Insights reveals that nearly half of consumers globally are turning to sweeteners to satisfy their sweet cravings while aiming to reduce their calorie intake. This growing demand for lower-calorie options is fueling innovation in the sweetener market, presenting new opportunities for the development of novel sweetener solutions in F&B products.

Trend analysis

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Plant-based innovation: Beyond dairy and meat alternativesFeb 2026

Plant-based products now extend beyond dairy and meat alternatives, including both category replicas and standalone or hybrid products. Innova Market Insights data shows plant-based F&B launches have seen steady growth globally over the past five years, with Europe leading the way. Dairy remains the top category in these launches.

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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Döhler Thumbnail
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Döhler spotlights cost-effective indulgence and trending flavors

Fruit inclusions and multilayered textures are helping add more indulgence to better-for-you products. Katharina Mahnken, product manager for Europe at Döhler, highlights solutions for overcoming challenging protein off-notes and discusses trending market flavors, driven by social media and...

Oliver Coppenuer
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Vegetables marry chocolate in “Vegilate” creation
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ISM 2026 recap: Alternative ingredients address confectionery industry challenges
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Valio on “permissible indulgence” and high-protein innovation
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