Which food and beverage predictions came true in 2024 - and which didn’t?
How accurate were predictions on food and beverage this year?
Diet & health
How brands are successfully navigating the decline in alcohol consumption
Alcohol consumption has been on a global decline for decades. So how is industry adapting to this change and what does the future hold for the alcoholic beverage industry?
Why the food industry wants salt reduction
A range of companies within food and beverage want to reduce salt and sodium. What’s driving this trend?
Are diet drinks damaging to gut health?
The diet drinks industry is booming, but could links to gut damage threaten its success?
Is potassium a good alternative to sodium in salt?
Potassium is one of the most popular replacements for sodium in salt. But it may not be free of downsides.
UPF lawsuit threat: how likely is one in the EU?
A lawsuit in the US has targeted several large food manufacturers, alleging the products they make are designed to be addictive. Could such a lawsuit occur in Europe?
Is Gen Z embracing the healthy eating trend?
Healthy eating is dominating food and beverage, but how are younger people responding?
Kraft Heinz and Mondelēz International among companies targeted by UPF lawsuit
A US lawsuit alleges major food companies engineer UPFs to make them as addictive as possible to consumers, especially children.
Novonesis invests in healthy plant-based eating market
Ingredients major Novonesis is tapping into a range of key food and beverage trends.
Is government HFSS obsession unhealthy?
HFSS cuts have been high on government healthcare agendas for years now. But is the rush to reformulate doing more harm than good?
Are GLP-1 drugs driving the fortification trend?
Users of weight loss drugs like Ozempic often need more nutritionally dense food as a result. Is the market supplying it?
‘Mood food’ megatrend set to boom in 2025
As poor mental health continues to rise across the globe, consumers are growing increasingly reliant on ‘mood foods’.
Elevate your nutrition knowledge with our biggest ever global broadcast series
Eight free webinars, over 50 experts and one unmissable opportunity to turn nutrition insights into action. It’s FoodNavigator’s global Positive Nutrition event
Major NPD opportunities in intermittent fasting
Fasting diets are creating huge NPD opportunities in food and beverage. So, how can brands get involved and what’s next for this mega trend?
Front-of-pack labelling ‘must be mandatory’ urges sector head
Governments must work harder to push food and drink manufacturers to reduce sugar in their products and enforce front-of-pack labelling on the sector.
How microplastics affect gut health
How, and why, do microplastics alter the microbiome?
UPF: How can industry improve consumer perceptions?
Ultra-processed foods have received a barrage of bad press in recent years, resulting in a sharp decline in consumer acceptance. But ultra-processing methods are going nowhere fast. So, what can the industry do to improve opinions?
6 ingredients defining food industry trends
As the food industry evolves, we look at six ingredients that encapsulate some of its overriding trends.
The 3 big focus food and drink ingredients trends
Three macro trends will dominate the food and drinks sector – and ingredients landscape – in the year ahead, as FoodNavigator reveals.
Therapeutic food development leads to gut health breakthrough
Therapeutic foods have been used to combat malnutrition in children since their inception in 1996. But could they also boost gut health in children and adults? And what NPD opportunities would this create?
Dsm-firmenich focuses on trio of business-driving investments
Ingredients major dsm-firmenich will invest in a trio of areas to bolster business growth over the coming years.
FrieslandCampina Ingredients invests in health
FrieslandCampina Ingredients aims to fuel the current consumer demand for health through proteins and prebiotics.
FoodNavigator Investigates: From AI to UPF
From EUDR to alt meats, ultra-processed foods to gut health, FoodNavigator’s ‘watch’ series delves deeper into the subjects that matter to you.
NPD Trend Tracker: From functional drinks to brand redesigns
This week, two brands are revamping their identity. Plus, we have two functional drinks launches, and an old coffee brand venturing into the flavoured category.
Could keto diet improve autoimmune disease symptoms?
The controversial keto diet is lauded by supporters and condemned by critics. So will research linking it to autoimmune benefits tip the scale in its favour? And what F&B NPD opportunities could that create?
Saccharin daily intake threshold almost doubles post EFSA review
Safe daily intake limits for saccharin have been almost doubled by the European Food Safety Authority following a new review on the sweetener.
Insect protein buzz waning as patents slow
Insect protein’s predicted take off has been less than a flutter as market innovation stagnates, with worldwide patents sliding year-on-year again.
Meat and dairy reduction ‘vital’ to climate health – new report warns
The meat and plant-based industries have locked horns as a new report cites diet change as a key tool in the fight to control global warming and even reverse the climate crisis.
Cultivated meat and precision fermentation – will consumers eat it?
Emerging meat alternatives – cultivated meat and precision fermentation-derived meat – need to present an appealing image to consumers if they are to succeed.
Nestlé’s top six 2025 food and drink innovation trends revealed
Nestlé has revealed the top food and drink trends that will drive its research, development and innovation in 2025, with speed, personalisation and fusion taking centre stage.
Why understanding allergens should be top priority for F&B manufacturers
Undeclared allergens in food and beverage products can be deadly. So why are allergen-related recalls still happening? What is industry doing to prevent them? And what NPD opportunities are being missed?
Why biodiversity is vital to food security
Biodiversity makes soil function effectively, pollinates plants and ensures the functioning of the food system. But what's being done to support biodiversity and is it too little too late?
Customer innovation driving Tate & Lyle volume growth in strong H1 financials
Tate & Lyle has returned to volume growth in the first six months of its financial year, but revenues are down and predicted to be lower still at year end.
UPF debate not black and white
There's a lot more to the UPF debate than just 'good' foods and 'bad' foods. We dive into the great UPF debate to discover more.
Is the Nordic Diet the next major food trend?
Health trends are big business for food and beverage brands. So, will the new Nordic Diet take the industry by storm or be a foodie flash in the pan?
Ozempic, nutri-scores and junk food bans would ‘halve obesity’
Obesity could be halved by the end of the decade if there was better access to weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and junk food businesses faced tighter advertising and nutritional reporting controls.
Start-up pitch
How Fabas Foods is making alt dairy nutritious and sustainable
Alt dairy is proving to be one of the great plant-based success stories. But associations to UPF and questions over sustainability are holding it back. Fabas Foods believes it has the solution.
How F&B is reformulating to make nutrition more affordable
Food and beverage is evolving to make nutrition affordable for all incomes. And it’s using reformulation to do it.
Erectile dysfunction and plant-based diets – a urological health revelation?
The murky waters of urological health are rarely linked to or promoted within food and drink marketing. Could plant-based diets reduce the risk of common conditions such as erectile dysfunction?
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic set to shake the global food industry
Originally intended as a treatment for diabetes, GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic could be set to turn the food and drink industry upside down.
Can plant-based overcome UPF links to avoid future trust issues?
Plant-based diets remain popular, but associations with UPF and low-quality ingredients has shaken consumer trust in alt meat, fish and dairy brands. So, what can the sector do to restore public opinion?
Mars' Kellanova buyout the start of hefty snacking M&A
Mega deals within snacking are picking up pace after a quiet start to the year, with Mars’ Kellanova acquisition the tip of the iceberg as strong financial performances provide corporates with healthy cashflows.
Silver economy: Ultimate growth market sparking NPD in F&B
The ageing population is growing fast, leading to a flurry of NPD, as F&B brands innovate to cater to this growing consumer group.
How Mérieux NutriSciences is busting food safety threats
Food safety is constantly changing. Following its recent acquisition of Bureau Veritas’ food safety business, Mérieux NutriSciences aims to address the risks to product food safety.
Could governments introduce rationing?
Rationing could be a reality as populations grow and climate change bites. But would consumers support it and what would it mean for food manufacturers?
Food industry attacked as ‘accountability’ taxes called for
Food manufacturers could be bound by a list of measures compiled in a bid to better regulate and hold industry accountable for unhealthy products and their consequences to consumer health.
Intermittent fasting could prevent diabetes – How can F&B help?
Diet is a leading cause of type 2 diabetes. Is intermittent fasting the solution? And what can the food and beverage industry do to engage with it?
Growing functional food and beverage trend is an industry goldmine
Brands are reformulating to create functional foods and beverages, catering to everything from gut health to improved sleep. So, how is the sector evolving to meet consumer demand?
Personalised diet breakthrough signals future of industry
New gut health research could be beneficial to personalised nutrition brands fighting for consumer interest.
Replacing oils and fats with water: Deep-tech start-up secures €4.2m
Healthier food-tech business MicroLub, which uses tech to replace fats and oils with water – while claiming sensory retention – has closed a €4.2 seed investment round to commercialise.