Corporación Hijos de Rivera and EIT Food launch second edition of Impact Sips to accelerate functional beverage innovation

Corporación Hijos de Rivera, a leading independent European beverage company and owner of internationally recognised brands such as Estrella Galicia and Cabreiroá, has launched the second edition of Impact Sips in collaboration with EIT Food. EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.

The open innovation programme is designed to identify science-backed functional ingredients and innovative beverage solutions capable of shaping the future of health and wellbeing. The new edition builds on the success of the inaugural programme, which attracted nearly 90 applications from startups across 39 countries. Notably, 73 % of applicants reported having scientific validation supporting their technologies or ingredients, underlining the maturity and quality of the solutions identified.

Following a competitive selection process, six startups were invited to present at the final Demo Day. As a result, Hijos de Rivera is now progressing towards a pilot collaboration with the winning startup, reinforcing the programme’s ambition to turn innovation scouting into tangible business opportunities.

“At Hijos de Rivera, we see functional products as part of a profound shift in consumer expectations. It is no longer enough to choose healthy options or avoid certain ingredients, consumers are looking for products that deliver specific, measurable benefits,” said Yago Campos, Director of R&D&I at Corporación Hijos de Rivera.

Belén Moscoso, Senior Corporate Venturing Manager Europe at EIT Food underlined that “Europe is home to an exceptional ecosystem of startups tackling some of today’s most pressing health challenges. Through Impact Sips, we help connect this innovation with a leading beverage company committed to exploring real collaboration opportunities, pilot projects and future market applications.”

Unlike traditional startup calls, Impact Sips is built to create direct, practical collaboration opportunities between startups and Corporación Hijos de Rivera. Selected startups will gain direct access to teams across Open Innovation, R&D, marketing and business development, with the opportunity to explore pilot projects and long-term commercial partnerships.

Responding to shifting consumer needs

The second edition of Impact Sips launches amid growing demand for products that offer benefits beyond basic nutrition. According to EIT Food’s Consumer Observatory, six in ten European consumers define health in terms of mental wellbeing, while more than half are willing to try food and beverage products that support emotional health. At the same time, nearly one in two Europeans already incorporates supplements into their daily routines.

Reflecting evolving consumer priorities, Impact Sips 2026 will focus on three key areas:

• Healthy ageing: Ingredients that support longevity, skin health and healthy ageing
• Mental wellbeing: Solutions that enhance mood, focus, stress management and emotional wellbeing
• Metabolic health: Ingredients that support satiety, digestive health and metabolic function, including solutions complementary to GLP-1 therapies

All solutions must demonstrate evidence-based functional benefits alongside clear commercial potential. Selected innovations may be developed in liquid formats or other beverage-related consumption formats.

These trends are creating significant opportunities for science-based beverages and functional ingredients. Metabolic health, in particular, is one of the fastest-growing areas of innovation, driven by rising consumer interest in satiety, digestive health and lifestyle changes linked to the expansion of GLP-1 therapies.

Applications are open until July 10, 2026, and up to six finalists will be invited to present at the final Demo Day at the company’s headquarters and innovation centres in A Coruña, Spain, pitching their solutions directly to senior leadership.