EXBERRY^® colour supplier GNT has welcomed China’s decision to introduce an official industry standard for Colouring Foods.

“Colouring Food Ingredients for the Food Industry (QB/T6500-2024)” came into force nationwide on May 1, 2025, and regulates their production, use, and labeling. It has been developed by the China National Food Industry Association (CNFIA) and China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) alongside GNT and other relevant experts and stakeholders.

Colouring Foods – which were developed by GNT in 1978 – are plant-based, edible concentrates and are used to deliver colour to food, drink, and supplements. China’s new industry standard stipulates that they must be made from fruits, vegetables, plants, or algae that are normally consumed as foodstuffs.

In addition, Colouring Foods can only be created using physical processing methods and without the use of chemical solvents. Unlike most natural colouring solutions, these products must retain the key properties of the raw materials, including colour, taste, and nutritional value. Rigorous testing and quality control measures are also required to ensure that all Colouring Food ingredients meet the highest safety standards.

Due to the way they are produced, the standard classifies Colouring Foods as ingredients rather than additives. This means they qualify for clean and clear label declarations with wordings that reflect the colouring characteristic and the function, such as “carrot colouring ingredient.”

Silke Fallah, Head of Global Regulatory Affairs at GNT Group, said: “This industrial standard is an important step forward for Colouring Foods and a great achievement for getting regulatory clarity for the Chinese market.”

Prior to the introduction of the industry standard for Colouring Foods, Chinese manufacturers had relied on a voluntary group standard. It was issued by the CNFIA in 2017 and gained a high degree of recognition but lacked official industry endorsement.

The CNFIA submitted a project application for the industry standard in 2019 and received approval for its development the following year. It applies to all manufacturers selling food and drink in China and covers issues including technical requirements, inspection rules, labeling and packaging, storage, and transportation of Colouring Food ingredients.

Andreas Thiede, APAC General Manager for GNT Group, said: “Colouring Foods are becoming increasingly popular in China as consumers seek out cleaner labels, so we’re delighted that they now have official industry recognition. Our plant-based EXBERRY® colour portfolio includes a complete spectrum of Colouring Foods that are fully compliant with the new standard. We’re excited to be able to help manufacturers across China take advantage of this key development.”

The food industry is going through a time of profound change, driven by current environmental challenges, new consumption habits and the need for more sustainable and efficient production models. In this scenario, innovation in beverages, new ingredients and Research and Development (R&D) plays a decisive role in responding to these challenges and moving towards healthier, more responsible and future-proof food.

Against this backdrop of transformation, F4F – Expo FoodTech 2025, the technology fair for the food industry that will take place from 13 to 15 May at the BEC in Bilbao, will focus on how innovation in beverages, the development of new ingredients and applied research are redefining the future of the sector. More than 8,000 professionals from the entire food value chain will gather at the event, where they will discover the most cutting-edge solutions in foodtech, robotics, automation, processing and packaging machinery, food safety and science applied to food production. All of this will be presented by more than 250 leading firms such as Agrobank, AZTI, Basque Food Cluster, Christeyns, CNTA, Cocuus, Eurecat, Ibernova, IFR, Leitat, Tecnalia and Basque Culinary Center, among others.

Over the course of three days, more than 320 national and international experts will take part in the Food 4 Future World Summit, the largest European congress on food innovation, where they will share digital transformation strategies, success stories, and the latest trends in food production and consumption. Among the influential voices attending the summit are Javier Dueñas, CEO of Campofrío; Carmen Guelbenzu, Food Commercial Director at EROSKI; Suelen Tracastro de Souza, Head of Health Affairs at Danone; Isabel Sánchez, CEO of Delaviuda; Asunción Eguren, CEO of Bodegas Eguren Ugarte; and Joan Mir, General Director of Anecoop.

Drinks of the future: functionality, sustainability, and new consumption habits

The major food technology fair will shine a spotlight on the dynamic non-alcoholic beverage sector, a booming market where innovation is key to responding to emerging consumption trends, healthier preferences, and sustainability demands. Experts such as Laura Aranda, Business and Innovation Manager for Waters at Danone; Francisco Álvarez, Innovation Manager in Water and Non-Alcoholic Beverages at Hijos de Rivera; and Montserrat Rosell, Oenologist at Familia Torres, will share their insights on how brands are transforming their portfolios by developing products that combine quality, functionality, and environmental commitment.

Sustainability will be one of the core themes of the Beverages Industry Summit, especially the transition toward zero-emission industries. Cristina Rodríguez, Head of Sustainability at EROSKI, will highlight the main challenges the sector faces in this transition—from maintaining quality and competitiveness to adapting to new regulations and gaining the support of an increasingly informed consumer.

A similar commitment to sustainability and resilience can be seen in the dairy sector, where collaboration is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This will be addressed by representatives from leading companies and cooperatives, such as Naroa Sarasua, Head of Sustainability at Kaiku Cooperative; Ana Alicia Bolívar, Head of Sustainability at COVAP; and Rubén Hidalgo, Director of Capsa Vida, who will emphasize sector-wide partnerships as a key tool for driving more responsible production and consumption practices.

New ingredients and alternative proteins: innovation for more sustainable nutrition

In parallel, the challenge of ensuring access to sustainable protein for a growing global population will open the floor for debate on new alternative sources. Anna Handschuh, Head of Global Public Affairs & Impact at Gourmey; Lou Cooperhouse, Founder, President and CEO of Blue Nalu; and Laura Pedrós, Business Development Specialist at LevProt, will explore innovative sources that can be integrated into food products to meet consumer needs and market trends—new ways to deliver nutritious solutions with a lower environmental footprint.

The future of food also hinges on the development of next-generation ingredients capable of improving the nutritional profile, functionality, and sustainability of foods. Experts from Tecnalia, Leitat, and the National Center for Food Technology and Safety (CNTA) will present the latest research and technological advances driving this invisible yet essential revolution aimed at satisfying an increasingly informed consumer. Meanwhile, representatives from Clusaga, Mediterranean Algae, and Poseidona will highlight how advanced processing and preservation techniques are reshaping the rules of the game in the food industry.

Personalisation, technology, and climate change: keys to the new food R&D

Personalisation and functionality are also gaining ground in food design, thanks to cutting-edge technologies such as 3D printing, omics sciences, and new sustainable extraction techniques. Alvar Gràcia, Senior Researcher at Leitat; Javier Campión, Coordinator of the Health and Gastronomy Area at the GOe Tech Center of the Basque Culinary Center; and Leyre Urtasun Del Castillo, Head of Product Development in the R&D Department at CNTA, will analyse how these advances allow for the creation of products tailored to the specific needs of different population groups – children, the elderly, athletes – opening new paths for more precise, healthy, and sustainable nutrition.

The R&D Directors Summit at Expo FoodTech 2025 will also address one of the most pressing global challenges: the impact of climate change on food security. Experts from the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), international representatives of the Association Climatologique de la Moyenne-Garonne et du Sud-Ouest (ACMG), as well as from the University of the Basque Country (UPV) and the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development (Neiker), will delve into emerging risks for agriculture, livestock, and fisheries, and the urgent need to design adaptation strategies to ensure the future availability and quality of food.

Ingredients identified by GlobalData’s AI Palette platform are already appearing in new product innovation, tempting consumers with niche flavours, health benefits, and premium offerings.

GlobalData’s AI Palette innovation and consumer insights platform has analysed the data from thousands of flavours and ingredients, pinpointing six that are set to drive new product development in the alcoholic beverages industry in 2025.

Leveraging the world’s largest consumer data lake, with a staggering 61 billion global data points collected in real-time from social media, e-commerce, and foodservice menus, the AI platform delivers powerful insights into emerging flavours and ingredients, as well as category opportunities.

Alice Popple-Connelly, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The alcoholic drinks sector is currently navigating significant challenges, including a global trend toward reduced alcohol consumption driven by health concerns, fierce competition from alternative beverage categories, and the ongoing impact of universal tariffs on U.S. imports.

“Tempting drinkers with cutting edge innovation or core brand enhancements based upon new flavours and ingredients is essential for category growth. For example, ingredient innovation will help brewers maintain their “cross-generational appeal”, especially with Gen Z consumers, and compete with other beverage categories in key consumption occasions such as on-premise and at-home.”

GlobalData’s latest report ‘Emerging Flavours & Ingredients in Alcoholic Beverages’, uses findings from AI Palette’s Foresight Engine, to identify one standout ingredient for each of six key markets analysed, that is suitable for alcoholic beverages innovation. These include, White Pepper in India, Tahini in the UK, and Valencia Orange in the US.

Each of the six selected ingredients is classified as having “high growth” and “high engagement” based upon consumers interactions with them across social media, retail and restaurant industry sites over recent years – as measured during the review period in March 2025. The report places each ingredient into an ingredient family, provides suggestions on ingredient pairings, and reviews how brands can leverage these ingredients in alcoholic drinks and capitalise on their benefits.

The six emerging flavours and ingredients identified in the report:

Tahini

Is a creamy paste with a slightly bitter undertone made from ground sesame seeds. Common in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and North African cuisines. One promising opportunity for tahini lies in the rapidly growing UK stout segment, which is expected to achieve a 14.2 % CAGR from 2020 to 2029, according to GlobalData. Rogue Ales & Spirits has innovatively incorporated the flavours of tahini into ist 2022 Santa’s Private Reserve stout, in collaboration with Honey Mama’s.

Flavour Profile: Nutty, Woody, Bitter

Ingredient Pairings: Chocolate, Tangerine, Honey

Ingredient Benefits: Strong nutritional profile, Creates a creamy texture, Subtle neutral colouring

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

Is a plant known for its red calyces, which are often used in herbal teas, health drinks, tonics, jams, jellies, yoghurt, lozenges and candies. In recent years, roselle juice has become more popular in functional drinks aimed at hydration, digestion and heart health. It is more widely consumed in the Middle East & Africa as well as the Asia & Australasian markets. In the latter, it’s ‘floral’ flavour ranks among the top five flavours within spirits, making it the highest-ranking region for this flavour in the alcoholic beverages sector, according to GlobalData’s Q1 2024 consumer survey.

Flavour Profile: Floral, Fruity, Herbal

Ingredient Pairings: Lime, Lemon, Ginger

Ingredient Benefits: Health functionality, Younger generation appeal, Attractive colour

Valencia Orange

Is a summer variety of Citrus sinensis, which includes other cultivars such as Cara Cara, blood and navel oranges. The inclusion of Valencia oranges in alcoholic beverages, is both appealing and growing in demand in the United States, where consumers express a preference for sweet flavours in wines, beer and cider.

Flavour Profile: Tangy, Sweet, Bitter

Ingredient Pairings: Cranberry, Honey, Vanilla

Ingredient Benefits: Nutritional benefits, Regional authenticity, Versatility with other flavours

Olive (Olea Europaea)

Is a small fruit native to the Mediterranean region, prized for its rich flavour and versatility. The inclusion of olives as in ingredient and flavour in alcoholic beverages is up and coming due to its unique taste profile, with South Africa emerging as a key market, reflecting growing consumer demand for natural and healthy products.

Flavour Profile: Bitter, Nutty, Earthy

Ingredient Pairings: Rosemary, Orange, Lemon

Ingredient Benefits: Unique and distinct flavour, Rich in healthy fats, Digestive health

White Pepper

Often used as a conceptual flavour descriptor rather than a physical ingredient in alcoholic beverages, white pepper is widely utilised in culinary traditions worldwide. The appeal of flavours that white pepper can facilitate in alcohol, such as spicy and woody, are appealing to consumers and demand for them is high in the MENA and Asia pacific regions.

Flavour Profile: Earthy, Fiery, Woody

Ingredient Pairings: Peach, Caramel, Agave

Ingredient Benefits: Subtle and versatile colour, Intensify other flavours, Anti-inflammatory properties

Finger Lime

Finger lime (Citrus Australasica) is a unique citrus fruit native to the rainforests of eastern Australia, known for its vibrant flavour and distinctive texture. Citrus flavours already holds a strong position in the alcoholic beverage market as an ingredient in spirits such as gin and vodka, making finger lime a promising option in high consuming spirits markets like the UK, and in Australasia where the fruit is produced.

Flavour Profile: Citrus, Floral, Bitter

Ingredient Pairings: Peach, Caramel, Agave

Ingredient Benefits: Premiumisation, Versatile flavour, Novelty

Popple-Connelly adds: “GlobalData’s AI Palette innovation and consumer insights platform provides key global insights into which ingredients and flavours are emerging in real time, serving as a powerful foundation for brand innovation. Leveraging these emerging ingredients and conceptual flavours allow alcoholic drink brands to target novel, experiential and health-conscious consumers thereby gaining a competitive edge. Each ingredient identified by the platform presents a unique opportunity for innovation across various alcoholic drink categories, empowering brands to confidently explore new possibilities.”

Anuga Select Japan 2025 returns to Tokyo Big Sight – A premier global platform for food innovation and international business matching.

Following its highly successful debut in 2024, Anuga Select Japan – part of the globally renowned “Anuga” food trade fair brand – is set to return for its second edition from April 15 to April 17, 2025, at Tokyo Big Sight. As one of the most internationally diverse food and beverage trade shows in Japan, Anuga Select Japan continues to solidify its position as a key event for global industry professionals seeking entry into the Japanese and wider Asian markets.

The inaugural edition in 2024 welcomed exhibitors from 9 countries, with over 86 % of participants coming from overseas—a strong testament to the show’s global appeal and uniqueness within Japan’s food trade fair landscape. This exceptional level of internationality is expected to grow even further in 2025, as the event expands its offerings and reach.

Anuga Select Japan 2025 will once again be held in conjunction with several prominent co-located exhibitions, including the internationally acclaimed ISM Japan (International Sweets and Snacks Trade Fair), FABEX Tokyo, Premium Food Show, and ProWine Tokyo. This combined format creates a powerful synergy, drawing a diverse audience of food and beverage professionals from across the globe and offering a comprehensive overview of current industry trends and innovations.

In response to the increasing global focus on health, sustainability, and ethical food production, this year’s edition will spotlight cutting-edge categories such as Organic and plant-based products, Nutritional supplements and functional foods, Eco-friendly packaging and sustainable supply chains.

As Japan continues to address the challenges of a super-aged society, the demand for products that promote longevity and wellness is growing rapidly. Anuga Select Japan 2025 will serve as a critical hub for discussion and exchange around these topics, particularly within the East Asian region. By facilitating meaningful connections between global suppliers and local buyers, the show will play a vital role in advancing food innovation and creating new business opportunities.

Organised under the esteemed Anuga brand by Koelnmesse, in partnership with industry leaders and regional stakeholders, Anuga Select Japan 2025 is poised to become an unmissable event for anyone involved in the future of food.

More and more people around the world are turning to food and beverages that offer them functional added value and are tailored to their personal needs. This growing demand is also reflected in a survey conducted by Innova Market Insights: 42 % of respondents said that a product’s health benefits were a key quality criterion for them. According to the survey, one in five is willing to pay more for functional ingredients that address specific health issues (Innova Market Insights: Global Ingredient Trends 2025).

How manufacturers score in the marketplace

This opens up a wide range of innovation opportunities for food and drink manufacturers. By highlighting certain ingredients on the packaging, the functional added value of a product can be better communicated and health-conscious target groups appealed to. The micronutrient experts at SternVitamin help manufacturers to develop innovative products that are tailored to specific target groups and at the same time enable health claims to be made. Based on nutritional trends, the company develops customized micronutrient premixes that reflect current market demand in line with trends.

Personalised nutrition as a key topic

Personalised nutrition was highlighted as one of the key themes in Innova’s Nutrition Trends 2025 study (Innova Market Insights: Top 10 F&B Trends 2025). “Consumers are increasingly attaching importance to products that are specifically tailored to their stage of life or their specific health needs. This applies to dietary supplements as well as to food and beverages,” explains Anna Schäfer, Junior Product Manager at SternVitamin. SternVitamin’s focus is particularly on women’s health. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause mean that women of different ages and stages of life want to actively support their bodies. With premix solutions such as SternWoman 45+, which contains plant extracts such as green tea and blackcurrant extract in addition to various vitamins and minerals, SternVitamin supports interested companies from idea generation to product development.

From nutrition trends to functional products – focus on micronutrients

As Innova’s nutrition trends show, there is growing interest in a wide range of health trends, and increasingly in products with functional added value. With an annual growth rate of 6.4 %, this trend is also reflected in the market for new products enriched with vitamins and minerals (Innova Market Insights, CAGR 2020-2024).

The “beauty from within” trend represents a holistic approach to health that aims to enhance beauty from within. For example, vitamins such as A, C and E are important for a strong skin barrier, while various B vitamins are important for beautiful and healthy hair.

In addition to physical health, consumers are also interested in mental health. Globally, 36 % of respondents cite mental and emotional wellbeing as a primary health goal (Innova Lifestyle & Attitudes Survey, 2024). In line with this, SternVitamin has developed the Matcha Wafer Snack with the SternPowerUp premix, which supports cognitive performance with a blend of B vitamins, vitamin C, zinc and matcha powder, and can reduce the occurrence of fatigue.

The gut is also increasingly becoming the focus of health-conscious nutrition. Scientific research shows that a healthy microbiome is essential for the immune system, digestion, and even mental wellbeing. Manufacturers offering innovative solutions for holistic gut health are thus tapping into another growing market segment. Anna Schäfer: “With SternGutFeeling, SternVitamin has an innovative premix solution consisting of short-chain fructooligosaccharides, vitamins C, D, E, zinc and selenium in its portfolio, and supports manufacturers in product development with scientific expertise in micronutrients.”

One of the world’s largest cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, Altinmarka, has launched a food & beverage product line made from upcycled cocoa fruit. The new range, Cacaonly, uses the natural sweetness of the cocoa fruit, eliminating the need for refined sugar.

At the heart of the Cacaonly range is the Cacaonly chocolate, a fruity and intense dark chocolate that is 100 % sweetened with dried cocoa fruit pulp. With production facilities in Europe and Turkey, Cacaonly chocolate is available as a couverture for global industry chocolate makers, and as a bar for consumers through Kahve Dünyası in Turkey.

Kahve Dünyası, a cafe chain with over 250 stores across the globe and a subsidiary of Altinmarka, has launched the Cacaonly beverage in Turkey. This iced drink is made with cocoa fruit juice, which gives it a tropical and lychee-like taste. The low-calorie drink has no added sugar, additives, or preservatives. A powdered-inspired version of the drink has also been launched by Altinmarka.

With the versatility of cocoa fruit as a sweetener, textural element, and sustainable ingredient in foods and beverages, Altinmarka is set to expand the Cacaonly product line, introducing more offerings.

To source its cocoa fruit ingredients, Altinmarka partners with Koa, a Swiss-Ghanaian scale-up that works with over 5,000 smallscale farmers in Ghana. By upcycling cocoa fruit pulp, Koa pays farmers in Ghana an additional income stream from cocoa, which farmers use to invest in their farms and improve their livelihoods.

‘Cacaonly is a testament to the power of partnership,’ says Anian Schreiber, CEO and Co-Founder of Koa. ‘By unlocking the full potential of the cocoa fruit, we’re proving that innovation and sustainability don’t have to be at odds—they can go hand in hand. Together with Altinmarka and Kahve Dünyası, we’re not just making chocolate and beverages; we’re rewriting the playbook for the cocoa industry—one that lifts farmers up and creates a more delicious, responsible future for all.’

Cacaonly is now available for the industry through Altinmarka.

1.7 billion liters of food in SIG’s sustainable packaging innovations

SIG announced the continued success of its SIG Terra portfolio, with a 15 % increase in sales for SIG Terra packaging materials for aseptic cartons in 2024. The growth is well above the strong 6 % overall revenue growth¹ of the company’s carton packaging and demonstrating the unbroken increase in market demand for sustainable packaging solutions. SIG Terra is SIG’s marker for sustainable packaging innovations, which the company constantly evolves for better.

In 2024 alone, approximately 1.7 billion liters of food were packed in packs made with SIG Terra packaging materials. Since its introduction, SIG has now sold enough packs with SIG Terra solutions to fill around 6 billion liters of food, marking a milestone in SIG’s mission to drive sustainable innovation. Market expansion in Europe and a successful sales ramp-up of the SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier packaging material in China further highlight the growing preference for SIG’s even more sustainable offerings. SIG Terra solutions in aseptic cartons accounted for 9.3 % of the food packed in SIG aseptic cartons in Europe – where uptake has remained strong – and 4.1 % worldwide.

Sustainable innovation as strategic pillar

SIG is dedicated to creating a regenerative future. The company continuously strives to actively protect and restore ecosystems, mitigate climate change, improve access to nutrition, cut food waste and accelerate innovation on circularity. To achieve this, SIG focuses on areas where it has the largest impact and opportunities. SIG’s packs are among the most sustainable packaging solutions in each relevant market segment² – and the company is innovating to reduce its environmental impact even further.

By developing innovative, even more sustainable packaging materials, SIG offers industry-leading solutions for customers with significantly reduced lifecycle carbon footprint and environmental impacts2. The SIG Terra portfolio represents SIG’s most sustainable packaging innovations, including aseptic carton packaging materials without aluminum layer, with polymers linked to forest-based and recycled materials through certified mass balance systems as well as recycle-ready bag-in-box and spouted pouch solutions.

With a strong focus on reducing fossil material use and carbon emissions, SIG has set multiple industry benchmarks, including the launch of the world’s first aluminum-free aseptic carton in 2010, with a full-barrier version for wider use with oxygen-sensitive products such as fruit juices, nectars, flavored milk or plant-based beverages following in 2022 and the first recycle-ready bag-in-box for water in 2021.

Sustainable transition without additional investment

As demand for sustainable packaging grows, SIG’s advanced solutions allow food and beverage manufacturers to align with consumer preferences and achieve their sustainability targets. SIG Terra packaging materials without aluminum layer are designed to be compatible with existing SIG filling lines in the market and enable customers to transition to more sustainable packaging options without the need for additional CAPEX.

Commitment to a regenerative future

SIG remains committed to pushing the boundaries of sustainable packaging. With a focus on innovation, SIG continues to refine its portfolio, ensuring that its solutions not only meet but exceed industry sustainability standards. Christoph Wegener, Chief Markets Officer at SIG, underscores this dedication: “The success of our SIG Terra portfolio shows that the demand for even more sustainable packaging solutions is accelerating. At SIG, we are driven by a vision of a regenerative future, and we are proud to support our customers in making meaningful progress in their sustainability targets.”

¹at constant currency
²based on independent ISO-compliant life-cycle assessments available at https://www.sig.biz/en/sustainability/life-cycle-assessments

Califia Farms^®, a leading, premium, plant-based beverage brand in the U.S., is turning on vacation mode with the launch of an all-new product line, Califia Farms Creamy Refreshers. Made with nearly 60 % less sugar than leading fruit juice beverages^*, these new delights bring fans back to Califia’s fruity roots that began 15 years ago. Available in four refreshing flavours like Strawberry Creme and Key Lime Colada, each Refresher combines coconut cream with real juice to provide natural nourishment and Califia’s signature irresistible goodness.

“Over the last 15 years, Califia Farms has loved experimenting with the endless possibilities of plants. Creamy Refreshers is a perfect example of how that innovation unlocked something new, delicious, and fresh,” said Suzanne Ginestro, CMO, Califia Farms. “Today’s consumer embraces mindful indulgences and we’re proud to bring a new little sweet treat to retail shelves.”

Crafted with simple, plant-based ingredients, all four Refreshers have less sugar than leading competitors, are soy-free, gluten-free and have just the right amount of sweetness. Enjoyed best over ice, flavours include:

• Strawberry Creme Refresher: Blends real strawberry juice with coconut cream for a smooth and refreshing delight at any time of day. 9 g of sugar per serving.
• Key Lime Colada Refresher: A bright, refreshing blend of real key lime juice with smooth coconut cream for a satisfyingly creamy taste. 8 g of sugar per serving.
• Piña Colada Refresher: Indulge in the classic and refreshing combination of real pineapple juice with coconut cream for a tropical, plant-based treat. 9 g of sugar per serving.
• Orange Creme Refresher: A sweet, citrusy blend of real orange juice and smooth coconut cream for a perfectly balanced and nostalgic treat. 10 g of sugar per serving.

Refreshers first appeared at Expo West and have a MSRP of USD 5.99 and are available in the U.S. at Albertsons, Target, and Kroger.

The U.S. juice market is expected to reach 3.35B this year¹ with 57 % of consumers purchasing juices in the past year, and nearly two-thirds drinking juice weekly.² Gen Z and millennials purchase the most juice, as evidenced by the cascades of social media moments showing influencers’ fun beverages treats throughout the day. Additionally, as juice consumption rises, so do concerns around ingredients. In fact, sugar reduction claims are the most popular benefit among non-alcoholic beverage launches.³

About Califia Farms (pronounced “Cal-uh-FEE-ahh” like California)
Califia Farms is on a mission to create a future where plants replace dairy, without compromise. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Califia produces innovative, healthy and great-tasting plant-based options. The brand’s wide range of plant milks, creamers, barista products, brewed-to-blend coffees, teas, and juices and are made using the highest-quality ingredients from whole food plant sources. Driven by shifting consumer demands for clean and sustainable products, Califia introduced hugely successful organic options with simple ingredients in 2023. The company continues to reduce its footprint, contributes to resilient agriculture and accelerates the circular economy, through actions like converting to 100 % recycled plastic in all its bottles and working with almond growers to plant organic crops. Founded in 2010, today Califia is one of the leading plant-based beverage brands in the U.S. and has on-the-ground operations in the U.K. with a brand presence in several other countries.

^*Compare 8-10g of sugar per serving in Califia Farms Creamy Refreshers vs. an average of 24g sugar per serving in leading fruit juice beverages.
¹“Juices Market in the United States.” Statista, accessed Feb. 20, 2025, https://www.statista.com/outlook/emo/beverages/non-alcoholic-drinks/juices/united-states.
²Innova Market Insights. (n.d.). Juice market trends in the U.S. Retrieved February 19, 2025, from https://www.innovamarketinsights.com/trends/juice-market-trends-in-the-us/
³GlobalData. (2024). The Sugar Challenge Report 2024: The evolution and future outlook of calorie and sugar reduction in soft drinks. Retrieved from https://www.globaldata.com/custom-solutions/solutions-in-action/sugar-challenge-report-2024-evolution-future-outlook-calorie-sugar-reduction-soft-drinks/

Symrise is relaunching its beverage incubator Califormulations and renaming the brand into bWorks™. This step completes the evolution from a partial investment into a full acquisition over recent years. Since 2019, Symrise has been delivering end-to-end beverage innovation to consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies and their brands. bWorks™ now builds on the existing legacy of innovative and trustworthy beverage solutions. It is expanding its services as an incubation partner with the unique capacity to support both small-scale and large-scale production.

In its capacity as beverage incubator, bWorks™ offers end-to-end solutions from concept to market-ready products. It is leveraging consumer insights, winning flavours, rapid prototyping, as well as agile manufacturing. This unique incubator approach combined with expert taste solutions brings together creativity and commercialisation. This allows for speed to market at the right size with the right flavour profile.

“Our modular services, from insights and design to prototyping, development, and full-scale production, make us the ideal partner our customers’ beverage innovation journey”, states Fernando Levy, Sr. Director of Beverages BU NA. “Customers can obtain limited-edition runs, line extensions, regional or national launches, or long-term productions from us. bWorks™ adapts to customer needs through our bundle services and longstanding flavour expertise”.

As a premier solution turnkey partner, bWorks™ will continue to support customers with beverage innovation across three beverage-focused locations within the USA: Teterboro, NJ, Columbus, GA, and Laguna Beach, CA. The manufacturing site in Columbus, GA, provides agility with run capabilities ranging from 10k to 100k cases per SKU. This covers a variety of packaging, including cans, bottles, and bag-in-box. The site has also received certification from the Department of Agriculture as an approved food manufacturing facility (SQF Level 3, FSMA/HACCP). This includes alcohol permits and the ability to provide certification in Organic, Kosher and Halal.

Molson Coors Beverage Company is expanding its U.S. non-alc portfolio through a new strategic partnership with Fevertree Drinks plc, one of the world leading suppliers of premium carbonated drinks and mixers.

Starting February 1, 2025, Molson Coors will assume exclusive commercialisation rights to Fever-Tree’s award-winning lineup of tonics, ginger beers, cocktail mixers and more in the U.S. and will be responsible for co-manufactured production, marketing, sales and distribution of the brand in the U.S. The move is a significant step forward in Molson Coors’ strategic ambition to build a total-beverage portfolio for a wide range of consumer preferences across traditional alcohol occasions and non-alc occasions alike.

“Our strategic partnership with Fever-Tree in the U.S. is a meaningful step in Molson Coors’ journey to becoming a total-beverage company with a winning portfolio of drinks for a wide variety of consumer occasions. We’ve made progress here, and today we are building on that progress in a significant way with Fever-Tree as the latest and largest non-alc brand to join our portfolio,” Molson Coors Chief Executive Officer Gavin Hattersley said. “The U.S. is our biggest global market by revenue, and the same is true for Fever-Tree, so we believe this partnership provides ample opportunity for our teams to build on the strong success Fever-Tree has achieved to date. Our customers have been asking for a brand just like Fever-Tree from us, and by leveraging the scale, strong relationships and expertise of our team at Molson Coors, I’m confident in the road ahead for Fever-Tree as part of Molson Coors’ growing set of non-alc offerings in the U.S.”

Established in the UK in 2004, Fever-Tree has become a proven leader in a high-growth, above premium space. Drinks International voted it the ‘Number One Top Selling Mixer’ and ‘Number One Top Trending Mixer’ for 11 years running, while the New York International Spirits Competition voted it ‘Mixer Brand of the Year’ for four years running. In the U.S., Fever-Tree’s largest global market by revenue, the brand has consistently built on its first-mover advantage, and in doing so has become the #1 tonic and ginger beer brands nationwide, per Nielsen [since 2007].

Molson Coors plans to build on the position Fever-Tree has already established in the U.S. by leveraging its core strengths, commercial scale and supply chain expertise to expand distribution, grow brand awareness, and create a solid runway for long-term growth in the U.S. market.

Underpinning the partnership and reflecting Molson Coors’ long-term focus on – and belief in – the opportunity, the company has agreed to acquire an 8.5% stake in Fevertree Drinks plc, resulting in Molson Coors becoming Fever-Tree’s second largest shareholder.

The partnership with Fever-Tree builds on Molson Coors’ strong recent momentum in the advancement of its Beyond Beer and premiumization strategy. The company took a majority stake in ZOA Energy in November 2024 and has since expanded distribution into new accounts and channels. Additionally, Molson Coors is preparing to bring Naked Life, Australia’s #1 non-alc RTD cocktail, to the U.S. this spring.

Molson Coors and Fever-Tree’s strategic partnership is subject to customary closing conditions.

Almost half of UK consumers intend to spend on Valentine’s Day this year or have already started to spend on it. This is an uplift on 2024 and has been driven by those aged 25-34. With this age group more likely to have young families, consumers plan to buy for partners and significant loved ones such as children and friends. Retailers have the opportunity to utilise the popularity of this occasion among these shoppers to encourage larger basket sizes and boost average spending, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, “Retail Occasions: Valentine’s Day Intentions 2025,” reveals 69.3 % of UK 25–34-year-olds intend to spend on this occasion, marking a 7.8 percentage points (ppts) uplift on 2024 intentions. This age group will account for almost a quarter of Valentine’s Day shoppers in 2025, meaning this is a core target demographic for retailers.

Zoe Mills, Lead Retail Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Intention to spend on Valentine’s Day is high, but few consumers have started to spend on this occasion so far in January, meaning retailers still have plenty of time to entice shoppers to purchase. The grocers are in the best position, with the intention to spend the highest among the food & drink and gifting categories. Romance-themed meal deals including prosecco/champagne, should be promoted at the front of stores.

“However, with the target audience likely to have children, retailers should also include Valentine’s Day-themed products that appeal to a much younger audience. Retailers should emulate Marks & Spencer’s range, including items like Love Hearts Biscuit Kits, enabling adults and children to decorate heart-themed biscuits.”

While partners are the main recipients among Valentine’s Day gift shoppers, more consumers intend to spend on their children for the event, highlighting that this occasion is not just about romantic love but also familial love, coupled with self-love and the appreciation of one’s friends.

Mills continues: “There is ample opportunity for retailers to broaden their reach with this occasion and ensuring a variety of more generic love-themed designs will enable their products to be gifted to a broad range of recipients. 11.9% of Valentine’s shoppers intend to purchase gifts for friends, up 3.2ppts on 2024. This trend is driven by Gen Z consumers, with 59% of this generation stating that Valentine’s Day is not just an occasion to treat their partner and that they like to buy gifts or cards for other loved ones. Events such as Galentine’s Day parties, celebrating friendship, may still be niche but must not be ignored by retailers.”

GlobalData expects that food & drink gifts will be the most popular among Valentine’s Day shoppers, and retailers must ensure plenty of food & drink gift sets to appeal to shoppers, focusing on confectionery and alcoholic drink gift sets.

Mills concludes: “Retailers must focus on food & drink gifts, where the intention to spend is high. The higher intention to spend on these items also implies that Valentine’s Day gifts are more of a token than an excuse to splurge on premium options such as fine jewellery, and retailers must ensure a broad pricing architecture to appeal. Flowers are also an accessible option for male Valentine’s Day shoppers, and providing a broad range to cater to different colour preferences is crucial. Red roses or red & pink bouquets should not be the only options; fun and colourful bouquets could appeal to those looking for something less traditional and more generally to those seeking these gifts for friends.”

With the acquisition of Trident Beverage, makers of Juice Alive, Frazil becomes one of the leading providers of frozen beverages in K-12 schools in the U.S., with thousands of schools in its growing customer base.

Frazil, one of the largest slush brands in the U.S., announces its acquisition of Trident Beverage, a trusted provider of 100 % juice slush for K-12 schools. With this acquisition, Frazil will continue to expand its presence in the K-12 channel, delivering an enhanced and innovative frozen beverage experience to schools across the country.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Trident Beverage team and their incredible legacy of providing schools with trusted products that students love and administrators rely on,” said Kyle Freebairn, CEO of Frazil. “This partnership marks an important milestone in our growth strategy, allowing us to expand our reach with K-12 schools and build on our existing success. Together, we’re combining Trident Beverage’s expertise with Frazil’s bold flavours and exceptional service to elevate the frozen beverage experience for schools across the country.”

Trident Beverage was established in 2004 to meet the growing nutritional demands of the school food service industry and has become a trusted partner for school nutrition departments and administrators across the U.S. Known for its smart snack-approved slushies made with fruit juice, Trident Beverage’s Juice Alive brand offers a healthy and profitable option for schools looking to enhance their beverage offerings.

Explore the latest global flavour trends of 2025, including mega trends and shifts in lifestyle

Innova Market Insights has been a specialist in consumer-packaged goods trends for 30 years. The company now uses an AI-enhanced platform to analyse insights and observations and generate reports like its report on global flavour trends. Innova’s 360 perspective on insights considers many facets of CPG trends, including consumers, categories, packaging, flavours, ingredients, and products. The company takes a top-down and bottom-up approach to identify trends and drivers, including flavour trends. Top-down factors include megatrends and shifts in lifestyle and attitudes. Bottom-up factors incorporate insights from global trend-spotters, as well as category trends. This comprehensive collection of intelligence can be synthesised into reports such as Innova’s Top Trends in Flavours for 2025.

Global flavour trend #1 – Sensory Therapy

Global flavour trends show that today’s world is highly uncertain, and consumers feel the stress. They look for various paths to mental and emotional wellness, including flavour experiences, that can be uplifting or calming. In fact, consumers participating in global consumer flavour trends research say that the most important feature of flavours is that they can enhance mood. Innova describes sensory therapy as leading to euphoric wellness. Flavour trends indicate that manufacturers offer flavour choices to meet consumers’ emotional needs. Flavours can be cheerful and happy, energised, healthy, or relaxed and calm. Familiar flavours and comforting flavours most impact consumer food and beverage choices, with coffee flavour and brown flavours as favourites, especially paired with products that have a creamy or smooth texture.

Global flavour trend #2 – Authentic & Rooted

Authentic & Rooted is Innova’s #2 global flavour trend for 2025. In global consumer trends research, consumers say that they look for authenticity, connection with others, and comfort through real experiences that are rooted in culture. In fact, nearly half of the consumers researched globally say that honoring food traditions with food choices that reflect their heritage is a very to extremely important factor in their diet. Participants in a global consumer trends research report want to see products on supermarket shelves that reflect old and traditional recipes. Furthermore, timeless traditional flavours are nostalgic. A world of flavours is available in all types of products, from ready meals to beverages, snacks, and coffees.

Global flavour trend #3 – Imaginative Taste Adventures

Innova’s #3 global flavour trend for 2025 – Imaginative Taste Adventures – describes consumer pursuit of experiences with flavour adventures and unique flavour combinations. Taste discoveries provide consumers with enjoyment and pleasure in food and beverages. One example of a global food trend is “swicy,” that is, sweet plus spicy. This food and beverage trend in food and beverage generates positive buzz in the form of social media mentions and sentiment trends across social media and online platforms. Taste experiences are highly important to consumers, and consumers looking for taste experiences will seek out creative flavours.

Global flavour trend #4 – Healthier Enjoyment

The #4 global flavour trend, Healthier Enjoyment, stresses the importance of combining health with flavour. By boosting the taste, texture, and healthiness of food and beverage choices, manufacturers make them more enjoyable, as well as satisfying and better for you. In a global consumer trends survey, participants noted the importance of taste and texture – after price – in food and beverage products that are nutritious. Features that improve nutrition include “light” versions that have less sugar, salt, fat, and/or calories, products that are sugar-free, and products with low or no alcohol claims. Consumers have taste expectations for sustainable products too. Consumers report that taste and texture are barriers to choosing sustainable food and beverage products, including plant-based products that they say need better taste and texture.

Global flavour trend #5 – Quality & Enrichment

Consumers globally tell Innova Market Insights that luxurious flavours feel indulgent and enhance a product’s perceived value. While price is important to consumers, the quality of a product relates to its value for money. When consumers were asked about attributes other than price that make a product a good value, premium quality was their top answer. Furthermore, consumers say that they remain brand loyal only if the products are good quality. Flavour is an important conveyor of quality, and indulgent flavours help satisfy consumer cravings.

The prospect of a family Christmas is proving to be far from joyous for Britain’s young consumers, as the latest research from Mintel finds almost six in ten (58 %) 16-24-year-olds say spending time with their family over the festive period is stressful — considerably higher than the national average of 42 %. Stress declines rapidly with age as just 18 % of consumers aged 65 and over anticipate family time this Christmas will be stressful.

Meanwhile, the nation’s children are set to be winners this Christmas, as almost a quarter (23 %) of parents plan to spend more on toys/games this year, compared to (18 %) in 2023.

Mintel sales predictions

Mintel forecasts retail sales by value in November and December (both for in-store and online on food and non-food) to hit £ 95.4 billion. This represents an increase of 1.4 % compared to last November and December when sales reached £ 94.1 billion. Retailers face tougher comparative figures this year compared to 2023, when inflation was higher. However, we expect slightly stronger volume growth, with total sales by volume estimated to grow 1.6 % compared to a -2.0 % decline in 2023, helped by stronger spending intention from select consumer groups (particularly high earners) for the festive period.

Nick Carroll, Category Director of Mintel Retail Insights, said: “Spending time with loved ones is at the heart of festive celebrations, but the reality is that for many, extended periods with family can also create stressful situations. Brands can lean into these potentially tension-inducing family celebrations by offering escapism, especially for younger consumers. Ensuring younger shoppers can still express their individuality during party season is important, and brands can lean into the energy of 2024, as Converse and Charli XcX’s Christmas campaign clearly does. While there’s no escape for those hosting Christmas, brands can be inspired by Ninja Kitchen’s campaign featuring David Beckham, which highlights products that make hosting easier. Wellbeing-related gifting, or self-gifting, will be a key trend this year to help individuals enjoy some ‘me-time’.

“Confidence has been shaky in 2024, with the wounds of the cost of living crisis still healing for most, and the signals for short-term prospects of the UK economy and standard of living at best mixed. However, the festive period is typically when consumers look to shrug off any negativity of the preceding year and ultimately let off some steam. In 2023, the financial pressure was too much to ignore and spending suffered, but the signs are that there will be a little more scope to cut loose in 2024.

“In ‘essential’ areas such as food and drink and children’s gifting, the indications are that a broader church of shoppers will look to, as much as they can, indulge a little more. This will most directly benefit the grocers, but in gifting there will be far more opportunity for premium products and retailers.”

Study found that a combination of a probiotic and prebiotic—referred to as a “synbiotic”—can significantly reduce heart muscle damage caused by diet-induced cardiac disease

In a new peer reviewed study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Basic to Translational Science, Irish researchers have discovered novel links between gut microbes, inflammation and heart disease. Additionally, the study demonstrated that giving a single probiotic combined with a soluble dietary fibre protects against heart disease. The study used Tate & Lyle’s PROMITOR^® Soluble Corn Fibre as the prebiotic component.

The study shows the profound impact of the gut-heart connection on cardiac health. For the first time, a human scale model revealed the full extent of the “gut-heart axis,” showing how gut microbe imbalance and inflammation originating in the gut can contribute to heart damage. Excitingly, the study found that a combination of a probiotic and prebiotic – referred to as a “synbiotic” – can significantly reduce heart muscle damage caused by diet-induced cardiac disease.

This research, led by scientists from APC Microbiome Ireland (APC), a world-leading Research Ireland centre based at University College Cork (UCC), and Teagasc (the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority), was conducted in collaboration with Tate & Lyle, a world leader in ingredient solutions for healthier and tastier food and beverages. The findings demonstrate the potential of reducing the risk of heart disease – especially in people with poor diets and obesity, half of whom experience cardiovascular issues – by manipulating the gut microbiome with synbiotics.

“This is the first time that a bacteria residing only in the gut has successfully been used to treat heart disease associated with obesity and high blood pressure, and our synbiotic treatment equals some of the best available cardiac drugs in a human scale model. This work opens new avenues for potentially groundbreaking disease-modifying therapy in patients with obesity, high blood pressure and diet-related heart disease,” said Prof. Noel Caplice, an APC Principal Investigator, Chair of Cardiovascular Sciences at UCC, and Consultant Cardiologist at Cork University Hospital.

Prof. Catherine Stanton, Senior Principal Research Officer at Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Centre and an APC Principal Investigator, emphasised the innovative potential of this work: “This study highlights the critical role the gut microbiome plays in our health and physiology. Our results are a testament to the power of harnessing gut microbes to protect against some chronic diseases like heart failure. It’s an exciting step forward in personalised nutrition.”

Dr Kavita Karnik, Global Head of Nutrition, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs at Tate & Lyle praised the innovative work, commenting: “At Tate & Lyle, we are proud to support and partner in cutting-edge research that explores how our dietary fibres, when combined with probiotic strains, can be used to improve health outcomes. It is exciting to see the integral role played by PROMITOR^® Soluble Corn Fibre in this unique symbiotic combination. This work creates new opportunities to leverage our science and ingredients to have a positive impact on significant public health challenges such as obesity and associated cardiometabolic outcomes.”

The paper, ‘Targeting the Gut-Heart Axis Improves Cardiac Remodelling in a Clinical Scale Model of Cardiometabolic Syndrome’, is available to read online here.

A harmonious blend of creamy milk and rich maple, ‘Milky Maple’ captures a global desire for warmth, indulgence and wellbeing in 2025.

dsm-firmenich, a global leader in nutrition, health, and sustainable innovation, proudly announces ‘Milky Maple’ as its Flavour of the Year for 2025. This unique creation taps into two beloved trends: the creamy softness of milk mixed with the rich, natural sweetness of maple. The blended flavour provides a sense of calm and contentment and can be incorporated into a wide range of applications.

“As food and beverage trends shift toward comfort, nature and personal wellbeing, people increasingly gravitate towards flavours that offer a taste of familiarity, balance and connection,” said Maurizio Clementi, Executive Vice President of Taste, Texture, and Health at dsm-firmenich. “’Milky Maple’ delivers on this demand – it is a soothing embrace that draws people into a world of warmth and indulgence.”

The maple movement

Maple, long cherished as a North American dietary staple, is rapidly expanding its presence worldwide. Since early 2019, dsm-firmenich’s trend analysts have observed maple transcending geographic and cultural boundaries, gaining popularity as a versatile ingredient across Europe, Asia and beyond. Maple’s adaptability is evident as it moves beyond syrup to influence an array of culinary creations, from baked goods to savory dishes.

“Maple is evolving from a regional favourite to a global flavor phenomenon,” said Jeffrey Schmoyer, VP of Human Insights at dsm-firmenich. “Its ability to offer a feeling of cosiness and its versatility have driven its momentum across diverse cultures and cuisines.”

Mapping Milky Maple’s rise to the top

Maple as a flavour traces its roots back to the sap of select maple tree species – most notably the sugar maple – that flourish in cool, northern climates. As a naturally derived ingredient, maple sap offers a unique sweetness with warm, earthy undertones, making it an attractive alternative to traditional sweeteners and an essential part of the ‘brown note’ flavour family.

“Maple is going mainstream,” said Mikel Cirkus, Senior Director, Foresight & Design at dsm-firmenich. “Candy Cap Mushroom – a natural forest product with a distinctive maple aroma – is already prized by chefs as a flavouring for baked goods, ice cream, confectionary and even beer. This mushroom, part of the Milk Cap group, mirrors the appealing ‘brown note’ qualities of maple, satisfying consumer mood for food that is deeply entrenched in nature.”

The creamy allure of milk is also enjoying a surge in popularity, especially in Asia, where its smooth taste and texture provide a perfect pairing for maple’s sweetness. This growing trend underscores milk’s timeless ability to evoke nostalgia and simplicity, further reinforcing ‘Milky Maple’ as both a flavourful and immersive sensory experience.

Crafting the ultimate Milky Maple moment

Developing the ideal ‘Milky Maple’ flavour requires a combination of sweetness, creaminess and balance, and dsm-firmenich’s capabilities can be leveraged to create a delectable milky maple base. For example, TasteGEM^® 3D Essentials technology can accentuate the natural sweetness of maple. For plant-based applications, SMART MILK flavours and DYNAROME^® DA innovations expertly replicate the creamy, buttery taste and rich texture of traditional milk that perfectly complements maple’s depth. Whether for dairy or plant-based innovations, dsm-firmenich’s advanced solutions can unlock the full potential of this versatile flavour.

What’s more, ‘Milky Maple’ closely aligns with the highly anticipated Pantone Colour of the Year 2025 from Pantone. The world-renowned authority on colour has named the shade ‘PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse’ as the top trending colour for 2025. With their warmth, richness and indulgent associations, both colour and flavour point to a growing tendency for consumers to enjoy small, meaningful moments over the coming year.

“‘Milky Maple’ is an invitation for people to pause and savour a moment of pure warmth and decadence” said Maurizio Clementi, Executive Vice President of Taste, Texture, and Health at dsm-firmenich. “This flavour is a journey – and a gentle reminder of the joy, comfort and connection that can be found in simple pleasures.”

New Prinova concepts at FiEurope 2024 will demonstrate how manufacturers can tap into the latest food and nutrition mega-trends.

Over the past year, Prinova’s bespoke market research has identified the major consumer trends shaping the future of food and nutrition. At FiEurope, the premix expert will showcase a range of concepts that demonstrate how manufacturers can tap into them with innovative new products.

They have been created to provide an example of a possible “good for you” range:

• Good Guts: In Prinova’s most recent research, gut health emerged as the concern most likely to affect consumers’ purchase decisions. This light and refreshing lemon ginger tea for immune support and digestive health is designed as the perfect addition to their daily routines. It includes two powerful prebiotics, Aquamin® and inulin, as well as L-Glutamine – a primary fuel source for immune cells in the gut. They are combined with an expertly formulated blend of vitamins and minerals to help support the digestive tract, immunity and energy levels.
• Good Mind: Prinova identified demand for cognitive wellbeing as one of nine mega-trends for 2024. Flavoured with cherry and grapefruit, this tasty drink offers consumers clean and sustained alertness without the jitters. It contains a blend of well researched ingredients associated with improved concentration and cognitive function, including vitamins, minerals and natural caffeine from green coffee beans.
• Good Game: With consumers turning to healthier beverages as they reduce their alcohol intake, this refreshing kiwi lime beverage offers a convenient way to replenish and energise. Natural electrolytes from Aquamin® aid hydration, which is combined with amino acids for recovery, and B-vitamins and minerals for energy.
• Workout Cookies: Botanicals are one of the ingredients consumers most look for in sports nutrition products. These cookies contain a blend of pomegranate, panax ginseng root and lychee extracts for recovery, oxidative stress reduction and endurance capacity.
• Gaming Gummies: As gaming continues to grow in popularity, players are increasingly recognising the impact that intense sessions can have on their physical and mental performance, as well as the importance of enhanced reaction times. This has increased demand for products with functional ingredients such as nootropics. Containing L-Tyrosine, taurine and natural caffeine, these gummies are designed to address focus, memory and attention.

James Street, Global Marketing Director at Prinova, said: “Prinova’s in-house expertise and research insights have helped us to identify the key trends shaping the future of food and nutrition. At FiEurope, it’s all about inspiring manufacturers to tap into them. Whether it’s the rising demand for cognitive wellbeing, the ‘sober-curious’ trend in beverages, or innovative new sports nutrition solutions, we’re continually tracking the many ways that consumers’ needs are changing. And as these new concepts demonstrate, we have the portfolio of ingredients and the expertise to help you meet them.”

FiEurope will take place between the 19th and 21st of November 2024 at Messe Frankfurt. Prinova will exhibit at Stand 3.1K70, where visitors will also be offered a sneak preview of pre-workout ingredient CitraPeak^TM . Set to launch in Europe in 2025, the clinically supported product is the first 100 % soluble form of hesperidin – a flavonoid that occurs naturally in citrus fruits.

dsm-firmenich, innovators in nutrition, health and beauty, will introduce its latest advances and ambitions to support a healthier, more delicious and sustainable food system at this year’s Food ingredients Europe (Fi Europe). A selection of next-generation solutions will be on display at booth 3.1 F62 in the beverage, baking, confectionery, cheese, plant-based, fresh dairy and savory categories – with an opportunity to sample the latest delicious prototypes. Visitors can also learn directly from dsm-firmenich’s experts at four speaking slots throughout the show, covering important trends in sugar reduction, health benefits, AI-powered fermentation and bakery.

Boosting nutrition in consumer favourites

Today’s consumers have a lot on their plate. Two in three are concerned about their health, two billion are deficient in essential vitamins and minerals and 40 % of adults worldwide are overweight,1 so there’s an urgent need for high-quality food and drink products that support people’s health and well-being.

Maaike Bruins, Lead Scientist Nutrition & Health and Martin Mei, Senior Director Health Benefits & Solutions, both from dsm-firmenich, will address these health concerns head-on with a not-to-be-missed presentation on November 19 at 1:30 PM. They will discuss the best approach to nourish the growing and aging population by adding more of the essential nutrients we need as well as reducing sugar, salt and saturated fats. Additionally, on November 20 at 11 AM, Judith van Peij Innovation Manager Baking & Confectionery, dsm-firmenich, will explore how innovative enzymes can be used to enhance whole wheat bread quality, from better dough stability to improved volume, helping to meet evolving consumer demand in taste, texture and health.

Visitors will be able to experience the dsm-firmenich team’s expertise in action through a range of healthy prototypes including a lactose-free Nutrimilk concept in strawberry and banana flavours – with no added sugars – and a recovery drink made with PeptoPro^®, crafted to replenish and recharge.

Reducing sugar – without reducing flavour

There’s no single-ingredient replacement for sugar; if there were, the industry would be using it already. dsm-firmenich understands the real solution is far more nuanced if the industry is to captivate consumers with reduced sugar creations.

Francesc Puerto, Technical Sales Manager Sugar Reduction Europe, dsm-firmenich, will share a novel approach to reducing sugar in applications in a forward-thinking presentation on 19 November at 12 PM. The session will dive into the innovative solutions that can restore the full sensory experience in low-sugar products without compromising on vibrant tastes – for a healthier, tastier and more sustainable future in food and beverages. For those with a sweet tooth, dsm-firmenich has created chewy apricot-flavoured gummies and a flavourful BBQ sauce – both boasting reduced sugar formulations and an appealing taste profile.

Cutting-edge food science meets AI

Bringing together the latest taste, texture and health solutions, dsm-firmenich is highlighting its portfolio of all-in-one cultures developed using its leading AI-powered Dairy Culture Co-Creation platform. Claire Price, Innovation Manager Dairy, dsm-firmenich, will be sharing her R&D expertise on developing flavourful fresh fermented creations on November 19 at 11 AM. She will take to the stage to showcase how fermented milk manufacturers can use this technology to design cultures for dairy applications, sharing a case study based on a real-life scenario.

Taste is king: live cooking demo

People often put healthiness and tastiness in two separate boxes, but dsm-firmenich understands that the overlap is where the magic happens. After all, people only want to eat healthy food if it also tastes good. Demonstrating the potential of great taste without nutritional compromise, dsm-firmenich will host a smoke demonstration of mini ‘Frankfurters’ – in Frankfurt – with a side of sugar reduced ketchup for delegates to try.

All eyes on sustainability

Food production is estimated to be responsible for 25 % of global carbon dioxide emissions.2 Adopting more plant-based foods is a powerful step toward a more sustainable future. To meet the growing demand for plant-based options, dsm-firmenich will showcase its sustainable plant protein, Vertis™ CanolaPRO®, in a range of innovative applications, including a tortilla and breakfast cereals. Visitors can also try plant-based smoked ‘salmon’ with cream cheese and pulled ‘beef’ in tortillas for a satisfying plant-based experience. Visitors interested in helping consumers reduce food waste can also enjoy a smooth vanilla yogurt that lasts longer on the shelf while maintaining its taste and texture.

1dsm-firmenich customer survey 2023
2https://ourworldindata.org/greenhouse-gas-emissions-food

Twellium Industrial Company, West Africa’s fastest-growing manufacturing company, has partnered with Sidel to develop a new ultra-modern facility in Kumasi, Ghana – a greenfield project housing two complete PET packaging lines for still and carbonated beverages.

Twellium Industrial Company (Twellium) specialises in the production of non-alcoholic beverages, including its flagship product, Verna Mineral Water. The company also manufactures signature brands such as Rush Energy Drink, Original American Cola, Planet Range, and Bubble Up Lemon Lime under licence from Monarch Beverage Company.

Twellium already operates two well-established production facilities in Accra, Ghana and Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, and has now commissioned its third ultra-modern site in Kumasi, Ghana.

The Kumasi site began as a greenfield project, with Twellium constructing it entirely from the ground up. This included all civil works, infrastructure, and utilities, with Sidel assisting in the installation of two cutting-edge processing and packaging lines.

Cutting-edge PET packaging lines

At the Kumasi site, diversity in manufacturing—utilising different sizes of PET bottles, as well as producing a variety of beverages including water, carbonated soft drinks (CSD), non-carbonated drinks, and energy drinks—was crucial to its development. This enabled flexibility in production and catered to broad market demand.

Twellium’s Kumasi site now features Africa’s fastest complete PET water line, with a production output of 80,000 bottles per hour, utilising Sidel’s signature Combi solution which combines blow moulding, filling, and capping into a single, compact, and integrated solution.

The set-up also includes a state-of-the-art water treatment room and automated cleaning-in-place (CIP) system, ensuring the highest levels of hygiene and food safety.

Sidel has also installed a complete line for carbonated soft drinks (CSD) at the Kumasi plant. Capable of bottling at speeds of 65,000 bottles per hour, this high-speed line with a Sidel Combi was the perfect solution for Twellium to meet the region’s booming CSD market.

As part of the project, Sidel also installed a customised EvoDECO Roll-Fed labeller featuring an integrated system which enables the application of QR codes on the bottle cap, allowing maximum traceability and meeting Ghanaian regulations.

Leader in Ghana’s thriving beverage industry

“Sidel’s complete PET packaging lines for Twellium ensure that beverage production volume meets affordability, allowing us to keep up with the constant increase in demand. This partnership not only drives efficiency but also creates more regional job opportunities, reinforcing Twellium as a proud leader in Ghana’s thriving beverage industry,” comments Ali Ajami, Twellium Marketing Director.

Tate & Lyle PLC, a world leader in ingredient solutions for healthier food and beverages, announced the launch of its new ‘Automated Laboratory for Ingredient Experimentation’, known as ‘ALFIE’, at its Customer Collaboration and Innovation Centre in Singapore. Through the pioneering use of automated robotics, ALFIE represents a revolution in the delivery of mouthfeel solutions for customers, providing faster and more accurate ingredient design and accelerating speed-to-market for new products.

ALFIE, which represents a multi-million pound investment in innovation by Tate & Lyle, has the ability to run characterisation tests at around 10 times the current rate, and provides enhanced predictive modelling. It comprises two robotic systems with complete connectivity and seamless data flow for fast ingredient and solution design. By accelerating sample production, characterisation and modelling, the company will be able to trial new ingredients more efficiently and create new solutions for customers at greater pace.

This major investment makes the Singapore lab Tate & Lyle’s Asia Pacific hub for mouthfeel R&D and customer solutions. While ALFIE will be operated by Tate & Lyle’s on-site scientists in Singapore, it is also connected to Tate & Lyle’s Customer Collaboration and Innovation Centre in Hoffman Estates, near Chicago, US, where scientists will be able to operate ALFIE virtually.

Symrise continued its profitable growth trajectory in the first nine months of the year, achieving organic sales growth of 11.1 %. Considering portfolio and exchange rate effects, Group revenue rose to EUR 3,824 million in the first nine months (9M 2023: EUR 3,610 million), a plus of 5.9 % compared to the year-ago period. Both segments contributed to the positive development and increased sales in a global economic environment that remained challenging. In the third quarter, overall sales increased organically by 10.2 %. Despite negative exchange rate effects of 4.0 %, sales grew by 5.2 % in the reporting currency. Against the backdrop of robust organic growth, Symrise has specified its organic growth target, sales expected to come in at around 7 %.

Jean-Yves Parisot, CEO of Symrise AG: “Symrise was able to seamlessly continue the positive business development of the past months in the third quarter. Despite the current volatile market environment due to geopolitical tensions and continued inflation pressure, we are confident for the rest of the year and expect robust demand. Our diversified portfolio and broad, international footprint will continue to help us realise our growth potential and create sustainable value this year. We are firmly convinced that we have set the right course for the future.”

Sales development by region

The strongest organic growth was recorded in the Latin America region with 27.4 %, followed by the Asia/Pacific region with 11.2 % and EAME (Europe, Africa, Middle East) with 11.1 %. The main growth drivers were the Food & Beverage, Fragrance, Aroma Molecules and Pet Food business units. The North America region achieved organic growth of 2.3 %, driven primarily by the Food & Beverage and Aroma Molecules business units.

High growth in food, beverages and pet food

The Taste, Nutrition & Health segment increased sales organically by 10.4 % in the first nine months of the current fiscal year. In the third quarter, organic growth was 11.3 %. Taking into account portfolio and currency effects, the segment’s revenue rose to EUR 2,349 million in the first nine months (9M 2023: EUR 2,267 million). The portfolio effect from the sale of the beverage trading business in the UK within the Food & Beverage business unit had a negative impact of EUR 27 million on sales development.

The Food & Beverage division achieved double-digit organic growth in percentage terms. Strong growth impulses came from the application areas for sweet and savory products and beverages. All four regions, especially the EAME region, achieved high growth. The Naturals application area increased its revenues, especially in the North America and EAME regions.

The Pet Food division also achieved double-digit organic growth in percentage terms in the first nine months. Sales development was particularly dynamic in the Asia/Pacific and Latin America regions, with double-digit organic growth.

Sales development in the Aqua Feed business unit recorded declining organic growth. As part of the further portfolio streamlining with a focus on high-margin growth areas, Symrise intends to sell the business.

The probiotics business, which includes the majority stake in the listed company Probi AB, Lund, Sweden, generated slight growth, driven by the EAME region.

Strong sales growth in Consumer Fragrance and significant recovery in Aroma Molecules

The Scent & Care segment, which manages the fragrances, perfumery applications and cosmetic active ingredients business, achieved organic sales growth of 12.2 % in the first nine months and 8.4 % in the third quarter respectively. Taking into account portfolio and currency effects, revenue for the first nine months amounted to EUR 1,475 million (9M 2023: EUR 1,343 million).

The Fragrance division increased its sales organically in the double-digit percentage range in the first nine months. In particular, the Consumer Fragrance application area achieved double-digit percentage growth. The EAME, Asia/Pacific and Latin America regions in particular experienced very high market dynamics. The Fine Perfumery application area also continued its very positive development and achieved high single-digit percentage organic growth. Here, the Latin America and Asia/Pacific regions recorded good growth. The Oral Care application area achieved single-digit percentage organic growth, with good growth especially in the North America and Asia/Pacific regions.

Sales in the Aroma Molecules division recovered significantly in the first nine months of the current year. While the market environment continues to prove challenging, the resumption of production in Colonels Island, USA has resulted in a significant year-on-year increase in revenue. High double-digit growth figures were achieved in all regions.

Sales in the Cosmetic Ingredients division continued to develop strongly with high single-digit percentage organic growth. Revenues increased significantly in the EAME, Asia/Pacific and Latin America regions. Only the North America region showed just a slight year-on-year growth. The application areas for micro-protection and actives and botanicals also recorded very strong growth impulses.

Symrise specifies growth target for 2024

Based on the good business performance in the first nine months, Symrise is specifying its sales target for the full year 2024. The Group is now aiming for organic sales growth of around 7 %. The Group’s long-term organic growth expectation of 5 % to 7 % (CAGR) remains unchanged. The long-term EBITDA margin is expected to be in the range of 20 % to 23 %.

The Supervisory Board of Symrise AG has appointed Walter Ribeiro to the Executive Board with effect from September 15, 2024. Ribeiro will take over the management of the Taste, Nutrition & Health (TN&H) segment, which was previously headed by CEO Dr. Jean-Yves Parisot. At the same time, Dr. Jörn Andreas steps down as a member of the Executive Board of Symrise AG as of September 30, 2024 to pursue his professional career outside Symrise. Until a successor is decided, Dr. Parisot will temporarily lead the Scent & Care (S&C) segment, for which Dr. Andreas was previously responsible.

Michael König, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG: “With Walter Ribeiro, another internationally experienced manager from within the company’s own ranks has been appointed to the Executive Board. As global head of our Food & Beverage division, Walter Ribeiro has played a significant role in Symrise’s successful transformation into a leading provider in the field of nutrition in recent years. With him, the TN&H segment will be in the very best hands.”

At the same time, Dr. Jörn Andreas has decided to leave Symrise on his own request to continue his career outside the company. With his departure, Dr. Jean-Yves Parisot will temporarily take over the management of the Scent & Care segment. The search for a successor for the management of the segment has already been initiated.

Ribeiro (53) comes from Brazil and has lived with his family in Holzminden, the headquarters of Symrise AG, for many years. He has spent almost his entire professional career at Symrise in various management positions in Germany and abroad, including cross-segment management positions. Most recently, Ribeiro was responsible for the global Food & Beverage division in the Taste, Nutrition & Health segment.

A recent survey shows that more and more people are concerned about their mental health: 53 % of respondents report anxiety, 33 % struggle with fatigue and exhaustion and 30 % are affected by depression (Innova Trends Survey 2024). Awareness of the connection between nutrition and well-being is clearly reflected in the attitudes of consumers. Worldwide, 43 % of them stated that they had started eating a healthy diet in 2023 to improve their mental or emotional well-being (Innova Lifestyles and Attitudes Survey 2023). More and more manufacturers of food supplements and functional beverages are picking up on this consumer behavior.

Minerals and vitamins for a powerful brain

Many micronutrients support mental and emotional well-being, cognitive performance and sleep quality. Fortification with significant amounts of vitamins and minerals allows for the advertisement of these properties in the form of health claims under the Food Information Regulation (EU) No. 1169 / 2011. In addition, consumers are showing an increasing interest in other functional ingredients such as nootropics and adaptogens, which contribute to improving cognitive performance and stress management.

“Numerous research results indicate that micronutrients in the form of dietary supplements can help reduce stress and anxiety and improve mood and sleep,” says Clarissa Burk, Product Manager at SternVitamin. “Our micronutrient premixes simplify the development of new end products that meet the growing consumer demand for solutions in these areas. They are guided by current nutritional and lifestyle trends and can be customised to our customers’ product parameters and production processes.”

Inspiration for the development of new products

An overview of which micronutrients and functional ingredients support mental well-being and cognitive performance can be found in the SternVitamin white paper “Healthy mood. Healthy mind. Healthy sleep.” In addition to consumer data and market trends, scientific background information provides valuable insights for the development of new products.

The premix solutions presented in the white paper are also informed by this knowledge and consist of blends of micronutrients and other functional ingredients tailored to various facets of mental health. These can be used in the production of various end products that meet the growing needs of consumers. For example, the SternMind premix solution for instant beverages supports mental health, reduces symptoms of mental stress and promotes positive thinking. It contains a balanced blend of vitamins, minerals as well as L-theanine, and can be supplemented with other ingredients such as Rhodiola rosea and Panax ginseng.

Download the whitepaper here.

Good value for money more important than low price – and organic is back

The complexity of world affairs has not lessened since March 2023. World crises have not gone away, rather the opposite. One positive development is that the inflation rate dropped in Europe¹. This change is also reflected in the survey by Südzucker regarding consumers’ price sensitivity. If the price sensitivity is decreasing, other aspects of purchase criteria must gain importance in comparison. But what are the growing interests of consumers when buying food & beverages?

Main purchase criteria – naturlness, organic and regionality gain focus

The top three drivers for purchasing food & beverages did not change: taste, health and price. But while taste and price dropped significantly, health remained stable. Aspects like naturalness, organic and regionality, however, are continuing to grow in importance.

Taste as the number one purchase decision remained on a high level and far above from the second important driver – health. The drop may indicate that taste is more and more of a given for the consumer and a must-have. The fact that a good taste and sensory profile is a matter of course is also evident when it comes to sugar-reduced products.

Taste as the number one purchase decision remained on a high level and far above from the second important driver – health. The drop may indicate that taste is more and more of a given for the consumer and a must-have. The fact that a good taste and sensory profile is a matter of course is also evident when it comes to sugar-reduced products. 60 % (incl. Italy) are concerned about how sugar reduction in food/drinks is achieved. In comparison to price, taste went down in Belgium and the UK, while price fell significantly in all countries. One potential reason for consumers‘ decreasing price sensitivity could be explained by the decreasing inflation rate in Europe¹; consumers no longer look for the cheapest product, but for the product with the best value for money that also fulfils other consumer needs. It must be clear to consumers what they are getting for their money …

Please download the full Südzucker Consumer Study 2024 for free under www.suedzucker.com.

¹Source: Eurostat – Annual inflation down to 2.45 in the euro area (europa.eu)

Caliwater, a leader in plant-based hydration beverages founded by Vanessa Hudgens, officially launched peach mango flavour profile with GNC stores July 2024

Leading plant-based hydration beverage innovator Caliwater launches its newest and fifth flavour, Peach Mango, exclusively in partnership with GNC stores in the United States. Joining the flavour offerings of Prickly Pear, Ginger & Lime, Watermelon and Pineapple, GNC officially debuted Peach Mango along with Pineapple and Wild Prickly Pear on shelves across the United States as of July 10th. Caliwater is an all-natural functional cactus water with half the sugar and calories compared to coconut water, it not only tastes better but supports hydration, immunity, digestion, and skin health.

Caliwater has grown tremendously since coming to market in January, 2022. Caliwater is the ultimate hydration solution. Derived from the desert superfruit, Prickly-pear, it boasts abundant antioxidants and 5 naturally occurring electrolytes, with superior taste and is a sustainable beverage.

Caliwater is defined by a drive to create innovative, functional, plant-based hydration beverages that bring us closer to the planet and each other. Inspired by the lush and varied landscapes of California, Founders Oliver Trevena and Vanessa Hudgens looked to their own desert regions in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico to source prickly pear cactus fruit, known for its rare and potent healthful properties. Their vision – to sip on Cali in a can. Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit, known for its rare and potent healthful properties, is brought to life in their first, brand new, canned beverage product, which is not only delicious, but super hydrating, refreshing, and filled with antioxidants and digestion benefits.

Other investors behind Caliwater that join Vanessa Hudgens and Oliver Trevena include actors Gerard Butler, Glen Powell, Ross Butler, Gregg Sulkin, fitness personality Brooke Burke, UFC champion Claudia Gadelha, actress Nikki Reed, NFL star Aaron Rodgers, DJ Ruckus, and MLB player, Cody Bellinger.

The benefits of Prickly Pear fruit are endless. It is one of the few natural products in the world that can boast excellence in nutrition, taste, colour, and health benefits due to its rare combinations of phytonutrients. It is superior to other super-fruits, having been shown to benefit cardiovascular health by maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and promoting cell growth.

Prickly Pear contains five naturally occurring electrolytes, including potassium, magnesium, and sodium, aiding in rapid hydration, muscle control, and recovery. It also has high levels of antioxidants, broadly classified into four types: flavonoids, betalains, phenols, and vitamins C and E, which help quench free radicals in the body, reduce oxidative stress, support skin health, and provide other anti-aging benefits. Additionally, Prickly Pear is an excellent source of dietary fiber, known to aid digestion and possess anti-inflammatory properties. It is one of the few non-animal sources of taurine, a key element for vegetarians and vegans, known to help regulate blood pressure.

Caliwater is available in over 10,000 locations in the United States, and online on Amazon, Walmart Marketplace and Thrive Market. Find Caliwater at: Wegmans, HEB, Ralphs, Pavilions, Fresh Thyme, Gelsons, Bristol Farms, Pete’s Market and more, plus their kids line, now available on Amazon and Walmart Marketplace!

About GNC
GNC stores are focused on a wide range of products geared toward weight loss, bodybuilding, nutritional supplements, vitamins, natural remedies, and health and beauty products, in both its owned brands as well as third-party brands. Its products are also sold on GNC.com and on GNC’s Amazon Marketplace.
The company offers consumer products and services via retail locations, franchises, online, digital commerce and wholesales and retail partnerships. Featuring over 325 brands, GNC offers an endless supply of health and wellness products.

A groundbreaking stevia composition for cost-effective, premium sweetening

Tate & Lyle PLC, a world leader in ingredient solutions for healthier food and beverages, unveils its new stevia composition, OPTIMIZER STEVIA^® 8.10. This innovative ingredient delivers the highly desired premium taste profile closest to sugar, even at high sugar replacement levels, while offering a more cost-effective solution than other premium sweeteners.

This stevia composition offers a comprehensive set of benefits for both manufacturers and consumers. With OPTIMIZER STEVIA^® 8.10, manufacturers gain access to a versatile, great tasting stevia at a lower cost-in-use, offering an improved value compared to other premium stevia sweeteners. This translates to delicious, low-calorie options that meet consumer demand without compromising on taste. The unique composition qualifies for labelling as “stevia extract”, (following JECFA^* guidance) aligning with consumer preference for a sweetener derived from nature.^1**

With versatility across applications, OPTIMIZER STEVIA^® 8.10 is ideal for achieving a superior taste profile in high sugar-replacement formulations like nutrition bars and shakes, functional beverages, vitamin gummies, and yoghurt.

Abigail Storms, Senior Vice President Global Platform, Sweeteners & Fibers, Tate & Lyle said: “OPTIMIZER STEVIA^® 8.10 is a breakthrough for the industry. We’ve leveraged our technical expertise to create a sweetener that not only meets the highest standards of taste and quality but also delivers cost savings to our customers. OPTIMIZER STEVIA^® 8.10 opens a world of possibilities for food and beverage manufacturers because they no longer have to compromise on taste because of cost. Whether you’re looking to improve taste, reduce costs, or enhance the nutritional profile of your products, OPTIMIZER STEVIA^® 8.10 delivers on all fronts.”

This development underscores Tate & Lyle’s unwavering commitment to scientific innovation. Through proprietary production processes, the company has unlocked the potential of previously underutilised steviol glycosides, naturally occurring components within the stevia leaf. This innovative process developed by Tate & Lyle’s scientists and engineers enables greater use of the stevia leaf extract, promoting more efficient manufacturing processes.

¹Tate & Lyle Proprietary Research, 2024 Global Consumer Ingredient Perception Research – US; Base size n=302
^*Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
^**The applicability of label claims and the regulatory and intellectual property status of Tate & Lyle ingredients varies by jurisdiction

Hydro One Premium Beverages, maker of natural functional beverages, announced that its line of US Patent Pending CANABIX^® beverages, has been shown to reduce the glycemic indicators, increase insulin production, improve the microbiome and alleviate the symptoms of a pre-clinical model of type 2 diabetes.

CANABIX^® is the first and only natural beverage containing a combined formulation of cannabidiol (CBD) and probiotics developed by Hydro One Premium Beverages in 2020. In a study done by researchers at Augusta University, drinking CANABIX instead of water was able to lower Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c, known as A1c) significantly from 9 % to 5 % in mice with diabetes type 2 (db/db mice). Further, CANABIX increased insulin production in pancreatic cells and altered microbiome towards a protective profile by reducing inflammatory indices. These novel findings were reported as preprint on June 4th 2024 (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.04.597375v2) and currently is under peer review for publication.

Diabetes is a complex disease involving multiple organs in the body. Therefore, its treatment is challenging because of multi-target tissues, medication complexity, patient adherence to the therapy, and cost, says Dr. Phillip Wang the lead scientist of the research team. Despite significant advances in the treatment of symptoms, the underlying causes of diabetes remain intractable. There have been several studies showing the effects of dietary food and beverage supplements on diabetes. However, to the best of our knowledge this is the first study to report a comprehensive beneficial effect on several major aspects of diabetes by a natural beverage, particularly, lowering HbA1c (from 9 % to 5 %) as well as altering microbiome says corresponding author of the study, Dr. Phillip Wang.

“The gut microbiota plays a central role in immune balance and influences the metabolic processes, crucial factors in the development as well as treatment of type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Babak Baban, Professor of Immunology at Augusta University and co-author of the study. “Altering the profile of microbiome and the significant reduction in A1c in a few weeks only through a beverage are very significant and exciting cutting-edge achievements that warrant further research and clinical trials,” added Baban.

“We’re thrilled to learn that our CANABIX beverage could potentially have profound beneficial health effects. Since CANABIX is THC free, we have many athletes and doctors who already use it and have no issues with blood or urine tests,” says Sammy Nasrollahi, the CEO of Hydro One Beverages, “These are very promising outcomes resulting from pre-clinical studies conducted by a scientific team at Augusta University. As the central core of our mission, we are committed to continue working with the scientific community to promote a higher quality healthier lifestyle by expanding our effective and affordable solutions to those managing prediabetes and diabetes.”

CANABIX comes in three flavours: lemon cucumber, dragon fruit and peach tea. CANABIX the first and only beverage containing 30 mg of CBD and probiotics. A limited number of CANABIX samples are currently available for purchase through Hydro One Beverages by contacting Sammy Nasrollahi at snasrollahi@hydroonebeverages.com.

Disclosure: Dr. Babak Baban is affiliated with Hydro One beverages.

ITO EN, a key player in Japan’s beverage industry, innovates the market with the launch of two premium beverages with bite-sized pieces in SIG SmileSmall carton packs, made possible by the SIG Drinksplus technology integrated in the SIG SmileSmall 24 Aseptic filling machine.

The two new products from ITO EN are Crunchy Smoothie, a carrot smoothie with carrot pieces, and Crispy Potage, a creamy tomato potage with onion bits. Unlike traditional juices and smoothies, both products stand out with the inclusion of real vegetable pieces which provide ITO EN’s consumers with a unique and premium drinking experience. Both new products in convenient on-the-go SIG SmileSmall carton packs are aimed to help ITO EN to capture a bigger share of the veggie juice market in Japan, currently one of the fastest growing categories in the beverage industry.

Tetsuo Yamaguchi, Brand Manager at ITO EN: “Our new products provide our consumers with a refreshingly different drinking experience – rich and satisfying with the incorporation of real vegetable pieces. The novel packaging solution and the filling technology from SIG, that allows these inclusions to be added, enables our consumers to easily supplement their vegetable intake anytime and anywhere. The SIG SmileSmall carton pack is a real eye-catcher with its curved, modern shape and easy-grip corners. It differentiates and the end result is a successful fusion of exceptional packaging and products.”

As well as being easy to carry, handle and store, and like all SIG carton packs, SIG SmileSmall carton packs are ‘sustainable by nature’, with a high share of forest-based renewable materials, 100% of the paperboard procured with FSC™-certification, a lightweight and space-saving design, produced using 100% renewable electricity, and designed to be fully recyclable. SIG aseptic carton packs are the proven lowest carbon footprint packaging choice compared with alternative packaging options^*.

Angela Lu, President & General Manager Asia Pacific at SIG: “In Japan, it is vital for food and beverage companies like ITO EN to innovate the market with healthy and high-quality products, particularly for on-the-go consumption. Our SIG Drinksplus technology offers the opportunity to add value to healthy beverages with the inclusion of pieces of fruit, vegetables, nuts, or cereals, which can be easily filled into our convenient on-the-go carton packs. It opens up a plethora of new opportunities to transform and drive forward the Japanese beverage market.”

^*https://www.sig.biz/en/carton-packaging/sustainability/life-cycle-assessments

Food 4 Future – Expo Foodtech presents the 7 trends that will define the future of the food industry

The food industry met last April at Food 4 Future – Expo Foodtech and Pick&Pack for Food Industry, which were held simultaneously in Bilbao, Spain, from 16 to 18 April to discover and analyse the challenges facing the food and beverage sector, marked by an inflationary economic context, new consumer habits that lead to new consumer demands, and increasingly demanding regulations regarding sustainability. With the help of 482 experts from the food industry worldwide, Food 4 Future and Pick&Pack, together with AZTI’s technological innovation team, have identified the 7 trends that will mark the future of the food industry in the coming years:

1. Geostrategy and inflationary environment

Europe has traditionally had a history of low agri-food inflation, something that has changed in recent years with a double-digit annual increase in food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation. This problem, coupled with the fact that many regions specialise in a single product, creates a risk of market fluctuations. To face these challenges, Food 4 Future has highlighted the importance of moving towards the European model of more efficient and productive farms, with greater collaboration from the private sector, something that will strengthen the competitiveness of these companies. Alliances between manufacturers and fostering resilience, innovation and collaboration are key to ensuring success in a constantly evolving sector.

2. New consumer habits

Consumer demands and habits have changed and now demand personalised experiences. Many companies are already using data and the latest technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, to adapt products and services to these new individual preferences and the trend is expected to continue in the future. In addition, society has shifted and now consumers value health, taste, convenience and sustainability as key drivers and where direct sales have increased significantly. In this way, food and beverage firms are gaining market share, winning over the shopper in the current context of price adjustment, and forging robust competition for the rest of the players. New habits also include the demand for healthier and more sustainable foods, which has led to innovation in alternative foods, such as those based on vegetable proteins, mushrooms, algae, and meat substitutes.

3. 360° Sustainability

The food industry faces multiple challenges in terms of sustainability, driven by climate change, the efficient management of resources such as water and energy, and the need for decarbonisation to achieve zero net emissions. It is also focusing its efforts on the importance of minimising greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing packaging materials, improving eco-efficiency in production processes and encouraging recycling throughout the product life cycle. Suppliers are key in this respect, as are sustainable agricultural and livestock practices, together with more efficient food processing chains and minimising food waste.

4. New technologies

The digital transformation that the food sector is undergoing has brought with it robotisation and automation in production plants, but it is also being extended to other practices such as harvesting, spraying and pruning in agriculture. Other trends that will mark the future in the field of agri-food tech are precision fermentation, efficiency technologies, operational excellence, or industrial machine vision to detect quality defects, among others. The application of technologies is also key to guaranteeing food quality and safety, with real-time monitoring, preventive models, traceability from farm to fork, and smart packaging and labels to ensure the quality of pre-packaged food. In addition, quantum computing is gaining a great deal of attention in the field of innovation.

5. Healthy eating

Concern for healthy eating and lifestyle is growing, which is why personalised nutrition has become increasingly important in recent years. Companies are striving for healthier products without sacrificing pleasure and taste through new techniques. The debate on ultra-processed foods and the need for legislation will also remain on the table. This is an issue where there is no consensus and where there is a high degree of ignorance among citizens about labeling systems. Transparent communication on packaging will help consumers to make informed choices.

6. New packaging regulations

Packaging is also undergoing a paradigm shift driven by several interlinked factors: the advance of decarbonisation, the application of technologies for process optimisation and the adaptation to increasingly demanding sustainability regulations. The sector is currently immersed in major challenges driven by the new regulations against food waste and packaging, which will have an impact on eco-design, the trend towards mono-material, reuse, and the increase in recycled material, among other issues.

7. More sustainable and efficient logistics

Supply chain efficiency is crucial. Technology allows for greater production and volume, greater flexibility, and more traceability, all of which have an impact on increasing business for companies in the sector. For this reason, Artificial Intelligence, robotics, automation and blockchain solutions are already being applied to improve logistics efficiency in the food value chain. The use of robots and AI makes it possible to handle a wide variety of products, and even pack boxes with products of different types and sizes using artificial vision. The result is improved efficiency, saving time and increasing sustainability while reducing costs.

A new era of conscious consumption is creating a shift toward more sustainable ingredients and eye-catching colour palettes influenced by the natural world, according to GNT.

GNT, which supplies plant-based EXBERRY^® colours, has identified “Regeneration Rising” as a key trend in the food and drink sector. The company’s analysis explores the growing global appreciation for the natural world and desire to protect the planet. This mindset is now intensifying the focus on the origins of raw materials and sustainable production.

The Regeneration Rising trend is also inspiring new colour palettes as brands seek to convey instinctive messages about how their products are created. The use of visually impactful colours that can be found growing on land and in the sea helps manufacturers to showcase products’ eco-credentials and build emotional connections with consumers.

GNT has identified three new colour directions in line with the trend. “Elevated Earth” involves earthy shades from red-browns and warm oranges to textured purples and inky teals, elevating products with an organic but premium look and feel. “Nature Lab” is about pushing the boundaries of what is considered natural and features a kaleidoscopic spectrum of green, pink, red, yellow, orange, and blue. Finally, “Wholesome Nostalgia” features yellows, greens, blues, peaches, and pinks that range from velvet-like to milky, translucent, muted, and dreamlike.

Dieuwertje Raaijmakers, Marketing Communications Specialist at GNT Group, said: “Consumers of all ages are developing a much stronger interest in sustainability and rebuilding their relationships with the natural world. To appeal to these shoppers, food and beverage companies have to showcase their commitment to the planet. Colour can play an important role in telling that story, helping brands create appealing products that send out strong visual signals about how they’re produced.”

GNT has set out an ambition to lead the food colouring industry on sustainability. The company creates its EXBERRY^® colours from fruits, vegetables, and plants and has set out a series of ambitious targets to optimise its environmental and social impacts at every stage of the value chain.

Oterra announced a new Chief Financial Officer, Hubert Windegger, who joined Oterra effective April 22nd, 2024.

Hubert Windegger joins the company with over 14 years of finance leadership experience, including roles at Private Equity-owned carve-outs and as CFO of ASK Chemicals. His strategic insights and proven track record in driving growth make him an invaluable addition to Oterra as they continue to innovate and expand their reach in the natural colour ingredients markets.

This change comes from Oterra’s current CFO, Mads Dehlsen Winther, who, after careful consideration, has decided to explore other career opportunities.

The new edition of the proprietary Symrise trend tool trendscope^™ 2024+ has delivered valuable key findings. It provides an overview of current consumer trends and future developments in food and beverages. According to it, health and naturalness continue as the most relevant trend drivers. At the same time, climate-smart innovation and circular consumption is getting more important while digitalisation exerts a fast-growing effect on consumer lives and the industry. By combining qualitative and quantitative research methods the study serves as an important basis for the development of consumer-preferred taste, nutrition, and health solutions.

Consumers today expect a lot from the food and beverage products they choose. They are looking for sustainable, healthy, and tasty options. This leads to the question: How do these expectations translate into food and beverage trends and how can Symrise best respond? trendscope^™ provides comprehensive information on trends and investigates how they drive innovation. The results of the tool go into different trendscope^™ reports. Symrise uses these insights to translate consumer wishes into innovative food and beverage concepts with inspiring taste, nutrition, and health solutions.

“Consumer behaviors and mindsets change over time and so do their demands for food and beverages,” says Leif Jago, Global Marketing Manager Food & Beverage at Symrise. “trendscope^™ allows us to closely monitor and anticipate market shifts. This creates an important basis to design solutions that deliver against these evolving needs.”

Combining qualitative and quantitative research

To decode latest food and beverage consumer trends, trendscope^™ combines different methods of analysis. The qualitative research contains for example a meta-analysis of consumer reports, start-up and social media screening, an innovation scan, and insights from the Symrise taste treks with the chef network StarChefs. The quantitative research comprises a meta-analysis of existing studies and surveys and polls related to consumer behavior and mindsets. In addition, social media listening, and AI-based trend forecasting support the findings. This goes hand in hand with an analysis of global urban hot spots. In twelve global locations, Symrise conducted 24 interviews with selected trendsetters like food bloggers, journalists, and trend scouts.

“The tool’s global scope allows us to tailor trends to regional specifics. Based on this, Symrise can develop taste, nutrition and health solutions and tailor them to consumer demands in specific regions and categories. This, in turn, helps our customers to respond to decoded consumer desires with the right food and beverages,” concludes Jago.

The new offer of trendscope^™ 2024+

To increase the relevance of trendscope^™ further for the Symrise teams and customers, several key changes got incorporated. The current edition puts a spotlight on health as consumer health awareness is growing and has evolved into a key innovation driver. In addition, digitalisation and sustainability are now forming standalone megatrends. Both exert a huge influence on consumer lives and industries. From a research perspective, trendscope^™ 2024+ uses more quantitative data sources. This includes social media listening and surveys.

The trendscope^™ 2024+ edition got compiled during a global polycrisis. Consumers face a crisis continuum ranging from COVID-19 and its effects to the Ukraine war, rising cost-of-living, surging inflation, and looming recession. As a result, consumers look for stability and emotional anchors. At the same time, they change their buying behavior due to cost-consciousness. Overall, the polycrisis serves as an accelerator of change that boosts or slows down specific consumer needs.

Six global megatrends with several sub-trends identified

Symrise has identified six megatrends. “Digitalisation” forms an underlying macrotrend that permeates all areas of life. It has become a game changer for innovation. The other five items represent trend clusters with several sub-trends.

“Purposeful Sustainability” focuses on the urgency to act in a resource-saving manner. It also includes the consumer wish of making product choices with a positive impact on the climate. Regenerative eating and circular thinking play a key role here. The “Natural Goodness” cluster centers around the wish for natural and clean label plant-based products. This comes with a more critical eye toward ingredients and production methods. Another cluster relates to “Healthy Lifestyle”. Consumers have started considering mental and physical wellness combined. Products supporting mental health and emotional wellbeing experience a boost. At the same time, consumer look for guided health choices to navigate the complex landscape of inflationary health claims. “Emotional Discoveries” presents the wish of consumers for social connection and memorable experiences after the pandemic. At the same time, they demand higher standards of originality, quality and authenticity when discovering new tastes. The “Premium Indulgence” cluster gets strongly characterised by value orientation. Consumers look for indulgent moments in times of rising costs of living. They try to find bliss in little things to treat themselves.

The Symrise experts use these trendscope^™ insights to investigate what they mean for the company’s portfolio. “We operate very agile and keep an eye on the competencies we need to address in view of important consumer needs. We want to support our customers in achieving their goals while contributing to Symrise’s sustainable growth,” adds Regine Lueghausen, Vice President Global Marketing Food & Beverage at Symrise.

New formulation of award-winning ingredient expands applications into sports and cognition products including RTDs and shots

Nektium has developed a new water-soluble formulation of its award-winning nootropic Zynamite® for cognitive and sports nutrition drinks.

Used to support mental and physical energy, Zynamite^® is a Mangifera indica extract created from sustainably harvested mango leaves. The natural caffeine alternative has been the subject of 10 clinical studies and multiple industry awards since its launch in 2018, earning global recognition for its fast-acting, experiential benefits.

Nektium’s scientists have now created Zynamite^® S to meet growing demand for innovative energy, sports and hydration drinks. It is designed for use in applications such as RTDs and shots where solubility, heat stability and transparency in solution are key.

Zynamite^® S also has a neutral taste and is formulated to enable improved absorption of its bioactive component, mangiferin, which allows for reduced dosages.

Nektium Commercial & Partnership Director Bruno Berheide said: “Excessive caffeine intake is becoming a hot topic and there is high demand for alternatives that deliver instant power and energy that consumers can really feel. Zynamite® stands out as a non-stim energy alternative, naturally enhancing mental and physical energy in a smarter way – and without the side effects of caffeine. Our new Zynamite^® S allows manufacturers the opportunity to formulate innovative beverages that can help consumers ‘get in the zone’ and perform at their best without suffering jitters and anxiety.”

Hybrid drinks

Zynamite^® S can be used alone or in combination with caffeine to provide mental energy and focus as well as supporting physical energy, improved performance and recovery.

It is therefore ideally positioned to tap into the trend for hybrid beverages that blur the lines between energy and sports drinks. Innova Market Insights research shows that of the 56 % of consumers worldwide who regularly use hydration products in conjunction with their exercise routines, more than a third use energy drinks.¹

Bruno Berheide added: “In today’s dynamic functional beverage market, many brands are innovating with hybrid products that offer both mental and physical energy. Zynamite^® S is the perfect option for these products as it delivers clinically backed benefits for mental energy and sports performance within just one hour.”

Clinical benefits

Zynamite^® is supported by a portfolio of safety data and its efficacy has been demonstrated in clinical studies in recognised journals.

Research has shown that, within one hour, a single dose of Zynamite® enhances mental energy and improves performance under fatigued conditions. In addition, it does not increase heart rate or blood pressure, avoiding the side effects associated with caffeine.²

In 2020, Nutrients published a clinical study examining its impact on cognitive performance in adults. It provided evidence that a single dose of Zynamite^® significantly improved cognitive function and performance across a battery of cognitive tasks, including improved focus, improved memory and reduced mental fatigue.³

An independent study in Nutrients in 2024, meanwhile, examined the effects of a single dose of Zynamite^® combined with quercetin on top basketball players in Greece during a basketball exercise stimulation test. Participants in the supplement group were faster, showing a statistically significant improvement in mean circuit lap time compared to those in the placebo group.⁴

¹https://www.innovamarketinsights.com/trends/sports-and-energy-drink-trends/
²López-Ríos, L. et al. ‘Central nervous system activities of extract Mangifera indica L.’ Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2020)
³Wightman, E.L. et al. ‘Acute Effects of a Polyphenol-Rich Leaf Extract of Mangifera indica L. (Zynamite) on Cognitive Function in Healthy Adults: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study’ Nutrients (2020)
⁴Bourdas, D.I. et al. ‘Effects of a Singular Dose of Mangiferin–Quercetin Supplementation on Basketball Performance: A Double-Blind Crossover Study of High-Level Male Players’ Nutrients (2024)

Döhler, a global provider of natural ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions, and Vertosa, the market-leading infusion technology company for cannabis and hemp products, announce a strategic research and development partnership for the food, beverage and nutrition industries. This partnership is set to spark a new wave of innovative life science products in the beverage sector.

While Vertosa will continue to handle its category leading Cannabis and Hemp infusions, Döhler will develop natural ingredients and ingredient blends to complement Vertosa’s offering. Those blends can contain everything from natural flavours, natural colours, juices, botanical extracts to sweetening solutions. Under the terms of the partnership, Vertosa will benefit from Döhler’s research, development and application expertise and its vast experience in the beverage space. This partnership will give Vertosa access to Döhler’s prime product portfolio and technologies to co-develop innovative beverage formulations and proprietary infusion technologies for successful lifestyle beverages.

Benjamin Larson, CEO of Vertosa, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “Through Döhler’s partnership, we’re not only gaining a treasury of knowledge but also the capabilities to co-create intellectual property that brings success for customers with a new range of life science beverages. This union is about more than innovation; it’s about setting the gold standard for what cannabis beverages can and should be.”

The collaboration includes an investment from Döhler Ventures, the company’s entrepreneurial investor, focused on startups within the global Nutrition & Technology ecosystem. Dr. Sebastian Dreher from Döhler Ventures adds, “We’re thrilled to support this collaboration. The investment reflects the long-term commitment to both the relationship and product categories, being driven by Vertosa’s professional management, thought leadership and market momentum.”

Both companies envision this partnership as a pioneering step toward a robust future for a new generation of life science beverages and beyond, combining Döhler’s global reach and natural ingredient and application expertise with Vertosa’s leading infusion technologies.

Paul Graham, CEO Döhler North America, emphasises, “Teaming up with Vertosa is a game-changer, propelling the market trend to new heights. By combining our expertise in natural ingredients with Vertosa’s infusion technology, we’re not just innovating, we’re leading the way together. It’s real, it’s authentic and it’s a step into a future where we explore the possibilities for enhanced and better drinks. We can’t wait for what is coming and we know it will be successful both ways.”

This collaboration is expected to elevate product development to new standards, offering consumers enhanced sensory experiences and supporting the rapid expansion of the cannabis and hemp ingredients in the beverage industry.

The pioneer of organic, cold-pressed beverages expands into a new category with plant-based protein shake line

Suja Organic, a leader in cold-pressed, organic beverages in the U.S., announced the launch of Suja Organic Protein Shakes, a new line of elevated ready-to-drink (RTD) protein. It offers 16 g of plant-based pea, rice and hemp protein, and convenient, transparent nutrition from plants. Available in three varieties including Vanilla Cinnamon, Chocolate and Coffee Bean. The new product offering marks Suja Organic’s entry into the fast-growing RTD protein market.

Suja Organic’s purposeful protein blends combine powerhouse whole foods, functional ingredients, essential vitamins (Vitamins A, B, C, D and E), minerals (iron, calcium and potassium), and macro-nutrients for foundational nutrition. Each shake is 200 calories, blended with almond milk and coconut cream for rich smoothness, with 3 – 4 grams of Acacia fiber.

Additional flavour details include:

• Vanilla Cinnamon – The perfect balance of vanilla with a swirl of cinnamon and a smooth finish. Think of the milk you look forward to drinking at the end of a bowl of cereal.
• Chocolate – Cocoa and salt support a bold chocolatey flavour. A mix of memorable flavours like chocolate pudding and chocolate milk comes through with each sip.
• Coffee Bean – Subtle coffee flavour with underlying notes of creamy, smooth vanilla and cocoa in a plant-based offering.

Suja Organic was founded in 2012 with a mission to provide foundational nutrition. With the introduction of Suja Organic Protein Shakes, the company aims to further its purpose by providing customers with a healthy, convenient beverage as part of a well-balanced diet. The high-quality, plant-rich concentrated blends harness nutrition straight from nature with protein from real organic plants, vitamins, and nutrients that recharge, balance, and fuel the body.

Suja Organic Protein Shakes will retail for $4.99 per 12oz. bottle and are available in the U.S. in Target stores and on target.com.

About Suja Organic:
Suja Organic is a leading organic, Non-GMO, cold-pressed juice brand and among the fastest growing beverage companies in the U.S. Suja began from a shared dream to help people transform their lives through conscious nutrition and is notably one of the first juice companies to offer organic, cold-pressed juice. Each of Suja’s handcrafted lines are certified organic, Non-GMO project verified and cold pressured to preserve maximum nutrition and taste. With cold-pressed juices and functional shots, there’s a product for every lifestyle. Suja is available for purchase at most major grocery and natural foods stores in the U.S. and select products can be purchased online at SujaOrganic.com.

Consumers are turning to tea, coffee and energy drinks as they reduce their alcohol intake, Prinova research has shown. The report also suggests that even more drinkers – younger ones in particular – would cut back if a wider range of healthy non-alcoholic beverages were available.

To explore current trends in the beverage space, Prinova, the leading provider of bespoke premixes and blends, surveyed 1277 physically active European consumers.^* More than four in ten (42.5 %) said they had reduced their alcohol intake over the past three years, compared to just 15 % who reported drinking more. Consumers aged 25-34 were the most likely to say they were consuming less alcohol.

Among those who had cut down on alcohol, most were turning to healthier beverage options including coffee, tea, still water and juices/smoothies, with preferences varying by age, gender, and location. Consumers over the age of 65 were five times more likely than average to have increased their consumption of dairy beverages, while alcohol-free beer was significantly more popular with older age groups than Gen Z.

Over a third (35 %) of men who had cut down on alcohol were drinking more energy drinks as a result. Energy also emerged as the top wellness benefit sought in healthy beverages, ahead of hydration and post-exercise recovery.

In the cohort who had not reduced their alcohol intake, over half said they would be likely to do so if a wider range of healthy beverages were available. This was particularly true of millennials (64 %).

When asked which ingredients they most looked for in healthy drinks, 65 % of respondents picked vitamins and 48 % chose minerals. Plant protein also scored highly as a desirable beverage ingredient, ahead of both fruit and whey protein. Other purchase drivers for healthy beverages included affordability, natural ingredients, trusted brand, and scientifically proven ingredients.

James Street, Global Marketing Director at Prinova, said: “Consumers are increasingly re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol, whether that means embracing the ‘sober-curious’ trend, or simply moderating their intake. However, our research also suggests that many more would be persuaded do so if they could replace booze with appealing healthy alternatives. Given the scale of this market need, and the increasingly wide range of on-trend functional ingredients available, it’s clear that there are still huge opportunities for innovation in the functional beverage space.”

With the world’s largest inventory of food-grade single vitamins, and as the leading supplier of vitamins B and C, Prinova can help manufacturers create beverages with premium micronutrients. Its other solutions include enduracarb®, a slow-release “double sugar” which is ideal for energy drinks and sports nutrition beverages, and AlphaTeaTM, a 100 % natural solution for functional beverages derived from green tea extract.

For the full results of the research, download the White Paper from: https://tinyurl.com/8u2knyb6

^*Online survey of consumers in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

GNT has launched a new range of plant-based EXBERRY^® concentrates that enable manufacturers to achieve clean-label brown shades in low-pH soft drinks.

EXBERRY^® Shade Autumn Brown and EXBERRY^® Shade Golden Brown can deliver clear reddish-brown and caramel-brown hues in still and carbonated soft drinks.

There is a growing demand for natural brown colours that do not pose any health concerns to consumers or contain any of the 14 allergens specified under the EU Labeling Regulation.

Made using caramelised sugar syrup, the new EXBERRY^® browns offer a clean-label solution that is also naturally free from gluten. They can provide an excellent alternative to caramel (E150) in applications including natural colas, energy drinks, and iced lattes.

Helen Vine, Key Account Manager at GNT Group, said: “This new EXBERRY^® range was created to meet the rising demand for natural, plant-based browns that can deliver clear shades in beverages. Our concentrates allow brands to maximise their drinks’ appeal with eye-catching colours alongside clean and clear ingredient lists.”

The liquid-based colours are created from edible, non-GMO fruit and vegetables and are suitable for vegan, kosher, and halal diets. EXBERRY^® Shade Autumn Brown contains carrot concentrate in addition to the caramelised sugar syrup while EXBERRY^® Shade Golden Brown also includes apple concentrate.

Both products provide high-performing, clear solutions with no formation of turbidity or sediment even in acidic beverages with pH levels below 3.0. In addition, they offer excellent light and heat stability and are easy to pump and dose.

The pioneer of organic, cold-pressed beverages expands into a new category with plant-based protein shake line

Suja Organic, a leader in cold-pressed, organic beverages in the U.S., announced the launch of Suja Organic Protein Shakes, a new line of elevated ready-to-drink (RTD) protein. It offers 16 g of plant-based pea, rice and hemp protein, and convenient, transparent nutrition from plants. Available in three varieties including Vanilla Cinnamon, Chocolate and Coffee Bean. The new product offering marks Suja Organic’s entry into the fast-growing RTD protein market.

Suja Organic’s purposeful protein blends combine powerhouse whole foods, functional ingredients, essential vitamins (Vitamins A, B, C, D and E), minerals (iron, calcium and potassium), and macro-nutrients for foundational nutrition. Each shake is 200 calories, blended with almond milk and coconut cream for rich smoothness, with 3 – 4 grams of Acacia fiber.

Additional flavour details include:

• Vanilla Cinnamon – The perfect balance of vanilla with a swirl of cinnamon and a smooth finish. Think of the milk you look forward to drinking at the end of a bowl of cereal.
• Chocolate – Cocoa and salt support a bold chocolatey flavour. A mix of memorable flavours like chocolate pudding and chocolate milk comes through with each sip.
• Coffee Bean – Subtle coffee flavour with underlying notes of creamy, smooth vanilla and cocoa in a plant-based offering.

Suja Organic was founded in 2012 with a mission to provide foundational nutrition. With the introduction of Suja Organic Protein Shakes, the company aims to further its purpose by providing customers with a healthy, convenient beverage as part of a well-balanced diet. The high-quality, plant-rich concentrated blends harness nutrition straight from nature with protein from real organic plants, vitamins, and nutrients that recharge, balance, and fuel the body.

Suja Organic Protein Shakes will retail for $4.99 per 12oz. bottle and are available in the U.S. in Target stores and on target.com.

About Suja Organic:
Suja Organic is a leading organic, Non-GMO, cold-pressed juice brand and among the fastest growing beverage companies in the U.S. Suja began from a shared dream to help people transform their lives through conscious nutrition and is notably one of the first juice companies to offer organic, cold-pressed juice. Each of Suja’s handcrafted lines are certified organic, Non-GMO project verified and cold pressured to preserve maximum nutrition and taste. With cold-pressed juices and functional shots, there’s a product for every lifestyle. Suja is available for purchase at most major grocery and natural foods stores in the U.S. and select products can be purchased online at SujaOrganic.com.

Tate & Lyle renews partnership with the China Foundation for Rural Development for a third year to help improve children’s diets and nutrition education

Tate & Lyle PLC, a world leader in ingredient solutions for healthier and tastier food and beverages, is delighted to announce that it has renewed its partnership with the China Foundation for Rural Development for a third year. This partnership is part of Tate& Lyle’s ‘Healthy Eating, Happy Learning – Child Health Improvement Programme’ in China which works to improve children’s diets, support healthier lifestyles, and provide education on nutrition.

Through this partnership, children in schools in underdeveloped areas of China’s Yunnan and Guizhou provinces will receive a nutritious daily snack throughout the school year. In addition, schools in Guizhou province will benefit from the installation of modern kitchen equipment in their canteens, and Tate & Lyle will work with nutrition experts from the Chinese national authorities to provide nutrition education for students and teachers.

Since its establishment in September 2021, Tate& Lyle’s partnership with the China Foundation for Rural Development has provided:

• Over 400,000nutritional snacks to 3,000 children in 12 schools.
• Over 200 pieces of new kitchen equipment to 11 schools, benefiting 3,000 children.
• Working with experts from the Chinese Nutrition Society, produced customised nutrition and health education booklets and posters for children, and held nutrition classes for 500 students and 700 teachers.

This is one of many partnerships Tate & Lyle operates in communities across the world, including in the US, UK and Brazil, to support healthier living and help build thriving communities.

This year’s Fi Europe embodied all the ingredients of a successful event, showcasing a winning combination of sourcing, innovation, networking and education.

In a milestone year for benchmarking organised event success, Fi Europe 2023 has shown that there is more demand than ever for a dynamic platform uniting the international ingredients industry. This year’s event, which attracted 23,149 attendees from 135 countries around the globe, was a resounding success, reaffirming its positive contribution to F&B industry innovation, collaboration and dialogue.

The build-up started on 20 November, when the event platform went live, enabling attendees to access exclusive content previews, coordinate meetings and stream a live keynote session. Then, on 27 November, the Future of Nutrition Summit kicked off a carefully curated in-person content programme designed to inspire and inform whilst facilitating networking and discussion. Speakers from Nestlé, Microsoft, Deloitte and the United Nations Global Compact gave their takes on the trends and technologies reshaping the food industry landscape.

On 28 November, Fi Europe opened its doors to reveal a vibrant show floor that was to become a hive of networking activity for the next three days. Over 1400 exhibition stands occupied four halls packed with ingredients and solutions from all over the world, providing a sensory spectacle and a wealth of sourcing opportunities. Many attendees also took advantage of the additional inspiration offered by the Innovation Tours, New Product Zone and Innovation Hub.

The first day culminated with the announcement of the Fi Europe Innovation Awards and Startup Innovation Challenge winners. Honoured at a special ceremony, the recipients were chosen by an expert judging panel for their outstanding contributions to the F&B ingredients industry.

The two-day Fi Europe Conference, which ran in parallel to the exhibition, provided a further forum for exchanges on the latest advancements and future trends in the F&B industry. The agenda revolved around four topical themes: plant-based, health & wellbeing, alternative ingredients & protein, and reformulation & ingredient innovation. Speakers from a broad cross-section of commercial, academic and research organisations, including Mintel, Euromonitor, NIZO, Wageningen University, Rabobank and Cultivated Biosciences, made for a varied and insightful programme.

Sustainability as an industry challenge was a thematic thread throughout this year’s event, with dedicated features such as the Sustainability Hub and content that focused on ethical sourcing, transparency, regulatory compliance, ESG and gender equity, creating a forum for constructive discussions in this important area.

The industry’s challenge of cultivating a strong pipeline of emerging talent was addressed at Fi Europe 2023 through the introduction of a new programme designed to facilitate connections between students and businesses. The Future Food Leaders Day, which took place on 30 November, gave university students valuable insight into the potential trajectory of a career in the F&B industry.

Yannick Verry, Brand Manager, Food ingredients Europe & Americas, at Informa Markets, says: “For me, feeling the buzz of this year’s show reinforced the important role that Fi Europe fulfils for the global food & beverage community. Not only does it provide a forum for making meaningful connections and discovering new ingredients and technologies, it also makes an important contribution to advancing discussions and thinking around innovation, sustainability and the future of the industry. We are already looking forward to 2024, when Fi Europe will return to Frankfurt, from 19-21 November.”

Selecta, Europe’s leading route-based, self-service FoodTech provider, and Vitamin Well, a leading provider of functional beverages and protein bars, announce an exciting collaboration across European markets.

Embarking on a dynamic partnership, Selecta and Vitamin Well have joined forces to offer a selection of healthier and great-tasting offerings, enriching Selecta’s vending Solution globally. In this venture, Vitamin Well’s vitamin water and Barebells protein bars take center stage, aiming to provide consumers with better alternatives on-the-go.

Vitamin Well has a range of distinct great-tasting flavours, all non-carbonated, low-calorie, and enriched with versatile combinations of vitamins and minerals. The beverage comes in bottles made of 100 percent recycled plastics. Vitamin Well is the market leader in Sweden and has become a consumer favourite in many other European markets.

Vitamin Well also provides Barebells, protein-enriched snacks that never compromise on flavour or texture. Barebells’ wide range of protein bars is available in 40 markets around the world and has quickly assumed a leading position in several countries. Through Selecta’s leading self-service machines, the brand’s iconic Original Protein Bars will be available to consumers on-the-go all over Europe.

Jens van Beusekom CPO at Selecta Group commented: “We strongly believe in fostering collaboration with Vitamin Well and Barebells as the brands have earned widespread popularity worldwide. We are thrilled to introduce a range of nutritional snacks that cater to the needs of our young on-the-go consumers.”

Joost Kroeb, Head of International Accounts at Vitamin Well, added: “Selecta has a unique position on the market, both when it comes to international spread and number of locations. As such, this cooperation will increase consumer awareness of Vitamin Well and Barebells both in our mature markets and markets where we see great potential going forward.”

The partnership covers products in Selecta solutions all over Europe, as well as point-of-sale marketing on the machines to increase awareness of the new offerings.

Selecta and Vitamin Well look forward to a successful partnership that reshapes the vending landscape, bringing healthier and better-tasting alternatives to consumers in the public-, private-, and semi-public sectors, delighting consumers in major European cities, airports, train stations and more.

BrauBeviale 2023 in Nuremberg can look back on three successful days. With Thursday’s final day, Europe’s leading trade fair for the brewing and beverage industry got back on track after a four-year break. Rolf Keller, Managing Director of organiser YONTEX, is appropriately satisfied: “With strong visitor demand from over 120 countries and from all sectors of the beverage industry, our three-day show once again scored highly: The technical exchanges between  experts, the wide range of exhibitors and the specialist topics addressed in the supporting programme were extremely well received by visitors. BrauBeviale once again confirmed its position in the industry when it comes to delivering answers to current challenges.”

Well-frequented halls and intensive, high-quality discussions were the major take-aways for many exhibitors: key topics included energy saving in the manufacturing process, new filling systems and optimising efficiency through increased automation. Furthermore, exhibitors delivered answers to the requirements of European packaging legislation and showed awareness of the need to consistently align manufacturing processes with sustainability criteria.

Excellent response to the supporting programme

The supporting programme also provided a strong impetus for the entire industry: THE LOGISTIK LOUNGE, for example, demonstrated numerous reusability solutions and made positive suggestions for the future direction of the logistics chain during its discussion forums. This offering in particular was perceived as an important addition to the overall BrauBeviale programme.

The Young Talents Camp got off to an equally promising start: The new networking lounge concept aimed at attracting young Gen Z talent to all areas and levels of the beverage industry was a complete success. “We had excellent responses to this offer. I can already say that we will be stepping up our activities in this interdisciplinary area for the benefit of the whole industry,” says Executive Director Andrea Kalrait.

With the special “Grape processing and Cellar Management”, area BrauBeviale 2023 broke new ground. Exhibitors there were able to present their products specifically for the wine industry. It was a new platform in which winegrowers could learn about solutions for their own specific businesses. The additional benefit for this group of visitors was that bottling technology and packaging as well as solutions for product equipment could simply be ‘taken away’ following a visit to the trade fair in the nine BrauBeviale halls.

Expert meetings and presentations covering a wide range of topics

The well-proven and broad-based programme of the BrauBeviale Forum once again presented a wide range of ideas, ranging from securing raw materials in the face of climate change, to best practice examples from marketing. On the last day of the show the ExportForum German Beverages supplied valuable ideas for sales development of German beverages in attractive international markets. What influence do today’s multiple challenges and changes have on the food and beverage industry? This question was addressed in an introductory presentation by specialists from the food and beverage sector.

High level of interest from an international audience

BrauBeviale 2023 once more positioned itself strongly as a platform for the industry – predominantly in other European countries. Around 45 per cent of exhibitors came from abroad. The show’s potential has also been recognised by representatives of other nations. During the visit by the Italian Consul General Sergio Maffettone and the American Consul General Timothy Liston, the BrauBeviale team was able to document the consistent development of the trade fair into an international meeting place. The visit of the Italian Consul General was particularly focussed on the Italian exhibitors, who made up the second largest group of exhibitors after the German exhibitors. The American Consul General informed himself about suppliers with innovative solutions as well as some suppliers with complete offers for brewery operations. In addition, by visiting the Young Talents Camp, he focussed his attention on the topic of recruiting young talent – one of the most pressing tasks for the industry in the near future.

The show organiser YONTEX considers this high level of interest, which also comes from official representatives of some major market players in the beverage sector, as confirmation that the company is on course to further develop the specialisation of its product portfolio for the brewing and beverage industry.

Sweegen, a global leader in wellness ingredient and taste modulation technologies, is addressing the pressing issue of mislabeling within the stevia industry, specifically concerning Reb M stevia sold under false claims intentionally.

Sweegen is the primary producer of the highly sought-after non-GMO Bestevia® Reb M, made with a proprietary clean bioconversion method. Through independent testing, the company has determined that certain third-party Reb M products sold to food and beverage companies under label claims of “Reb-M 95 %,” “Bioconversion Reb-M 95 %,” or “Stevia (Organic) Extract Reb-M 95 %” are not made through extraction or bioconversion.

These false claims have significant implications for stakeholders, including food and beverage companies, consumers, and the stevia technology community.

Food and beverage companies are confronted with significant challenges arising from mislabeling, particularly the erosion of consumer trust and brand reputation. The authenticity of products is paramount to maintaining consumer confidence and loyalty, and any discrepancy between product labeling and actual content can significantly undermine trust. For companies that prioritize transparency and integrity, the risk of reputational damage is particularly acute if their products become associated with false claims. This underscores the critical importance of accurate labeling practices in preserving the trustworthiness of brands.

Protecting consumer rights through transparency and honesty

Consumers rely on accurate food labeling for making informed choices, especially when it comes to health-related decisions. False claims can lead to misjudgment, and consumers may unknowingly consume products that don’t meet their dietary preferences or health needs.

Some consumers may choose products made through specific processes for environmental sustainability or naturalness. False claims undermine consumers’ ability to make choices aligned with their values.

Respecting and protecting Intellectual Property (IP)

Sweegen places a high value on IP and innovation on its high-purity Bestevia Reb M made through bioconversion within the stevia technology community. The company is committed to upholding the integrity of its IP and respecting others’ innovations. By and large, Sweegen is dedicated to IP protection, ensuring a fair and competitive landscape and encouraging continued advancements in sweetener technologies.

Reiteration of Reb-M patent for non-alcoholic applications

Sweegen emphasizes its patent rights, particularly regarding its Bestevia Reb M for non-alcoholic applications. The company upholds its patents and ensures that ist non-GMO Bestevia Reb M innovations are appropriately recognized and protected. Sweegen believes in fostering a climate that rewards genuine advancements and respects the IP rights of all industry stakeholders.

Offering authenticity testing for Reb-M samples

To further enhance transparency and provide assurance to the food and beverage industry, Sweegen is extending an offer to test all Reb-M samples for authenticity. This initiative aims to assist companies in verifying the integrity of their stevia products and reinforces Sweegen’s commitment to maintaining the highest stevia quality standards in the industry.

Mislabeling on purpose threatens market differentiation and creates confusion about investing in cutting-edge technologies. Innovators in the industry risk losing their competitive edge if competitors intentionally make false claims about similar products. Recognizing and rewarding genuine innovations becomes crucial in fostering a marketplace that values and encourages technological advancements. Ensuring accurate labeling practices is not only a matter of compliance but also fundamental to sustaining a fair and competitive market landscape.

Continued investigation into adulterated Reb-M

Sweegen is actively investigating reports of adulterated Reb M originating from China and entering the U.S. and EU markets directly or indirectly. The company is committed to thorough research and plans to collaborate with relevant authorities to report findings to U.S. and EU customs. Sweegen is determined to address any issues related to product authenticity and maintain the highest standards in the stevia industry.

In addition to consumer trust, regulatory compliance is a central concern for food and beverage companies. Regulatory bodies establish specific guidelines and standards for labeling food products, especially those incorporating novel ingredients such as stevia produced through various methods. Companies found to violate these regulations may face legal consequences. Adhering to established guidelines is a legal imperative and key to ensuring consumer safety and maintaining the industry’s integrity.

It is essential to note that bioconversion stevia holds the advantage of claiming non-GMO verification. Sweegen believes that accurately labeling products as bioconversion stevia aligns with regulatory approval and provides consumers with clear information about this innovative sweetener’s unique characteristics and benefits.

False claims undermine the scientific integrity of the industry. Accurate representation of research and development is crucial for advancing knowledge within the community.

Sweegen remains steadfast in its commitment to innovation, transparency, and consumer safety. The company will continue collaborating with industry stakeholders, regulatory bodies, and customs authorities to uphold the highest standards in producing and labeling stevia products.

SET Flavors^™ by Symrise help create unique taste, nutrition, and health solutions. They use superior separation technologies to access and enrich the characteristics from food essentials or valuable product side streams. The Selective Enrichment Technologies of the SET Flavors^™ brand combine efficient processes and advanced technologies that enable Symrise and its partners to capture nature´s complexity, creating both signature and authentic taste profiles.

Consumers today place great focus on sustainability. Caring for planetary health is driving their consumption habits and demands, especially in food and beverages. Avoiding food waste with concepts like ‘reuse, reduce, recycle or re-engineer’ form the dominating trends. At the same time, taste continues to drive their preferences. Important buying criteria for food and beverages include signature, rich taste as well as authentic, natural ingredients. Consequently, food and beverage manufacturers must combine both consumer wishes with great tasting, authentic products while ensuring sustainable development processes.

“Consumers want to know and understand what their food consists of, where the ingredients come from, how they get processed, and how the planet and people throughout the production process benefit,” says Leif Jago, Global Marketing Manager Food & Beverage at Symrise.

Valorisation of natural product side streams for flavour creation

Symrise SET Flavors^™ addresses these consumer wishes and matches the future’s ecosystem deployment. It supports the innovation network with strategic partners to source, enrich, decode, and optionally transform nature’s complexity for the creation of taste solutions by using selected natural raw materials.

SET Flavors^™ makes natural raw materials accessible with a smart combination of extraction, separation, and concentration technologies. This includes adsorption, nano- and ultra-filtration, fractional distillation, and osmosis based on advanced membrane developments. These technologies enable Symrise to access the enriched and authentic essentials needed to deliver nature´s full complexity in its product solutions.

In addition, SET Flavors^™ links closely to the technical research platforms of Symrise: Sensory Guided Analysis, AgroScience, Biotechnology, and Separation Technologies. They combine the objective to identify, enrich and reconstitute side stream materials. This aims at degrading or eliminating undesired odor and taste actives from complex raw materials and enriching the pleasant components of raw materials.

SET Flavors^™ covers the utilisation of solid or liquid side streams from the food industry – including pomaces, sift outs, materials from the preservation process, vegetable processing, fermentation, and cell materials. This approach helps Symrise identify value adding components. By using natural conversion processes – such as biotransformation via enzymes or fermentation – SET Flavors^™ generates signature profiles for use in beverage and culinary applications, which contribute to culinary complexity and pleasant taste profiles.

Authentic, signature taste for food and beverage manufacturers

“Our new brand SET Flavors^™ is championing a dedicated combination of technologies to source, enrich, decode and transform value from nature,” explains Stefan Brennecke, Master Technologist and Head of Separation Science in Research & Technology Food & Beverage at Symrise. “In doing so, it generates a unique value proposition for our products and customers to serve superiority and consumer preferred market products.”

The technologies enable a better use of existing specialties and solutions to achieve a certain taste or aroma effect, including juiciness, masking, complexity, and authenticity. Their deployment enables Symrise to provide uniqueness and added value to its taste solutions, delivering signature food and beverage products for customers. SET Flavors^™ deploys various principles of circular economy and contributes to a more sustainable food system by processing materials from side streams.

The SET Flavors^™ technologies are established in production or pilot scale. Based on the composition of the new raw materials, the Research & Technology and Production teams use their expertise to modify and optimize processes. Using this as a base, the research platforms are continuously exploring new technological approaches and processes to reduce costs, energy and avoid waste materials.

“As a new brand, SET Flavors^™ strongly align with the core competencies of Taste, Nutrition and Health – supporting sustainability as an integral part of our company philosophy,” adds Uwe Schäfer, Director Applied Research in Research & Technology Food & Beverage at Symrise. “With the combination of great, authentic taste and sustainable practices, SET Flavors^™ contributes to our approach towards naturalness in the Symrise code of nature^™ platform. The brand supports manufacturers to develop unique food and beverage products, while responding to the consumer need for sustainable and planet-friendly consumption.”

ofi (olam food ingredients), a global leader in naturally good food and beverage ingredients, is celebrating the official opening of the first phase of its new, state-of-the-art dairy processing plant located in the dairy heartland of New Zealand – the Waikato region in the north island of the country. The facility will produce dairy ingredients like whole milk powder to meet growing demand, targeting key customer applications in dessert, bakery, beverage, and confectionery categories.

Sandeep Jain, Managing Director and CEO, Dairy, at ofi commented: “As we continue to expand our dairy manufacturing capabilities and innovation infrastructure, the new Tokoroa plant will become part of a global network that spans major milk consumption markets, such as South-East Asia, China, the Middle East, and Africa. The new plant also complements a suite of enhancements made to ofi’s dairy production facility and Ingredient Excellence Centre (IEC) in Johor, Malaysia back in September – which combined with our Customer Solutions Center based in Singapore, enables us to co-create bespoke food and beverage solutions for our customers. Our dairy business is well positioned to serve increased demand from our global customer base and co-create innovative applications at scale – driving additional focus on the value-added capabilities within our portfolio.”

The Tokoroa dairy ingredients forms part of ofi’s much wider natural ingredients portfolio which includes cocoa, coffee, nuts and spices, ideal combinations with dairy for customized products such as yogurts, protein bars and ready-to-drink tea, coffee and cocoa beverages. The new facility also complements ofi’s existing global footprint, driving stronger partnerships with its customers and strengthening its co-creation capabilities across the region.

The next stage of investment will see further capability added to the facility to develop high value dairy ingredients, expanding the range of ofi’s offering. It will also enable ofi to look at ways to grow the value of its milk, generating better returns for its farmer partners while delivering on its ambition to produce ingredients in a way that is socially responsible and environmentally sustainable.
Naval Sabri, Senior Vice President, Dairy, at ofi said: “The enthusiastic response we’ve received from local farmers shows that our partnership approach, and ofi’s global reputation as a leading dairy ingredients provider and innovator, has struck a chord with them.”

On November 2, 2023 the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) proposed to revoke the regulation authorising the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food. The FDA conducted studies that clearly show adverse health effects in animals in levels more closely approximating real-world exposure. Therefore, the FDA can no longer conclude that this use of BVO in food is safe.

The studies were conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’(NIEHS) Division of Translational Toxicology (formerly the Division of the National Toxicology Program), to assess unresolved toxicological questions. Results from these studies demonstrate bioaccumulation of bromine and toxic effects on the thyroid – a gland that produces hormones that play a key role in regulating blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, metabolism and the reaction of the body to other hormones.

BVO is a vegetable oil that is modified with bromine. As authorised, it is used in small amounts, not to exceed 15 parts per million, as a stabiliser for fruit flavouring in beverages to keep the citrus flavouring from floating to the top. When used, BVO is required to be listed as an ingredient on the label as “brominated vegetable oil” or as the specific oil that has been brominated, such as “brominated soybean oil”.

Over time, many beverage makers have reformulated their products to replace BVO with an alternative ingredient. Today, few beverages in the US contain BVO.

GNT will open up an interactive “colour lab” for its plant-based EXBERRY^® concentrates at Food Ingredients Europe (Frankfurt, 28-30 November 2023).

EXBERRY® Colouring Foods are edible concentrates made from non-GMO fruit, vegetables, and plants using physical processing methods such as chopping and boiling. They are available in more than 400 shades from across the whole rainbow and can be used in all food and drink categories.

At FiE 2023, GNT (stand 3.1G140) will showcase EXBERRY® concentrates’ versatility by inviting attendees to colour their own dairy, confectionery, and non-alcoholic beverages at special application stations.

The company’s dedicated in-house experts will also be available throughout the event to provide insights and advice into how EXBERRY^® can meet consumer demand in different regions around the globe.

Petra Thiele, Managing Director at GNT Europa, said: “EXBERRY^® allows manufacturers to achieve vibrant shades in almost any application while maintaining completely clean and clear labels. Our special ‘colour lab’ will give FiE visitors the chance to experiment with the possibilities for themselves and discover the incredible potential of our plant-based concentrates.”

Based on the concept of coloring food with food, EXBERRY^® concentrates are classified as food ingredients rather than additives in the EU and many other parts of the world. They are also suitable for vegan, halal, and kosher diets.

To ensure the highest level of quality and year-round availability, GNT has a vertically integrated supply chain, with cultivation and harvesting monitored by GNT’s agricultural engineers.

Coca-Cola has launched a new limited-edition Coca-Cola 3000 Zero Sugar within the Coca-Cola Creations platform, with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). The AI, in cooperation with humans, helped create both the taste and the design of the can, as Coca-Cola tries to identify what the year 3000 would look like for beverages. It is not just Coca-Cola using AI in the soft drinks category. Unilever, owner of PepsiCo, has developed AI tools to optimise various aspects of its business operations. Against this backdrop, the usage of AI in the soft drinks industry is set to grow for the discovery of new flavours and to enhance the efficiency of business operations, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Coca-Cola started with a core question to its customers: What would the year 3000 look like? Consumers were asked how they saw Coca-Cola in the year 3000 via the Coca-Cola Creations platforms. The company then used AI to analyse all the responses to create the framework for the futuristic product based on how people see the future through emotions, ambitions, colours and flavours.

Dragos Dumitrachi, Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Based on these inputs from consumers and its knowledge of beverage trends, the AI created a unique packaging and flavour profile for a carbonate in the year 3000. The packaging format is colourful, with a mix of spherical shapes blended in purple, pink, and blue colours with a pixelated logo, and the AI primarily perceived the future as being sugar-free. This is to be expected as low-calorie carbonates recorded a 39 % growth between 2015 and 2023 globally, with this growth set to continue over the next five years, as consumers increasingly focus on their health and wellness. According to the latest global survey^* by Global Data, 81 % of respondents consider that it is nice to have or essential for a product to be good for physical fitness/health.”

Global Data expects the AI market to grow from USD 81 billion in 2022 to USD 90 billion by 2030, with a 35 % compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during 2022-2030. Recent progress in machine learning (ML) on the back of improved algorithms (e.g., Google’s AlphaGo, OpenAI’s GPT-3/ChatGPT, Tesla’s AutoPilot) and increasing computing power have enabled AI to become more widely used in the soft drinks industry.

The AI-driven applications developed by Unilever leverage neural networks and the GPT API is aimed at enhancing the company’s ability to respond to the evolving needs of its consumer base and broader market dynamics. On top of that, Unilever is using AI to identify alternative ingredients that can reinforce the resilience of their supply chains, making their products more sustainable and cost-efficient, and streamlining the number of ingredients without impacting the effectiveness or quality of the products.

Dragos concludes: “The AI market in the soft drinks industry is still in its infancy; the rules and laws that will govern it are still under debate. Global Data is forecasting that the use of AI for supply chain, administrative issues, and the discovery of new flavours and packaging formats in the soft drinks industry will only grow.”

^*GlobalData 2023 Q2 Consumer Survey – Global, with 21,595 respondents, published November 2022

Xampla research among the UK public found that two in five consumers (39 %)¹ are concerned about their vitamin D intake, rising to half of those aged 18 – 34¹. Particularly in the UK as we go into shorter days and longer nights, the importance of Vitamin D for bone health and a healthy immune system is pulled into sharp focus.

With nearly three in five consumers (57 %)¹ preferring to boost their vitamin intake through food and drink products rather than tablets, a solution for transporting and storing vitamins – at their full efficacy – within consumer’s favourite products, is critical.

However, preserving essential vitamins, such as Vitamin D has been a significant challenge for brands to overcome. Though vitamin D is vital for our overall health, it is very easily degraded by sunlight, pasteurisation and low pH when it is added to products.

As a result, vitamin D added to, say, orange juice is significantly less potent when it reaches supermarket shelves than it was in the factory, and less potent again by the time it is poured into a glass.

Xampla and Britvic’s partnership is therefore a game-changer for the food and beverage industry. A groundbreaking collaboration will bring to market their micropackaging technology, which protects vitamins and nutrients in liquid from UV light, external pH and heat shock by encasing them in an edible layer of plant-protein material.

This incredible 100 % vegan and gluten free technology isn’t limited to just vitamin D; it can be deployed for micropackaging any oil-based vitamin or flavouring, including vitamin A, D, E, or K. Best of all, drinks using this technology can be transported in clear plastic bottles because the nutrients are already protected from UV light.

This is particularly important, as Britvic’s research has shown that consumers are 40 % more likely to recycle clear bottles over coloured ones.

The exciting part of this partnership lies in its ability to bridge the gap between consumer needs and the limitations of traditionally unstable added ingredients. Britvic is proud to have been supported by the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, in recognition of the opportunity this presents for the industry.

Now an additional Better Food For All government grant, which recognises innovation in nutrition, will enable Britvic to increase the roll out of these microcapsules on an even larger scale.

In the future, consumers will find an array of drinks fortified with vitamins, housed in clear recyclable plastic bottles, on local supermarket shelves. Together Britvic and Xampla are empowering consumers to make healthier choices without compromise.

¹Polling commissioned by Xampla. Fieldwork completed by Yonder from 12 August to 16 August 2022 of 4,000 UK adults.

The tastemakers of the world will come together when Fi Europe returns to Frankfurt from 28-30 November

Food & beverage professionals are invited to step inside a microcosm of the ingredients world at this year’s Fi Europe. With 135 countries represented, over 25,000 visitors and 1,200 exhibitors are expected to come together under one roof, resulting in a rich, immersive opportunity to experience the energy of invention and profitable connection.

This year’s event blends real-world and digital interactions through the Fi Europe Event Platform, which will be open online pre- and post-show, extending the possibilities for exhibitors and visitors to discover new business opportunities, connect with the right people and be inspired by the latest industry trends and innovations. It also allows attendees to maximise their time in Frankfurt and prepare for the on-site event by planning a personalised agenda, bookmarking sessions they want to attend and reaching out to suppliers to set up meetings.

Fi Europe’s winning formula combines a bustling show floor with an insightful conference line-up. In the exhibition hall, attendees can access an unrivalled breadth of products spanning the entire food & beverage supply chain. The global exhibitor base includes many high-profile names such as Cargill, ABF Ingredients, Prinova, Brenntag and Lesaffre.

The Fi Europe Conference (28-29 November) and Future of Nutrition Summit (27 November) will provide exclusive, paid-for content that cannot be accessed elsewhere. It is focused on addressing current challenges and identifying immediate opportunities in the F&B industry. Its stellar speaker line-up includes Kalina Doykova, Senior Research Analyst at Euromonitor International, and Cyrille Filott, Global Strategist at Rabobank.

The Future of Nutrition Summit offers a deep dive into disruptive technologies and solutions that have the potential to reshape the industry. Delegates will hear from presenters such as Floor Buitelaar, Managing Partner at Bright Green Partners; Mario Ubiali, Founder & CEO of Thimus; and Christine Gould, Founder & CEO of Thought For Food. Free-to-attend content will be offered at the Innovation Hub and Sustainability Hub.

The growing importance of sustainability as an industry challenge will be reflected in the event highlighting issues such as sustainable sourcing, labels and transparency, regulatory compliance, ESG, gender equity, and more. As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability, Informa has recently partnered with the international civil society organisation Solidaridad. Through the Sustainability Hub, visitors can find out how Solidaridad’s work in creating sustainable supply chains globally can help with ethical and sustainable ingredient sourcing.

In addition to the numerous informal and impromptu interactions that an industry gathering on this scale provides, there will be several organised networking opportunities. Data-driven matchmaking offers a scientific approach to making connections, and female professionals can look forward to inspiring others and being inspired at the popular Women’s Networking Breakfast.

As well as encouraging diversity in all forms, Fi Europe champions innovation and excellence through its award programmes. The Fi Innovation Awards celebrate individuals and businesses breaking new ground and making a difference in the industry. They culminate in an evening awards ceremony held on Tuesday, 28 November. The Startup Innovation Challenge offers a springboard for young companies with disruptive potential. Attendees can watch these startups pitch their concepts to a panel of investors, accelerators and influential industry players at the Innovation Hub on 28 November.