After three dynamic days at Fi Europe 2025 in Paris, the Food + Nutrition industry’s future has never looked more exciting, or more complex. The event was a showcase of innovation, collaboration, and bold ideas, offering a glimpse into how companies can thrive amid rapid change and navigate the most influential food ingredients trends.
Below, we break down the key themes shaping the industry:
Protein Evolution and Hybrid Solutions
Protein is still seen as a hero ingredient, witnessing growing interest and new sources and incorporation across many product formats. However, the spotlight is shifting merely from quantity of protein to quality, in line with the consumer understanding of the role of amino acid composition and digestibility. Interesting Beneo’s “Meatless” food truck looked like a huge hit and certainly drew crowds, highlighting curiosity and the potential for new protein formats.
Fiber and Gut Health
Gut health is front and center of consumer health concerns as understanding of the role that the gut plays in wider health and wellness grows. This in turn is driving demand for both biotic and fiber-rich products. As the gap between recommended and actual fiber intake remains significant, opportunities for innovation with novel fiber ingredients across products and demographics are seen.
Nutrient Density and Functional Foods
Alongside health and wellness being a top purchase driver for consumers, as populations age and GLP-1 users seek tailored nutrition, the rise of functional foods and beverages is further accelerating. Increasingly, products across categories are being designed for higher nutrient density, with science-backed ingredients playing a key role in supporting both health and market differentiation. For food and beverage manufacturers to capitalize on this opportunity, it is vital that products are clearly positioned for specific demographics’ needs and fit the lifestyle of those target customers.
Upcycled Ingredients
As explored in the Lunch & Learn session, climate change is shrinking viable farmland; at the same time, population increase and rising living-standards are predicting a 40% increase in calorie consumption by 2050. In response to this, there is a growing focus on upcycling food waste created during and post production. Ingredient companies particularly seek to valorize every output. Ingredients such as Apple Fiber from Nuvela, which was showcased in the New Products Zone, is just one example of how “waste” materials from food processing are finding new life in product formulations.
Replacements and Cost Efficiency
Rising raw material costs are driving innovation in ingredient replacements, meat proteins, eggs, sugar, and especially cocoa. Driven by rising costs of raw material, cocoa is particularly interesting as it illustrates some of the challenges that could become more common for other ingredients over the coming decades. There were several cocoa replacement solutions on show in the New Product Zone, such as Unigrà’s coconut and shea fat combination, alongside upcycled malt and oat-based ingredients, and carob and novel precision-fermentation based ingredients.
When exploring sugar reduction trends, we learned that education of users and strong technical and regulatory support is needed by food manufacturers as they learn how and where to best utilize these new solutions. This extends to understanding how replacements perform, not only from a taste and texture perspective in final products, but also in commercial scale processing and manufacturing operations.
Clean Labels and Transparency
Undoubtedly, consumers are still increasingly demanding clean labels, recognizable ingredients, and minimal processing. This can be at odds with the other trends noted; therefore, upcycled ingredients, replacement ingredients, and nutrient fortification trends must also align with these sensitivities to succeed.
AI and Smart Tech
AI is turbocharging product development, offering efficiencies and accelerating commercialization. However, real-world testing and consumer feedback remain essential. It was great to learn how Thimus Inc. uses novel neuroscience solutions to enable deeper insights into consumer experiences, supporting faster and more informed new product development.
Sweetening Solutions and Longevity
Our Food and Nutrition industry leader, Elizabeth Thundow, delivered a compelling presentation on sweetening solutions, reinforcing the strong momentum behind sugar-reduction strategies across the food and beverage industry. As explored in her recent insights into Sweetening Success: Strategies That Drive Growth, ingredient manufacturers, flavor houses, and distributors are increasingly providing blends and formulation support, a key differentiator in a competitive market. Elizabeth’s presentation, Sweetening Success: Practical Strategies for Sugar Reduction, is available for download here.
The Longevity Panel explored how antioxidants and functional foods can reduce cognitive decline, emphasizing the need for science-backed ingredients and stable formulations. Success hinges on integrating nutrition, social factors, and activity levels for holistic well-being.
Pet Food Innovation
The pet food zone mirrored human trends (clean labels, antioxidants, and gut health), showing that the humanization of pets continues to shape product development.
Ready to Navigate the Future?
Fi Europe made it clear: The future of Food + Nutrition is complex, dynamic, and full of opportunity. Whether you’re tackling ingredient innovation, sustainability, or market strategy, Kline + Company is ready to help you navigate the complexities of product development, market strategy, and commercializing cutting-edge solutions.
Learn more about our Food + Nutrition Advisory, Market Research & Analysis services. Let’s shape the future together. Visit our Food + Nutrition page.
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