How are Nestlé, Danone and Muscle Milk rethinking reformulation?
Additives and artificial colors and flavors continue to be axed from formulas as the industry balances a meeting consumers’ health goals with nutrition policy
Formulation
聚焦中国：功能性食品创新、KitKat 本土化战略、中国品牌在东南亚的崛起等
本期探讨本土化、功能创新与高端化如何助力品牌赢得亚洲各地消费者
China Focus: Functional food innovations, KitKat’s localisation strategy, and the rise of Chinese brands in SEA
This edition examines how localisation, functional innovation and premiumisation are helping brands win consumers across Asia
趋势追踪：果冻条、药食同源与格力高洞见等
本期“趋势追踪”包含果冻条、药食同源与格力高洞见等专题报道
Do GLP-1 users like artificial sweeteners?
Users perceive sweeteners differently to sugar
Neapolitan reigns: Dessert experts highlight classic flavours for growth
Vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice creams continue to outperform flavour and health trends
Snack trends: Nutrient-dense grazing hitting its stride
Snack brands are targeting fluid eating occasions with products that deliver nutrition in smaller portable formats, aligning with healthier snacking trends to suit busier lifestyles
Awareness of FFCs high but more needs to be done to raise uptake – Japan survey
Tokyo-based market research firm MyVoicecom has released results from its survey on Foods with Function Claims (FFCs), which indicate that though awareness of these products is high, more work is needed to increase consumption rate.
Energy drink trends: US startup PHX blends hydration and energy
Florida-based functional drinks firm PHX has launched a hydration-energy drink designed to meet growing demand for multifunctional beverages
Young and sweet: Apple cider vinegar reinvented as RTD drinks
Shandong-based Lv Jie launches RTD apple cider vinegar with apple juice and prebiotics – a younger, tastier makeover to attract younger consumers
Old-school soy, new-school appeal: Oatside’s fresh soymilk take
Oatside is repositioning soymilk for younger Asian consumers with a high-protein, clean-label offering focused on taste and wellness
Food for seniors: Empathy and food safety gaps hindering innovation
As populations age, companies are exploring safer and appealing dysphagia foods for the elderly, but gaps in empathy, research and awareness prove challenging
聚焦中国：WALOVI 全球布局、健康中国 2030、老年营养等议题
本期内容涵盖凉茶品牌 WALOVI 的全球扩张、“健康中国 2030”战略驱动下的食品创新、针对患有吞咽障碍的老年人的营养解决方案等
China Focus: WALOVI’s global push, Healthy China 2030, senior nutrition and more
This edition covers herbal tea brand WALOVI’s global expansion, Healthy China 2030-driven food innovation, nutrition solutions for seniors with dysphagia, and more
替代蛋白质观察：Beyond Meat、加工食品与融合菜肴增长
本期“替代蛋白质观察”重点关注 Beyond Meat、加工食品与融合菜肴增长
Food Ingredients China 2026
Healthy China 2030 spurs wellness-driven food additive innovation
Food companies pivot to plant-based additives and health-forward messaging to meet consumer demand and align with the Healthy China 2030 Blueprint
Growth Asia Summit 2026: Alpro Pharmacy, BYHEALTH to present on metabolic health
Metabolic health and weight management are two key themes covered in this year’s Growth Asia Summit 2026 and Malaysia-based Alpro Pharmacy chain and China’s health supplement giant BYHEALTH are among the key speakers.
From coffee to soda: How protein is making waves in beverage innovation
Drinks are a new frontier for protein innovation
FIC 2026
Flashy and sweet: Brands tap health trends in artificial sweetener push
Leveraging weight loss, gut and dental health trends, Chinese firms are increasingly creative in reframing artificial sweeteners as a health aligned choice
Food Ingredients China 2026
Gut health, clean label foods surge in China market
Chinese consumers are driving demand for natural, gut-friendly and plant-based ingredients, mirroring global trends and boosting innovation in functional products
How AI is reshaping product discovery in F&B
Algorithms are increasingly deciding if a product flies or flops. Here’s how food and beverage companies can wow a new customer: agentic AI
Egg-based collagen: The next beauty-from-within superstar?
Singapore firm Vicky en France is upcycling discarded eggshell membranes into collagen products, targeting the growing beauty-from-within and healthy ageing market
Alt protein strategies: ‘Identity priming’ and hybrid meat
The concepts of shared identity messaging and hybrid meat show potential to increase alt protein uptake
Animal-plant mince key to revive APAC alt-protein push: NECTAR study
Blended chicken-plant mince has outperformed real meat in APAC taste tests, though gaps remain across the category in flavour, appearance and compositional balance
Gen Z habits shift energy drinks towards flavour and drinkability
Gen Zs are leaning into lighter, natural flavours to support lifestyle habits, from prolonged screen time to gaming and studying
Beyond Meat pushes forward with repositioning in face of plummeting revenues
The plant-based company’s struggles have worsened, not improved
Tetra Pak urges rapid food innovation to ease supply chain strain
With food supply chains under strain and consumer demands intensifying worldwide, Tetra Pak calls for faster innovation to keep companies competitive
Alc-free growth: Free AF ramps up US plans with Whole Foods, Kroger launch
New Zealand alcohol-free cocktail brand has set its sights on driving rapid retail expansion in the US, tapping its proprietary botanical tech to offer innovative drinks to the market
Vanity-led demand: Vitagen taps female audience with beauty-focused drinks
The probiotic cultured milk brand refocuses on gut health and collagen, riding on the beauty food revolution that has swept across food and wellness categories in Asia
Localised and functional: Asia energy drinks tap health demand
Energy drinks in Asia are evolving beyond caffeine as consumers seek added health benefits, opening opportunities for functional, better-for-you innovation
聚焦中国：中国品牌吸引力、食品运输规范收紧、心理健康趋势等
本期探讨中国食品品牌日益增长的吸引力、食用油、酒精和糖浆的运输规范趋严、心理健康趋势等内容。
更健康的选择：主要功能性配料、海藻糖和 SmartMilk
本期“更健康的选择”特别介绍了主要功能性配料、海藻糖和 SmartMilk
Why upcycled ingredients struggle to scale in Asia Pacific
Despite growing interest, high costs, complex supply chains and uneven demand continue to limit large-scale adoption of upcycled ingredients across Asia Pacific
Is Asia the next GLP‑1 boom market and what it means for F&B?
After a slow start, Asia’s GLP‑1 weight‑loss market is poised for explosive growth as China and India tackle obesity and food and drink brands race to become essential GLP‑1 companions
SmartMilk: The creation of a new functional milk category
New Zealand firm Lullaa has developed SmartMilk, a functional dairy drink combining botanicals, synbiotics and collagen for everyday health and beauty support
Why familiarity drives texture acceptance in food and drink
Consumers are more receptive to new food and drink products when textures reflect familiar eating experiences
Gulfood 2026
Hunter Foods’ spicy chips bring extra heat to Middle East chilli lovers
Snacking giant Hunter Foods has launched a range of new snacks meant for ‘true chilli lovers’ in the Middle East, bringing more bold heat and flavour to the region
From trash to toast: How sunflower oil waste could become bread’s next health upgrade
Research into sunflower oil byproducts suggests an overlooked ingredient could help bakers lift protein and fiber levels while supporting sustainability goals and easing pressure on wheat-based formulations
How to turn whey into high-performance ingredients
Modern membrane filtration technologies are transforming whey processing into high-value ingredients while improving efficiency and sustainability
Functional drinks hold mass market appeal – but there’s work to do
Functional beverages are popular with wellness enthusiasts: but how wide is their appeal?
Ingredients Compendium No 2: Trehalose
The little-known functional sugar gaining ground across food categories
As manufacturers grapple with sugar reduction, texture loss and longer shelf-life demands, trehalose is emerging as a functional ingredient to watch in 2026
What’s at stake for Danone in 2026?
From maintaining growth in protein and specialized nutrition to propping up plant-based and creamers, here’s what Danone must focus on
Cocoa costs and climate risks: What drives new Barry Callebaut AI hub
Barry Callebaut’s new Global Innovation Center in Singapore combines cacao coatings expertise and AI to address rising cocoa costs and climate pressures
Ginger syrup taps food-as-medicine trend to expand Europe, Asia appeal
An Okinawa-based ginger syrup firm is expanding into Europe and Asia, betting on rising demand for traditional food-as-medicine solutions linked to health and beauty
Clearer and more flexible: India’s 2026 alcohol regulations
India’s new alcohol regulations include mandatory labelling and expanded category definitions, signalling greater consumer transparency and flexibility for producers
Alt protein spotlight: Our Top 10 Alternative Protein stories from the past year
We reveal the top 10 most popular alt protein stories from this year, from leaf-powered protein to cultivated seafood and more
Why salt reduction is getting harder for food makers
Governments may be returning to salt reduction targets, but manufacturers say the era of easy reformulation wins is long over
Growth Asia Summit 2026: Calbee, NielsenIQ, PepsiCo to present this July
Calbee, NielsenIQ and PepsiCo are some of the biggest names giving keynote presentations at this year’s Growth Asia Summit.
UAE government survey flags high salt, low vitamin D in local diets
New UAE data has shown excess salt consumption and poor vitamin D levels, findings set to guide national reformulation and health initiatives
Nippon focus: Our Top 10 Japan stories from the previous year
Here are our top 10 most popular stories from the Land of the Rising Sun, including big brand innovations, regulatory changes, regional food trade initiatives, and more