Flora Southey is Editor of Food Navigator, her role comprises of covering the latest food trends, sustainability, regulation, and nutrition across Europe, North America, and APAC. In her Q&A, as part of the Lumina Q2 Food Strategy Forum, Flora provided a fascinating look at what consumers are hungry for in the ingredient world, as well as what food and beverage manufacturers and operators should be focussing on to make the most of the opportunities.

Here are our takeaways on what operators and food and drink manufacturers should be thinking about in the year head.

Functional Ingredients

There is a significant trend towards functional ingredients in the food industry enabling food manufacturers to develop products that can support our gut health (probiotics), muscle building (high protein), and even boost our mood (CBD).

The Takeaway for Operators and Manufacturers

Driven by consumer interest in health, food and drink, manufacturers may want to focus on developing products that incorporate these functional ingredients to meet consumer demand for health benefits and clearly communicate these. From protein to added fibre, Flora also predicts there are opportunities for innovation in supplements and nutraceuticals that can naturally boost and be beneficial bodily functions

Ultra-Processed Foods vs. Wholefoods

There’s an ongoing debate around ultra-processed foods (UPFs), with Flora highlighting that some can actually be healthy while others are not. Plant-based milk alternatives for example, often need added nutrients like B12 to be considered healthy. One of the challenges for consumers is that UPFs are generally more affordable, and easily accessible, compared to more expensive whole foods, making eating well harder than it can appear. Despite the conversations happening, consumer awareness and understanding of ultra-processed foods is poor, and the classification itself is broad, ranging from chocolate and cereals to bread and cheese. So what do we do? Flora still believes focusing on fat, sugar, and salt levels is important for consumers to understand the healthiness of food products.

The Takeaway for Operators and Manufacturers

Food and drink brands face the challenge of navigating consumer perception of UPFs. There’s a very real need to balance affordability and accessibility with nutritional value, as well as clearly communicate messaging to consumers about ingredients and their nutritional profile, especially where essential nutrients are added.

GLP-1 Drugs

GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide-1) drugs help consumers lose weight by increasing their feelings of fullness, which leads to less hunger and eating smaller meal portions. As use of these drugs grows in the UK, this will have implications for consumer snacking habits, placing pressure on food manufacturers and operators to offer products that meet the GLP-1 user’s needs.

Flora spoke about R&D teams being under pressure to develop new products that cater for both the nutritional and dietary requirements of people using GLP-1 drugs. For foodservice and hospitality, there may be a shift in consumer preferences too, as people on GLP-1 drugs can develop an aversion to high-fat and high-sugar foods impacting QSR and food to go. There may also be a need for menus to include smaller portion sizes to encourage GLP-1 users to still eat out.

Opportunities and demand around natural GLP-1 boosting ingredients may also grow, like lean protein, fibre, and certain herbs and spices such as cinnamon in food products – supplements and nutraceuticals could prove an exciting area for innovation!

The Takeaway for Operators and Manufacturers

Restaurants and manufacturers may need to reformulate menu items to offer balanced, nutrient-dense options that are satisfying in much smaller portions, as well as offer tailored versions to cater for people seeking lower fat or lower sugar alternatives. Natural GLP-1 boosters could grow in demand including lean protein and fibre, alongside certain herbs and spices.

Plant-based and Lab-Grown Meats

Flora highlighted that while sales of plant-based meat alternatives are declining, there is still a growing demand for traditional plant-based ingredients like tofu and tempeh as people look to reduce their meat consumption.

When it comes to lab-grown meat, progress is being made in the UK with cultivated meat products, especially following Australia’s approval of its first product. Will it take off in the UK? Flora believes consumers will be willing to try high-quality cultivated meat.

Over the next five years, there will likely be a trend towards eating less meat and a demand for better quality meat and dairy products when we do. Consumers will want to see high-welfare labels for these products, meeting the demand for real value and quality when eating out – something they will pay more for.

The Takeaway for Operators and Manufacturers

Brands need to diversify their offerings beyond just meat alternatives to include whole plant-based ingredients. Meat and dairy producers should focus on transparency and ethical sourcing, emphasising their welfare standards and communicating clearly to consumers what these standards means to justify premium pricing.

So what should food and drink brands do to innovate? Brands across all categories need to prioritise offering “real value,” whether through superior quality, ethical sourcing and high food standards, or adding functional benefits to meet dietary needs. By clearly communicating their USPs, and working in partnership with operators and retailers, there is real optimism for the food and drink industry in 2026 and beyond.

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Gemma Felstead
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