Trends in Innovative Food Ingredients

I recently had a fascinating conversation with Allison ("Ali") M. Wing, CEO of Oobli, and I'm blown away by their revolutionary approach to one of the food industry's biggest challenges: sugar. What makes Oobli truly unique? They're commercializing sweet proteins - nature's ingenious solution found in equatorial fruits that are up to 5,000x sweeter than sugar. But here's the kicker - these proteins digest like protein in your body, without impacting blood sugar or insulin levels. Just 1g of their brazzein protein equals 2,000g of sugar! What impressed me most wasn't just the technology, but their strategic vision. Instead of becoming another CPG brand, Oobli is positioning itself as a biotech innovator and technology partner to transform the broader food industry. They're already working with major players like Grupo Bimbo, helping "rehabilitate" everyday products from beverages to baked goods. This isn't about eliminating sugar - it's about reimagining the future of sweetness through genuine technological innovation. While others in the "better for you" space focus on changing consumer behavior, Oobli is working within existing systems to make products fundamentally better. Real innovation isn't just about new products - it's about new solutions that can scale. And Oobli's approach to tackling hidden sugars in our everyday foods while preserving taste might just be the breakthrough we've been waiting for. Read our interview here: https://lnkd.in/d4VRBYHs #FoodTech #Innovation #Sustainability #FutureOfFood #HealthyLiving

Natural preservatives from mixed tocopherols to rosemary extracts are gaining traction as food manufacturers seek to clean up labels. But could a new generation of products produced by plant cell culture unlock new mechanisms of action? Israeli foodtech startup Novella is one of a flurry of startups developing high-value food or personal care ingredients via plant cell culture. Rather than using sunlight, water, and soil to nurture fully-grown plants, these companies grow plant cells in bioreactors in conditions optimized for the rapid, consistent, and controlled production of high-value #botanicals as agricultural supply chains are increasingly threatened. While several of these startups are focusing on coffee and cocoa however, Novella is focusing on antimicrobials and antioxidants, and has just struck a strategic partnership with Metaphor Foods, the innovation arm of global ingredients and private label food giant Hela APAC, designed to secure ingredient availability, establish manufacturing readiness, and ensure consistent quality at scale. “We are producing known bioactives—mainly alkaloids, terpenes, and polyphenols—naturally found in plants,” says Novella cofounder Itay Dana. “The innovation lies in our targeted composition and delivery system: instead of isolated extracts, we offer intact, soluble plant cells that protect the bioactives, improve stability (e.g. heat resistance), and enable a new mechanism of action. While the compounds are known, this format unlocks new functional benefits and enhanced efficacy.” AgFunder #foodtech #naturalpreservatives #plantcellculture #cleanlabel #antioxidants #antimicrobials

Functional Ingredients Just Created a $117 Billion Opportunity in CPG. Lion's mane in your chocolate. Ashwagandha in your cookies. Nootropics in your granola bars. The line between food and wellness has completely blurred, and the smartest CPG brands are capitalizing on consumers willing to pay premium prices for products that do more than just taste good. This isn't just another health trend - it's a fundamental shift in what consumers expect from everyday products. What makes this trend significant: →Today's consumers are seeking products that multitask. They want their everyday purchases to contribute to specific wellness goals →78% of consumers now actively seek foods with additional nutritional benefits beyond basic sustenance →The functional ingredients market is projected to reach $117 billion by 2027, growing at 6.8% CAGR Brands leading the functional ingredients revolution. Established Innovators: Magic Spoon: Reimagining cereal with functional proteins and zero-sugar formulations Purely Elizabeth: Ancient grain granolas enhanced with probiotics and functional botanicals GOODLES: Nutrient-packed mac and cheese with prebiotic fiber and 21 nutrients from vegetables Ritual: Transparent multivitamins with traceable functional ingredients and clear benefits Emerging Stars: Mid-Day Squares: Functional chocolate bars with adaptogens that serve as meal replacements Snow Days - Their grain-free pizza bites incorporate functional ingredients like apple cider vinegar for gut health while maintaining the convenience food angle Otherworld: Functional pancake mixes packed with performance-enhancing adaptogens Toodaloo Superfoods: Trail mix featuring specific functional mushrooms for targeted wellness benefits Brands to Watch: Fx Chocolate: Functional chocolate squares for targeted benefits like sleep and immunity Mindright: Snack bars containing nootropics for cognitive performance Chasin' Dreams Farm: Mini-cookies infused with adaptogens and superfoods Topicals - This skincare brand focuses on using functional ingredients with clinical validation for addressing specific skin concerns, maintaining the personal care category representation The functional ingredients gold rush is here, and brands that merely sprinkle trendy additives into existing products will be left behind. The real winners are building their entire value proposition around targeted benefits backed by science, not marketing hype. In this high-stakes market, consumers will quickly separate the innovators from the imitators. #cpgtrends #consumergoods #WellnessTrends

12 Expo West theme predictions #1 Sustainable energy *Products made with ingredients that offer a long lasting fuel source for the body + mind (Think: ketones, resistant starch, omega 3s, nutraceuticals like bacopa monnieri, l-theanine, phosphatidylserine, etc.) ——— #2 Local and seasonal foods *Brands will lean into using locally sourced and in-season ingredients to support local farmers and reduce their carbon footprint (Might even start to see limited edition product drops using seasonal foods 👀) ——— #3 Plant based options with simpler ingredients *No fillers, refined oils/sugars, and artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors as we’ve seen in many plant-based options to date ——— #4 Label transparency and traceability *Brands will allow consumers to scan a QR code/visit a landing page that lets them see 3rd party testing results, ingredient sources, production methods and ethics, etc. ——— #5 Monk fruit and allulose as preferred natural sugar alternatives *Brands will get rid of stevia and sugar alcohols like erythritol and sorbitol after the negative observational data pushed out on them this past year ——— #6 No more seed oils *Avocado, coconut, and olive oil, ghee, butter, or tallow will continue to show up on labels in replacement to what previously was canola, soybean, cottonseed, (etc.) oil ——— #7 Anti inflammatory as a benefit *Products made with anti-inflammatory ingredients like green tea, dark chocolate, turmeric, ginger, EVOO, cherries, etc. Will be prioritized as we know chronic inflammation is at the root of almost every chronic illness. ——— #8 Nutrient density (less is more) *Products with less, recognizable whole food ingredients on their label will continue to shine as this is about as close to food as medicine as a packaged product can get ——— #9 Regenerative farming practices and certified ingredients *Products made under restorative farming practices that focus on sequestering carbon, increasing diversity, and restoring soil health will continue to popularize (As they’re benefitting human + planetary health simultaneously) ——— #10 Sprouted nuts and seeds *Nuts and seeds (+ brands that use them as ingredients) will get an upgrade by using sprouting techniques that increase nutrient availability, digestibility, and flavor ——— #11 Biodegradable / 100% sustainable packaging and zero waste efforts *Brands will continue to take (and market) their deliberate efforts to combat our climate and food waste crisis Even if that means using “ugly” produce, less glamorous packaging, and upcycled ingredients. ——— #12 High protein will continue to have its moment *Brands will either 1) choose food sources that’ll make their product > 15g of protein or 2) add in protein as an auxiliary in the form of pea, whey, brown rice, hemp, etc. ——— Hit me with your takes! #expowest2024 #naturalfoods #healthandwellness

I'm posting today to share a quiet innovation bubbling up that most people outside the industry know nothing about yet, but which I've been following for the past few years. It's mind-blowing and it will greatly impact business and our lives today. This "quiet innovation" has been taking place in the food industry. Led by many extraordinary scientist innovators, mainstream media is now starting to cover it. In case you haven’t heard of it, look out for the term "cell-cultivated" meat and seafood. Simplistically speaking, it's meat or seafood grown in vats like beer is made, using animal stem cells. It means no animal slaughter and the cells are actually real meat or seafood. This means: + A new way to combat climate change with a need to farm less or not at all (although the jury is still out as to whether production will be better, equal or worse for the environment),  + The end of animal slaughter for food + No more pesticides/ mercury/ antibiotics in what we eat. They’re selling it already in Singapore and the US has just now approved it. Companies like UPSIDE Foods ($600M+ raised), Believer Meats ($380M+ raised), GoodMeat ($260M+) Wildtype ($120M+) and BlueNalu ($80M+ raised) and many more are in the making. This isn't the only important innovation in foodtech to replace the killing of animals and help combat climate change; it's just the most sci-fi sounding :). Most consumers are familiar with all the plant-based innovation trends to make meat or fish-tasting products, and the latest exciting trend there is with fungi (mycelium). The other area is precision fermentation, scientific innovations in order to make products that are actually dairy products (whey) without cows. I truly hope they can figure out the scientific and scaling hurdles that remain for all these options -- because if they do, this could be huge for humanity, for animals, for combating climate change and for our health. My grandfather, a scientist-inventor, seeded this constant curiosity in me as a child to follow the scientific trends of what innovations are coming. I’ve continued to have a healthy respect for innovation ever since. I surrounded myself in college at a school filled with inquisitive scientists and engineers, and innovation has become a constant thread in my business career. Whether it be roles to work on a new consumer product, e-commerce and digital when they were nascent, new financial paradigms, thinking through the latest to help develop using AI, I always want to be part of what's cutting-edge.  This innovation, this foodtech revolution, gives me so much hope for the future. Here’s just one article describing this mind-blowing possibility. #innovation #foodtech #cellcultivated #cultivatedmeat #cultivatedseafood #mycelium #altprotein

🌟 7 lesser-known food & ag predictions for 2025 After completing dozens of super exciting projects in 2024, certain trends stood out—ones that are likely to dominate the conversation well into 2025 ⬇️ 🍎 1. Replace those artificial food dyes With California banning foods containing six artificial dyes in public schools and a growing awareness of health risks like hyperactivity in children, natural dye alternatives are becoming indispensable ➡️ Phytolon and Kalsec Inc. are leading the way with fermentation and plant-based colors to offer vibrant solutions that meet health and regulatory demands; others are using algae __ 🌿 2. Biomaterials to reduce microplastic use Synthetic fabrics are a major source of microplastics and shed them during washing ➡️ UNCAGED Innovations is upcycling food waste into customizable materials, while Tandem Repeat Technologies is producing protein fibers through fermentation ‼️ Natural, absorbent materials for diapers—anyone have leads? I have a contact who needs your help - Let’s connect! __ 🌊 3. Surf and turf: algae as fertilizer Algae is a unique treasure trove of minerals and nutrients for agriculture which can offer a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers ➡️ Algaeo has been partnering with farmers to produce #fertilizers on-site via microalgae production __ . * 🐟 4. Fish (and their food) are now terrestrial As there are more fish now being grown on land vs. the ocean, our new challenge is to feed #fish without relying on land-based crops like soy ➡️ ProtYeast Technology creates fermentation-based yeast aquaculture feed __ 🐄 5. Cultivated meat for farmers Conventional farmers are embracing cultivated meat as a potential new revenue stream, especially in Europe. Start-ups want to empower them to integrate this technology directly into their operations ➡️ RESPECTfarms and MEATOSYS are enabling #farmers to produce cultivated meat by leveraging their livestock cells and emphasizing a hyper-local approach to food production __ 🍖 6. The year of the hybrid [meat] We saw companies pop up all over the place to produce products that blend conventional meat with plants, mushrooms, mycelia, and fermentation-derived ingredients to boost meat sustainability, nutrition, shelf-life, and target market share ➡️ Expect to see more cultivated meat (Fork & Good, Inc.), molecular farming (Moolec Science), and others find uses for their meat-flavor and protein-based ingredients in hybrid plant or conventional meat applications.  __ 🍄 7. Solid-state fermentation on the rise While liquid fermentation benefits from an established ecosystem, solid-state ferm can lower CAPEX costs and produce dense, fibrous textures ideal for mimicking meats ➡️ Bosque Foods creates whole-cut alternatives via mycelia, while Mush Foods uses solid-state fermentation for #hybrid applications What do you want to see scale in 2025? Image: Probably not a 2025 trend (Modern Toilet Restaurant icecream in Taiwan)

Bland Is Out: Why Food Brands Are Betting Big on Bold, Global Flavors For years, food companies have relied on the safe and familiar. Vanilla. Hazelnut. “Original flavor.” These staples filled supermarket shelves and dominated menus, especially in mainstream American markets. But today’s consumer has changed—and the food landscape is shifting dramatically. Thanks to global influences, TikTok virality, and an appetite for accessible luxury, the era of bland is over. If you’re considering building a food brand in 2025, you need to know that flavor innovation is no longer a niche strategy. It’s the norm. The Rise of the Global Pantry The post-2020 food consumer is more adventurous than ever. During pandemic lockdowns, millions of people began cooking at home—not just out of necessity, but out of curiosity. With time to explore, many turned to cuisines outside their cultural backgrounds. Lebanese, Korean, Persian, Vietnamese, West African, and South Asian flavors moved from specialty shops to everyday staples. That shift stuck. Today’s grocery carts are filled with ingredients like gochujang, sumac, miso, and black sesame. These are no longer fringe additions; they’re the building blocks of the modern pantry. And this isn’t a coastal elite phenomenon. Beck Flavors, a 100-year-old Missouri-based flavor house, recently named miso caramel a flavor of the year. This insight reveals how deep the appetite for bold and international flavors runs—even in historically conservative markets. In today's post on The Marketing Sage, I discuss eight brands that are embracing flavor innovation and provide three key takeaways for innovation today. https://lnkd.in/em4diH_a Jeff Nelson Eva McLarty Liz MacRae. FBII MIH Kate Fisher Mike Rosado ✏ Will Honeywell Kristine Tran Erica Duecy Joe Garza Amy Zitelman Joseph R. Rotondo George Rork Michael Sears Skip Rosskam Mike Schall #foodstartups #foodinnovation #foodflavors