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Europe’s untapped protein opportunity could rival wine sector by 2040

Europe’s untapped protein opportunity could rival wine sector by 2040

New analysis into the wider economic benefits of alternative proteins across the EU finds they have the potential to bolster the bloc’s economy by €111 billion (US$131 billion) within 15 years. But the potential will only be reached by 2040 if alternative proteins are treated as a strategic priority, which requires much more investment, if technical bottlenecks are to be overcome.
Natural preservation: How the shift from shelf life to freshness unlocks value in F&B
Natural preservation: How the shift from shelf life to freshness unlocks value in F&B
The conversation around natural preservation is shifting — from simply extending shelf life to actively protecting freshness. It’s a distinction with significant commercial implications in a global food system where waste costs more than US$1 trillion annually, according to the United Nations’ Food Waste Index Report 2024. “The future of preservation is not about replacement alone, but choice and balance, with a focus on freshness as a holistic outcome — taste, texture, and food safety,” Bert De Vegt, VP Food Protection & Preservation at Kerry, tells Food Ingredients First. “This is particularly relevant for chilled meats and bakery, where freshness perception is tightly linked to brand trust.”
ISM & ProSweets 2026 live: Roquette explores texture science behind plant-based and sugar-free jellies
ISM & ProSweets 2026 live: Roquette explores texture science behind plant-based and sugar-free jellies
Jelly confectionery formulations require a careful balance of taste, texture, and mouthfeel. At the ongoing ISM & ProSweets 2026 trade show in Cologne, Germany (Feb 1-4), Roquette discusses the science behind soft confectionery texture, with a spotlight on plant-based, sugar-free jellies, using its sensory analysis tool.
ADM Texperien® Tapioca Starch Solutions
ADM Texperien® Tapioca Starch Solutions
For foods with the ideal bite, ADM Texperien® tapioca starches offer the functionality to deliver superior texture and clean taste in a range of applications.This Technical Paper is brought to you by ADM.
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods join forces on ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate alternative
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods join forces on ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate alternative

Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods discuss their strategic partnership to develop and scale cocoa-free chocolate alternatives worldwide. Alvaro Alonso, president Western Europe at Barry Callebaut (left), and Max Marquart, CEO of Planet A Foods (right), explore the R&D behind cocoa-free formulations, their role in strengthening supply chain resilience, and the consumer and sustainability trends reshaping chocolate innovation.

ISM & ProSweets 2026: Solving supply and reformulation challenges
ISM & ProSweets 2026: Solving supply and reformulation challenges
At ISM & ProSweets 2026 in Cologne, Germany, innovation converged around supply chain resilience, product reformulations, and sensory excellence in confectionery and snacks. Exhibitors showcased cocoa-free alternatives, sugar-reduced solutions, and clean label colors and flavors. The show highlighted how collaboration, social media-driven trends, and smart ingredient designs are reshaping the future of scalable, high-quality confections and snacks.

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Tyson Foods’ beef losses surge twelvefold as US cattle herd hits 74-year low
Tyson Foods’ beef losses surge twelvefold as US cattle herd hits 74-year low
Tyson Foods has reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 sales of US$14.3 billion — a 5.1% increase on the same period last year — with growth in its chicken and prepared foods divisions masking a sharp deterioration in its beef business. The US meat giant’s chicken arm posted its fifth consecutive quarter of rising volumes, while prepared foods brands, including Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farm, delivered their strongest quarterly performance in over a year.

However, Tyson’s beef division swung to a US$319 million operating loss — more than 12 times the US$26 million loss recorded a year earlier — as the US cattle herd shrank to levels not seen since the 1950s. 
Barry Callebaut commits €250M to upgrade world’s largest chocolate factory
Barry Callebaut commits €250M to upgrade world’s largest chocolate factory
Barry Callebaut is investing €250 million (US$297 million) in its Wieze facility in Belgium — the world’s largest chocolate factory — as part of a multi-year plan to modernize production lines and improve operational safety. A further €125 million (US$149 million) will go toward upgrading the company’s factory in Halle, Belgium.

Part of the spending falls under the company’s previously announced BC Next Level restructuring program, with the remainder classified as regular capital expenditure. 
dsm-firmenich completes consumer pivot with €2.2B Animal Nutrition divestment
dsm-firmenich completes consumer pivot with €2.2B Animal Nutrition divestment
dsm-firmenich has agreed to sell its Animal Nutrition & Health (ANH) business to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners for approximately €2.2 billion (~US$2.6 billion), which includes an earnout of up to €500 million (US$590 million). The company will retain a 20% equity stake in the divested business. The deal marks the final step in dsm-firmenich’s transformation into a consumer-focused company centered on nutrition, health, and beauty. 
Hershey’s net income drops 60% as cocoa costs devour price increases
Hershey’s net income drops 60% as cocoa costs devour price increases
Hershey’s net income plunged 59.9% to US$320 million in the fourth quarter, extending a damaging year for the chocolate maker as soaring cocoa and tariff costs overwhelmed successive price increases. Full-year net income fell 60.3%, with adjusted earnings per share down 32.7% to US$6.31. Sales rose 7% to US$3.09 billion in Q4, comfortably beating analyst forecasts, but the widening gap between revenue growth and collapsing profitability defines these results. 
US FDA clears spirulina-based blue colors for wider use in food
US FDA clears spirulina-based blue colors for wider use in food
US regulators have expanded how spirulina-based blue colors can be used across F&B applications, following a petition by GNT Group. The US FDA approval backs a broader use of natural blues, removing one of the last major barriers to natural blue colors in food. Historically, blue has been the most technically challenging color to replace with natural alternatives.
World Pulses Day 2026: How animal agriculture and meat consumption hinder...
World Pulses Day 2026: How animal agriculture and meat consumption hinder nutrition security

Nutrition Insight

On World Pulses Day 2026, we examine the nutritional, policy, and food-systems case for this plant-based protein source as animal-source food consumption continues to exceed healthy diet benchmarks. Francesca Gallelli, Food System policy officer at the World Federation for Animals, tells Nutrition Insight about protein diversification, gaps in dietary guidance, and the barriers holding pulses back from wider adoption.
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Biofach 2026: Clean label, climate pressure and organic...
The organic F&B sector is facing a period of adjustment shaped by cost pressures, changing consumer priorities, and sustainability and transparency expectations. As organic products move further into the mainstream, companies are focusing on innovation and differentiation to stay competitive. In the EU, organic food and farming has grown year-over-year in the last three decades. In the region, organic farmland covered about 17.7 million hectares in 2023, with the organic retail market reaching about €46.5 billion (US$54.9 billion), according to IFOAM Organics Europe.
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Ingredion banks on texture innovation as beverage sweetener...
Ingredion posted record full-year reported earnings per share of US$11.18 — up from US$9.71 in 2024 — despite a 3% decline in net sales to US$7.2 billion, as the company’s texture and clean label portfolio outperformed a struggling North American sweetener business hit by production setbacks and weakening beverage demand. For 2026, the company expects sales to grow by a few percentage points and per-share profits to land between US$11.00 and US$11.80. 
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ADM earnings slide as flavors and specialty ingredients...
ADM has released its full-year earnings report for 2025, revealing that Nutrition, which includes flavors and specialty ingredients, was the company’s only growth segment. Full-year revenues fell to US$80.3 billion from US$85.5 billion, total segment operating profit dropped 23% to US$3.24 billion, and adjusted earnings per share came in at US$3.43 (down 28%).The damage was sharpest in Crushing (the process of processing oilseeds, such as soybeans, to extract vegetable oil and protein meal), where operating profit collapsed 81% to US$159 million from US$844 million a year earlier, driven by compressed margins tied to prolonged US biofuel policy uncertainty. 

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Natural shelf life extension: The rise of clean label preservativesFeb2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that consumers worldwide increasingly link product quality with extended shelf life and “natural” ingredients. Over the past five years, there has been a notable ...

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Sweetener trends & insights: Opportunities for calorie-conscious innovation Feb 2026

Innova Market Insights reveals that nearly half of consumers globally are turning to sweeteners to satisfy their sweet cravings while aiming to reduce their calorie intake. This growing demand for lower-calorie options is fueling innovation in the sweetener market, presenting new opportunities for the development of novel sweetener solutions in F&B products.

Trend analysis

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Plant-based innovation: Beyond dairy and meat alternativesFeb 2026

Plant-based products now extend beyond dairy and meat alternatives, including both category replicas and standalone or hybrid products. Innova Market Insights data shows plant-based F&B launches have seen steady growth globally over the past five years, with Europe leading the way. Dairy remains the top category in these launches.

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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Cargill on reimagining chocolate without cocoa

Cargill’s Anne Mertens-Hoyng, bakery category directory, unpacks NextCoa — a cocoa-free innovation reimagining chocolate through upcycled grape and sunflower seed ingredients. The conversation explores taste validation, carbon and resource impact claims, cost volatility, formulation challenges,...

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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Barry Callebaut and Planet A Foods join forces on ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate alternative
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Palsgaard’s emulsifier and stabilizer solutions for smarter bakery and chocolate formulation
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Capol advances vibrant, customized color and coating solutions
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