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Rousselot booth at IFT FIRST 2026

Protein under pressure: Solutions for rising whey costs

Whey demand is outpacing supply, pushing prices upward as consumer interest in protein continues to boom. As many as 80% of consumers said they “pay attention to protein” in their diet, according to a 2026 Innova Market Insights survey. Just over half said a “high in protein” claim was their most important consideration when choosing food and drinks as protein sources.
California Natural Color colors on cupcakes.
Color innovation breakthroughs push natural shades beyond the performance gap
Natural food colors are evolving from imperfect substitutes for synthetic dyes into high-performing tools that can help food and beverage products stand out. As regulators intensify scrutiny of synthetic dyes and consumers seek cleaner, more recognizable ingredient lists, suppliers are applying fermentation, encapsulation, plant breeding, advanced extraction, and application-specific formulation to solve the industry’s toughest performance problems.
three men inside food factory with alfalfa leaves, cake and white smoothie
Leaft Foods positions Rubisco plant protein as “whey Plan B” amid supply squeeze
Tightening whey supplies are increasing costs and procurement risks for F&B manufacturers, incentivizing them to look for solutions that diversify protein sourcing. New Zealand-based Leaft Foods is positioning Rubisco protein — derived from alfalfa leaves — as a potential solution. The protein can be combined with dairy proteins for hybrid formulations.
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How AI Can Accelerate Reformulation with Natural Colours
Replacing synthetic dyes with natural colours is rarely a simple one-to-one switch. Discover how Döhler’s AI-supported colour-matching tool predicts achievable shades, identifies suitable blends and recommends precise dosages within minutes. The paper shows how digital colour modelling can reduce laboratory iterations, accelerate reformulation and support more confident and faster product-development decisions.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Döhler.
IFT First 2026 Ingredion video thumbnail: Ingredion trade show booth crowded with attendees, with three smiling representatives featured in a circular inset
IFT FIRST 2026: Ingredion walks us through its new AI-powered formulation platform

Larry Fernandes, chief commercial and sustainability officer at Ingredion, and Charlie Beall, VP of customer operations at Knowde, discuss Ask Ingredion — how it supports formulation, ensures answer accuracy, and combines AI with expert guidance. The conversation is followed by a demo from Leaslie Carr, senior director of texture and healthful solutions and customer innovation at Ingredion.

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IFT FIRST 2026 review: Cleaner labels and stronger functionality
IFT FIRST 2026 in Chicago, US, highlighted a shift toward cleaner-label, higher-protein, and more functionally targeted F&B. Exhibitors showcased high-value ingredients made from precision fermentation, new transparent yeast- and plant-based proteins, and high-performing natural colors. AI also played an increasing role in optimizing formulas. Key priorities included GLP-1-focused nutrition, sodium and sugar reduction, improved shelf life, better mouthfeel, and cost reductions. Across categories, innovation centered on delivering stronger nutrition and performance without compromising taste or familiarity.

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dsm-firmenich Taste, Texture & Health growth accelerates as animal nutrition...
pink dsm-firmenich logo on tablet
dsm-firmenich’s Taste, Texture & Health business accelerated in the second quarter of 2026, supported by beverages, baking, dairy, and revenue synergies. The ingredients supplier also expects to complete the divestment of its Animal Nutrition & Health business at the end of 2026.
Symrise gains Q2 momentum on strong demand for savory and natural solutions
People eating around the table, Symrise.
Symrise reported improved organic sales growth in the second quarter, as momentum accelerated across its business after a slower start to the year. Robust demand for its F&B ingredients helped offset a challenging macroeconomic backdrop, with the company maintaining its full-year guidance for 2026.
Hershey profitability rebounds as higher prices pressure confectionery demand
Outside a Hershey chocolate factory.
Lower commodity costs, pricing, and productivity gains helped rebuild Hershey’s profitability in the second quarter of 2026. However, steep volume declines underline the pressure on chocolate manufacturers to balance ingredient costs with consumer affordability. Hershey’s adjusted gross margin reached 41.6% in the second quarter, up 350 basis points from last year and 120 basis points from the first quarter. The growth was supported by lower net commodity costs, price increases, and supply chain productivity savings.
Spirulina blue gains ground in F&B despite stability, supply and regulatory...
girl in green dress holding glass mug with blue drink
Blue spirulina-derived colors are increasingly positioned as promising alternatives to synthetic blue dyes, as F&B companies race to develop colors that meet consumer and regulatory demands for natural ingredients.
Mondelēz Q2 snack sales climb as emerging markets and North America deliver...
Mondelez product portfolio.
Mondelēz International reports stronger second-quarter sales compared to the prior year, as consumers continued to spend on snacks despite a challenging economic backdrop. Growth was driven by emerging markets and a solid performance in North America. The Oreo, Cadbury, Ritz, Toblerone, and Clif Bar maker posted net revenues of US$9.36 billion for the quarter ended June 30, up 4.1% year over year. This is up from US$8.98 billion in the prior-year period. 
Indigenous food knowledge can tackle nutrition and climate crises, review argues
Happy indigenous woman with fresh vegetables in her truck, rural area of ​​​​Guatemala.

Nutrition Insight

A systematic review has revealed how traditional Indigenous knowledge can help resolve global challenges, such as poor health and nutrition, climate change, and biodiversity loss. It argues that improving population nutrition and health requires integrating food system literacy on a community level.Researchers from the University of East Anglia, UK, examined 39 peer-reviewed studies across the world, finding an increased respect for traditional and Indigenous food knowledge’s potential to address global crises. However, top-down and medicalized approaches currently dominate nutrition education and practice.
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Couple shopping for fruit and vegetables, alternative proteins.
Food Ingredients News
Businesses step up investment in protein diversification...
F&B companies are increasingly confident about the commercial opportunities presented by protein diversification. However, they say greater policy support and investment will be needed to accelerate progress, according to the latest Business Breakthrough Barometer from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
US supermarket products.
Food Ingredients News
How F&B ingredient suppliers are navigating the MAHA...
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement has turned ingredient scrutiny into an increasingly concrete product development challenge for the US F&B industry. At IFT FIRST 2026 in Chicago, US (Jul 12–15), suppliers described growing customer demand for natural colors, recognizable ingredients, lower sugar, protein and fiber fortification, and the removal of additives that consumers perceive as overly chemical. The momentum is not being driven by policy alone. Innova Market Insights reports that 37% of US consumers say they avoid artificial food colorings, additives, and preservatives. Innova also reports that color ingredients under scrutiny, including petroleum-based dyes and titanium dioxide, appear in almost half of US F&B launches that use color ingredients. 
Danone office building.
Food Ingredients News
How Danone is pushing Silk Protein beyond the plant-based...
Danone’s Silk is extending its high-protein platform across dairy-adjacent and functional beverage categories, betting that complete plant protein, fiber, and familiar formats can attract mainstream consumers. Kallie Goodwin, plant-based food and beverage lead at Danone USA, tells Food Ingredients First how nutrition-led innovation and retailer insights are helping the brand compete with traditional dairy. Protein has moved beyond sports nutrition, while plant-based purchasing is no longer limited to vegetarian or vegan consumers. Danone USA sees the convergence of these trends as an opening to reposition Silk from a dairy alternative into a broader functional nutrition platform. “Danone sees a significant opportunity for plant-based products at the intersection of two converging trends: increasing interest in food and beverages that deliver functional, nutrient-dense benefits and growing consumer demand for protein,” says Goodwin. 

Ingredient focus

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Vanilla bridges comfort and performanceJul2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that vanilla ingredient use in food and beverage launches is gaining momentum, as consumers continue to associate vanilla with indulgence and comfort. Bakery remains ...

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Product innovation

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Color innovation breakthroughs Jul 2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that visual appeal plays a significant role in food and beverage choices. Around 23% of consumers look for visually engaging sensory experiences, such as vibrant colors, prompting brands to innovate with natural, eye-catching color solutions.

Trend analysis

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F&B flavor trends in focusJul 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicate a 22% YoY growth in F&B launches featuring flavor ingredients between April 2024 and March 2026. Bakery led category launches, while Alcoholic Beverages continued to gain momentum. Milk chocolate emerged as the top flavor, with Dubai chocolate showing exponential growth.  

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IFT First 2026 Ingredion video thumbnail: Ingredion trade show booth crowded with attendees, with three smiling representatives featured in a circular inset
Video06:47
IFT FIRST 2026: Ingredion walks us through its new AI-powered formulation platform

Larry Fernandes, chief commercial and sustainability officer at Ingredion, and Charlie Beall, VP of customer operations at Knowde, discuss Ask Ingredion — how it supports formulation, ensures answer accuracy, and combines AI with expert guidance. The conversation is followed by a demo from...

Keith Albright, Cargill
Video06:19
IFT FIRST 2026: Cargill maps the next wave of food and beverage trends
IFT First 2026 Almond Board of California video thumbnail: Representative pictured beside attendees gathering at the organization’s booth during a busy trade show.
Video04:38
IFT FIRST 2026: Almond Board of California CEO spotlights product development opportunities
Tyler Lorenzen, Puris
Video04:43
IFT FIRST 2026: How Puris makes pea protein work in everyday food and beverages
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