Ardent Mills: Rising protein and fiber demand challenges formulators to balance nutrition and taste

Ardent Mills says its R&D pipeline this year has been dominated by protein and fiber projects. As consumer interest in weight management, satiety, and nutrient-dense eating continues to influence food development, manufacturers are rethinking how familiar products can deliver more nutrition without compromising taste and texture.

Anke Golde, senior director for R&D at Ardent Mills, tells Food Ingredients First that the rise of GLP-1 use is reinforcing these priorities across food formulation.

“As consumers increasingly prioritize protein, fiber, and overall nutrient-dense foods, formulators are focused on helping customers meet consumer demand and pack more nutritional value into every bite,” she says.

“That has become particularly important as consumers seek benefits, such as satiety, digestive health, and weight management support. In many ways, every bite counts, creating opportunities to deliver more nutrition in familiar food formats.”

Ardent Mills is one of the largest flour milling and ingredient companies in North America. It supplies flour, grains, pulses, and specialty ingredient solutions to food manufacturers, commercial bakeries, restaurants, and foodservice operators.

Balancing nutrition with the eating experience

While demand for higher-protein and higher-fiber products continues to grow, Golde emphasizes that successful formulation requires more than simply increasing nutrient levels.

“Achieving that balance starts with selecting the right ingredients and evaluating how they perform together within a finished product,” she explains.

Formulators are increasingly incorporating protein- and fiber-rich ingredients, while using complementary ingredients and formulation strategies to maintain the texture, flavor, and overall eating experience consumers expect.

“Digestive tolerance is also an important consideration, particularly when increasing fiber levels,” Golde adds. “Ultimately, the goal is to deliver protein, fiber, and nutrient density while maintaining the taste, texture, and functionality that drive repeat purchase.”

One of the biggest hurdles is that improving nutrition can create unintended sensory challenges.

“When fiber levels are increased, the product can sometimes become dense, dry, or gritty,” Golde says.

“Balancing different fiber types, optimizing hydration, and pairing them with the right proteins or texturizing ingredients, such as hydrocolloids, enzymes, or emulsifiers, can help preserve a familiar texture and enjoyable eating experience, while also improving digestive tolerance.”

Protein and fiber create formulation complexity

For grain-based products, increasing protein and fiber levels can significantly change how ingredients behave during processing.

“It is not simply a matter of adding more protein or fiber to a formulation,” Golde says. “Formulators must consider how ingredients work together across the entire recipe, balancing nutrition with taste, texture, and functionality.”Ardent Mills says around four out of five R&D projects in 2026 are focused on protein, fiber, or a combination of both.

In traditional baked goods and grain-based applications, flour provides important structural functions through starch gelatinization and, in wheat-based systems, gluten development.

“When significant amounts of protein or fiber are added, those functional mechanisms can be disrupted, affecting dough handling, processing performance, texture, and finished product quality,” she explains.

Fiber can be particularly challenging because many fiber ingredients bind significant amounts of water, potentially resulting in products that are denser, drier, or more crumbly. Protein ingredients can also affect viscosity, expansion, and texture.

“For example, increasing fiber in a bread formulation may improve nutritional value, but excessive levels can interfere with gluten development and reduce loaf volume,” Golde says.

“Likewise, adding protein to a cracker or snack product can create a harder bite or less desirable texture.”

Toward multifunctional ingredient solutions

As brands look to deliver multiple nutritional benefits in familiar formats, Golde says the industry is increasingly focused on understanding ingredient functionality and creating balanced systems, rather than relying on individual ingredients.

“This is where a deep understanding of ingredient functionality becomes especially important,” she says.

“It’s not just about adding more protein or fiber. It’s about knowing how those ingredients interact within a formulation to deliver the intended nutritional benefits without compromising taste, texture, or comfort.”

For Ardent Mills, this includes exploring ingredients that can contribute multiple benefits within a single formulation. Golde highlights chickpea flour as one example, as it can contribute both protein and fiber, while requiring careful consideration of how it interacts with other ingredients.

The company is also seeing increased interest in “benefit stacking,” where products combine several nutritional advantages.

“Customers are increasingly exploring ways to combine benefits, such as protein, fiber, and whole grains while maintaining the taste, texture, and functionality consumers expect from the products they already know and enjoy,” Golde says.

Protein and fiber central to innovation pipelines

The scale of demand for these nutritional attributes is reflected in Ardent Mills’ development activity.

“Evolving consumer eating preferences like the rise of GLP-1 use continue to shape product development priorities with ingredients like protein and fiber continuing to take center stage,” Golde says.

“Within Ardent Mills’ R&D pipeline, approximately four out of every five projects this year have been focused on protein, fiber, or a combination of both, reflecting growing demand for foods that deliver greater nutritional value.”

While GLP-1-related eating behaviors are influencing the market, Golde highlights a broader consumer shift toward everyday foods that provide more functional value without requiring a major change in eating habits.

“Ultimately, the goal is to create foods that are nutrient-dense and satisfying while maintaining the sensory qualities and functionality that drive repeat purchase,” she concludes.