Expo West 2026 live: Givaudan presents personalized beverages, GLP-1 insights & digital aroma tech

Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing is highlighting its flavor, color, and functional beverage ingredient innovations at the ongoing Natural Products Expo West 2026 in Anaheim, US (Mar 3–6). The company is showcasing how it can support manufacturers in boosting their health-forward solutions through a combination of science, digitalization, and consumer insights.

The flavor and fragrance supplier is spotlighting its Cali Berry tea concept, a digital device (MyRomi) for aroma exploration, and a “create your own beverage” station, aligning with increasing consumer demand for personalized nutrition.

Through these booth experiences, Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing brings its “We enable what’s next” journey to life, Santiago Vega, VP of marketing for North America at the company, tells Food Ingredients First on the show floor.

The specially crafted Cali Berry tea showcases how Givaudan’s integrated capabilities and expertise in flavor, color, and functional ingredients come together to “create a multisensory experience that connects enjoyment with well-being.”

“Built collaboratively by our beverage creation team, it highlights how we balance consumer appeal, functionality, and sustainability in one complete concept. Through advanced flavor solutions that deliver natural and authentic taste, and complementary natural color technology that enhances visual appeal and perception, the beverage demonstrates our ability to elevate every sensory dimension of a drink.”

Click here to watch our discussion on beverage innovation with Santiago Vega, VP of marketing for North America at Givaudan at the show.The drink concept helps manufacturers formulate health-forward beverages reflective of emerging consumer trends. “It incorporates panax ginseng and green tea for a smooth, natural boost that helps to support energy levels throughout the day,” says Vega.

Global consumers are increasingly keen to explore soft drinks with health benefits, with 48% showing an interest in fortified F&B that supports mental health, according to Innova Market Insights. Brands can capitalize on the push toward fortified beverages by offering products containing ingredients like essential nutrients, adaptogens, and nootropics.

Navigating regulatory changes

Givaudan hosted a panel discussion at Expo West 2026 this week to explore trends shaping consumer preferences, functional solutions driving category innovation, and approaches to navigating regulatory change.

A crucial trend is the shift toward “cleaner, more natural food experiences,” visible through the move away from synthetic colors, which Vega emphasizes is accelerated by regulatory change.

“Givaudan’s integrated approach to ingredient functionality turns this momentum into innovation, exemplified by the US FDA approval of Everzure Galdieria, a naturally-derived blue developed with French biotech partner Fermentalg.”

The “vibrant and stable alternative” to Blue 1 color is produced sustainably from microalgae via precision fermentation. It expands natural color options for candies, soft drinks, and other low‑pH applications.

Exploring GLP-1’s F&B impact

At Expo West 2026, Givaudan is unveiling findings from its social media research focused on GLP-1 and its implications across wellness and nutrition trends.

“Givaudan’s panel discussion and insights on GLP‑1 demonstrate our broader role in guiding brands through the rapidly evolving wellness landscape, as we help connect data‑driven consumer understanding with creative formulation and regulatory insight,” Vega continues.

Beverages that complement emerging lifestyle and weight-management trends, such as GLP-1-inspired nutrition routines, are particularly sparking consumer interest in North America. Dietary preferences among these weight loss medication users are incentivizing brands to innovate high-protein, fortified products to help them meet their nutritional requirements.

“We’re actively exploring formulations that balance satiety, taste satisfaction, and nutritional alignment, helping brands meet consumer needs around these evolving wellness habits,” says Vega.

Tapping digitalization for flavor experiences

Givaudan is also offering a digital aroma demo to its visitors at the trade show to experience MyRomi — the company’s handheld aroma delivery device, offering a unique flavor exploration experience.

At Expo West 2026, Givaudan is spotlighting findings from its social media research on GLP-1 and its nutrition and wellness implications.By allowing users to experience and compare the aroma notes behind the company’s latest beverage innovations, Givaudan is establishing an understanding of “how subtle aromatic cues shape taste and enjoyment,” Vega explains.

“Users can see how the digital interface can be used to collect feedback and create new blends in real time, removing much of the guesswork that often comes with flavor creation. MyRomi offers a window into a more interactive and personalized beverage design process, combining science, creativity, and digital innovation.”

Such data insights and digital flavor platforms help develop a more collaborative creation with manufacturers, allowing the company to bring “consumer‑preferred profiles to market more efficiently.”

Where are functional beverages headed?

For Givaudan, “personalization and wellness” are two of the most powerful forces shaping the future of beverages.

“Consumers are looking for drinks that not only taste great but also align with their individual lifestyles and wellness goals. As consumer preferences increasingly shift toward more personalized and wellness‑focused beverages, Givaudan is proactively preparing through a combination of deep consumer insight, advanced AI tools, and forward‑looking innovation,” Vega tells us.

The company uses its data‑driven systems to identify evolving taste and well-being preferences and translates these learnings into targeted flavor, functional, and nutritional solutions across categories.

“Our futurescaping capabilities, such as the Customer Foresight platform, help us explore emerging signals and map out future scenarios. For instance, our Future of Hydration & Refreshment project analyzed over 120 ‘signals of change’ to envision what beverage consumption may look like in 2035.”

One key scenario he points to is “more than just a drink,” which imagines a world where hydration is highly personalized, sustainably sourced, and enriched with tangible health benefits. Drinks act as “connected lifestyle enablers” that integrate wellness data, gamified health, and augmented sensory experiences.

“To prepare for this future, we’re continuing to innovate with our functional and natural ingredient solutions, including botanicals, adaptogens, proteins, and gut-healthy fibers, to design next‑generation beverage concepts that balance enjoyment with credible well-being benefits.”

With additional reporting by Jolanda van Hal at Expo West 2026 in California, US