IFFA 2025: Protein diversification and clean label innovation to redefine meat and alternatives

At this year’s upcoming IFFA in Frankfurt, Germany, the global meat and alt-protein industry will gather as the world looks to diversify protein sources to feed a growing population. 

Hybrid offerings, cultivated meat, precision fermentation, and microbial ingredients will proliferate across the show floor from May 3-8, reflecting changing consumer habits, inflationary pressures, evolving regulations, and above all, innovation for greater access to the next protein frontier.

This year’s edition features themes such as protein diversification, texture play, and the push for more sustainable formulations. Growing consumer demand for better nutrition and sensory satisfaction are additional highlights.

“An ‘all or nothing’ approach to protein consumption is moving into the rearview mirror for many consumers. The majority of global consumers agree that it is healthier to get protein from a wide variety of sources,” Jacquelyn Rodenkirch-Schuh, global senior director, Product Marketing, Specialty Ingredients, ADM, tells Food Ingredients First ahead of the show.

Hybrid proteins go mainstream

Hybrid or blended proteins not only support ingredient diversity but can also improve protein content, nutritional footprints, and the overall sensory experience without requiring significant dietary changes, Rodenkirch-Schuh continues.

“Globally, 30% of plant-forward consumers (flexitarians, vegetarians, or vegans) believe products combining plant-based proteins are healthier. Additionally, 68% of global consumers are open to trying blended or hybrid products.”

On the show floor, ADM will present hybrid products that help bridge the gap between traditional meat and fully plant-based offerings in concepts like a 50/50 hybrid “smash” burger, featuring Tradcon SE, a soy protein concentrate.

The company will also offer a culinary-crafted hybrid chicken cordon bleu “to demonstrate the innovation possibilities with blends and diversified protein sources.”

“Tradcon SE, has exceptional water and fat binding performance for textural enhancements in various processed meats and meat extension products, all while supporting a lower cost-in-use. Due to its yield increase and greater water-holding capacity, it provides the juiciness needed for an authentic sensory experience,” says Rodenkirch-Schuh.

Meanwhile, Hydrosol will also sharpen its focus on hybrid formats at the show, combining traditional meat with vegetables, plant proteins, mycoproteins, or cultured cells.

“These serve two current trends at once: firstly, they meet consumer demand for healthier meat products. Secondly, they appeal to people who want to consciously reduce their meat consumption in the face of climate change,” says the company’s team lead for Product Management,Dr. Katharina Burdorf.

Smoke and salt scrutiny push innovation

While alternative proteins are proliferating, taste and texture remain key for consumer acceptance while the regulatory landscape evolves.

“The European Commission’s decision to remove smoke flavoring primary products from the market is a large concern for many of our customers,” Kerry Group tells Food Ingredients First.

At IFFA, the company will address food protection and flavor concerns with “cutting-edge” enhancers and solutions that meet EU guidelines.

While alternative proteins are proliferating, taste and texture remain key for consumer acceptance (Image credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Jochen Günther).“Kerry is innovating with smoked ingredients as market alternatives. These ingredients, derived from smoking foodstuffs, are not covered by EU smoke flavoring legislation and do not require authorization for the EU market.”

The team says that the company’s proprietary manufacturing process ensures smoked ingredients with very low PAH levels (<10 ppb), which makes them “a safe and sustainable alternative now and into the future.”

The global ingredients supplier will also showcase Plenti, a portfolio of plant-based food solutions, along with Umami and Kokimi technologies designed to elevate taste profiles.

Biosrpinger by Lesaffre will also leverage its yeast-based technologies, such as smoked yeast Springer Signature SY101, to enhance flavor in clean label applications at IFFA amid “increasingly stringent” requirements around food safety and transparency.

“As authorities continue to scrutinize the use of traditional smoke ingredients, our solutions offer a clean label alternative that can replicate the desired sensory profiles without the regulatory concerns,” Bénédicte Petton, EMEA marketing director at the company, tells us.

This year, taste technologies go beyond flavor enhancement as companies target health and wellness trends with salt reduction solutions.

“On one hand, consumers are demanding healthier, lower-sodium products, but on the other, they still expect exceptional flavor and indulgence,” notes Petton.

Kerry will address sodium scrutiny with products “sold in isolation or through complex solutions like seasoning,” making nutritious choices “more accessible.”

“High-sodium diets contribute to 1.89 million deaths annually. We need to rethink how we consume salt radically — and now we don’t have to sacrifice taste for wellness,” the company asserts.

“Most consumers exceed WHO’s recommended sodium intake globally, leading to those 1.89 million deaths annually. Reducing salt intake to under 5g a day reduces the risk of stroke by 23% and cardiovascular disease by 17%.”

Kerry will offer chef-prepared samples featuring its Tastesense Salt that “reduces sodium and replicates salt and umami taste perceptions” across processed meats, prepared meals, soups, sauces and dressings, snacks, instant noodles, and bakery.

Similarly, balancing taste and health is a challenge Biospringer is taking “head-on.”

“Our approach has been to leverage the natural flavor-boosting capabilities of our yeast-based ingredients to compensate for reduced salt levels,” says Petton.

“Solutions like the Springer Umami range can easily highlight and strengthen flavors to improve taste profiles.”

Sustainability and clean label for appeal

Sustainability and clean label formulations remain crucial to mainstreaming the alternative protein sector as consumers become more health conscious.

“Consumers want their alt-protein purchases to feature functional benefits and clean labels with closer-to-nature ingredients and natural colors. This shift is pushing product developers to focus on clean label optimization and reformulations highlighting naturally derived ingredients alongside high-protein, high-fiber, and biotic ingredient inclusions to appeal to today’s health-minded consumers,” notes Rodenkirch-Schuh.Combining sustainability and functionality, Biospringer will highlight the role of microbial ingredients.

Combining sustainability and functionality, Biospringer will highlight the role of microbial ingredients in building a sustainable protein system, with the Springer Proteissimo yeast protein.

“It has demonstrated an impressive life cycle assessment, with significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions (6 vs 125.9kgeqCO2/kg), water usage (95% lower), and land occupation (90% lower) compared to beef protein production,” says Petton.

Additionally, the company will showcase the Springer Mask range that helps mask off-notes in alt-protein sources, such as pea proteins. “This allows manufacturers to develop plant-based products with cleaner flavors that can truly compete with traditional animal-based offerings.”

Meanwhile, Hydrosol’s sister company, Planteneers, is tapping the growing demand for cleaner labels and simplified plant-based formulations.

“High-quality proteins that are only minimally processed are becoming increasingly important in the plant-based market. In this context, natural protein sources such as mycoprotein are increasingly in demand,” says Dr. Pia Meinlschmidt, team lead, Product Management at Planteneers.

“Our show highlights include various clean label solutions, such as concepts that are not only free from declarable E-numbers and additives like preservatives and flavor enhancers but also from methylcellulose.”

Overall, industry leaders agree that the alternative protein space is ripe for innovation, with health and nutritional benefits being the main motivators for plant-forward consumers.

“These sentiments are driving the opportunity for greater protein diversification, ushering in a new era for hybrids or blends. Brands that leverage diversified and quality protein sources to bolster protein content positioning are set to find ongoing success with capturing and holding consumer attention,” ADM’s Rodenkirch-Schuh concludes.