Innova Market Insights announces F&B trends for 2026: Gut health, protein & stress relief
Key takeaways
- Innova Market Insights identifies digestive wellness, high-protein nutrition, and stress-relief products as top global drivers shaping F&B innovation.
- Consumers increasingly seek products with tangible benefits — from probiotics and adaptogens to authentic, minimally processed plant-based proteins.
- Functional drinks with hydration, mental clarity, and nutritional support claims are among the fastest-growing product segments.
Protein intake, gut health, and mental health support have emerged as key food and beverage industry drivers. Food Ingredients First spotlights Innova Market Insights’ top ten industry trends for 2026, as plant-based foods and functional beverages also gain traction.
Innova Market Insights hosted a webinar on November 6 in which Lu Ann Williams, the company’s global insights director, unraveled the latest market and consumer trends inspiring the future of food and beverage NPD. Williams also revealed opportunities for brands to innovate within high-growth markets.
You can watch the webinar on demand here.
“Our top F&B trends for 2026 reflect a combination of factors influencing product innovation in the coming year – health benefits, pleasure, environmental concerns, and affordability. While the top trends for 2026 showcase the enduring and growing importance of digestive health and protein, other health benefits, indulgence, care for the planet, and product pricing also matter to consumers worldwide,” Williams tells us.
The international market researcher’s holistic approach to trends forecasting, global forces, macro trends, health and lifestyle trends, and F&B innovation has an interdependent impact on which F&B products will likely appear and thrive on grocery shelves. The company gathers information for its annual trends forecast through consumer trends research and the real-time tracking of thousands of new F&B launches.
Innova’s Top Ten Trends 2026:
- “Powerhouse Protein”
- “Gut Health Hub”
- “Layers of Delight”
- “Beverage with Purpose”
- “Authentic Plant-based”
- “Made for Moments”
- “Worth Every Bite”
- “Mind Balance”
- “Crafting Tradition”
- “Justified Choices”
Trend #1 – “Powerhouse Protein”
Protein trends have endured over the past several years and show no sign of slowing down. Innova has discovered that nearly 60% of global F&B consumers report actively incorporating more protein into their diets.
Protein continues to stand out as a wellness powerhouse, with Innova’s top trend highlighting consumers’ pursuit of protein for overall health across various formats and occasions. Over the past year, milk and milk drinks have ranked the number one product with protein claims consumers say they have purchased.
“The relationship between protein and wellness is indisputable,” explains Williams. “Label claims benefits, such as muscle support and dietary support for those taking GLP-1, anti-obesity medications, enhance product appeal to targeted consumer groups seeking specific benefits.”
“Nuances in protein positioning claims, such as complete protein, essential amino acids, muscle repair and recovery, muscle strength, and muscle building, serve to differentiate protein-rich products in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”
Meanwhile, the alternative protein sector is rapidly diversifying as innovators push beyond first-generation plant-based meat and dairy analogs. We explored some of the latest alt-protein innovations at the recent Anuga 2025 trade show in Germany.
Protein intake, gut health, and mental health support are identified as key F&B industry drivers in Innova’s top F&B trends for 2026.
Trend #2 – “Gut Health Hub”
Consumer research from the Innova Trends Survey 2025 found that more than half (59%) of global consumers say they believe gut health is very important for the entire body.
Innova’s second trend highlights how consumers view the gut as a gateway to holistic wellness. They increasingly turn to functional ingredients like probiotics and prebiotics to address benefits across the body and mind.
“Consumers can feel when their gut is healthy, and they recognize gut health as the gateway to holistic wellness,” says Williams. “In the eyes of the consumer, gut health drives the health of the entire body, as well as the mind.”
The latest product launches feature more comprehensive promotion of gut health benefits, including probiotics and prebiotics claims, ingredient descriptions, and tangible benefits, like relief of discomfort, bloating, and gas.
“Stepped-up ingredient explanations can reduce consumer confusion and help them find the products they want and need,” Williams notes.
Nutrition Insight recently explored some leading holistic gut-health science and innovation stories from this year.
From protein power and gut health to stress relief and plant-based authenticity — Innova reveals the top F&B trends shaping 2026.
Trend #4 – “Beverages with Purpose”
According to Innova’s consumer research, beverages are leading innovation in wellness, as consumers increasingly favor products for hydration, convenience, and functional boosts.
The global food and beverage market has seen a +18% CAGR growth in new product launches with hydration claims, and dairy–based products are increasingly perceived as healthy snacks.
Innova’s fourth trend, “Beverage with Purpose,” highlights the role of beverages in delivering health benefits to consumers.
“It’s hard to ignore the proliferation of innovative beverage launches offering health benefits. Beverages lead other products in the depth and variety of their innovation for wellness, especially from hydration ingredients and benefits and functional additives in convenient formats,” explains Williams.
Innova analyzed one-year launch data showing solid growth in new beverage launches with a hydration claim. Product innovation includes indulgent coconut water with electrolytes for hydration and calcium- and protein-rich flavored milk for strong bones, tooth development, and tissue building and growth.
Hydration, clarity, and clean label innovation drive Innova’s 2026 food & beverage forecast — where every bite and sip serves a deeper wellness purpose.
Trend #5 – “Authentic Plant-based”
Innova’s fifth trend reflects consumers’ evolving perception of plant-based foods. Consumers are embracing natural plant proteins for their added benefits, underscoring how plant-based is transitioning from imitation to nutrition.
When selecting from protein options, 40% of global consumers point to “natural or minimally processed” as a key consideration. Examples of authentic plant-based innovation include a quick-to-prepare protein bowl meal with plant ingredients and a new pasta made with peas, lentils, and cauliflower.
“Plant-based positioning has helped drive Innova’s Top 10 Food Trends for nearly a decade,” says Williams.
“What is notable about the 2026 food and beverage trend, ‘Authentic Plant-based,’ is the recognition that plant-based is shifting from imitating animal proteins to providing its own nutrition benefits, especially the benefits from natural plant-based proteins.”
Nearly two-thirds of consumers surveyed globally by Innova say that plant-based products should be able to stand alone rather than substitute for other foods.
Speaking with key players in the protein ingredients space, Food Ingredients First recently examined some of the most promising protein sources and what solutions are emerging.
Digestive wellness, powerhouse proteins, and mental well-being take center stage as global consumers demand F&B with tangible, holistic benefits.
Trend #8 – “Mind Balance”
Global consumers increasingly turn to food and beverage products for mental health benefits, such as stress relief, brain health, and energy. Innova’s eighth trend highlights how mental well-being is a rising priority.
Mental health priorities vary among generations, with Millennials surpassing other generations in their levels of concern.
“Today’s world is stressful, so it’s no surprise that mental balance and well-being, and products with mental health benefits, are top priorities for 2026,” says Williams.
With stress relief top-of-mind, new product launches, such as sparkling tea with adaptogens from green tea, ashwagandha, lion’s mane, reishi mushroom, and acerola mushroom, can be highly appealing to consumers.”
“Energy benefits in beverage products often call out the targeted mental health benefits of their functional ingredients, for example, mental clarity.”
According to Innova, stress is the top mental health area that global consumers want to address.
