ISM & ProSweets 2025 preview: Plant-based ingredients dominate as AI fuels snacking innovation

With consumer demands shifting toward plant-based lifestyles and more transparency in sourcing and production, the upcoming ISM 2025 and its co-located supplier fair, ProSweets Cologne, will place these trends front and center on the show floor. 

“ISM 2025 reflects the dynamic evolution of the sweets and snacks industry by emphasizing innovation, sustainability and collaboration,” Sabine Schommer, director of ISM, tells Food Ingredients First.

The show is scheduled to take place in Cologne, Germany, February 2 to 5, 2025, with over 1500 exhibitors from 70 countries participating.

“A highlight is the strengthened partnership with ProSweets Cologne as part of the Sweet Week, which creates a fully integrated platform covering every stage of the value chain — from raw materials and production technologies to finished products and retail solutions,” notes Schommer.

“Innovation takes center stage”

According to the organizers, ISM and Prosweets 2025 are designed to tackle the industry’s most pressing challenges. One key feature is Lab5 by ISM, which will showcase new concepts from start-ups, small artisans and emerging businesses.

“Innovation takes center stage with Lab5. Products such as coffee chocolates, bubble tea-flavored popcorn, fried chicken-flavored almonds, probiotic fruit snacks, natto chocolate (made from a traditional Japanese superfood) and konjac desserts stand out,” Schommer reveals, adding that these concepts bridge creativity and cutting-edge industry developments.

“Functional snacks are also gaining in popularity. Products high in protein or containing special nutrients are increasingly appealing to health-conscious target groups, as are meal replacement products in bar or drink form, characterized by flexible usability and easy integration into everyday life.”

Reducing sugar and salt in snacks

The co-location of ISM and ProSweets Cologne aims to offer a platform for production managers, research and development, packaging and ingredients experts to shape the future of sweets and snacks production.

Ingredient solutions provider Brenntag presents innovative concepts to reduce sugar and salt in baked goods.

ISM and Prosweets 2025 are designed to tackle the industry’s most pressing challenges (Image credit: Koelnmesse GmbH/ Thomas Klerx).“We’ll show how ingredients and recipe customization can positively influence the Nutri-Score of a product. However, the focus is on the taste experience, as the products should not lose any flavor or texture,” Sandra Vennemann-Toppka, regional business director of DACH and BSP Food EMEA at Brenntag, tells us.

“Sugar can be reduced in baked goods and confectionery, for example, by using a syrup made from plant fibers from maize and chickpeas, which provides a slight sweetness and — in contrast to many sugar alternatives — also a certain texture. Salt can be reduced by up to 50% in baked goods. Small deviations in the flavor profile can be balanced out with a natural flavor booster in sugar- and salt-reduced products and in protein-enriched products.”

She adds that slashing the fat content in a recipe can improve the Nutri-Score.

“In sponge cakes, for example, using enzymatic solutions makes it easy to achieve a fat reduction of 50% while maintaining an appealingly soft texture and full flavor.”

“Due to the increasing demand for clean label solutions, Brenntag offers a broad portfolio of options here, such as a xanthan gum alternative for stabilizing egg whites, egg mixes, sauces and drinks.”

Sustainability calls fuel NPD

In addition to health and practicality, ISM flags sustainability as a dominating trend in the confectionery and snack industry. There is a consequent growth in demand for greener packaging and regional and plant-based ingredients.

“Transparency in the value chain is becoming increasingly important. Consumers want to know exactly where and how their food is produced. Brands that implement sustainable practices and provide open information about their supply chains create trust and differentiate themselves from the competition,” notes Schommer.

In line with this, GNT, a supplier of plant-based colors, will showcase how its Exberry portfolio can help manufacturers develop visually striking products while maintaining a low carbon footprint.

“We’re inviting visitors to see for themselves how colors made from non-GMO fruit, vegetables, and plants can be used to achieve vibrant shades while supporting natural ingredient lists and sustainable formulations,” Dieuwertje Raaijmakers, marketing communications specialist at GNT, tells Food Ingredients First ahead of the show.

“We’ll be offering a range of potato chips featuring vibrant colors and flavorful seasonings for visitors to sample, including purple balsamic and sea salt, green charred scallion, yellow Yuzu Aji Amarillo and red berbere.”

The company will also offer gummies, cheese puffs and coated cookies made with the shade Vivid Orange, a new liquid emulsion made from non-GMO paprika.

“It can be listed simply as ‘paprika oil’ in the EU and has a high color intensity that supports cost-effective low dosage levels,” Raaijmakers reveals.

New opportunities with AI

Given the dynamic market changes, the show aims to highlight industry challenges and opportunities in sustainable packaging and digitalization through the Expert Stage and Sweet Week Talks & Tasting.

Schommer says Innovation takes center stage with Lab5 (Image credit: Koelnmesse GmbH, Hanne Engwald).“Advancements in digitalization and artificial intelligence are transforming production and logistics, offering new opportunities to improve efficiency, optimize resource use and reduce costs. These are key topics of ProSweets Cologne,” reveals Schommer.

Guido Hentschke, director of ProSweets Cologne, agrees that “the potential of AI and machine learning is huge and will fundamentally change the processes of companies — also in the field of quality assurance.”

An example of a notable AI application is automated inspection systems. Computer vision and machine learning have made recognizing defects in biscuits, wafers and crackers possible.

Some of these modern solutions, which can minimize production stoppages and waste and improve sustainability credentials, will be on display in Cologne.

“As consumer demand for transparency and ethical sourcing continues to grow, ISM 2025 will also showcase solutions to help businesses build trust and loyalty in an increasingly conscientious market,” concludes Schommer.