Innova Market Insights has identified “Beverages with Purpose” as one of the top F&B trends for 2026. Consumers worldwide are increasingly prioritizing health-conscious beverages, driven by growing industry support and innovation. This shift is accelerating the demand for functional drinks, with protein and biotic benefits leading the charge as key trends in healthy beverage development.

Vanilla is proving its adaptive edge in global F&B innovation. New product launches featuring vanilla ingredients witnessed a large annual growth rate globally between 2023 and 2025, signaling sustained cross-category demand. More than a third of global launches were from Europe.

Plant-based products now extend beyond dairy and meat alternatives, including both category replicas and standalone or hybrid products. Innova Market Insights data shows plant-based F&B launches have seen steady growth globally over the past five years, with Europe leading the way. Dairy remains the top category in these launches.

Innova Market Insights data indicate that consumers find taste to be very important when choosing dairy products, with more than half choosing this option. The Dairy category shows small growth globally, while Europe leads in new product launches. Most new product launches came in the Dairy-based Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt subcategory, while Processed Cheese showed the fastest growth.

Consumers increasingly pay attention to what they are eating, where it comes from, and how it is produced. This demand is driving innovation for natural, plant-based emulsifiers with clean labels. Innova Market Insights data indicates a 5% compound annual growth rate in F&B launches with emulsifiers (July 2020 – June 2025). Bakery was the top category in launches with emulsifiers, while Soft Drinks showed the fastest growth in this period.

Innova Market Insights survey shows that consuming F&B drinks with health benefits is among the top three ways consumers aim for self-sufficiency. By understanding these needs, brands can create functional beverages that reduce stress and drive growth. Innova also reports a 9% compound annual growth in beverage launches with health claims between July 2020 and June 2025.

Innova Market Insights data indicates that 58% of consumers globally actively include protein in their diets. This trend drives demand for versatile, convenient products with added protein. Bakery leads global F&B launches with protein ingredients, while protein-enriched soups are rapidly growing.

Innova Market Insights data shows that 72% of consumers worldwide are cutting back on sugar, driving an increase in F&B launches that feature alternative sweeteners. Soft drinks were  the leading category for sweetener ingredient launches from April 2024 to March 2025, and there has been a surge in the use of sweeteners in meat substitutes.

Innova Market Insights data indicates that nearly one-third of consumers are actively limiting their sodium intake, driving innovation in the F&B sector. More than one-third of reduced sodium launches were for Baby & Toddlers, and there is growth in reducing salt for Desserts & Ice Creams.