The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Food & Beverage Innovation Forum 2025 (FBIF2025) and FBlF Food Innovation Expo took place from 8-10 May 2025 in the National Convention and Exhibition Centre, Shanghai.

On its opening day, FBIF2025 launched eight sub-forums alongside the exhibition. Over the three-day event, more than 200 speakers were hosted, as well as over 300 brand and channel guests at the Channel Gala. The event brought together 600+ exhibitors and showcased 2,000+ innovative products, attracting approximately 47,000 attendees.

Under the theme of 'Nurture the Present, Venture Forward,' FBIF2025 aimed to explore how food and beverage companies can seize growth opportunities with a global perspective.

China's food industry has forged an irreplaceable position on the global food and beverage stage. While the country continues its evolution from a manufacturing powerhouse to a brand-driven leader, the rapidly shifting consumer landscape presents mounting challenges for business growth.

In an environment of category saturation and increasingly segmented consumer demands, how can brands create the next breakthrough product? As expansion pressure rises, how can companies optimise supply chains and reduce costs? With ongoing shifts in retail and distribution channels, how can brands swiftly respond to change? Amid uncertainty, how do high-growth brands stay ahead and remain resilient through cycles?

What is the antidote to these growth dilemmas? The answer may lie in innovation.

This year’s forum explored key industry trends and innovative practices across product categories such as dairy, snacks, bakery and beverages, diving deep into topics including corporate strategy, functional ingredients, marketing, distribution, packaging and product development.

Additionally, FBIF proudly presented the newly upgraded FBIF Wow Food Awards 2025 and a sprawling 62,000-square-metre FBIF Food Innovation Expo, bringing together the industry to exchange insights and advance innovation.

FBIF Food Innovation Expo – FBIF Super Picks

This year, the FBIF Food Innovation Expo continued its FBIF Super Picks series, further empowering brands and channels through a comprehensive suite of activities. Highlights included the Brand Pavilion, featuring 300+ global breakout and innovative brands; the Channel Gala, which saw in-depth participation from over 300 channel leaders and senior executives from top brands; and the FBIF Channels & Brands Matchmaking event, comprising 11 themed matchmaking sessions and a negotiation zone with 100+ global channel partners present on-site.

Attendees also had access to printed copies of the FBIF Little Blue Book (Global and China editions, showcasing trending products) and the FBIF Procurement Handbook (a comprehensive supply chain procurement guide).

The exhibition brought together leading and emerging players across key food and beverage categories including dairy, beverages, snacks, alcohol, convenience foods, condiments and functional foods. Over 300 brands such as Yili, Want Want, Haihe Dairy, Oatly, Haoxiangni, Tiger Bang and Haohuanluo showcased a wide array of innovative products and interactive experiences, with many booths drawing significant engagement from professional visitors. At the same time, supply chain innovators such as Givaudan, Tetra Pak, Bilibili and NPGS also participated, offering forward-thinking solutions for the industry. In total, the FBIF Food Innovation Expo hosted over 600 exhibitors.

Dairy talks: Hit new category

Tao Wang, Greater China FSQR and H&S of Fonterra, delivered a speech titled 'Fonterra: Dairy Nutrition and Locally Driven Innovation.'

According to Wang, Fonterra’s innovation progresses through four distinct stages: Global for Global, Global for Local, Local for Local, and ultimately, Local for Global.

He emphasised that China is Fonterra’s largest and most important market – without exception. The company’s local innovation efforts in China focus on three main areas:

1. Chinese consumers are increasingly drawn to products that integrate local flavours and traditional Chinese culture, often referred to as the "Guochao" (national trend)

2. Ageing population has created a strong demand for nutrition tailored to older adults

3. Exploring more diverse consumption occasions for dairy beyond drinking milk

    

In response, Fonterra has developed cheese slices with Chinese flavours, low-salt cheese, and products targeting weight management needs. It has also pursued innovations in collaboration with Chinese tea brands.

Wang noted that under the current backdrop of profound global supply chain shifts, Fonterra will continue to draw from its global innovation expertise while deepening its focus on local demand – believing that only by combining both can truly excellent products be created.

In another presentation titled 'Factory Technology Innovation: The Fundamental Driver of Product Development,' Fabio Wang, founder and CEO of Handan Coiner Food and Öarmilk, shared insights on how Öarmilk built its factory and how its facilities drive product innovation.

 He stated that from the beginning, his goal was to build a 'factory for the future' – with modular design at its core to enable the production of differentiated products within the industry.

Focusing on the Greek yogurt category, Öarmilk’s factory began construction in 2017 and commenced production in 2020. From 2021 to 2024, the company continued to invest more than RMB 400 million (approx. $55.7 million) into the facility. As of May 2024, the factory reached a production capacity of over 500 tons, making Öarmilk the leading brand in actual production and sales in China’s chilled Greek yogurt market. Reports indicate that Öarmilk’s sales reached RMB 500 million (approx. $69.6 million) in 2024, with even higher targets set for the year ahead.

Thanks to its self-owned factory, Öarmilk has also realised 'co-creation' with consumers. Fabio Wang shared that even minor consumer feedback can trigger significant production investments. For instance, after online users complained about the difficulty of locating expiration dates on yogurt cups, the company initiated a solution: precise date printing on the cup surface, which will be implemented before the end of the year.

Snack and baking talks: Make snacks delicious and fun

Felix Xu, vice president of R&D at Baixiang Food Group, shared some of the company's latest achievements, highlighting a 1.48% increase in category market share (according to MaShangYing data). Against the backdrop of an industry where a 0.5% increase is already challenging, Baixiang Food Group has achieved steady growth in recent years through product innovation and channel expansion. Felix Xu noted that Baixiang Food Group's revenue has surpassed RMB 10 billion (approx $1.4 billion) in recent years – an achievement made possible by the combined efforts in innovation, channel building and a strong sales team.

Xu emphasised that at the core of product innovation lie four key pillars:

1. Product development: Centered on the consumer, aimed at driving brand and category growth. Baixiang Food Group launches more than 100 new products each year, using high-frequency innovation to stimulate demand – while ensuring both quantity and quality.

2. Innovation culture: Promoting open innovation through external collaboration with institutions, universities and associations, while strengthening internal innovation and building a creative atmosphere.

3. Talent development: Recruiting a diverse team, establishing two major R&D centres and investing continuously in talent and infrastructure to ensure long-term sustainability.

4. Technology research: Focusing on health and food safety to build core technical capabilities and meet multiple demands –such as being healthy, safe and delicious all at once.

In recent years, baked goods have taken centre stage in retail supermarkets. What structural changes is the bakery sector undergoing? Why has supermarket bakery become so popular? Beyond affordability and health, what emerging consumer trends are shaping bakery sales?

These questions were explored by Edison Zhang, founder of New Species Institute; Natalie Zhao, marketing director of China oils, ag and trading at Cargill; Peng Yuan, Innovation and Baking Center director at Lesaffre Group Greater China; and Jacky Chen, general manager of Guangzhou Liuhe Foods.

Zhao remarked that bakery differs from many other food sectors in that it is shifting from artisan craftsmanship to industrialisation. He stressed that the industry needs new frameworks and methodologies for innovation. While industrial professionals focus on product shelf life and line feasibility, artisan bakers may create great-tasting samples that fail at scale due to issues like texture or shelf stability.

Zhao emphasised Cargill’s ability to help clients navigate these technical hurdles:

Lesaffre Group brought four sample breads to the FBIF panel discussion. According to Yuan, the most popular bread in its on-site testing was not the high-fat, high-sugar brioche, but rather a multigrain sourdough, indicating a consumer shift toward low-fat, low-sugar options. Consumers are increasingly seeking clean label products, and Lesaffre has responded with a full range of clean label improvers. Lesaffre, the only domestic company with a live sourdough starter, also offers inactive sourdoughs derived from durum wheat and rye, which enrich the flavour profiles of healthier bakery products.

Yuan noted that while bread in China is still largely seen as a snack, it is gradually moving toward becoming a staple food. Lesaffre will continue to promote the industry's progress through sustained innovation.

Jacky Chen, general manager of Guangzhou Liuhe Foods, shared insights into the Chinese bakery market:

• The market size is steadily growing, with the frozen bakery segment already reaching tens of billions of RMB in value and expected to grow further

• As the market expands, competition is intensifying, with multiple players coexisting in China, now the largest single market globally

He observed four key trends shaping China’s bakery sector:

1. Accelerated product innovation: Diversification is evident, with baked goods increasingly linked to emotional value

2. Health-oriented development: Some brands are incorporating locally sourced, nutritious ingredients into product development

3. Cross-category integration: Successful examples of bakery and coffee, and bakery and tea, illustrate this trend

4. Market segmentation: Differentiated demands from various consumer groups are driving customised products and services

Functional ingredient talks: Explore the next star ingredient

Tong Gao, director of marketing management division of Beijing Tong Ren Tang Health-Pharmaceutical (TRT-Health Group), delivered a presentation titled 'Delayed Retirement: Professionals Urgently Need Eastern Herbal Remedies'.

She noted that in 2024, 'food-medicine homology' ranked among the top ten nutrition buzzwords, and Chinese authorities are actively updating the list of food-medicine homologous ingredients. Globally, the proportion of products containing herbal ingredients continues to rise year by year. Consumer research across multiple countries indicates that natural herbal ingredients with perceived health benefits tend to earn greater trust from consumers.

In recent years, China's food-medicine homology industry has continued to expand in scale, accompanied by growing search volumes and online discussions. Industry reports show that functions such as immune enhancement, digestive support, and blood and energy replenishment are of high interest to both general consumers and working professionals. Consumer demands for healthy diets are also evolving, with increased attention to tonic foods. According to e-commerce data, products like bird's nest, goji berries and healthy teas remain popular, while ingredients such as honeysuckle, yam and poria are gaining traction.

TRT-Health Group has been deeply engaged in the health and wellness sector for many years. In 2024, it established the Food-Medicine Homology Research Institute, focusing on 'efficacious and palatable' formulas and exploring trendy wellness products rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. The company is developing ready-to-eat and snack-like health foods, such as herbal wellness coffee and baked goods using herbal extracts and honey as sugar alternatives.

Meanwhile, TRT-Health is also upgrading traditional products like herbal pastes, soups and herbal teas, reimagining them in new dosage forms that are portable, scenario-specific and trendy. In the field of dietary supplements, the company has launched several flagship products. One standout is the Tong Ren Tang Pai Feng Jiao Huang Qi Ruan Jiao Nang, which supports gastric mucosa health and won the FBIF Wow Food  Award.

The National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy (NCTID), approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology and led by China's dairy giant Yili Group, is the only national-level innovation center in China’s dairy industry. The center has achieved major breakthroughs in areas such as sexed semen technology, lactoferrin extraction and probiotic encapsulation, and in some fields has reached global leadership or introduced world-first innovations.

Jian He, general manager of the National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy (NCTID), began his talk by outlining 12 innovation hotspots in China’s dairy science sector. He emphasised that driven by expanding market demand, supportive government policies and advancements in domestic technologies, deep processing of dairy products will be a core path for the high-quality development of China’s dairy sector. He stated: "From a consumption trend perspective, we believe we are at a turning point".

He introduced the NCTID’s work in protein separation, enzymatic hydrolysis, protein structure and functional optimisation, and encapsulation technologies, highlighting practical achievements in developing high-value functional dairy ingredients through advanced processing.

In protein separation, he detailed the NCTID’s collaboration with Yili on lactoferrin extraction, where they pioneered a targeted extraction and aseptic reintegration technology. This innovation increased the retention rate of lactoferrin in ambient milk from 10% to over 90%, already applied in commercial products. By optimising the separation of α-lactalbumin, β-casein, and osteopontin, while balancing purity, technical precision and cost, the NCTID has reduced reliance on imported raw materials and elevated China’s competitiveness in dairy processing. These technologies are now used in infant formula and are expected to extend to more product categories in the future.

Lastly, He addressed the critical issue of how to preserve activity and functional stability of dairy components during digestion and absorption. The NCTID has developed cutting-edge encapsulation technology with independent intellectual property rights, enabling the embedding of ingredients like calcium and probiotics to improve bioavailability and stability, solving challenges such as probiotic survivability in ambient dairy products.

Marketing talks: Growth and beyond growth

At the Marketing Talks of FBIF2025, Eason Li, chief editor, social media office and brand content at McDonald's China, delivered a keynote speech.

According to Li, McDonald's China currently publishes daily content across seven core social platforms. The brand generates over 100 pieces of content each month on these platforms – ranging from images and articles to videos and creative campaigns – reaching over 160 million followers. McDonald’s China has also established two long-standing fan-centered social media campaigns: Pie Day and Large Fries Day, both of which have been running for 11 years.

Li outlined three key reasons why McDonald's has committed over a decade to cultivating these campaigns:

• Long-termism: McDonald’s has numerous products that have remained on sale for over 50 years, which is a testament to the brand’s belief in sustained, long-term efforts

• The goal of building strong fan communities: Fans are one of the brand’s most valuable assets

• Using fan holidays to maintain continuous engagement with consumers through classic products

In addition to these core campaigns, McDonald’s also launches new creative themes every year, introduces seasonal product promotions and curates unique fan experiences.

Li also referenced the classic 'campfire and fireworks' theory in marketing: the ongoing, steady stream of social content acts as a campfire, drawing consumers closer and building lasting relationships. Fireworks, on the other hand, are those high-impact, short-duration campaigns that ignite mass attention and discussion.

Li further shared McDonald's' internal framework for crafting compelling 'Fan Truths' moments – the 3S theory.

• Specific: The brand story must be tangible, not vague

• Shared resonance: The McDonald’s logo often evokes a sense of comfort, representing consistent quality and great taste

• Sincerity or Singularity: Brands don’t need to appear perfect; leaving room for authenticity allows consumers to feel a deeper, more human connection

Rafael Pitanguy, deputy global chief creative officer and Coca-Cola creative lead of VML, joined the session remotely to share his creative insights. He emphasised the often-overlooked power of familiarity in creativity. According to Pitanguy, the secret to powerful creative work lies in combining originality with familiarity – this blend creates resonance and impact.

“If you only focus on originality without familiarity, people struggle to relate, and your message loses effectiveness," he explained. "Everything feels alien. But if your content is only familiar with no originality, it becomes generic and uninteresting. Creativity thrives when these two forces are combined.”

Pitanguy disclosed more details of the Coke-creating project in his sharing. This event was led by VML and won three gold medals at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Creative Festival. And it helped Coca-Cola win the Creative Brand of the Year for the first time, becoming the marketing campaign with the most awards in the brand's history.

Because small shops are one of Coca-Cola's largest sales channels, he believes that the people behind these can also become brand ambassadors for Coca-Cola. He chooses to listen to their voices and help them make their voices heard.

The more crucial aspect of this project lies in listening to their originality and giving full play to it, merely adding a spotlight to their original content.

Pitanguy said: “Agencies and marketing departments should always remember to place culture at a higher level, rather than our design guiding principles. Letting consumers see our brand design can also be very democratic, making the industry remember that even if our brand has grown very big, people are still more important."