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A year of incredible innovation and industry events concluded in the historic and picturesque city of Paris, France, at Food Ingredients Europe 2025. Taking place between 2-4 December at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, spread across two pavilions and four floors, FIE celebrated its 30th year of networking and showcasing product innovation from all areas of F&B.

The event brought together over 1,550 exhibitors and thousands of food and beverage professionals to explore the latest cutting-edge ingredient solutions.

As always, the show offered attendees the chance to network with exhibitors, as well as insights from speakers across several designated areas, including a conference area, innovation hub and community hub. Talks covered a range of timely themes, from using AI to solve supply chain challenges, to future food and beverage trends and what the evolving market looks like for snacks, nutrition and more.

Below, we dig into some of the top trends and innovations highlighted by exhibitors at this year’s buzzing event.

Weight management and the rise of GLP-1s

For many exhibitors, the rise of GLP-1 medications for weight management has become a critical trend influencing their latest innovations as we approach 2026.

During a visit to Arla Food Ingredients’ stand, we learned that 30% of household residents in the US are now using GLP-1 medications in some form. As appetites and attitudes towards food continue to change, it is unsurprising that the food industry is aiming to adapt quickly and remain ahead of the curve.

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to boost protein intake in order to maintain muscle mass when using these medications, further fuelling the protein boom we’ve seen in the last few years. There was no shortage of innovation around protein fortification at FiE, particularly clear whey protein, which has been found to appeal to a wide consumer base.

Arla Food Ingredients displayed several protein-infused applications, including a Sprite-style protein soda; protein shots, which provide the same amount of protein as a traditional shake, but in a convenient single shot serving; an innovative clear protein yogurt and even fizzy milk-style RTD beverages, offering an alternative to traditional protein drinks.

Weight management was also a key focus at Beneo’s stand, with the company eager to showcase how its solutions can help to enhance the nutritional profiles of products by increasing protein and fibre.

While protein remains a highly sought-after nutrient, fibre is quickly catching up among consumers’ priorities, with many predicting that it will become the top ingredient claim for 2026.

Both are in high demand amid the GLP-1 boom, as consumers taking these medications for weight management – or consumers simply on a weight management journey, with or without GLP-1 drugs – prioritise muscle support and feeling satiated with smaller, but more nutrient-dense, portions.

Beneo’s recipes highlighted how manufacturers can boost protein and cut sugar to align with the goals of today’s health-conscious consumers.

A ‘high-protein sandwich’ demonstrated the versatility of Beneo’s plant protein portfolio. The ‘protein bread’ was made with the company’s faba bean and rice proteins to ensure a complete amino acid profile. This was paired with hummus made from faba bean concentrate and its Orafti Inulin chicory fibre, enabling high-fibre claims; and a plant-based cold cut, also crafted with faba bean concentrate.

Faba bean concentrate and chicory root fibre also featured in a chocolate meal replacement shake, designed to support satiety and offering a smooth texture with a subtly sweet, nutty flavour; and a mini cheesecake showcasing better-for-you indulgence. These concepts also contained Beneo’s low-glycaemic carbohydrate, Palatinose, which Beneo noted offers consumers a reduced blood glucose response and has been shown to trigger the body’s own GLP-1 release naturally, promoting fullness and improved metabolic health.

A sugar-reduced vanilla custard dessert concept also demonstrated how manufacturers could address consumers’ sweet cravings while cutting sugar by 30% and adding dietary fibre, achieved through a sweetness-modulating solution based on short-chain fructooligosaccharides and flavourings with modifying properties.

Irish dairy co-op Tirlan highlighted many nutrition-boosted concepts, including caseins and protein cheeses for an on-the-go lifestyle. Aoife Herlihy, marketing manager, pointed out that today's consumers are keeping away from the "stereotypical snack yogurt" and are seeking different healthy snacking concepts such as cheese snacks for convenience. Reformulation to boost nutrition will likely be seen across a range of snack formats as we continue into 2026.

Reformulation and supply chain challenges

Another key trend addressed at this year’s event was the race to reformulate, following not only changing attitudes towards nutrition, but also continuing supply chain challenges. One thing remains clear: though consumers are more health-conscious than ever, indulgence remains key. Consumers want food that is better for them, but it must taste and feel good.

Due to this, producers are reformulating while using as few ingredients as possible to create products that retain taste quality, without sacrificing on health goals and keeping costs down amid rising global prices.

The ongoing cocoa shortage has posed a significant challenge to the confectionery industry in recent years, due to factors such as economic challenges for cocoa farmers, climate-related impacts and crop disease.

Alternatives to cocoa and coffee could be found all over the show, with companies like Soufflet Malt – which typically works within the beverage industry in malt distilling – using its ingredients in a new way. At Soufflet Malt’s stand, the company offered chocolate cookies made with malt rather than cocoa, and hot coffee-style drinks made with malt as an alternative to coffee beans. These products not only help to tackle supply chain issues, but also offer functionality claims – malt is high in fibre and can be used to create gut-friendly snacks and functional beverages.

Trendy pistachios have also been in short supply, particularly since the premium green nut surged in demand following the viral ‘Dubai Chocolate’ trend.

Reflecting this, Ajinomoto showcased a pistachio spread among its innovations, made with its Savorboost K and U solutions to enhance flavour richness and depth while reducing the use of pistachios by 25%.

OFI had a selection of pistachio samples on offer at their stand, highlighting that trending flavours don't need to be restricted by supply chain issues if the ingredients are suitably sourced, emphasising the importance of traceability within the chain.

Elsewhere, when reformulating for nutritional purposes, sugar and salt reduction remain huge challenges for producers – especially for those catering to consumers who are looking for both indulgence and health benefits.

During the event, HBTA explained how manufacturers can innovate and improve formulas with the company’s Optitaste solutions, which are divided into three areas: sweetness, balance and masking. Sweetness can be optimised by reducing sugar with natural solutions such as stevia; balance can be achieved by improving mouthfeel, bitterness, flavour profiles and salt reduction; meanwhile, the masking solutions can improve bitterness in plant-based proteins, reduce off-notes and suppress astringency.

Faravelli showcased reduced-sugar options made using its monkfruit solution. Monkfruit is a natural sweetener which can aid with sugar reduction and enables the development of cleaner label products with no E numbers, offering producers a more consumer-friendly alternative to artificial sweeteners.

Roquette also offered sugar-free cakes, alongside a number of other ingredient alternatives, including egg replacements. The egg supply chain continues to provide challenges for producers, particularly in the US. Avian flu outbreaks in the States and the EU have led to egg shortages in recent years, resulting in fluctuating egg prices and rising costs for manufacturers, as well as food safety concerns for consumers.

Egg-free, plant-powered and planet-friendly

Egg-free and ‘free from’ innovation – including plant-based/vegan options and allergen-free innovations – remained a strong theme present at this year’s event.

Italian functional ingredient specialist MartinoRossi presented a variety of concepts showcasing its range of clean label, allergen-free and plant-based solutions in bakery, dessert and breakfast food formats.

One stand-out innovation was its Raiser Pro functional chickpea protein, which can provide a plant-based alternative to egg whites across numerous applications – whether bringing a light and airy texture to pastries, or foaming capabilities to barista beverages. The company presented plant-based macarons and mini meringues, both made using the Raiser Pro solution and demonstrating its functionality in the patisserie space.

Also on display was its plant-based mix for egg alternatives, a yellow lentil-based mix that can replace whole eggs in both sweet and savoury recipes, served up scrambled egg-style with protein-boosted bread. The mix can be simply combined with cold water and vegetable oil before cooking, providing a convenient and shelf-stable solution for the food industry.

MartinoRossi also presented its new line of BakePro ready-to-use protein mixes, created in collaboration with Italian milling specialist Molini Bongiovanni. They feature a blend of legume-based proteins with cereal flours, designed to support industrial and artisanal bakers in meeting rising demand for nutrition-boosted options amid the protein boom.

Products from across MartinoRossi’s brand portfolio, including Goodly, Beamy and Mr. Beans, highlighted the versatility of legume-based ingredients in responding to the preferences of today’s consumers, who are increasingly seeking options that are more natural, non-GMO and free from common allergens like soya. One particular favourite we enjoyed was the Mr. Beans Chickpea and Cocoa spread, which offered a silky-smooth texture and impressively hazelnut-like flavour – despite being made entirely nut-free, thanks to the power of roasted chickpeas!

Meala FoodTech, a start-up based in Israel, was also showcasing an innovative egg replacement solution across a range of bakery applications at this year’s event. The company’s flagship innovation is a single-ingredient pea protein with texturising properties, designed to replicate the performance of eggs in bakery applications.

It addresses several key themes for the food industry currently: supply chain challenges, clean labelling, and demand for both plant-based and egg allergen-free options.

Meala demonstrated how its solution offers versatility in applications such as light, airy and golden mini muffins, and rich, fudgy and moist chocolate brownies.

The company has announced notable collaborations with major players in the ingredients industry this year. DSM-Firmenich has teamed up with the company to commercialise the ingredient as Vertis PB Pea, for use in plant-based meat alternatives, while Spanish bakery specialist Lasenor has this week debuted Lasenor VP-100, optimised specifically to enhance aeration and extend shelf life in bakery applications.

Elsewhere in plant-based innovation, Jungbunzlauer displayed a gelatin alternative suitable for vegan applications, as well as kosher and halal products. And Ajinomoto demonstrated its expertise in creating plant-based cheese alternatives that can stretch and melt like the real deal – among its concepts showcased were a semi-hard plant-based cheese crafted using its Activa DA texture solution, a combination of three enzymes designed to improve stretchability and meltability of plant-based cheese after heating, alongside shreddability in industrial processing methods like cheese grating.

Additionally, ADM’s expertise in plant-based nutrition was demonstrated with a range of its textured soy protein ingredients on display at its stand, showcased in different formats such as mince and chunks, capable of providing a juicy and meat-like texture in a range of plant-based meat alternative applications.

The team served up its ‘Drumstick on a Shake’ concept for us, featuring a light and refreshing mango-flavoured shake, made with ADM’s soy protein isolate, served alongside a chicken-style drumstick, made with its Soprotex Slices and Tradcon T functional soy protein concentrate solutions. Both the drumstick and the beverage highlighted the versatility of the company’s soy protein portfolio, responding to rising demand for plant-forward nutrition across different product categories.

For plant-based drinks and dairy alternatives, Nexira showcased natural texturizers from its Naltive range, designed to deliver rich, creamy mouthfeel and stability in formulations. The company also highlighted its botanical extracts including guarana, ginseng, lemon balm, hibiscus and green tea tailored for energy, cognition, relaxation and vitality. Meanwhile, its acacia-fibre ranges Inavea and Fibregum deliver high fibre content with clean labels, ease of use and high digestive tolerance in a large array of applications.

Sustainability is still a hot topic for many. One key trend at this year’s show was the use of upcycling and reducing waste by making use of byproducts. Soufflet Malt highlighted several examples of this, as did OFI, which showcased their ethos of transparency and traceability.

Novonesis also spoke about its work with scientists and chefs to create innovative and tasty food products using upcycled byproducts, to offer health benefits while also expanding its plant-based portfolio.

Flavour and functionality

Flavour was another theme taking centre stage at ADM’s booth this year, with the company showcasing several concepts that centered around taste, indulgence and trending flavour combinations.

Frozen dessert concepts highlighted flavour trends such as sweet and spicy (often dubbed ‘swicy’), demonstrated with a refreshing and light mango sorbet dusted with a sprinkling of spicy tajín, and the rise of umami saltiness combined with sweet treats, a trend showcased in an indulgent miso caramel ice cream concept.

Nostalgia also played a prominent role. ADM presented a range of indulgent pralines, created using its flavour solutions, plant concentrates and extracts, with flavours designed to evoke childhood memories. These included Sunset Carnival, inspired by cotton candy and lemon; Strawberry Popcorn, with buttery popcorn and strawberry flavours; and a beverage-inspired Coke Float, combining notes of vanilla and cola. The sweet and spicy trend also featured here too, with a trendy Spicy Mango concept, crafted with mango and chilli flavouring, and paprika extract.

An extensive array of flavour solutions on display aligned with the company’s Flavor and Color Trends for 2026 report, with themes including ‘Newstalgia’ and ‘Authentic Wellbeing’. Increasing interest in Asian flavours in the West was reflected in solutions such as mango sticky rice, lychee and matcha flavourings.

Meanwhile, sugar, starch and fruit concentrate specialist Agrana showcased its range of natural flavour concentrates under its Austria Juice subsidiary, in trending fruity flavours such as strawberry, sour cherry and blackcurrant – which has been dubbed ‘flavour of 2026’ by McCormick.

The company also showcased its fruit concentrates in two non-alcoholic cider variants, one in classic apple flavour and one with a hint of berry, tapping into rising interest in low and no alcohol beverages.

Beverages were under the spotlight at Agrana’s stand, and functionality was prominent as many consumers now seek multiple wellbeing benefits from their drinks.

Austria Juice’s beverage concepts included a whey protein-infused blueberry energy drink, responding to this demand for multi-functional options. It also showcased a collagen-infused grapefruit water, electrolyte-infused lime water, and prebiotics-infused apple and strawberry juice-based drink.

Agrana’s plant protein powders were showcased in two shake applications – a faba protein berry-flavoured shake, and a pumpkin seed protein pistachio-flavoured shake. These allergen-free base powders offer gentle digestibility and versatility across a range of beverage applications, including ready-to-mix powdered drinks, RTD shakes, functional health shots and hydration beverages, and children’s/toddler nutrition products.

Ingredients for cognitive wellbeing continue to gain traction – particularly magnesium, which is branching out from the typical capsules and into more food and beverage applications. Jungbunzlauer, for instance, had a magnesium yogurt on display. Meanwhile, ThreoTech showcased its new Magtein magnesium ingredient, which focuses on cognitive health and is suitable for a range of applications. It has recently received regulatory approval in the EU.

Milestones for 2025

As Fi Europe wrapped up its 30th edition, the event’s brand director, Yannick Verry, commented: “This year’s event demonstrated remarkable growth, underscoring Paris as a pivotal destination for both visitors and exhibitors. The 2025 edition not only attracted a higher number of attendees (up 5% compared to 2024) but also showcased an exceptional level of international participation, with around 80% of visitors coming from outside France, according to our initial analysis.”

He added: “From the innovative event app to dynamic networking fringe events or experiential approaches such as the Tasting Bar, these features elevated Fi Europe to new heights. Notably, areas such as Food Technology & Solutions and Pet Food experienced significant growth, setting the stage for continued expansion in 2026.”

The event also saw several exhibitors celebrate some big milestones. Nexira commemorated 130 years with a private party after the show at the Musee d’Art Moderne, offering glorious views of the Eiffel Tower and surrounded by some of the best modern art in existence. Faravelli is also gearing up to mark its 100th anniversary, and Roquette hosted a breakfast event nearby to celebrate the launch of its new Horizons programme, which utilises AI to predict the sector’s future and help businesses plan accordingly.

The FoodBev team thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many of you at this year’s Food Ingredients Europe, with special thanks to: ADM; Agrana; Ajinomoto; AKA Foods; Alland and Robert; Arla Foods Ingredients; Azelis; Beneo; Biorgin; Brenntag; Bunge; Cargill; Edlong; Emsland; EPI Ingredients; Faravelli; Givaudan; Gold Coast Ingredients; Green Boy Group; HTBA; Ingredia; Jungbunzlauer; Kensing; Lantmannen; LBG Sicilia; Le Saffre; Limagrain; Loryma; Marigot; MartinoRossi; Meurens; Meala FoodTech; Nexira; Novonesis; Nutriearth; OFI; Prova; Raisio; Rousselot; Soufflet Malt; Sweegen; Tereos; Threotech and Valio.