Eggs have long held a non-negotiable position in food manufacturing. They bind, leaven, emulsify and enrich, offering a rare, combined complexity that makes them difficult to replace. Today, however, the need to find viable alternatives is huge, due to soaring egg prices, avian influenza outbreaks, and shifting consumer values around sustainability and animal welfare. Against this backdrop, egg replacement solutions are moving from niche alternatives to mainstream necessities, with the market for egg-free and plant-based substitutes in bakery and confectionery growing steadily at around 6% per year. For producers, the challenge lies not only in cost control but also in ensuring technical performance and sensory quality that can match, or even exceed, traditional egg-based formulations. To support manufacturers in navigating this complex scenario, CSM Ingredients launched in April 2025 Egg ’n Easy Plus, the latest advancement in its Egg ’n Easy range for egg reduction in bakery. Most recently, it also added to its Magic Glaze range of premium egg-free glazing solutions the new Magic Glaze Instant, an instant solution to be reconstituted with warm water. Meeting industry pressures with advanced egg reduction Egg ’n Easy range is a plant-based, customizable powder formulation designed to give industrial bakers maximum flexibility in managing egg reduction to meet production and customer needs. The range is based on the combination of building blocks: wheat flour to enhance viscosity and help contain oil; wheat protein to support and maintain crumb structure and vegetable fibers for enhanced freshness, aeration and stability. In the Egg ’n Easy Plus version also enzymes are added, to provide an even finer crumb structure. The newest addition to the range, Egg ‘n Easy Plus, enables up to 100% replacement of whole eggs in brioche recipes, where eggs can account for 5-15% of the formulation, and up to 50% replacement in cakes and muffins. From a technical perspective, the formulation safeguards dough consistency, machinability and sensory attributes, while allowing manufacturers to reduce egg-related costs by as much as 55%. Extending the Magic Glaze range To further enable egg reduction efforts, Magic Glaze provides an egg-free, water-based glazing alternative that guarantees the golden shine and attractive finish consumers expect. Key benefits include: Hygiene and safety : Eliminates bacteriological contamination risk. Operational efficiency : Ready-to-use, sprayable without clogging. Cost stability : Unaffected by egg price volatility. Cleaner label : No preservatives, colours, flavours or hydrogenated fats. Vegan suitability : catering to the growing plant-based sector. Applications across the sector span a wide range of bakery and pastry products, from croissants and puff pastry to sandwich buns and focaccia. The Magic Glaze range is continuously evolving, with several additions including Magic Glaze Instant, a powdered format designed for maximum operational flexibility. The new concept, developed for simple and quick reconstitution with warm water, will provide manufacturers with precise dosage control, reduced storage needs and predictable cost management, as well as maintaining performance consistency and supporting cleaner label positioning. The range also includes Magic Glaze Freeze-Thaw Stable – developed for frozen bakery products, which maintains stability throughout long storage and distribution cycles – and Magic Glaze Post-Bake – designed specifically for application on hot bread buns and similar goods, offering excellent stability even after freezing. Driving sustainable innovation The launch of Egg ’n Easy Plus and the expansion of the Magic Glaze range highlight CSM Ingredients group’s broad vision, as surmised by Christian Sobolta, CEO of CSM Ingredients: “Our mission is to develop solutions that not only solve technical and economic pressures but also anticipate the evolving demands of the food industry". "Egg ’n Easy and Magic Glaze are great examples of how innovation can deliver value across the supply chain, and they are great examples, for us, of how planet health, animal welfare and cost-efficiency can and should easily intersect.”

A new survey commissioned by Arla Foods Ingredients has identified healthy growth and immunity as the health benefits most likely to influence mothers’ purchases of infant or toddler formula. The company commissioned YouGov to survey 6,800 women in 13 different countries, all aged 18-45 and educated to at least college level, who were either pregnant or had children aged 0-4. When asked an open question about the factors that mattered to them when choosing a formula product, 40% of the mothers named quality, 40% mentioned nutrients and ingredients, and 30% named health and safety. All of these ranked higher than price or brand. The mothers were shown a list of health benefits and asked to choose three that were most important when buying formula. Healthy growth scored highest (chosen by 61%), followed by immunity (56%) and gut comfort (44%). Only half of the mothers surveyed were able to name ingredients in infant formula. However, when prompted, lactose was very widely heard of, followed by probiotics, milk fat and plant proteins. Mothers in Asian countries, especially China, displayed higher than average awareness of and preference for specialised protein ingredients like alpha-lactalbumin, whey protein hydrolysate and milk fat globule membrane. The highest priority for mothers in terms of product labelling was nutritional information, which was considered more important than indications of organic status or sustainability-related features. Viorela Andreea Indolean, industry marketing manager for Early Life Nutrition at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “The goal of this research was to explore awareness of formula products, as well as the way priorities and preferences vary between markets. Although the names of specific ingredients aren’t top of mind for most mothers, it’s clear that when they’re shopping for formula, they’re thinking about health, safety and nutritional quality more than factors like price or brand.” She added: “We hope these insights will be valuable for manufacturers – both in terms of understanding what parents want from formula products, and improving their understanding of the ingredients they contain”.

Energy drink Powerade is stepping into the enhanced water space with the debut of Powerade Power Water. Marking the brand’s first innovation in more than five years, Power Water is a zero-sugar, electrolyte-enhanced flavoured water designed to meet the hydration needs of today’s active consumers. With ‘50% more electrolytes’ than other enhanced water brands, Power Water is available in a variety of flavours, including Mountain Berry Blast, Strawberry Kiwi, Tropical Pineapple and Watermelon, but with no added sugar. Sabrina Niland, VP of innovation, strategy and chief of staff at Bodyarmor Sports Nutrition, said: “With 50% more electrolytes than the leading electrolyte water, zero sugar, and a great-tasting formula, we’re ready to set a new standard for what consumers should expect from functional water.” Rolling out in October, with further distribution coming in 2026, Power Water will be sold in 20oz singles and 16.9oz six-packs.

Tim Tam, the iconic Australian biscuit brand, has launched its much-anticipated White Chocolatey variety in the UK market, responding to a surge of consumer demand. Available since 3 September at Sainsbury’s stores nationwide, the new product is quickly gaining traction among British consumers, contributing to Tim Tam's status as the fastest-growing biscuit brand in the country. The introduction of Tim Tam White comes after numerous requests from fans on social media platforms, reflecting the growing popularity of white chocolate in the snack category. The biscuit features a layered structure, combining a crunchy white biscuit base, a velvety cream centre and a smooth white chocolatey coating, designed to appeal to both existing fans and new customers alike. Amber Dutkiewicz, market development manager for Tim Tam, said: “It’s been great to see the overwhelmingly positive response to the launch of Tim Tam in the UK. With the demand from consumers on social media, we knew it was time to bring the irresistible Tim Tam White to the UK. We can’t wait for Brits to finally try it.” The retail price for Tim Tam White is set at £2.50, positioning it competitively within the premium biscuit segment. Tim Tam, first introduced in 1964 by Arnott’s, has established itself as Australia’s favourite biscuit, renowned for its unique combination of textures and flavours. The brand has a strong presence in Australian supermarkets and is now making significant inroads into international markets, starting with the UK.

Japanese craft gin brand KI NO BI, part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio, has officially opened its new fossil-free distillery in Kyoto Prefecture, marking a significant step in Pernod Ricard's sustainability and premium spirits strategy. The facility, located in Kameoka city just outside Kyoto, will enable the ultra-premium gin producer to expand global distribution while reducing its environmental impact. The distillery is powered entirely by renewable energy, with an electric boiler using wind, water, solar and geothermal sources. The launch comes amid a surge in demand for both craft and premium gin. In Japan, gin sales have quadrupled in the past five years, rising from 1.2 million to 5.5 million litres, fuelled in part by consumer interest in Japanese botanicals such as yuzu. Globally, the premium gin segment continues to be shaped by flavour experimentation and mixology trends. KI NO BI – meaning ‘the beauty of the seasons’ – was first launched in 2016 at Japan’s first dedicated gin distillery in Kyoto. The new site is equipped with multiple stills, rather than a single large unit, in order to preserve the brand’s signature production method. Its approach involves distilling six groups of botanicals separately before blending, a process that the company says creates a balanced spirit with a distinct Japanese character. Hiroyuki Nagai, operations director at The Kyoto Distillery, said: “The new distillery is about scale, but without compromise. We could have installed one large still, but instead we’ve chosen to maintain our meticulous distillation process. Each flavour group is distilled individually, then blended to achieve KI NO BI’s signature profile.” Murielle Arnaud Dessenis, Pernord Ricard’s global VP for marketing gins, described the opening as a "historic milestone" for the brand, saying: “It shows our commitment to sustainability as well as our ambition to grow KI NO BI’s presence worldwide as an ultra-premium gin.” The new facility opened just 15 months after construction began , following a traditional Shinto blessing ceremony performed by a local shrine master.

Better-for-you snacking brand Junkless has entered the protein bar market with a new range of Junkless Protein Bars. The protein bars come in four flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Birthday Cake and Cookies & Cream. Each 55g bar contains 15g of protein, 6-8g of fibre, 5-9g net carbs and only 3-5g of sugar. The bars are made without artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, sugar alcohols or other additives. The launch marks the brand’s first new product line since the debut of its Chewy Granola Bars, which Junkless says are now the second-fastest growing brand in the grocery Wholesome & Snack Bar category. The new line is available now at Sprouts Farmers Market and will launch soon on Amazon.

Ferrara Candy Company has expanded its Nerds range with the launch of Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters. The new product is twice the size of the original Nerds Gummy Clusters, first introduced in 2020. It features a crunchy coating of Nerds candy, a strawberry punch-flavoured gummy and a juice-filled centre. The product is available in 2.65oz, 4.5oz and 7.15oz packs, priced between $2.49 and $6.49. Alongside the new launch, Ferrara has also released two limited-time Nerds Gummy Cluster flavours for the football season: Cherry Lemonade Blitz (cherry and lemon) and Berry Punch Rush (raspberry, cherry and punch). Both flavours are available in 3oz, 5oz and 8oz packs, also priced between $2.49 and $6.49. They are in select retailers now and will roll out nationwide this month for a limited period. Katie Duffy, vice president of global brands at Ferrara, said: "Five years ago, Nerds transformed the candy landscape with the launch of Nerds Gummy Clusters candy – and now, we're raising the bar again". "Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters candy represents the next evolution of innovation and reimagines snacking in an elevated, bold, multisensorial experience that invites fans to taste, feel and celebrate candy in a whole new way. It's a next-level candy creation designed to spark joy and turn everyday moments into something extraordinary."

Lifeway Foods has signed a cooperation agreement with Danone North America that will see changes to its board structure and the resolution of ongoing disputes. Under the agreement, Lifeway will carry out an orderly refreshment of its board of directors. By 30 October 2025, three new independent directors will be appointed, with a fourth to follow by 14 November. The new members will be selected by Lifeway’s strategic review committee and must be unaffiliated with Danone, the Smolyansky family or current company leadership. As part of the governance changes, the roles of chair and chief executive officer will be separated. Julie Smolyansky will remain CEO, while an independent director will assume the role of chair no later than 30 October 2025. Long-serving board members Pol Sikar and Jay Scher are set to step down by the company’s 2025 and 2026 annual meetings, respectively. Lifeway and Danone have also agreed to stay ongoing litigation related to Danone’s stockholders’ agreement with the company. Danone will waive certain rights under the agreement, including its right to board representation, provided it maintains at least a 5% stake in Lifeway. In addition, Danone has committed not to support future consent solicitations or shareholder meeting calls by Edward and Ludmila Smolyansky before June 2026, instead backing the board’s recommended candidates. The cooperation deal also includes provisions for equity-based compensation to Lifeway’s management (excluding Julie Smolyansky and her relatives), and a commitment by Lifeway to file a shelf registration statement by 30 October2025, which would enable Danone to sell its shares in the company if it chooses. Smolyansky said: "Lifeway has always been about resilience, innovation and community. This agreement allows us to move forward with clarity and stability, while continuing to focus on what matters most: bringing probiotic-rich foods to more families and creating value for our shareholders. We are pleased to have this agreement in place as we enter this next chapter of growth."

BASF has finalised the sale of its Food and Health Performance Ingredients business to Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), marking a significant shift in both companies’ strategies within the global food and nutrition sector. The transaction, first announced in 2024 , is now cleared by all relevant authorities. It includes BASF’s production site in Illertissen, Germany, three application labs abroad, and approximately 300 employees who will transition to LDC. The divested portfolio spans food performance ingredients, such as whipping agents, emulsifiers and fat powders, as well as health-oriented products including plant sterol esters, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 oils. Several smaller product lines are also part of the deal. BASF said the move sharpened its focus on its core Nutrition & Health businesses. Daniela Calleri, the company's senior vice president of Nutrition Ingredients, said: “By focusing on vitamins and carotenoids, we are reinforcing our strategic direction toward vital nutrition ingredients for both human and animal nutrition.” For LDC, the acquisition represents an expansion into the fast-growing plant-based ingredients sector. “This move is a significant milestone in LDC’s growth journey in the plant-based ingredients space, enhancing and accelerating our capacity to develop innovative solutions for food, personal care and healthcare applications,” said James Zhou, chief commercial officer and head of Food & Feed solutions at LDC. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

FoodBev Media is delighted to announce the winners of this year's highly anticipated World Coffee Innovation Awards, a celebration of forward thinking and excellence within the coffee industry. This event, which features revolutionary ideas, outstanding products, technological advancements and sustainable business practices, has become a trademark of innovation in the global coffee community.   The winners of this year's awards were announced at the Caffè Culture Show at London's Business Design Centre, the trade event that spotlights the UK speciality coffee and café bar market. As we celebrate the industry breakers who have elevated the coffee experience, FoodBev would like to congratulate all winners, finalists and commended companies.   As well as the awards ceremony, the World Coffee Innovation Awards featured at Caffé Culture with an exceptional showcase stand, exhibiting the amazing entrants from past and present for attendees to experience. Visitors were queuing up to get their hands on The Good Cup and try the iced strawberry matcha from Mafia Matcha, alongside the incredible flavours courtesy of Monin and the coffee-flavoured New Forest Shortbread. We also had an incredible display of products from multi-award-winning Coccola and Mindfuel, as well as exhibitions of the newest releases from Fellow and Vitclear. Dan Bunt, marketing director of FoodBev Media, presented the awards ceremony at the Caffè Insights stage at 4 pm (BST) on 30 September 2025. He commented: "2025 hallmarks another remarkable year for the World Coffee Innovation Awards. The judges and I continue to be impressed by the level of advancement.”   Find the final positions of every shortlisted entry below:   FINALISTS Automatic coffee machine Fellow – Series 1 Espresso Machine   Barista milk Edenesque – Barista Blend Pistachio Milk PT Lautan Natural Krimerindo – Ellenka Barista Series Coconut Milk   Coffee capsule/pod Qinhu Atomic Biotechnology (Jiangsu) – Zhi Xiao Lu · Classic Espresso Essence   Coffee-flavoured food product New Forest Shortbread – Coffee Flavoured New Forest Shortbread   Cold Brew product GoodBrew – GoodBrew GoodGut Latte   Functional coffee High Level Coffee – French Roast CBD Coffee Beforeyouspeak – Performance Coffee Seaguth Elixirs – Sunrise Vanilla Latte   Low/no Caffeine product Dualit – Dualit Half Caffeine Coffee Pods   Ready-to-drink product Mindfuelbev – Mindfuel Flow Stress & Mood Yili Group – ZhenNong Thick Milk Yili Group – Milk Talk Coffee Latte   Packaging innovation Owens Coffee – Owens Organic Coffee   Technology innovation Kefircoffee – Kefircoffee – The World’s First-to-Market Coffee Technology JBT Marel – SuperStatic Technology for Static and Agitating Retorts   Branding/packaging design Boardio – Paperboard Canister for Mother Parkers and Target     WINNERS Automatic coffee machine Eversys – Legacy+ Machine   Barista milk Sky Barn – +Adaptogens Oat Milk   Barista tool/ equipment Sparkfe International – Portable Electric Coffee Grinder   Coffee capsule/pod Days – Days Espresso Capsules Trio   Coffee-flavoured food product SugarBean Candy – Coffee Bean Brûlée | Double Shot   Cold Brew product Unconform – Unconform Cold Brew Flat White   Coffee dilutable product Lost Sheep Coffee – Lost Sheep Espresso Coffee Concentrate   Functional coffee Kefircoffee – Kefircoffee – The World’s First Full-Coffee Functional Beverage    Low/no Caffeine product Mindfuelbev – Mindfuel Flow Focus & Clarity   Manual coffee machine Dualit   – Dualit Espressivo Pro Coffee Machine   Ready-to-drink product GoodBrew – GoodBrew Coconut Latte   Brewing innovation Sparkfe International - Sparkfe Portable Electric Grind & Hand-Pour Coffee All-In-One   Flavour innovation Coccola – Coccola   Packaging innovation Parkside Flexibles – Recoflex Coffee Portfolio    Roasting innovation BeanGo Cube – Smart Home Coffee Roaster   Technology innovation Hard Beans – Hardtap   Branding/packaging design Coffee Foundation – Coffee Foundation Call Us Crazy! Coffee shop concept Cartisan Carts – The Richmond   Marketing/social media campaign GoodBrew – Get your GoodBrew and Go 🏃‍♀️ social video   New start-up business Coccola   Speciality coffee roaster Boxx Coffee Roasters – Boxx Coffee Roasters   Sustainability Initiative Parkside Flexibles – Recoflex Coffee Portfolio      Event partner: Caffè Culture Show Caffè Culture Show is the UK’s leading trade event for the speciality coffee and thriving café bar market. Hosted at London’s iconic Business Design Centre, the show welcomes 3,500+ coffee and hospitality professionals who are all looking to source the latest innovative products and services whilst being inspired by a unique and educational programme of talks, demos and interactive features. FoodBev Awards has taken the World Coffee Innovation Awards to the next level and presented shortlisted companies in our dedicated World Coffee Innovation Awards feature area. This provided a physical platform to showcase, network and celebrate their innovations. About FoodBev Awards FoodBev Media awards schemes have been running for more than 20 years and are now recognised as the most credible and respected awards schemes to influence the international food and beverage industry. For more information about our selection of awards programmes, please visit foodbevawards.com  or email awards@foodbev.com

Bel’s Boursin brand has added a new blue cheese-flavoured product to its range, responding to rising consumer interest in blue and flavoured cheeses. The brand said the product boasts ‘all the creaminess’ of classic Boursin, with a hint of blue cheese flavour. It aims to offer an accessible introduction to the category for ‘blue cheese avoiders,’ thanks to its mild creamy taste and natural blue flavouring. Meanwhile, existing blue cheese fans can enjoy the product’s versatile format across numerous culinary occasions and dishes, Boursin noted. Nielsen data shows that the number of consumers trying blue cheese has risen by 16% compared to a year ago, while online searches and social media mentions for blue cheese are on the rise, particularly on TikTok. Brands are launching more blue cheese NPD as a result, with these innovations increasing by 79% in the last year, according to Circana. Anna Petsi, senior brand manager at Boursin, said: “Boursin Blue Cheese Flavour has phenomenal consumer research results – both in concept and recipe. 81% liked its taste intensity with its taste scoring 8.8 out of 10. 62% told us they would buy it in addition to their usual speciality cheese, and 69% of medium/heavy Boursin buyers told us it fits very well with the brand.” Boursin Blue Cheese Flavour is designed with social occasions in mind, offering a more inclusive cheese board option while also appealing to much wider usage occasions as an ingredient that elevates pasta and risotto dishes, sauces, dips and dressings. Petsi added: “We are breaking the mould with Boursin Blue Cheese Flavour, introducing blue cheese flavour to a whole new generation of consumers who were previously put off by the overpowering smell and taste of traditional blue cheeses”. “Accessible, indulgent and deliciously versatile, it’s set to expand the flavoured cheese category and recruit new shoppers by creating a complementary reason to purchase for existing Boursin consumers, while also bringing new consumers to the brand.” Boursin Blue Cheese Flavour has launched in Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, and will be followed by Waitrose in November, with an RRP of £2.95 per 150g.

UK cookie dough brand Doughlicious is expanding its footprint in chilled desserts with the launch of its new Cookie Dough Skillet range. Featuring two varieties, the launch includes the innovative Chocolate Chip & Banana Chunky Oat Baked Cookie Dough Skillet with Plant-Based Collagen Support – a first-of-its-kind functional dessert combining indulgence with a 'beauty from within' benefit, and a Chocolate Chip Baked Cookie Dough Skillet – a gooey cookie topped with a golden crumble for sharing. The plant-based collagen support in the Banana Chunky Oat variant includes a blend of vitamins, minerals and bamboo extract that helps support the body’s natural collagen production, a benefit increasingly valued in the beauty and wellness space. Founder, Kathryn Bricken, said: “At Doughlicious, we’re passionate about revolutionising dessert while staying true to our commitment to better-for-you ingredients and the convenience today’s families crave.” Both products are gluten-free, made with premium, clean-label ingredients, and can be baked in minutes or enjoyed chilled. Available nationwide from October in Whole Foods Market stores, the cookie dough skillet desserts will be priced at £5.50.