➥ Why 2026 Food Innovation Feels Different.
Hey foodies. In our last newsletter about the 2025 year end review, some people asked me: “ok, but what about 2026?” so I decided to write this newsletter with a focus on 2026 trend predictions.
In the spirit of what’s trending, I will be hosting an AI Innovation in the Food Business webinar in 1 week — January 21st, 2026.
Curious? Sign up here.
➥ Food News
What's New in the World of Food?
How extreme weather is redrawing the map of what we can grow
Plant-Based Bioplastics Market Set to Explode
The Rise of Functional "Do More" Products
How to Buy a Mushroom Farm
My 2026 Predictions on LinkedIn
➥ Small Bites
2026: Food innovation gets less… healthy?
Guess what people don’t want in 2026? HEALTHY foods.
I’ve just been reviewing the 2026 trends on Tastewise’s platform and here’s what I learned:
People want more protein….
But “vitamins”? Down 25%
“Plant based”? Down 38%…
“Healthy”? Down 11%…
real screenshot from AI food innovation software, Tastewise
Ok… you may think, but “melted” is up 58%!
Here’s what I’m really seeing for 2026:
Consumers are tired of food that demands attention, effort, or explanation. They want food that fits into their lives without friction.
Brands need to shift how they define innovation and in 2026, the brands that win won’t be the ones shouting the loudest but will focus on bringing back these 3 grounded moves:
1. Diversity
Not more of one thing. More kinds of good things.
We’re seeing dietary diversity replace single-ingredient obsession. Products that help people eat a wider range of plants, fibers, and nutrients feel more achievable and less exhausting.
Here’s what we’re seeing show up early:
Parents prioritizing digestive health as foundational
Fiber reframed as daily protection (not a medical solution)
Precision nutrition boosts like seed, spice, and herb blends that layer easily into meals
Trends to watch (0–12 months):
Mung Beans
Hemp Seeds
Chlorella
These ingredients are not new.
But they do give consumers what they need to stay healthy (without always needing to be advertised as healthy).
Current trend setters:
Eldorado Nut Bar (Norway) showing affordable protein and fiber through variety
Oikos Café Latte Protein Drink (Japan)
Floura Fiber Bars using 12 whole plants make fiber feel modern and desirable
2. Tradition
Tradition is becoming a strategy, not a throwback.
Consumers are looking backward to feel more prepared moving forward. Tradition offers familiarity, practicality, and trust in uncertain times.
Here’s what we’re seeing:
Seasonal eating and natural preservation reframing sustainability
Brands reopening recipe archives to solve ingredient shortages
Indigenous and regional ingredients finding growth opportunities in Western markets
Trends to watch (0–12 months)
Spiced Karak Chai
Vietnamese Coffee
Sotol (over agave)
Current market signals
Little & Green’s RTD poitín cocktail bringing a traditional spirit into modern use
Heyday Canning Co modernizing canned meals with transparency and simplicity
Garum’s AI-assisted revival proving ancient solutions can meet modern umami demand
Current Trend-setters in the market
Little & Green’s RTD poitín cocktail bringing a traditional spirit into modern use
Heyday Canning Co modernizing canned meals with transparency and simplicity
Noma Kitchen used AI to develop this umami flavor
3. Sensory Design
Sensory design is shifting from novelty to necessity. Texture, aroma, sound, and visual cues are being used intentionally to support emotional and physical needs.
Here’s what we’re seeing:
“Comfort food” evolving into everyday food therapy
Sensory innovation creating new social occasions beyond alcohol
Healthy foods becoming messy, layered, and fun again
This matters even more for aging consumers, GLP-1 users, neurodiverse individuals, and children with different sensory needs.
Trends to watch (0–12 months):
Children’s food prioritizing real ingredients with color and crunch
Nutrition framed through familiarity & comfort
Sensory satisfaction used to support mood and appetite
Sensory design is no longer decoration. It’s functionality you can feel.
Here’s the insight that ties all of this together, and it’s one I’ve learned by watching products succeed or fail after launch:
Consumers don’t wake up asking for innovation.
They wake up asking, “What can I eat today that won’t let me down?”
Food that survives scale solves emotional friction first. Nutrition supports the decision, but trust earns the repeat purchase.
That’s why 2026 isn’t about predicting flavors.
It’s about predicting behavior.
People will choose products that respect their routines, help them feel resilient, deliver function without feeling clinical, and taste good enough to come back tomorrow.
The brands that understand this will stop performing and start supporting.
And that’s how “impossible” ideas become scalable CPG products.
➥ Know Your Food
Food Science Tip of the Week
Use microencapsulation to wrap sensitive ingredients like probiotics, omega-3s, or vitamins in protective coatings.
Microencapsulation helps solve one of product development's biggest challenges: keeping functional ingredients stable and flavorless until the right moment!
This technology is why your probiotic snack bar can survive baking, your fortified smoothie doesn't taste fishy, and your energy gum releases caffeine gradually instead of all at once. It adds cost, but for functional or "better-for-you" products, it's often the difference between a concept that works on paper and one that actually performs on the shelf.
Inspired to develop a new product? Let's talk!
Happy New Year from the Food Forward Team. Don’t forget to sign up for the AI Innovation in Food webinar next week.
We look forward to answering your questions on the call!
