What are the biggest food trends for 2026? Summary
- Protein will remain the leading trend in food and drink formulations
- Fibre is emerging as the new protein driven by gut health focus
- Functional foods blur lines with supplements offering targeted health benefits
- Ingredient replacements rise due to raw material volatility and cost pressures
- Longevity trend grows as consumers seek nutrition for healthy ageing
There. We’ve gone and said it. Protein will be the biggest food trend of 2026. But this macronutrient won’t be the only major movement shaping the year. Other emerging trends are coming to the fore, and many ingredients suppliers are tipping those as their top predictions for the next 12 months.
Yes, they all concede there’s an element of bias – why wouldn’t an ingredients company champion a trend they’re selling into? – but they also argue that these shifts, some niche and others rapidly gaining ground, are set to reshape the food and drink landscape as we know it.
Here goes: the biggest food trend predictions for 2026, beyond protein.
Fibre is the new protein
Just as we go and say protein will continue to dominate food and drink formulation in 2026, we hear that fibre is now, in fact, the new protein. That’s what experts at French acacia gum supplier Nexira are predicting.
“This is a trend we’ve observed for many years now, but now it feels like all the planets are aligning,” says Julie Imperato, marketing and communication manager.
She’s referring to the fact that several fibre-promoting trends are gaining traction simultaneously – from the GLP-1 movement, where fibre supports satiety, to the growing focus on gut health. Acacia fibre, which functions as an emulsifier, stabiliser, and texturiser, also offers prebiotic benefits, helping to nourish beneficial gut bacteria.
Blurring the lines between supplements and food
Functional food and drink is bigger than ever, and these new and exciting products are being powered by ingredients claiming targeted health benefits. The trend is founded on consumers wanting nutrition to do more than just sustain, and for Nadia Ustinova, global innovation marketing manager at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, that’s the direction of travel.
“Industry is increasingly blurring the lines between supplements and food,” she explains, pointing to products designed for stress relief or those that promote hair and nail health. These need states have traditionally belonged to the supplement, beauty, or nutraceutical sectors – but that’s changing.
“This is the biggest trend – not just for 2026, but for years to come. We want our nutrition to do more for us."
Replacing ingredients for sustainability - and profitability
Plant-based alternatives for animal source ingredients are not new to food and drink. An influx of vegan innovation has seen meat, dairy and eggs be replaced with new ingredients, with sustainability being a key driver.
What’s new is the pricing volatility affecting many raw materials manufacturers depend on. This instability is driving a shift toward alternative ingredients – not primarily for environmental sustainability, but for business sustainability.
“Raw material volatility is very hard to manage,” says Gabriele Primavera, chief strategic marketing and business development officer at Nexture. Whether it’s cocoa or eggs – both of which have been hit by global shortages – companies are struggling to afford them.
“These days, sustainability is not just about saving the planet, but also about business survival.”
Longevity and healthy ageing
Considering that ageing populations are growing faster than any other, it’s unsurprising that healthy ageing is predicted to be a major trend in 2026. What’s more unexpected, is the way healthy ageing is evolving into a new concept coined “longevity” – a trend not only reserved for those with wrinkles.
The longevity trend is relevant to almost everyone. Consumers wanting to ensure they live a longer, better quality life, are being encouraged to start paying attention to their health at a much younger age. Realistically, the longevity trend can start from birth.
“In the past, you were old if you were over 70 years old. But now many reach 90, and even 100. More and more consumers are considered very active, right up into their eighties,” explains Valérie Lemarq, global product manager, health and nutrition at Rousselot. That means that people are wanting health-boosting properties in their nutrition, to boost their youthfulness and activity for as long as possible. “It’s a major trend – for life."
And now, for the protein trend
And now to protein: a trend some predict will fade, while others expect demand to surge. From what we’re hearing, that decline isn’t happening anytime soon. In 2026, protein will remain a dominant force in product formulations – a major trend to watch.
