Ingredients

GLP-1 in APAC: What food firms need to watch as adoption grows

GLP-1 adoption in APAC may be slow, but significant opportunities are emerging for food manufacturers in protein, functional nutrition and nutrient-dense foods

When food trade crosses cultures: US Eggs in Asia

We feature eggs as the first of this mini series, exploring what global trade reveals about the different cultural meanings and expectations attached to food

FN+Fermentation’s regulatory roadblock: When can next-gen functional foods be unlocked?

Fermentation is opening new possibilities for functional foods, but regulatory uncertainty is proving more challenging than developing the products themselves.

FN+5 ingredients that could become food’s next supply-chain headache

Climate change, disease and demand surges are creating new ingredient vulnerabilities

The psychology of protein I: What is driving this megatrend?

The demand for protein is climbing worldwide, but what are the mental triggers driving this?

The psychology of protein II: Are consumers blinded to the negatives?

Protein is granting ‘permissible indulgence’ to consumers, and this could have long-lasting impacts

APAC Agri-food Innovation Summit 2026

FN+From cultivated beef to fermented soy: Bezos-backed protein innovators target cost and scale

Cultivated beef pioneer Aleph Farms and Singapore’s Mottainai Food Tech have each secured funding through the 2026 Sustainable Protein Growth Stage Grant, as the alternative protein sector shifts its attention from technological possibility to scale

FN+3 food ingredients with surprising hidden benefits that consumers want

With consumers increasingly demanding more from their purchases, manufacturers could benefit from these food ingredients to add value and align with growing consumer demands

Fi Indo 2026

Rethinking snacks: APAC foods for weight management

The Asia-Pacific region’s protein- and fibre-rich ingredients could help manufacturers develop snacks that promote fullness and support weight management

Healthy or ultra-processed? Why snack ratings disagree

Competing nutrition and ultra-processed food (UPF) standards are complicating reformulation and dividing opinion on what makes a healthier snack

Exposing the mistakes that sink healthier snacks

Health messages that put shoppers off, recipes pushed too far and unreliable suppliers can derail even the most promising better-for-you snacks

Dairy Innovations

Can plant proteins help ease the whey squeeze?

Surging protein demand and tight whey supplies are driving interest in hybrid formulations, with ADM and other suppliers developing plant-based ingredients to help manufacturers balance nutrition, functionality and texture

CAA International Cocoa Conference

FN+APAC cocoa trends: ‘Worst is past’, but risks remain

Cocoa giant Barry Callebaut says the worst of the cocoa crisis is likely over, but the APAC cocoa industry continues to navigate major market shifts and challenges

FN+Insect protein: What went wrong?

The sector has struggled from the beginning. But can it reinvent itself?

Processed food diet could worsen vaccine side effects

Changes in the microbiome due to diet may have increased fever symptoms following the Covid-19 vaccine

Could conflict in Ethiopia threaten coffee?

Ethiopia, one of the world’s largest coffee producers, is once again in conflict

Drinking beauty: Mashiro taps trend with collagen, GABA, and placenta

Japan’s Mashiro is expanding its beauty-from-within portfolio in South East Asia, targeting demand for collagen, sleep, and wellness products

Global Food Tech Awards

Global Food Tech Awards APAC: Meet the 5 startups on this year’s shortlist

Take a glimpse at what the future of food will look like, starting with these five APAC startups tackling waste, compliance and metabolic health

Lumina Intelligence insight

FN+Exclusive study reveals consumers want capability not immortality

Exclusive global consumer research reveals that ageing well is no longer about adding years to life, but maintaining the strength, mobility and independence to keep living on your own terms

Sustainability Snippets: Underestimated risks, Nestle coffee and Big Food

Underestimated risks, Nestle coffee and Big Food feature in this edition of Sustainability Snippets

Fi Asia 2026

What drives flavour discovery in Asia? 3 trends food firms must know

Asian consumers are well-known for incredibly demanding palates, so pushing new flavours into this market needs careful strategising. Here’s what food brands need to know

FN+Weight-loss maintenance: The next GLP-1 innovation frontier?

GLP-1 users want to maintain weight loss after they stop using the drugs

FN+3 underestimated sustainability risks to global food supply

Climate change is often at the centre of the sustainability discussion, but these overlooked risks could impact global food supply chains much faster and further than many expect

Can nature save cocoa? Industry’s response to a supply crisis

Two years after researchers found that working with nature could boost cocoa yields by up to 20%, we ask whether biodiversity-led farming is becoming a reality across the global cocoa industry or remaining an unrealised promise

Nestlé teams with dairy supply chain partners to map path to scaling regen ag

From farmer incentives to peer networks and shared program designs, industry players are testing ways to move beyond one-off initiatives

Nestlé takes Starbucks home as cold caffeine craze heats up

Nestlé capitalises on demand for cold caffeinated drinks with Starbucks Refreshers Concentrates

Foodex President Director: Flavour still matters most in snacks

Indonesian F&B giant Foodex sees flavour as key to snack innovation, with ube, matcha and peach among the profiles it is exploring across markets

FN+UPF meta-analysis lands as industry debates definitions

UPF risks mount, but safe consumption levels remain unclear amid divided definition debate

Our top 10 most-read F&B industry news from Aug 2026

Check out our top 10 most-read F&B industry stories from Aug 2026, including China alt proteins, Kirin’s biotic drinks and GLP-1 deaths

Flavors of the future: Global inspiration meets local innovation

FN+Coffee and tea move beyond function to embrace flavor-forward growth opportunities

Nostalgic flavors, regional preparations and specialty formats are giving consumers new reasons to drink coffee and tea, and brands new ways to build occasions and differentiate products

Healthier Choices: Dairy-free desserts, cultivated meat and grass-fed dairy

Dairy-free desserts, cultivated meat and grass-fed dairy feature in this edition of Healthier Choices

FN+What Mars’ latest food-tech cohort says about the future of food

Mars’ food-tech ventures suggest big food is headed towards technologies rooted in food production rather than finished products

Plant-based milk brands double down on simplified ingredient lists amid processing scrutiny

As skepticism of processed foods grows, plant-based milk brands embrace simpler recipes

New Protein Watch: Dairy-free ice cream, China plans and EU ‘meaty’ ban

Dairy-free ice cream, China plans and EU ‘meaty’ ban feature in this edition of New Protein Watch

FN+5 big sustainability food trends

Climate concerns may be colliding with affordability pressures, but sustainability isn’t disappearing from consumer priorities

FN+China’s cultivated meat push faces consumer reality

China is backing cultivated meat to strengthen food security, but high costs, weak investment and consumer habits could stall its global ambitions

AI identifies nearly 800 plant proteins for next generation of meat substitutes

Such plant proteins could offer food manufacturers new clean-label emulsifiers for plant-based products

Grass-fed dairy: Ireland eyes Asia’s premium nutrition boom

Ireland has its sights on Asia’s growing premium nutrition market, positioning its grass-fed dairy credentials to meet rising demand for quality dairy products

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

Raising the functional beverage bar: Drinks are becoming more specific and creative

As consumers look beyond generic energy and wellness claims, emerging brands are creating drinks tailored to specific needs, from focus and calm to protein and recovery

FN+Could climate change force a rewrite of the world’s recipes?

Manufacturers are racing to diversify ingredient sourcing as climate shocks threaten some of the world’s most important food commodities

Cultivated protein’s next phase? Integration over invention

The sector is entering an integration phase, according to Ever After Foods’ CEO Eyal Rosenthal, where partnerships, acquisitions and platform-based business models could help tackle persistent cost and scaling barriers that have slowed commercialization

FN+Could dropping ‘vegan’ unlock growth?

What if the future of vegan food isn’t vegan at all? Why the next wave of growth could come from selling great food that just happens to be animal-free

Cadbury breaks category boundaries with beauty launch

Cadbury joins cross-category collaboration trend with MCoBeauty beauty launch

Baobab: A multi-purpose functional powerhouse continues to grow

The fruit, originating in Africa, has potential for use as a functional ingredient around the world

Does the future of dairy protein lie in specialisation?

As protein expands beyond sports nutrition into everyday foods, having tailored dairy proteins designed for different health outcomes is key

IFT FIRST

Can dairy retain its bioactive benefits without sacrificing food safety?

By preserving naturally occurring milk exosomes that conventional processing often destroys, biotech startup Exosomm says it can help manufacturers deliver clinically relevant bioactive benefits without compromising food safety, shelf life or scalability

5 functional snack trends for an ageing world

Older consumers are becoming one of the food industry’s fastest-growing demographics, prompting snack manufacturers to rethink everything from ingredients and nutrition to texture, packaging and portion sizes

EUDR excludes palm oil waste – how is it used in agriculture?

Excluded from the EUDR scope, palm oil waste could find new opportunities in regenerative agriculture

Growth Asia Summit 2026

Paradigm shift: Next frontier of probiotics lies in traceability and functionality – TCI

Taiwanese company TCI says the next frontier of probiotics is not drawing more correlations between the gut and other organs, but tracing what travels between and building a more complete evidence chain.

Pioneers

How Lullaa is taking functional dairy to the next level

Milk already boasts an impressive nutritional profile, but can it compete with kefir, kombucha and protein shakes? Four Leaves Co’s award-winning functional milk offers one answer