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Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide

Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

©Steven Burden

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Contents Tailoring cognitive nutrition for proactive consumers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Interview with Suria Darley, Group head of product development, Holland & Barrett’s Extracting data-driven insights and intelligence from Amazon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Interview with Brandon Casteel, vice president of partnerships, Jungle Scout How to create products that target systemic mood enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Interview with Aarthi Janakiraman, research director, Everest Group Tech-driven trends: A deep dive into understanding consumers in the era of AI . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Interview with Manuel Leckel, consultant, Euromonitor International Carbs are back for sports nutrition – but nuance is crucial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Interview with Dr Susan Kleiner, owner and founder, High Performance Nutrition LLC SPONSORED CONTENT Beyond the capsule: Why absorption is the real key to longevity . . . . . . . 24 Interview with Ramasamy Venkatesh, managing director, Gencor Pacific (Saanroo), and George Kokkinnis, CEO, Pharmako The future of nutrition innovation in the era of GLP-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Interview with Sofia Cornelius, senior analyst in specialised nutrition, Mintel Lifelong health: Ingredients and formats driving longevity nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Interview with Dr Elizabrth Thundow, vice-president for food and nutrition, Kline + Company Neurocosmetics and the rise of ‘mind-body beauty’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 The science behind mental health ingredients: Getting the messaging right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Interview with Dr Sandra Einerhand, founder and head, Einerhand Science & Innovation What is driving product innovation in 2026? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Interview with Akhil Aiyar, senior consultant, Innova Market Insights Meet the winners and finalists of the Vitafoods Europe Startup Challenge 2026 . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Who won at the Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards 2026? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

©Steven Burden

Vitafoods Europe Innovation Tours 2026 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

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Introduction Vitafoods Europe was back in Barcelona – it was ready for another record-breaking event. In 2026, Vitafoods Europe was held at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via, and it smashed the records once more, with over 28,000 visitors coming from across the globe to scout out ingredient innovations, experience the community spirit, and foster fruitful business connections. With back-to-back presentations and panel discussions at the free-to-attend Vitafoods Europe Conference and Insights Theatre – including special day three spotlights on nutricosmetics and the role of GLP-1 therapies in weight management – attendees deepened their knowledge of the key issues impacting the industry. For visitors who were looking to explore even further, the Future of Nutrition Lunch and Learn, held on Wednesday, 6 May from 13:00 to 15:30, focused on biohacking, with a keynote address from Professor Tim Spector OBE, scientific co-founder at ZOE and professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London. Meanwhile, the Women’s Networking Breakfast, held on Wednesday, 6 May from 8:00 to 11:30, examined how women’s health is shaping resilience, product development, and business success throughout the industry, while offering attendees unparallelled networking opportunities. This trend insights guide highlights some of the most exciting innovations that featured at Vitafoods Europe 2026, bringing together interviews with leading experts, market analysts, and industry consultants.

©Steven Burden

It also celebrates the winners and finalists of the Vitafoods Europe Startup Challenge – those early-stage companies that are blazing a trail by developing innovative ingredients, products, and solutions for the industry.

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

Tailoring cognitive nutrition for proactive consumers Demand for lifelong brain health presents an opportunity for convenient, science-backed products that resonate with everyday needs, says Holland & Barrett’s Suria Darley. Cognitive health has quickly moved from a “nice-to-have” niche into a mainstream wellness priority – and it’s happening for very human reasons. “People are living and working under sustained cognitive load – always-on screens, high stress, disrupted sleep, and an expectation to stay mentally ‘on’ for longer,” explained Darley, global head of product development at Holland & Barrett. “At the same time, awareness is rising that ‘brain health’ isn’t just about memory in later life – it’s about how we think, feel, focus, learn, perform, and stay resilient at every life stage.”

Suria Darley, Group Head of Product Development, Holland & Barrett’s

Performance, lifelong proactivity, and trust Darley noted that consumers are shopping for brain health through three lenses. “The first is everyday performance,” she said. “A lot of people aren’t searching for ‘cognitive decline’ or even ‘brain health’ solutions. They’re searching for how they feel right now. They want to feel sharp at work, present at home, and steady under pressure.” The second is a focus on lifelong proactivity, building on growing recognition that brain health is built over decades, not months. “We’re seeing a shift towards proactive prevention, with people joining the dots between daily habits and ‘future me’,” said Darley. “The science conversation is also helping here. Research suggests some age-related cognitive decline is associated with lifestyle factors across the life course.” Finally, customers are asking smarter questions and want clearer information on ingredients and dosing. “Consumers want transparency – what’s in it, at what dose, and why do I need it – and there’s growing concern around safety, quality, and purity of ingredients,” she added.

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New insights driving innovation

Ingredients and functional product opportunities

These notions – of adding quality years of life and protecting cognitive health – are driving innovation in the nutraceuticals space.

Innovation clusters are forming in this space, with omega-3s remaining a cornerstone.

“What’s exciting is that brands are starting to treat brain care as the ‘next generation’ of wellbeing, and not just a niche for older consumers,” said Darley.

B vitamins and brain-relevant micronutrients, often positioned around energy metabolism, psychological function, and nervous system support are also popular.

“Life-stage specificity is replacing one size fits all. We’ve done a deep dive into the science of how nutritional needs change across life stages, and it’s genuinely staggering.

There are also emerging opportunities to connect digestion, mood, stress, and cognition into one story through prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic gut–brain axis solutions.

“What the brain needs in pregnancy, during school years, through adult working life, and in older age isn’t identical. This reinforces why ‘life course’ thinking matters – not just ‘later life’.

“Polyphenols and phytochemicals, such as polyphenols and flavonoids, are gaining real momentum too,” said Darley. “Consumers are increasingly interested in plant-powered brain support – the idea that compounds found in deeply coloured fruits, berries, cocoa, tea, and certain botanicals may support brain function through pathways like oxidative stress and blood flow.

“As our in-house science team have recently highlighted in a peer-reviewed paper, there is a significant gap in omega-3 intakes globally, with 76% of countries not meeting the recommended intake.” She also noted that the market is moving toward what she calls “nutritional foundations plus targeted support” that map to missions. “What this means is a strong nutritional base formulation (including key under-consumed nutrients, such as omega-3s and micronutrients), plus targeted need state support (focus, mood, sleep, stress resilience),” Darley explained. There is also now a higher bar for substantiation and quality, driven in part by growing consumer awareness.

“More brands are also leaning into doses and forms of each ingredient that reflect what’s been studied,” she added.

“This space feels especially ‘future-facing’ because it bridges supplements with food-first choices.” She identified five clear shifts likely to happen over the next few years. These include a move from “memory” to broader cognition (focus, mood, resilience, mental energy); earlier intervention, with more conversation around midlife and foundational habits; and more gut–brain innovation, with betterdefined mechanisms and smarter combinations. “There will also be more measurement, as digital tools and assessments make progress feel tangible,” she added. “Finally, I think we’ll see a continued rise in standards – proof, quality, and transparent dosing will separate leaders from laggards. Consumers are looking for this information more and more.”

Navigating a crowded category with confidence Darley shared these insights and more at Vitafoods Europe, together with her Holland & Barrett colleague Dr Sophie Putnam, a research scientist. “At Holland & Barrett, our role as a retailer is to be a trust filter – making it easier for customers to navigate a crowded category with confidence,” said Darley. “In brain health, that comes down to two priorities: a lifelong approach, and strong guardrails on quality and credibility.

“At Holland & Barrett, our role as a retailer is to be a trust filter – making it easier for customers to navigate a crowded category with confidence”

Extracting data-driven insights and intelligence from Amazon Analysing Amazon data can give brands, ingredient suppliers, and manufacturers the edge in identifying profitable niches and early nutraceutical trends. Since 2015, Jungle Scout has collected metadata on more than 600 million products on the Amazon marketplace. By acting as a proxy for the global market, these insights provide signals on the products and formulations that shoppers are looking for. “The idea came about when our founder was trying to find and sell unique items on Amazon,” explained Brandon Casteel, vicepresident of partnerships. “He realised that there was a lack of visibility in terms of the competition, the number of competitors, and what new items there were in any given space.”

Amazon: The world’s largest marketplace Brandon Casteel, vice president of partnerships, Jungle Scout

Over the course of 12 years, Jungle Scout has expanded its datadriven insights and intelligence software to serve over one million business customers. “We have a direct line of sight to 18% of the global GMV [gross merchandise value] on Amazon,” said Casteel. “We have a strategic partnership with Amazon facilitated through access to their API [application programming interface].” Junge Scout layers its algorithm on top of this, and then licenses this out to brands, retailers, and ingredient suppliers – anyone with a vested interest in understanding what is happening on the world’s largest global marketplace.

Understanding the competitive landscape Most of Jungle Scout’s clients are brands – makers of finished goods, including nutraceuticals, that are sold on the Amazon platform. “For them, this is about understanding the competitive landscape,” said Casteel. “Who are the dominant market players, the new players; how do my sales and price points stack up against the competition? We can work out, for example, how seasonality impacts pricing.”

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Keywords can be used to help brands identify what it is that consumers are looking for. This is useful for future product development and ensuring that products are marketed in a way that resonates with shoppers. Jungle Scout’s software can also help to identify unauthorised sellers of branded goods that might be undercutting brand pricing strategies. This rich data can be sliced in numerous ways. Sales growth for a particular sector, for example, can be tracked by country and compared. On-trend subcategories within this sector can then be analysed, along with particular keywords or themes driving growth. “Take protein drinks,” said Casteel. “Is there a sweet spot that consumers are looking for in terms of the amount of protein per serving? Is there a particular functional ingredient they are searching for? This can help brands to identify the root causes that are driving sales gains, and work out how best to position their product on the market.”

How can co-manufacturers and ingredient suppliers use this data? Co-manufacturers, packaging companies, and ingredient suppliers can also benefit from leveraging such data, according to Casteel. “In our data lake, we see entire product descriptions,” he said. “If, for example, you are a co-manufacturer specialising in softgels, you want to see which products and softgel formulations are growing the fastest, etc – this will enable you to align with emerging trends and emerging brands that are growing.” Casteel believes that many ingredient suppliers have already bought into the idea of leveraging data to make business decisions. Exploiting the wealth of data available from the Amazon marketplace is just an extension of this strategy, he said, and is something that is only set to grow.

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“Our focus now is on enabling increased levels of visibility and granularity,” he added.

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

How to create products that target systemic mood enhancement Innovative cognitive health R&D should focus on building mood as a system – calm focus by day, recovery by night, and gutbrain stability daily, says an Everest Group consultant. The cognitive health category is transitioning from ingredient led differentiation to evidence and outcomes. As a result, there is increasing pressure on companies to prioritise substantiation, safety by design, and ongoing measurement. “Consumers are increasingly purchasing cognitive health products for immediate and tangible benefits rather than abstract promises,” explained Everest Group research director Aarthi Janakiraman. “Most consumers purchase cognitive health supplements or products because they seek calm focus, stress resilience, sleep [with] next-day clarity, and cognitive confidence.”

Mood enhancement: For when life gets too noisy Aarthi Janakiraman, research director, Everest Group

This is why mood enhancement is such a powerful entry point to cognitive health: changes to how we feel are often the first thing we notice when life gets too noisy. “Stress and poor sleep show up quickly as irritability, low motivation, feeling overwhelmed, and that scattered attention feeling that people often describe as brain fog,” said Janakiraman. “So, consumers start with mood support and then follow it into sleep, focus, and longer-term cognitive confidence or brain health.” What’s new, said Janakiraman, is that mood is now framed less as “mental health treatment” and more as mental performance and resilience – a consumer-friendly concept that fits everyday use and aligns with workplace productivity, gaming, and recovery culture.

Creating an EU-compliant ‘mood platform’ In Europe, this mood-first trend is also being reinforced by regulation: the EU’s nutrition and health claims framework already pushes brands toward careful wording, while a recent European Court of Justice Ruling (Case C-386/23, 30 April 2025) related to a mood-enhancing saffron and melon juice extract tightened the use of botanical-related psychological/behavioural claims. “The investible R&D direction this unlocks is not just about ‘finding a new ingredient’, but about designing a compliant mood platform,” said Janakiraman. “In practice, this means building mood as a system – calm focus by day, recovery by night, gut-brain stability daily, for example – and choosing endpoints that regulators and buyers respect.” 12

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Clinical evidence is a key differentiator Providing consumers with clear clinical evidence has also never been more important in this space. “The hard truth is that a lot of products available now look the same,” said Janakiraman. “In the cognitive health category, ‘ingredient sameness’ is everywhere, and many products share nearidentical stacks: a magnesium plus adaptogen plus mushroom/botanical template, for example. We also have a market where weak trials and vague claims don’t translate into brand loyalty.” In Europe the situation is even tougher, as brands are further constrained by claims compliance, especially for botanicals. This makes differentiation by marketing creativity less scalable than building credibility. “This is why clinical evidence has become a real differentiator,” said Janakiraman. “This means clean, well-designed human studies, plus documentation that the marketed product matches the studied product.”

RCTs provide strong substantiation These opportunities and constraints are feeding directly into product innovation. On the ingredient side, gut-brain innovation, for example, is transitioning from generic probiotics for mood towards strain-specific psychobiotics and more stable, manufacturable alternatives such as postbiotics. In botanicals and fungi, there has been an emphasis on standardised extracts, increased randomised, controlled human trials (RCTs), and a gradual shift toward evidence-based positioning.

“Overall, the innovation landscape is moving toward extract and strain specificity, formulation, IP (controlled release, stability engineering), and evidence flywheels that combine randomised controlled trials with real-world outcomes,” she said.

Product plus measurement bundles: Is my supplement actually working? Over the next five years, Janakiraman expects the cognitive health sector to gradually split into two tracks: commodity blends competing on format and price, and evidence-grade platforms competing on outcomes, trust, and channel access. “Europe will accelerate this split because compliance realities are pushing companies toward more disciplined claim strategies,” she said. “Another trend that will gain momentum is ‘product plus measurement’: brands bundling simple mood check-ins with wearable-linked sleep or heart rate variability snapshots as a way to show value, personalise routines, and build real-world evidence.” Janakiraman sees postbiotics and precision fibres as being particularly investible because they solve real manufacturing problems (stability and consistency) while fitting the gut–brain narrative, and the scientific or industry consensus work around definitions is helping accelerate commercial clarity. “The R&D agenda for companies is very concrete,” she said. “Build EU-ready claims, invest in hybrid substantiation, engineer stability and end-of-shelf potency, and create segmentation-led portfolios rather than one-size-fits-all ‘nootropics’.”

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“For example, a 2025 double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study on a standardised lion’s mane extract evaluated acute cognition and mood endpoints in healthy adults,” said Janakiraman. “This type of study becomes valuable when markets require stronger substantiation.” For Janakiraman, though, the most rapidly advancing area of innovation is measurement. Wearables and machine learning tools can be used to detect stress and mood states, facilitating more sensitive trials and enabling faster product iteration without sacrificing rigour.

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

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Tech-driven trends: A deep dive into understanding consumers in the era of AI Understanding how tech-driven consumer behaviour is evolving is a critical component of successful product development, says Euromonitor’s Manuel Leckel. From high-protein snacks to functional drinks, innovation within the global food and beverage market is evolving at speed. Growing consumer use of AI and demand for personalisation are just two examples of trends driving product development in new and interesting ways. “Key buzzwords from last year included fibre, ashwagandha, and GLP-1,” said Leckel, consultant at Euromonitor. “We also saw different waves of influence coming from Asia, starting with Korea and Japan and now China. India and Indonesia might also become more interesting in the future with their Ayurvedic and herbal heritage.”

Manuel Leckel, consultant, Euromonitor International

Extrapolating trends and gathering insights These are just a few findings to come out of Euromonitor’s indepth global trends analysis. “We use a mixed method approach that combines many different sources of information,” explained Leckel. “We have more than 1,000 analysts across 100 countries carrying out store checks and conducting research.” The company also applies AI tools to scan the internet. This involves looking at around one billion different products every day, gathering huge amounts of data on issues ranging from pricing and claims to ingredients and recipes. “We also employ language models to see what the likes of ChatGPT and Gemini are recommending,” added Leckel. From this, Euromonitor extrapolates trends and gathers insights into what is happening, as well as what is likely to happen. This helps clients to navigate uncertainty and anticipate consumer behaviour.

Emergence of smart indulgence Through this process, Euromonitor has been able to identify the top five global claims by product sales growth from 2023 to 2025, with gut health ranked at number one (16.5% growth). Euromonitor found that digestive health, especially through probiotics, is well established in food products and is now experiencing rapid growth within the drinks sector.

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Energy boosting claims came in at second spot, with 14.7% in growth, while brain health claims came in third (12.2%). Skin health was fourth (12.0%), with omega-3 claims fifth (11.5%). Tapping into these heath claims has led to some interesting product innovation. Leckel highlighted Arla’s Cultura brand range, which includes active biotic bacteria that is good for the gut but is at the same time slightly indulgent with raspberry and blueberry flavours. A brand called Nomadic has launched a chilled yoghurt bar that is also healthy and indulgent, while in Singapore, sweets and chews have been launched that contain additives proven to be good for your mood. “I call this smart indulgence,” said Leckel. “Coca-Cola has launched a Coke Cherry Float, which combines the flavours of cherries and ice cream but is zero sugar and low in calories.”

“The authenticity of a product will become more important”

Shifting tech-driven routines and behaviours Looking forward, Leckel believes that the widespread adoption of AI by consumers will almost certainly continue to impact product innovation. “The authenticity of a product will become more important,” he explained. “Language models scan formulas and recipes, and AI doesn’t care if it is a well-known brand or not. It’s just about searching for a healthy snack bar.” In this new AI-driven environment, endorsements and glitzy marketing campaigns will likely matter less that the actual raw ingredients and functionalities of the product itself. Another trend moving forward is likely to be influenced by consumer claim fatigue. Having been overloaded with claims for years, Leckel believes that a shift from “free from” to “good for” is likely. “Consumers want products that are good for bones or for skin,” he said. “We see this in Asia, and especially in the dairy space, where multifunctionality is prioritised. Products are promoted as being good for immunity, skin, and bones at the same time.” These shifting tech-driven routines and behaviours will also likely lead to more personalisation, with consumers adapting their diets to their specific genetic makeup. “AI means that consumers can research so much stuff,” said Leckel. “This is changing behaviours and leading to more planned and structured routines, and more of this is likely to happen.”

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Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

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Carbs are back for sports nutrition – but nuance is crucial Carbohydrates are back for sports performance, with nuanced product development allowing athletes to target “metabolic flexibility”, says industry consultant and registered dietitian Dr Susan Kleiner. Advances in scientific knowledge – for example, on the causes of fatigue and how the body and brain respond to blood glucose levels and carbohydrates – is driving more targeted and personalised nutritional supplementation. One interesting trend in this space has been refocused attention on carbohydrates in the diets of active and athletic consumers. “It’s amazing what good scientific research can do,” said registered dietitian Dr Susan Kleiner. “The impulse to just ‘nay-say’ lowcarb, high-fat diets for any active individual has been overtaken by interesting science and an understanding of how the body manages fuelling during physical activity.”

Carbs are back – but in a nuanced way Dr Susan Kleiner, owner and founder, High Performance Nutrition LLC

Kleiner entered the field of nutrition and human performance in 1981, just as science was beginning to fully grasp muscle physiology and the importance of muscle glycogen and blood glucose in the fuelling of athletic performance. By the 1990s, carbohydrates were the king of fuels, and the sport supplement industry was exploding. “The 2000s then ushered in a backlash to carbs,” she said. “Lowcarb, high-fat, high-protein diets began to seep into sports nutrition as performance goals began to compete with aesthetic goals in the minds, and wallets, of athletes.” This became more pronounced in the diets of female athletes, as the void in research created an opportunity for the diet world to masquerade as sports nutrition. “As often happens, the trend cycle continues to turn, and today, carbs are back, but in a more nuanced way,” continued Kleiner. “Today we have more data supporting product innovation in types, delivery, mission, and timing of carbohydrates in the diets of athletes and active individuals. This allows for much more nuance and individualisation in the planning of training diets.” An example of the nuance that Kleiner is talking about is our understanding of multiple and modified sugars and starches that are digested and absorbed at varying rates, with varying impacts on gut comfort and speed of physiological utilisation. New opportunities are also emerging for delivery systems of carbs on their own, or carbs plus other essential nutrients that support performance.

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Sports nutrition: Defined by customisation These advances in scientific knowledge are driving customisation, a trend evident across the food and nutrition innovation space. Kleiner pointed out that this has always been a defining characteristic of sports nutrition, with each workout mission-driven by the goal of the workout and the goal of the consumer. “The presence or absence of carbs, and the mix and volume of carbs pre-, during- and post-exercise, may change based on those goals,” she said. “Brands are just beginning to focus on these exercise-timing occasions, just like we have heretofore focused on eating occasions in the food and beverage industry.” Kleiner noted that “easier on the gut” is a big selling point if it comes with data, with gels, hydrogels, multi-transport carbs, and high molecular weight starch proving popular. “Highly branched cyclic dextrins (HBCD) and high molecular weight starches – while excellent for any athlete – may be used by brands to target keto/ fat-adapted athletes that want to add carb for competitions and training at high intensities, under the concept of metabolic flexibility,” she added. “Carbs that are low glycaemic to control blood sugar rise are also popular.”

Innovation and individualisation in product design In the meantime, customisation in this innovation space will continue to grow. Products that allow for lower doses of carbs, and that can be multiplied as desired will gain traction, especially as we more fully understand the role of the brain and blood glucose in fatigue. “The greater our understanding of the role of brain, glucose receptors throughout the body, and estimating individual needs for exogenous carbohydrate replacement, the more innovation and individualisation will be important in product design and formulation,” said Kleiner. “Dosing levels will also adjust with this knowledge.” “My goal is to help formulators and manufacturers design products based on our current scientific understanding of the role of carbs in the diets of active and athletic consumers, not old news, myths, or misunderstandings,” she said. “We need more products in food, beverage, and dietary supplements that allow for greater customisation, to meet the needs for taste, convenience, gut comfort, timing, and fuelling of physical performance.”

Whole-food and -grain products that offer texture and sustained energy release rather than high intensity, along with slow-release carbs and starches, are also appearing in products targeted for metabolic flexibility. Customisation can also be achieved through carb amounts, blends with or without protein, and the targeting of a product for pre-exercise, during, or post recovery. Kleiner pointed out that gut comfort remains a primary concern of all athletes. “Carbohydrate that hangs around in the gut, or that accumulates in the gut, can cause high discomfort, gas, and osmotic diarrhoea,” she said. “This is the number one reason that athletes fail to finish events, and gut upset is the number one reason that athletes miss training sessions. Manipulating starches and protecting sugars for faster stomach emptying and movement out of the gut will continue to be a high priority.”

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

5-7 May 2026, Fira Barcelona

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30,000+ expected attendees Connect with thousands of global nutraceutical buyers, suppliers and experts Discover new products, innovations and insights More networking opportunities across the entire nutraceutical supply chain

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“In Germany, 59% of consumers who are trying to lose or maintain weight say improved mobility is a benefit they hope for, while 42% want to reduce their risk of chronic health conditions,” said Cornelius. “Some 39% say they would like improved energy, while 38% want to improve their mental health.” In the US, meanwhile, 25% of consumers who are currently managing their weight, say products designed for specific health goals (eg gut health or heart health), appeal to them. “Personalisation is one way in which brands can lean into these new expectations,” said Cornelius. “For example, Maeva’s daily nutrition shakes are genderspecific and offer benefits including energy and digestive boosters. These allow customers to further personalise based on their individual needs.”

Translating trends into new products According to Cornelius, supplement brands can navigate these new market realities by embracing emerging science and developing solutions that feel relevant to consumers. It is notable that in 2025, 58% of global weight management nutrition launches were in the vitamins and dietary supplements category, while 30% were in the nutritional drinks and other beverages category. Furthermore, some 22% of global weight management nutrition launches featured a vitamin-/ mineral-fortified claim, 21% a high-/added protein claim and 10% a high-/added fibre claim. “Protein has received a lot of attention in recent years due to its role in muscle maintenance and growth, but also due to its satiating effects,” said Cornelius. “Fibre is also receiving some well-deserved attention, largely due to its role in gut health but also to its role in slowing digestion and keeping you fuller for longer. “Despite this, though, high-/added fibre claims on weight management nutrition launches globally remain behind launches with a high-/added protein claim.” Looking forward, Cornelius expects innovation in the weight management sector to accelerate as emerging science, consumer expectations and new technologies converge.

“GLP-1 medications will evolve,” she said. “As of January 2026, the US released the Wegovy pill, the first FDA-approved oral GLP-1 medication for weight loss. This lower-cost, more acceptable format is expected to increase uptake.” This will further increase demand for solutions that combat the side effects of these medications, such as gastro-intestinal issues and muscle loss. Vitamins, minerals, and supplements are also attracting interest from consumers seeking weight loss, with 26% of US consumers who use or are interested in such products taking or considering them for this purpose. “Supplements can position themselves as ‘nature’s Ozempic’, highlighting their ability to naturally support your GLP-1 hormone,” said Cornelius. For example, Supergut’s GLP-1 Daily Support Prebiotic Fiber Blend claims to support appetite control, healthy blood sugar levels, digestion, and heart health. Furthermore, ingredients like berberine or chromium are being used in slimming launches for their beneficial impact on metabolic health, though further research into their efficacy is required. “Another promising ingredient that is appearing in launches targeting weight management is leucine,” said Cornelius. “Its dual benefits – muscle preservation and satiation – give it an advantage over other ingredients.” Emerging research suggests the food matrix and food sequencing may have a role in weight management. Vitamin, mineral, and supplement companies are using these strategies to support blood glucose management. German pharmaceutical company Wörwag Pharma GmbH & Co KG has launched ReDia, a fibre supplement which is designed to be taken before meals and forms a gel that slows sugar absorption. Going forward, vitamins, minerals, and supplement companies should consider using these strategies in weight management solutions. Cornelius also expects to see progress in more personalised and adaptive solutions that can support consumers from their weight loss journey – with or without GLP-1s – through to healthy weight maintenance. Vitafoods Europe Content Partner

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

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Lifelong health: Ingredients and formats driving longevity nutrition Kline + Company’s Dr Elizabeth Thundow discusses how ingredient-led strategies can appeal to consumers who want to stay healthy and independent for longer. The concept of lifelong health is evolving into an actionable healthspan agenda, with consumers actively wanting to live better for longer, and not just live longer. This shift is toward outcomes people can feel in daily life: resilience, independence, mobility, metabolic fitness, cognitive clarity, and stress and sleep support. “Consumers are becoming more ingredient-attentive and more sceptical,” said Dr Elizabeth Thundow, vice-president for food and nutrition at the consultancy Kline + Company. “They expect credible science and clearer benefit messaging, and they’re increasingly comfortable building routines that combine products, formats, and lifestyle inputs. “At the same time, the conversation is broadening to include younger cohorts who are treating healthy ageing as a lifelong journey, with prevention beginning earlier.” Dr Elizabeth Thundow, vice-president for food and nutrition, Kline + Company

What does this mean for product development? This trend has clear implications for product development. “Innovation is shifting in three visible ways,” said Thundow. “First, there’s more multi-benefit formulation and ‘systems thinking’. Products are designed to support clusters of outcomes – for example, metabolic plus energy plus cognitive resilience – rather than single-claim solutions.” Second, the market is innovating through formats and delivery. Convenience, sensory value, and integration into daily routines are now key to compliance and repeat purchase. “We see momentum building in formats that make healthspan easy to adopt, such as powders, gummies, bars or shots, and ready-to-drink beverages,” said Thundow. “Third, expectations for proof are raising the bar. The winners will be those who pair innovation with evidence generation and education, especially as claims face regulatory constraints.”

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The impact of AI on healthy ageing product development Another key innovation is, of course, AI. Consumers increasingly use digital tools to self-educate, explore and compare ingredients, and to translate broad goals like longevity into specific functionalities. This is reinforcing demand for clearer ingredient stories and more transparent benefit logic. “From an innovation standpoint, the biggest impact of AI will be its enabling of personalisation,” said Thundow. “Recommendations linked to individual goals and data streams – including wearables – are pushing the market toward more tailored regimens and formats that fit into routines.”

Health benefit ‘clusters’ through multiple ingredients When it comes to specific ingredients, Kline + Company has drilled down into market data to identify key trends. “From our recent work, the strongest momentum clusters are around ingredient families that map clearly to healthspan outcomes,” said Thundow. “For muscle, bone, and mobility, for example, we find proteins and related systems, plus collagen formats relevant to musculoskeletal and broader healthy ageing positioning.” Other momentum clusters include cellular/energy/ vitality, built around coQ10 and NAD+ precursors – such as NMN and NR – plus polyphenols such as resveratrol. Gut health/immunity/and the gut–brain axis is another cluster, with biotics remaining central to holistic wellbeing and longevity positioning. An increasing focus on metabolic health, including the knock-on effects of GLP 1, is driving demand for supportive nutrition concepts including protein, fibre, nutrient density, and satiety. “The ‘winning’ claims will be those that connect to daily-life performance and ageing resilience: mobility, metabolic health, cognition, sleep/stress,” said Thundow. “However, the industry must balance ambition with regulatory realities, which is why education and carefully constructed messaging matter so much.”

Future growth: Format innovation, ingredient systems, scientific evidence Another important trend identified by Kline + Company is the fast-growing space emerging between traditional medical nutrition and everyday functional foods and beverages, often framed as specialised or lifestyle nutrition. Products here tend to be aimed at “healthy consumers with specific needs”, who want more complete, outcome-driven solutions, but still expect great taste, clean-label, low-sugar, and convenient formats. “In practice, this shows up as category and format mixing – products that borrow the nutrient density and purpose of medical nutrition, packaged in consumer-friendly formats and sold through broader channels,” said Thundow. “The result is that innovation increasingly sits at the intersection and ingredient suppliers that can support both the technical formulation needs, and the evidence/claims requirements, will have a structural advantage.” Thundow sees three areas with further growth potential. The first is format innovation, including functional beverages, hybrid formats, and gummies, where daily routines can be seamlessly integrated. Second is ingredient systems, where combinations can credibly deliver multi-benefit outcomes across healthspan priorities, such as metabolic plus cognitive + mobility. “Third is evidence infrastructure,” she said. “The industry’s biggest opportunity is to professionalise evidence generation – biomarkers, endpoints, realworld adherence – and translate this into clearer, more trusted benefit communication, particularly as boundaries blur and consumers demand clinical-style reassurance.” Vitafoods Europe Content Partner

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

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Neurocosmetics and the rise of ‘mind-body beauty’

Nutricosmetics are products and ingredients that combine attributes of both nutrition and cosmetics, acting as nutritional supplements to improve the appearance of skin, hair and nails, promoting beauty from within. Social media now reaches every corner of the globe, and marketing via platforms like TikTok and Instagram has transformed the nutricosmetics market. Many brands are by-passing traditional retail altogether, concentrating on direct-to-consumer marketing online. “Across all regions, direct-to-consumer digital channels and social-media-led marketing are pivotal in driving education, trust, and discovery,” according to Smriti Sharma, project lead for food and nutrition at Kline + Company. Ingredients that contribute to overall health increasingly are being marketed as part of a self-care routine that enhances beauty.

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Neurocosmetics, meanwhile, is a niche but trending sub-category within nutricosmetics, which leverages the gut-skin-brain axis and key neuroactive ingredients, such as peptides, adaptogens, and botanicals, for a holistic approach to beauty. A growing body of research highlights the role of the skin, not just as a passive barrier, but as a complex sensory organ with its own microbiome that responds to emotional stressors, microbial imbalances, and neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is defined as a response of the central nervous system to damage from toxins, trauma, infection, or autoimmunity.

Brain health’s effect on skin, hair and nails

and cannabidiol, which are claimed to reduce cortisol, boost endorphins, and reduce inflammation, respectively; sensory modulators, like vanillyl butyl ester, to induce warming and vasodilation; and neuroprotective antioxidants, like lycopene and melatonin, which may reduce oxidative stress and help regulate mood and circadian rhythm. Technological advances also underpin nutricosmetic product innovation, such as encapsulation and protection systems that enhance bioavailability through the digestive tract, or “smart” ingredient technologies that combine bioactives to make them more convenient, effective or easier to formulate, according to Sharma.

Hand-in-hand with the emerging field of psychodermatology, neurocosmetic products seek to prevent or mitigate skin reactions, from conditions like dermatitis, psoriasis, and rosacea to stressrelated skin ageing and environmental damage. According to Mintel, the neurocosmetics trend is expected to grow over the next 18 months to two years, with more beauty and personal care products focusing on the interplay between mental health and skin health, and the use of ingredients that claim to deliver both physical and emotional benefits. It suggests that nutricosmetics are evolving beyond traditional skin-deep solutions, increasingly targeting the intersection of nutrition, skin health, and emotional wellness.

Ingredients for ‘emotionally intelligent skincare’ Researchers have linked various probiotic strains with wide-ranging health benefits, including skin health. While consumption of certain probiotics has been linked with a healthy gut microbiome, research is beginning to reveal more complex links between a healthy gut and inflammatory response.

These five categories are: neuropeptides, such as palmitoyl peptides, which have anti-inflammatory properties; neurotransmitters or modulators, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid and niacinamide (vitamin B3), to reduce inflammation; plant adaptogens and extracts, such as ashwagandha, rhodiola extract,

©iStock-Alinakho

A team of scientists, led by Dr Diala Haykal of the Centre Laser Palaiseau in Paris, have highlighted five key categories for neurocosmetics or, what it calls, “emotionally intelligent skincare”.

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

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Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

The science behind mental health ingredients: Getting the messaging right How can the industry turn innovative ideas into credible, market-ready products that target mental wellbeing? Dr Sandra Einerhand explores. It’s a stressful world out there. Geopolitical, environmental, and economic instabilities are given immediacy through constant social media exposure, with doomscrolling and social media addiction presenting real mental health challenges. “Workloads are not getting any less, and it is becoming more difficult for companies to hire talented people or specific experts,” said Dr Sandra Einerhand, founder and head of Einerhand Science & Innovation. “This also fuels stress.”

Getting the messaging right As a result, people are looking for solutions that can help them sleep well and keep them calm when necessary. Dr Sandra Einerhand, founder and head Einerhand Science & Innovation.

“Messages I see that might resonate include ‘natural’, ‘nonhabit forming’, and ‘clinically proven’ sleep aids,” said Einerhand. “Traditionally, classic nootropics and adaptogens were known for these types of benefits, but nowadays other ingredients are emerging, like specific biotics or other modulators of the gut-brain axis.” There is also an increasing demand for alertness, memory, and focus enhancement solutions for peak performance in work, as well as in sports including e-gaming. “Here, messages like ‘clean energy,’ or ‘sustained focus,’ are being used,” said Einerhand. “People are looking at solutions that provide energy, keep them more alert. Traditionally caffeine and L-theanine were solutions that people looked out for, but nowadays some botanical extracts attract more attention.” In addition, seniors are increasingly seeking solutions for cognitive decline, mood stability, and age-related sleep issues. This, said Einerhand, is an often overlooked but rapidly growing segment. “Consumers increasingly view mental wellbeing as proactive health management, not just symptom relief,” she added.

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Importance of science Scientific backing for a product is something that Einerhand believes is indispensable. “As a nutrition science consultant helping startups as well as large multinationals, I can honestly say that all my clients find this extremely important, for credibility among consumers and to convince authorities that the solutions actually work in the target population,” she said. “It is not enough to just provide in vitro or animal data and claim that it also works in humans. There are many examples demonstrating that this type of preclinical work doesn’t translate to humans. “I realise that this is a costly exercise, but human trials are mandatory to prove efficacy. Claims must be specific, substantiated, and targeted. Sciencebacked products command premium pricing and consumer loyalty.”

Communicating sciencebacked efficacy This brings us back to the importance of effectively communicating the science-backed efficacy of a product to consumers. “This is one of the main questions my clients ask me,” said Einerhand. “The critical challenge remains: how can I robustly demonstrate efficacy in ways that satisfy scientific rigour and consumer trust?” Her advice is first to prioritise transparent and trustworthy communication to consumers. Overpromising should be avoided, and clear, evidence-based language used, such as “supports” rather than “cures”. Brands should also tailor their messaging – “for stressed professionals” or “for ageing cognition” – and compile preclinical, clinical, and real-world data into a scientific dossier. A list with FAQs and answers could be useful.

“Science, transparency, and targeted innovation will separate leaders from followers”

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

What is driving product innovation in 2026? Innova’s Top 10 Trends for 2026 confirms that consumers are increasingly prioritising health and provides a roadmap for future innovation opportunities. Keeping track of evolving consumer priorities is essential to ensuring that products continue to resonate with people. This is especially true in the nutraceuticals sector, where competition is fierce and innovation can often be costly and complicated by regulation.

Food, beverages and supplements through a health lens With this in mind, Akhil Aiyar, senior consultant Innova Market Insights, shared with us some key insights into current consumer behaviour.

Akhil Aiyar, senior consultant, Innova Market Insights

“One of the biggest disruptive forces has been the mainstreaming of health,” he said. “Consumers are increasingly looking at food, beverages, and supplements through a health lens, not just for general wellness, but for more specific benefits such as gut health, energy, cognition, weight management, and longevity.” Aiyar added that gut health continues to expand beyond digestion into areas such as immunity, energy, and mood. In addition, protein has moved well beyond sports nutrition into mainstream health, including weight management and healthy ageing. “We are also seeing growing interest in cognitive health and mental wellbeing, while beverages are emerging as one of the most effective delivery formats for functional benefits,” said Aiyar. “Plant-based is another area where health is reshaping the conversation. Consumers are moving away from imitation and increasingly choosing plant-based options for added nutritional value, especially fibre, protein, digestibility, and naturalness.”

“One of the biggest disruptive forces has been the mainstreaming of health” 42

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Choosing simplicity and relevance A second disruptive force, said Aiyar, is the demand for simplicity and relevance. Consumers want solutions that fit naturally into everyday life, so convenience, format, and ease of integration matter more than ever. “This is why we are seeing strong momentum in beverages, snacks, and other accessible formats that can deliver functional benefits without adding complexity to daily routines,” he said. “We are also seeing economic pressure continue to reshape innovation. Affordability, accessibility, and value are becoming more important, meaning that even healthled innovation has to be commercially realistic and scalable.” At the same time, Aiyar noted that there is a growing overlap between food, beverages, and nutraceuticals, with brands under pressure to deliver benefits in formats that are convenient, credible, and easy to integrate into daily life. This includes new protein formats, growing interest in gut health, the rising popularity of functional beverages, and products designed to support mental wellbeing.

Central drivers of innovation Aiyar will be delving deeper into these issues at this year’s Vitafoods Europe, in a session entitled ‘Innova’s top 10 trends for 2026’. “The session will highlight how health is becoming more interconnected,” he explained. “Consumers do not think in silos, so the future will be shaped by products that combine multiple benefits and fit more naturally into everyday life. We will also look at how food, beverages, and nutraceuticals are increasingly converging, and what that means for future innovation.” Aiyar believes that a takeaway of the session will be that health is no longer a niche space – rather, it is becoming the central driver of innovation. “I also hope attendees come away with a clearer view of where the biggest opportunities sit, particularly at the intersection of functionality, convenience, and everyday relevance,” he said. “More broadly, the session is designed to help attendees think about how evolving consumer needs can be translated into stronger product and positioning strategies.”

Vitafoods Europe Content Partner

“Brands are moving toward more targeted formulations and clearer benefit-led positioning,” he said. “Instead of broad wellness claims, we are seeing more products designed around specific needs such as gut support, mental clarity, energy, satiety, or healthy aging. “In terms of formats, beverages are proving particularly popular because they are convenient and easy to integrate into everyday routines. Functional snacks and more targeted supplement formats are also performing strongly.”

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

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Meet the winners and finalists of the Vitafoods Europe Startup Challenge 2026 Four innovative startups won first prize at the Vitafoods Europe Startup Challenge: Evanium, MOA, Exolab Italia, and The Protein Brewery. The Vitafoods Europe Startup Challenge takes place every year at Vitafoods Europe in Barcelona, one of the world’s leading nutraceutical trade shows. Selected by the panel of judges for their innovative ingredients, technologies, and B2C products, all 14 finalists – listed below – pitched to a panel of expert judges behind closed doors on Monday, 4 May, and then on stage before the Vitafoods Europe audience at the Insights Theatre on Tuesday, 5 May. Read on to find out more about the winners as well as the other finalists of the Challenge.

Most Innovative Nutraceutical Ingredient EVANIUM Category winner

won thanks to its a novel, IP-protected drug delivery technology called Optisolv that enhances the water solubility and taste profile of plant ingredients, broadening the range of applications and dosage forms. Optisolv Berberine is a dual-coated berberine with enhanced absorption and controlled release for improved metabolic and blood sugar support.

Exosomm

transforms milk-derived exosomes into dietary supplement ingredients. Its flagship product is a whey protein concentrate enriched with bioactive milk exosomes. According to the company, the ingredient delivers clinically relevant biological activity that supports gut resilience, barrier integrity, and inflammatory balance.

The Protein Brewery

is a Dutch scale-up developing mycelium powder via fungal fermentation. Its ingredient, Fermotein, is made from whole mycelium and contains 50% complete protein, 30% dietary fibre, and is rich in vitamins and minerals.

Standing Ovation

is a French precision fermentation protein company that has developed a patented casein ingredient that offers significant savings in CO2 emissions and water use compared to regular casein, while offering nutritional, functional, and taste equivalence with the animal-sourced protein, the startup says.

Verb

is a microbiome biotech startup that makes pro-, post-, and synbiotics for functional health categories such as microbiome health, cognitive health, women’s health, metabolic health, and healthy ageing.

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Most Innovative Service, Technology, or Digital Solution Supporting the Nutraceutical Industry Alethios

describes its software as “research infrastructure for human health”. The twosided software platform enables ingredient suppliers, finished product brands, contract research organisations, and academic researchers to design, launch, and monitor fully virtual, prospective real-world studies in days rather than months.

Ayana Bio

is a plant cell culturing startup that uses cell culturing methods rather than traditional agriculture to deliver the health-beneficial bioactives found in plants. It sells its plant cell-derived ingredients to food, beverage, dietary supplement, and sport nutrition CPG companies.

Nagi Bioscience

describes itself as “the Swiss knife platform for discovering healthy ageing products”. With its SydLab One platform and proprietary AI-powered assays (Nagi B-Age and Nagi C-Age), it replaces fragmented, single-endpoint testing with a fully automated, multi-endpoint, in vivo workflow.

New Wave Biotech

optimises downstream bioprocessing, helping companies to improve yields, reducing costs, and hit sustainability targets with hybrid AI that learns their specific process. Companies can carry out 92% fewer experiments, resulting in faster and cheaper R&D and giving them a significant competitive advantage, it says.

MOA

MOA won first prize for this category. MOA is a biotech company that uses fermentation to develop next-generation nutraceutical ingredients by transforming agri-food side streams into functional, bioactive compounds that support metabolic health, mental wellbeing, and healthy ageing.

©Steven Burden

Category winner

Vitafoods Europe 2025 Startup Challenge

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

Most Innovative Finished Nutraceutical Product Exolab Italia Category winner

won first prize for its product, Exocomplex Fertility, a formulation designed to support female reproductive health through a novel class of bioactive carriers: plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs). These naturally occurring vesicles, obtained from Italian organic agriculture through a patented, solvent-free, and zero-waste mechanical extraction process, preserve the native integrity of bioactive compounds within a phospholipid membrane, enabling high bioavailability and efficient cellular uptake.

FeJuice

is a functional food designed to prevent iron deficiency anaemia by making naturally occurring plant-based iron more bioavailable. Rather than relying on iron fortification or supplementation, FeJuice uses a carefully selected combination of fruits and vegetables to enhance iron absorption within a natural food matrix, enabling consistent, long-term consumption.

Oxperial

founded by University of Oxford and Imperial College researchers, has created herbal wellness products powered by photodynamic (daylight-activation) science derived from natural compounds. The supplement blends multiple herbal extracts rich in chlorophyll derivatives and Taiwanese green propolis to support the immune system and the body’s resilience. The product’s unique photodynamic properties mean that it works twice as effectively when paired with sunlight.

Resbiotic

says it is advancing the next generation of precision microbiome therapeutics, focused on the Gut-X Axis, the communication network between the gut microbiome and whole-body systems. It develops targeted formulations that combine probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics with synergistic bioactives.

Most Innovative Sustainable Solution The Protein Brewery Category winner

was awarded this special jury prize for the Most Innovative Sustainable Solution. The Protein Brewery is a Dutch scale-up developing mycelium powder via fungal fermentation. Their novel ingredient, Fermotein, is made from whole mycelium and contains 50% complete protein, 30% dietary fibre, and is rich in spermidine, vitamins, and minerals.

Vitafoods Europe 2025 Startup Challenge pitch by Julia Lee Xiaoyun, Natural Trace

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Who won at the Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards 2026? Who won a prize at the Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards 2026? Read about the innovative companies that are redefining the nutraceutical industry. A panel of judges made up of industry experts gathered to choose one winner for each of the eight categories. Winners were announced at a ceremony on Tuesday 5 May at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via during Vitafoods Europe.

The winners and finalists of the Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards 2026 were:

Sports Nutrition and Active Lifestyle Ingredient Givaudan for Cereboost,

Black

an ingredient that improves mental performance in modern sports nutrition. Cereboost is based on an American Ginseng extract that is standardised to a unique profile of ginsenosides and clinically proven to enhance focus, reaction time, and mental energy.

Mingchyi Biotechnology (MCB) for CreHytine,

a dual-mechanism hydrogel creatine monohydrate. The hydrogel uses advanced encapsulation technology to incorporate acacia gum and magnesium, thus enhancing gastric stability, dissolution, and tolerability, supported by clinical studies.

Winner Natural Remedies for Ashwa.30,

a next-generation ashwagandha extract based on 100% rootS that is designed to enhance energy, help boost endurance, and support stress relief delivering benefits at a low daily dose of 30mg.

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Immune and Gut Health Ingredient dsm-firmenich for Humiome B2,

a “biotic” vitamin, that uses patented microbiome targeted technology to deliver approximately 90% of vitamin B2 directly to the colon, where the gut microbiome thrives.

Winner Martin Bauer Nutraceuticals for 360GUT,

a polyphenol-rich extract based on wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) that supports gut health from within. Unlike bulky fibre prebiotics, 360GUT works at a small daily dose, helping to relieve bloating, irregularity, and digestive discomfort while gently nourishing beneficial gut bacteria.

NutriScience Innovations for ButyraGen,

a patented tributyrin-based prebiotic designed to consistently elevate butyrate, a critical short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and a marker of intestinal and systemic resilience.

Cognitive and Emotional Health Ingredient Morinaga Milk Industry for LAC Living+.

This ingredient is based on Lactobacillus helveticus MCC1848. The company says the postbiotic helps consumers maintain a positive, balanced mood while offering formulators heat stability, neutral taste, and long shelf life.

Pharmanager Ingredients for RhodioZen,

a natural ingredient that targets the eye–brain axis. In two clinical trials, RhodioZen enhanced information processing speed, supported cognitive recovery, and stabilised eye accommodation during screen exposure.

Winner Threotech for Magtein,

a bioavailable magnesium oral supplement that raises neuronal magnesium and improves cognition, sleep, and emotional resilience.

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

Healthy Ageing Ingredient Mibelle AG Biochemistry for MonaJuvent Nu,

an ingredient derived from scarlet beebalm (Monarda didyma) and is rich in the anti-ageing flavonoid, didymin, that tackles the hallmarks of ageing and epigenetic ageing.

Winner Puredia for Omegia Omega-7 FFA,

a clinically studied, vegan omega-7 from sea buckthorn, designed specifically for women navigating menopause. It supports over 13 menopausal symptoms including vaginal dryness, itching, and burning, dry eyes, dry mouth, skin dehydration, hair thinning, and brittle nails.

SunWay Biotech for ANKASCIN 568.

This ingredient redefines red yeast rice by shifting from conventional monacolin K–based inhibition to regulating longevity-related transcription factors. Powered by monascin and ankaflavin, it modulates key regulators – including PPARa, PPARy, and Nrf2 – to support healthy ageing at its biological foundation.

Weight Management Ingredient IMCD for ProGo,

an ingredient that naturally supports metabolic weight balance. This patented salmon peptide mix is a triple receptor agonist of GLP-1, GIP, GLP-2. It also protects muscle mass via the inhibition of myostatin and activin A. It allows overweight individuals to avoid taking medication that can result in side effects, the company says.

Winner Monteloeder by Suannutra for its ingredient, Metabolaid.

This botanical ingredient is derived from hibiscus and lemon verbena extracts, and is designed to support healthy weight management through multiple metabolic pathways: it supports natural GLP-1 levels, activates AMPK, promotes fat metabolism, and enhances satiety.

Phynova for Reducose,

an ingredient that supports glycaemic control and weight management. The patented water extract of white mulberry leaf works by partially inhibiting the digestion of carbohydrates, helping to reduce post-prandial blood glucose and insulin responses by 42% from the first serving. It impacts incretins with a double-digit increase of fasting and late phase GLP-1.

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Nutricosmetic Ingredient ACTIV’INSIDE for its beauty-from-within ingredient, Hair’Inside,

a patent-pending nutricosmetic ingredient clinically proven to revitalise hair from within. In a three-month clinical study, it delivered up to 51.3% reductions in hair loss and a 17% increase in brightness.

Winner Mibelle AG Biochemistry for DracoBelle Nu,

a vegan collagen-booster derived from Moldavian dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica) that boosts collagen production in skin tissues by activating the AMPK/FOXO longevity pathway. This reinforces the structural stability of the skin, resulting in a more plump and youthful appearance, the company says.

Puredia for CyanthOx 80 CWS.

This is a sea buckthorn proanthocyanidin extract that stimulates circulating stem cells by over 40%, boosts collagen by over 186%, increases ATP production by over 91%, and delivers nine times the antioxidant potency of grape seed extract. Its cold-water solubility opens formulation possibilities in drinks, powders, gummies, and capsules.

Most Innovative Consumer-Ready Nutraceutical Finished Product AronPharma for Forminol Gummies,

a patented polyphenol-rich blend – AP029 – with chromium, zinc, and vitamin B6 to support healthy glucose metabolism, energy production, and metabolic resilience. Research suggests that AP029 enhances glucose uptake in cells, lowers blood glucose and insulin levels, and improves lipid metabolism pathways.

Azelis Group for its low-temperature saffron gummy.

The low-temperature gellan-based process protects the delicate bioactive compounds naturally present in saffron. Unlike traditional gummy manufacturing, which relies on high heat, this approach significantly reduces thermal exposure to help preserve ingredient quality and efficacy.

Winner Kaneka Ubiquinol Europe in collaboration with Eqology Pure Arctic Oil (POA) Heart & Energy.

A synergistic formulation combining CodMarine ingredient with organic coldpressed extra virgin olive oil, vitamin D3, and yeast-fermented Kaneka Ubiquinol in one innovation, delivering 1,420mg EPA+DHA per serving.

RONDOLINO for Black Gemma di Salute,

a consumer-facing product derived from black rice germ, naturally rich in vitamins, proteins, fibres, plant-based fats, minerals such as iron and magnesium, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds developed using a gentle, chemical-free process.

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

Sustainability Givaudan France Naturals for the Agropoles Platform.

This platform is Givaudan’s global agronomy network advancing sustainable supply chains for natural ingredients. Projects such as RHODIOGO (Europe), GUARABEST (Brazil) and TURMITRACE (India) focus on key nutraceutical ingredients and promote biodiversity, farmer resilience, and ingredient quality while reducing environmental impact.

Winner Nordic Bioproducts for its carbon-smart microcrystalline cellulose.

The ingredient is manufactured using a sustainable production process called AaltoCell at the company’s facility in Lappeenranta, Finland, which results in a carbon footprint up to 81% lower than conventional microcrystalline cellulose production methods. It also requires 95% less water, 90% less energy, and 69% fewer chemicals.

Puredia for its vertically integrated production and manufacturing of sea buckthorn ingredients.

It uses solvent-free supercritical CO₂ extraction and fair trade harvesting partnerships to empower local farming communities with year-round income.

The Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards panel of judges is made up of industry experts, chosen for their knowledge, credentials and objectivity: Prof. Colin Dennis, chair at International Food Information Service; Barbara Bray, food safety and nutrition consultant at Alo Solutions; Efi Leontopoulou, manager scientific and regulatory affairs, EAS Strategies; Ian D. Healey, editorial director at Dr. Harnisch Publications; João Brites, director of growth & innovation at HowGood; Luca Bucchini, managing director of Hylobates; Nick Henson, food product developer; Sandra Einerhand, nutrition science consultant at Einerhand Science & Innovation; Sharon Morey, regulatory affairs manager at Campden BRI; Dr. V. Krishnakumar, president of Giract; and Timothy Whiteley, independent advisor.

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Vitafoods Europe Innovation Tours 2026 Sports nutrition & active lifestyle

It now covers pre- and post-workout nutrition, hydration, mental performance and focus for e-sports gamers, and much more – and the figures reflect this: the global sports nutrition market is valued at $66 billion and is projected to reach $138 billion by 2033, according to Grand View Research.

Sports nutrition targets a wide range of consumers, from professional athletes to senior citizens seeking healthy aging. This market is no longer limited to proteins and muscle building.

Healthy gut, Healthy life

Biotics (probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotics, and postbiotics) and fermented products such as kefir, kombucha, skyr, and kimchi are leading the trends, but other ingredients such as polyphenols and antioxidants are gaining popularity among consumers.

Age-related changes in the gut microbiome reshape its influence on all metabolic functions, from digestion and energy balance to immune response and cellular health – and all this has profound implications for gut health throughout every life stage.

In 2022, 2.5 billion people worldwide were overweight and 690 million were obese, representing 43% of the population. If this trend continues, the figure will rise to 50% by 2030, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Consequently, 42.9% of the global population is trying to lose weight, Euromonitor notes. The global uptake of anti-obesity drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy has created several opportunities for nutraceutical ingredients either by mimicking drugs’ effect or by providing nutritional support to consumers undergoing GLP-1 treatment.

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Weight management

As the world’s population continues to grow and climate change impacts ingredient production and sourcing, a sustainable food system transformation is essential. In this context, 67% of global consumers are acting daily to reduce their carbon footprint, according to Euromonitor data. From upcycled ingredients to plant-based alternatives, and from regenerative agriculture to water reduction, nutraceutical products are going greener.

Upcycled & sustainable ingredients

The importance of holistic wellbeing has put mental and emotional health at the heart of consumers’ health concerns, especially among younger consumers. FMCG Gurus estimates that 44% of global consumers worry about their emotional health and 42% are looking for food and beverage products that can improve their cognitive health.

Cognitive and Emotional Health

Fuelled by social media use and influencer marketing, the beauty-from-within market is booming. The expansion of e-commerce and AI-driven personalised nutrition is also key to market growth. According to figures by Markets and Markets, the beauty supplement sector is tipped to grow from $3.96 bn in 2025 to $5.76 bn by 2030. In this tour, we’ll talk about collagen, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides, but also botanicals, biotics, hydration, anti-aging, sun protection, and ingredients to “get that glow”.

Nutricosmetics

Vitafoods Europe 2026 Trend Guide Transforming nutrition science and consumer trends into successful products

Reinventing Nutrition through Science and Enjoyable Delivery

Great solutions start with understanding people, but true innovation happens when science meets experience. At TSI Group, we translate deep biological and behavioral insights into sciencebacked formulations built for real-world success. Through advanced formulation, optimized ingredients, and novel delivery technologies, we create solutions that perform and deliver experiences consumers enjoy, driving adherence and repeat use. From insight to innovation to scalable production, TSI transforms advanced science into products consumers want— redefining nutrition.

Healthy Begins Here At TSI Group, we combine root-cause science with consumerdriven innovation to create solutions that deliver real results.

Discover TSI Group’s Brands that are Powering Better Health

#FaravelliNutraDivision

SCAN TO STAND OUT!

with the right ingredients In distribution since 1926, we know what works. Top-quality raw materials are essential – but they’re just the beginning. In an increasingly competitive market, standing out takes more: it takes the right partner. Practical, responsive, reliable. With a clear vision and the ability to turn every need into a tailored solution. A strategic partner. That’s how we’ve always worked: by your side, with the expertise that makes the difference. We bring you the right ingredients to develop effective, safe solutions that support well-being and deliver real value to your customers. With the right ingredients – and the right partner – standing out in nutra comes naturally.

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©Steven Burden

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