2026: Better by Choice From trends to better decisions in Food & Nutrition

ClassificationFood Newstime2026-06-04 13:08:44releaseadminfrequency3

summary：Contemporary consumers expect more from their food in 2026. They want products that support their health, respect the planet and still deliver enjoyment. At the same time, manufacturers face rising costs, tighter regulations and growing pressure...

Contemporary consumers expect more from their food in 2026. They want products that support their health, respect the planet and still deliver enjoyment. At the same time, manufacturers face rising costs, tighter regulations and growing pressure to simplify production.

In this environment, our progress doesn’t come from adding more claims or more ingredients.
It comes from making better choices.

Today, innovation isn’t about adding more – it’s about choosing what truly matters. The most successful products are those that balance performance, simplicity and real consumer needs.

Michiel van Genugten

President Nutrition Americas & VP Global Strategic Marketing & VAS Nutrition

What’s behind Better by Choice?

This idea isn’t about choosing between good and bad, premium or affordable, health or indulgence. It simply reflects how innovation really works today: every decision is a balance between performance, cost, taste and expectations.

The growing focus on metabolic health, the rise of GLP-1 use, stricter views on sugar and ultra-processed foods and the increasing demand for simpler labels all point in the same direction. Consumers want solutions that feel realistic.

This change is also visible in how companies approach innovation, with more balanced thinking at the forefront. Health is seen as general wellbeing, sustainability is increasingly embedded into everyday life, and indulgence is evolving into smaller, more meaningful moments.

For food manufacturers, this creates new opportunities and challenges.

These are not just trends. They are decision areas.

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