2026: Better by Choice

From trends to better decisions in Food & Nutrition

Table top view of breakfast food displayed on table, people eating food.
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.

Close up woman adding wheat grass green powder during making smoothie on the kitchen. Superfood supplement. Healthy detox vegan diet. Healthy dieting eating, weight loss program. Selective focus.

Better choices for Holistic Health & Wellness

Process of making fresh handmade macaroons in restaurant kitchen. Colourful macaroons cookies on baking trays.

Better choices for Elevated Indulgence

Cereal crop trials, Azpa, Navarra, Spain

Better choices for the Planet

If you’re looking to turn Food & Nutrition trends into products that work in practice, we’re here to support you. From ingredient selection to formulation and process optimization, we help transform better choices into market-ready solutions.

Get in touch

Contact us today to ask us any questions, to learn more about our product portfolio, or to see how we can support you with our tailor-made applications. We’ll be in touch soon.