Carlsberg Britvic-owned plant-based drinks brand Plenish has introduced Plenish Zero Sugar Oat M*lk, made with just four naturally sourced ingredients and no oils or additives. The drink is made using only water, gluten-free organic oats, plant-based calcium and salt. By not breaking down the oats into natural sugars like most oat drinks, Plenish claims to have created a UK-first innovation that responds to growing demand for sugar-free options without compromising on creaminess or taste. Data from Kantar shows that sugar content has become the leading health concern for consumers, with sugar-free products now driving growth ahead of core oat drinks. Russell Goldman, managing director for Breakthrough Brands at Carlsberg Britvic, said: “At Plenish we recognise the evolving concerns from consumers around making healthier choices, avoiding artificial ingredients and reducing their sugar intake. It’s about expanding choice within our oat drink portfolio to meet evolving consumer needs.” The launch continues Plenish’s expansion of its milk alternatives range following the launch of Plenish Enriched Oat M*lk earlier this year, a clean label oat drink fortified with essential vitamins and minerals. Plenish Zero Sugar Oat M*lk started rolling out at Waitrose stores from 13 October 2025, at an RRP of £2.35, and is also available via the brand’s website.

This month, our start-up spotlight is on Summ Ingredients, a Danish food-tech innovator formerly known as Nutrumami. The company produces multifunctional fermented protein ingredients suitable for use across a range of plant-based applications. Frederik Jensen, the company's founder, tells us more. What led to SUMM Ingredients’ establishment and what is its long-term goal? A frustration with the status quo of industrial ingredients and their shortcomings in making food that is better for you and for the planet. Most ingredients are monofunctional, so formulators rely on complex flavour and texture systems, and other additives, to make food at scale. In 'better-for-you,' there’s usually a compromise – taste, texture, nutrition or a long, questionable ingredient list. Our vision is to enable a new category of multifunctional ingredients that shape a simpler, better way to create the foods we love. How can your FermiPro solution range respond to a broad range of consumer needs across different food and beverage applications? FermiPro is multifunctional across taste attributes, texture attributes and nutrition, with functions that matter across many key categories. We’re still focused on where we add the most value with our first ingredients: the savoury space – ready meals, sauces, plant-based cheese, hybrids/plant-based proteins, and snacks. What potential benefits do your solutions have for the plant-based F&B industry in particular? Plant-based has faced headwinds – some justifiable (e.g. taste) and some less so (including narratives pushed by lobbying that position meat as 'healthier than plants'). We aim to help move from plant-based to plant-centric, by enabling taste and texture from whole plants themselves, reducing reliance on additive-heavy systems to 'make it work'. What is FermiPro made of? How does the fermentation method to develop these ingredients work? We’re raw-material agnostic; currently we use faba beans and oats. Our approach is inspired by foundational fermentation – many different microorganisms fermenting together so complex flavours and functions can emerge. We use solid-state fermentation to build complex enzyme systems, and pair that with submerged fermentation where mixed microbes express the functions we seek. Then, we take the entire fermented material and dry it into a powder. Simple process, complex functionality. Why was it important for SUMM to embrace a multifunctional approach? We see it as the only way to unlock the next generation of food at scale – delivering taste, function and wholesomeness together, so you don’t have to trade one for another. Can you tell us about the sugar-reduction and mouthfeel ingredient you’re working on? Will this also be made via fermentation? Yes. We’re using the same cross-fermentation toolkit to provide complementary functions – including helping reduce sugar – alongside improved mouthfeel. Currently, the solution is progressing through development and validation. We’ll share timing once performance with partners is fully confirmed. What has been the company’s biggest achievement to date? As a start-up, there are many wins (and probably more failures!). We celebrate the small wins, but it’s hard to declare a 'big achievement' until we’ve made clear market and consumer impact. To date, our technical progress with FermiPro – and how it enables tasty, nutritious, plant-centric foods – is a highlight. None of it happens without the team. What has been the biggest challenge on SUMM’s journey so far? How did you navigate it? Scaling – finding the right partners and infrastructure to do it cost-effectively – alongside the usual suspects in R&D and funding in today’s environment. We’ve managed by thinking creatively: not over-specifying an ideal set-up, but adapting our product and process to real-world facilities where possible. What valuable advice would you share with aspiring food & beverage start-ups? Food is tough. It doesn’t scale like software, and it’s not even like physical hardware – there’s shelf life, safety and health regulation to contend with. If you’re on a VC track, milestones and deadlines come fast. So what I at least find helpful is also to take time to think about the long game – 10, 20 years and beyond. Be clear about what you’re building and why; that perspective helps you prioritise daily decisions and navigate the noise.

A new study suggests that younger adults and men in the UK are significantly more open to foods created using precision fermentation, a technology that uses genetically engineered microbes to produce ingredients like milk proteins, eggs or palm oil outside of traditional agriculture. The research, commissioned by science marketing consultancy Diffusion and conducted by Censuswide with a nationally representative sample of 2,005 UK adults, found that 36% of consumers currently support the development and widespread use of precision fermentation, compared with 24% who oppose it. Support varies sharply across demographics. Men are almost twice as likely as women to back the technology (46% vs 27%), while 54% of 25-34 year-olds and 48% of 35-44 year-olds expressed support, compared with just 25% of those over 55. Among women and older age groups, net support is negative, underscoring the need for greater public engagement. The study also highlights that nearly 40% of UK consumers remain neutral or undecided, suggesting a widespread lack of understanding of how precision fermentation works or its potential applications. This undecided group could potentially be swayed by education and awareness campaigns. Support for precision fermentation is slightly higher than for cultivated meat, which Diffusion found to have an even split of 33% in favor and 33% against. Ivana Farthing, science communication lead and UK MD at Diffusion, said: “We are still in the early days of precision fermentation emerging from the lab and into the public consciousness, so it’s no surprise to that many have yet to make up their minds about this breakthrough. But for researchers and foodtech startups, this consumer ambivalence represents both a risk and an opportunity." "In the United States we have already seen seven states ban the sale of cultivated meat, with some even outlawing further research and development. It's a lesson we need to learn – new industries that don’t shape the debate risk being shaped by the debate.” Farthing added that the study points to a significant education gap. “Our research shows there is a big education and awareness gap that needs to start being filled on the science and methodology of how precision fermentation actually works to create food ingredients and to address likely concerns around safety standards, nutritional value and sustainability." "With population growth and rising climate pressures on traditional agriculture, precision fermentation could be an essential solution to maintaining an abundant and affordable food supply. If we want to keep that option open for humanity, we need to start engaging the public now to build trust and understanding. If we wait to react to misinformation from science sceptics and online conspiracy theorists, the battle may already be lost.” Top image: © Good Food Institute

The Compleat Food Group’s meat alternative brand Squeaky Bean has expanded into the hot pie category with a new fermented vegetable pie line. Claimed to be a first-to-market innovation, the plant-based pies feature rich, savoury flavours from the fermented vegetables – according to the brand, this enables a kind of umami depth typically associated with meat. They are launching in two varieties, Braised Veggie Pie and Spanish Chorizo Style Pie, now available in Tesco stores across the UK at an RRP of £3.75 per 209g pie. Braised Veggie Pie includes chestnut mushrooms, beetroot and onion with a rich stout gravy and warming spices, complete with a puff pastry lid for an indulgent and comforting option. Meanwhile, the Spanish Chorizo Style Pie celebrates Mediterranean flavours, combining creamy butter beans, courgettes and a fermented vegetable filling, also topped with puff pastry. Squeaky Bean said the inclusion of butter beans marks the beginning of a new direction for the brand, with ‘more bean-based innovation to come’. This aligns with increasing consumer interest in more ‘natural’ and veg-led options, while the pies’ fermented vegetable ingredients also tap into the rising popularity of gut-friendly foods. The pies are chilled and designed to be oven-cooked within 30 minutes, designed to provide a convenient main course option for any consumer, whether vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian. Yvonne Adam, chief marketing officer at The Compleat Food Group, said: “At Squeaky Bean, we’re always looking for ways to inject plant-based excitement into other categories, and we identified an opportunity with pies. The hot pie category is now worth £424 million and vegan pies are growing at over 14% in value, so it’s the perfect time for us to bring something new to the table.”

The Good Food Institute (GFI) Asia Pacific has initiated a partnership with South Korea’s World FoodTech Council, focused on accelerating domestic alternative protein innovation. The World FoodTech Council is a national consortium with over 3,300 members. Its work centres around establishing global standards, certification support systems and international cooperation on emerging food technologies. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by the two organisations during a ceremony in Seoul today (15 October 2025) at the World FoodTech Conference. The ceremony was attended by GFI APAC chief executive officer, Mirte Gosker, and World FoodTech Council co-chair Ki Won Lee. In a keynote speech during the conference, Gosker said: “For more than a decade, South Korea has invested more money into scientific R&D as a percentage of GDP than any other Asian country – an asset the country is now leveraging to become an alternative protein powerhouse”. She added: “Just as Asia was early in understanding the untapped potential of renewable energy technologies to satisfy soaring global demand, every country will inevitably need innovative ways to make more meat with fewer resources – and our region is once again laying the groundwork to sell the world what it needs”. Under the MOU, the two organisations will collaborate to support strategic regulatory policies on novel foods in Korea, strengthen domestic R&D initiatives, and catalyse new scientific talent development pathways for researchers in adjacent fields. World FoodTech Council’s Lee commented: “Food-tech tackles the defining challenges of our era – from population growth and climate change to public health in the age of AI. In partnership with GFI, we are committed to positioning K-FoodTech as a key driver of the future food system and a leader in this transformative industry.” Plant-based kimbap, courtesy of Korean start-up Unlimeat © Unlimeat Innovation in Korea’s alternative protein ecosystem has been making good progress over the past year, with GFI currently working to establish GFI Korea, led by its South Korea start-up lead Yeonjoo La. In December 2024, North Jeolla Province announced the launch of its Food Tech Research Support Center, a facility dedicated to plant-based food development and set to open next year. During the same month, the Food Tech Industry Promotion Act was enacted to establish a foundation for the convergence of the food industry with cutting-edge technologies, due to go into effect this December with South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) as the responsible agency. In March 2025, Korea announced the launch of an additional Food Tech Research Support Center, this time focused on cultivated meat, set to open in 2027 with support from MAFRA. GFI noted that while Korea is making exciting developments in the space, it still observes a ‘structural gap’ in the integration of the country’s expertise within global discussions. For example, at this year’s AltProtein Asia scientific symposium – co-hosted by GFI APAC at Singapore’s Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein – scientists joined from Singapore, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand to exchange knowledge on tackling technical bottlenecks hindering taste, scale and price parity for alternative proteins. In 2026, GFI said it will ensure Korea is ‘not just present, but takes a central role’ in the dialogue, directly benefitting Korean researchers and allowing others to benefit from their expertise. GFI’s South Korea start-up lead, La, commented: “South Korea is home to one of Asia’s most advanced tech ecosystems, including 10 biotech innovation and manufacturing clusters, dozens of alternative protein companies, and the highest number of researchers per capita of any country on Earth”. “By connecting Korea’s scientists, policymakers and technologists with their overseas counterparts, we can supercharge plant-based and cultivated meat development, rapidly increase regional regulatory knowledge-sharing, and create an impact far greater than the sum of its parts.”

The competition in the Plant-Based Taste Awards is heating up, and you are invited to be part of the judging process. Partnered with Vegan Friendly, these awards celebrate the absolute best in plant-based taste and, uniquely, rely on a mix of expert analysis and public opinion to crown the champions. This is not just about what the judges think, it is about the delicious products you actually buy, share and crave. Your vote matters, and now is the time to make your voice heard! Already, we have seen an incredible range of innovative products join the line-up, with more on the way. Check out the latest products! Ready to discover your next favourite snack, meal or beverage? Start voting now! Are you sitting on a plant-based winner? Enter the awards! If you are a plant-based brand watching this line-up and thinking, "my product belongs there," you are correct! Submissions are still open until 14 November 2025, giving you a final window to secure your spot and make a splash just in time for the holiday season. The results are announced in mid-December, making this the perfect opportunity to generate end-of-year buzz. Every accepted entry is immediately featured on the awards directory and promoted across our channels, like this article, giving you immediate exposure to the large, engaged audience of theplantbasemag.com. Winning or being shortlisted provides invaluable, third-party validation that can be used in all your future marketing and packaging, helping you stand out in an increasingly crowded market. Remember, the clock is ticking! 14 November is when the last products will be accepted. Partnering with Vegan Friendly The Plant-Based Taste Awards is proud to partner with Vegan Friendly to bring added value to entrants. Vegan Friendly certifies restaurants, products and businesses, labelling them as 'Vegan Friendly.' This crucial work helps vegan consumers around the world enjoy a vegan lifestyle simply and easily, assuring them of a product's credentials. This partnership highlights our commitment to working with accredited organisations that support the global growth and trust of the plant-based community. If your business is certified by Vegan Friendly , be sure to contact us to learn more about the enhanced benefits available through this partnership!

Verley, a French food biotechnology company specialising in functional dairy proteins via precision fermentation, has received a 'No Questions Letter' from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), confirming the safety of its ingredients for food use. The clearance positions Verley for a US commercial launch in 2026 and supports its plans for global expansion. The FDA letter covers two of Verley’s flagship proteins: FermWhey Native – a whey protein composed of 95% β-lactoglobulin, supporting performance and recovery in sports and active nutrition. FermWhey MicroStab – a patented, microparticulated protein offering thermal and pH stability for complex formulations like ready-to-drink beverages. Verley is said to be the first company worldwide to receive FDA clearance for dairy ingredients made via precision fermentation and enhanced with functionalisation. The 'No Questions Letter' confirms the agency reviewed Verley’s submission and found no safety concerns under the proposed conditions of use. The milestone follows Verley’s self-affirmed GRAS designation earlier in 2025 and strengthens confidence among US customers, retailers and manufacturers exploring advanced protein solutions. Precision fermentation allows the production of pure, functional dairy proteins without animals, complementing conventional dairy while improving sustainability and functionality. Hélène Briand, co-founder and chief innovation and commercial officer at Verley, said: "This is a major regulatory validation for our science and technology. Receiving the FDA’s 'No Questions' Letter is not only a milestone for Verley, it’s a signal that precision fermentation is ready to scale and complement conventional dairy, delivering nutritional performance with fewer resources." "This is just the beginning," added Stéphane Mac Millan, CEO of Verley. "With other geographies in motion and a growing demand for sustainable proteins, we’re proud to set a global benchmark in safety, performance, and trust. And here’s something we’re especially proud of: We received this regulatory clearance just three years after founding the company, a testament to the clarity, speed and execution of our scientific and commercial roadmap." Top image: © Verley

A new US food-tech company, Lasso, has been launched by the team behind plant-based meat start-up Tender Food, supported by $6.5 million in new funding. The Tender Food brand – which produces clean label and plant-based alternatives to pork, chicken and beef – will become just one of several other brands, soon to be announced, under Lasso’s broader portfolio. Aiming to create a new generation of healthier foods, Boston-headquartered Lasso is built on the company’s proprietary technology, Lasso SpinTech. The system uses physics to weave together protein and fibre, aiming to create new consumer products that were ‘previously unattainable’. Mike Messersmith, Lasso’s CEO, said: “Consumers are no longer accepting the status quo in packaged food. Evidence of that is everywhere from the MAHA movement to vocal pushbacks on ultra-processed foods, and the influence of GLP-1 therapies on consumption patterns and preferences.” While the industry needs new solutions, Messersmith said it has been “handicapped by antiquated processing machines invented over 100 years ago – and wholly ill-equipped to meet the needs of consumers in 2025”. “At Lasso, we want to use our technology to step into that void and create progress,” he added. “Our patented technology offers new ways of creating protein and fibre-rich foods with clean labels and competitive cost structures that will jumpstart major momentum in growing categories across the grocery store.” Guided by Messersmith, the team has been deploying its commercial-scale technology over the past year to create clean label innovations beyond the technology’s first plant-based meat application under the Tender Food brand. These include protein-rich snacks and pet food. The $6.5 million in capital was led by Rhapsody Venture Partners, with participation from Safar Partners, Claridge Venture Partners and others. It will enable Lasso to commercialise its technology across new, high-growth food categories. Lasso originated at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute, where founders Kit Parker, Luke MacQueen, Christophe Chantre and Grant Gonzalez invented – and spent seven years refining – their novel food processing technology. They describe the tech as an ‘advanced cotton candy machine’ – according to the team, it is versatile and cost effective, capable of creating nutritious and tasty goods with ‘exceptional’ texture from ‘nearly any ingredient’. Since, Lasso SpinTech has seen the launch of its first brand application, Tender Food, in 2020, and has scaled from a countertop system in a lab to a commercial-scale system producing hundreds of thousands of pounds of product annually. The system eliminates the need for high heat, excessive sugars or artificial additives. It is also compact (around the size of a washing machine) and uses less energy than a toaster oven, reducing operating cost and boosting efficiency. Messersmith described the funding raise as a “major milestone” for the newly formed, wider food-tech group, commenting: “We are on the cusp of introducing truly innovative new foods made of simple ingredients that everyone understands – both through brands we create and in working with global partners to bring new products to market through licensing agreements.” “There is nothing on the market that can match what Lasso can achieve with this technology. We are thrilled for people to taste these new products and take this business to a whole new level.”

UK gut-friendly food brand Bio&Me has launched Daily Boost Fibre + Protein bars, specially developed to appeal to female consumers. The brand said its bars were developed with women in mind – its core consumer – addressing an unmet need for snacks that combine protein and fibre while offering a ‘less male-oriented alternative’ to many protein bars currently on the market. Jon Walsh, Bio&Me co-founder and CEO, said: “Protein is an area with significant growth potential, but historically the space has been dominated by male-oriented, sports-led brands that are heavily protein-focused, and that aren’t always great for your gut health either”. Aiming to address this, each of Bio&Me’s 40g bars provides 9g of protein and ten diverse plant-based ingredients, including wholegrain oats, dates, pumpkin seeds, carrots and extra virgin olive oil. They are launching in two varieties: blueberry and cocoa. The bars contain just 5.2g (cocoa) and 6.3g (blueberry) of naturally occurring sugars. This aims to differentiate the brand among other options within the protein and snack bar market, which Bio&Me noted sometimes contain as much as 30% sugar. The HFSS-compliant bars are vegan-friendly, gluten-free and contain no artificial ingredients, sweeteners or palm fat, appealing to those seeking more ‘natural’ and less processed options. Bio&Me co-founder, Megan Rossi, commented: “So many protein bars on the market are laden with added sugars or non-sugar sweeteners like sucralose and stevia which the World Health Organization now cautions against, along with emulsifiers, palm fat and more – all of which are Ultra Processed Food red flags, and go against fundamental gut health principles”. “We’ve worked hard on development to elevate the health standard of protein bars. These new bars not only deliver on protein, but also the too often forgotten about, yet equally important nutrient, fibre, sourced from a diverse range of plant ingredients.” Rossi said the brand aims to bring the “protein:fibre” index into the spotlight, an area she studied in her PhD as being a key predictor of health outcomes as opposed to isolated nutrients. Both variants of the new bar line will roll into Tesco stores from today (13 October), followed by Waitrose and Holland & Barrett from 23 October and 20 November respectively, with an RRP of £3.35 per 3x40g multipack. Tesco will also stock single bars, priced at £1.40 per bar.

A new network, led by the University of Southampton in the UK, aims to identify opportunities and barriers to growing more climate-resilient crops for the nation’s food supply. The project, named Novel and Underutilised Crop Network (NUCNet), will bring together researchers from around the UK in a coordinated effort to accelerate research into the local growth of lentils, chickpeas, sunflowers and other crops. It includes researchers from the Universities of Southampton, Dundee, Reading, and the National Institute of Agricultural Botany. The project has secured £645k of funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of the government’s UK Research and Innovation body. Researchers will work with farmers, retailers and community groups to see how we can utilise crops that are rarely grown in the UK today, but could be crucial to the nation’s future food security. Currently, UK farming is heavily reliant on a small number of crops including wheat, barley and oilseed rape. Extreme weather and new pests brought about by climate change could damage harvests, threatening the UK’s food security. As billions of pounds have already been lost due to floods and droughts, the network explained that diversifying what the UK grows and adding crops that are more resistant to extreme weather can make British farming more resilient. The new network aims to bring together experts around the country already working on this, stimulate new research activity and influence policy. It will engage with key stakeholders across the value chain, and is particularly interested in engaging with young people, who it describes as ‘the generation at the forefront of climate change who will experience this transition first-hand’. Mark Chapman, professor at the University of Southampton and the project’s lead, said: “There are a lot of unknowns about how this transition might take place, from the practical challenges facing farms to whether it is economically viable”. “The new network will coordinate research efforts to provide evidence for system level change to the UK food system. Crucially, this means engaging directly with producers, supermarkets and communities to understand their perspectives.”

Biotech company Checkerspot has partnered with Huvepharma to commercialise a new microalgae-derived oil that replicates key nutritional fats found in human milk, which is said to be a potential game-changer for the infant formula industry. The collaboration will bring high sn-2 palmitate algal oil to industrial scale, offering a sustainable and consistent alternative to palm-derived oils currently used in infant nutrition. The ingredient is designed to mimic the triglyceride structures in human milk fat, which play an essential role in nutrient absorption and digestive comfort for infants. Unlike existing products that rely on palm oil and enzymatic modification, Checkerspot’s oil is produced directly through fermentation of microalgae using simple sugars. This process eliminates dependence on palm-based feedstocks, reduces environmental impact and ensures a highly controlled and contamination-free ingredient. Kiril Domuschiev, president and CEO of Huvepharma, said: “Checkerspot’s breakthrough high sn-2 palmitate algal oil is a leap forward for infant nutrition, both in terms of nutritional quality and environmental impact. Huvepharma’s deep expertise in fermentation at scale and global market presence, ideally positions the partnership to deliver this innovation reliably and competitively to the infant nutrition industry." The partnership combines Checkerspot’s proprietary molecular and strain engineering technology with Huvepharma’s established manufacturing and distribution capabilities. Together, the companies aim to meet growing demand for more sustainable and high-performance fats and oils in infant formula and advanced nutrition. John Krzywicki, CEO of Checkerspot, added: “Partnering with Huvepharma allows us to bring high sn-2 palmitate algal oil to industrial scale and make it accessible to infant formula brands worldwide. This is a key milestone in redefining how high-performance fats and oils for nutrition are sourced and produced." The companies plan to position algal oil as a scalable, palm-free solution to the infant formula industry’s sustainability and supply challenges, supporting manufacturers looking to more closely replicate the nutritional profile of human milk fat.

Protein continues to dominate the active nutrition space, with ‘high-protein’ claims on food products holding considerable power when it comes to attracting purchases. But will the protein craze continue to resonate with future plant-based consumers? As people demand more from their F&B products, we take a look at current trends and opportunities for innovation within this category. In 2025, protein is everywhere – no longer confined to the active nutrition space, but embraced by everyday consumers too, with fortified foods now firmly in the mainstream. This evolution has been particularly prominent in the plant-based category, where demand for products that can measure up to the nutritional profile of animal-based protein sources has been rising. Quentin Schotte, food and beverage commercial marketing manager at Cargill, said: “This evolution has opened up new territory for protein-rich innovation across categories, from savoury snacks to indulgent treats”. “Within plant-based, we’ve seen a noticeable shift in consumer mindset. Ingredients like pea protein now carry a strong health halo – not just for their nutritional value, but for what they represent in terms of label transparency and sustainability.” Plant diversity Soya protein remains one of the most popular ingredients for formulating plant-based protein foods. Alicia Humpert, director of protein marketing EMEA at ADM, told The Plant Base: “As a complete protein with a Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) of 1, soy supports high protein content goals and delivers sought-after amino acids”. “Globally, 83% of plant-forward consumers consider soy a good source of plant-based protein for building and maintaining muscle, 81% believe it is a great option for reducing fat intake and 79% associate soy protein with a healthy, active lifestyle,” Humpert added, citing ADM’s Global Protein Consumer Discovery report for 2025. “These perceptions support consumer trial of high-protein, plant-based snack offerings, especially for products tailored to consumers taking anti-obesity medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists.” Jack Helm, account manager for bakery, beverage and functional food at ACI Group, said soya protein’s diverse potential across applications and formats contributes to its popularity, making it well-suited for use in crispies, nuggets, flakes and powders. “This presents a wide range of options for exploring different textures, from a satisfying crunch to an indulgent chew,” Helm noted. “Texture is one of the reasons consumers reject a food product, so soy’s ability to create appealing sensory experiences is a huge part of its success.” “It’s worth noting the rising popularity of wheat protein, too. It’s an affordable and versatile option with a relatively low environmental footprint. Like soy, it offers a superior flavour experience that makes wheat flakes and crispies a popular addition in cereals, confectionery and snack bars.” Pea protein is also celebrated for its versatility and digestibility. Increasingly, producers of plant protein bars and snacks are opting for pea protein as an inclusive option, thanks to its hypoallergenic status. “Pea protein continues to be a stand-out,” Cargill’s Schotte enthused. “It does not require allergen labelling and boasts a well-rounded amino acid profile, mild taste and suitability across a range of applications, from snacks to dairy alternatives and meat substitutes.” While the perception that plant-based protein sources are generally inferior to animal-derived variants still lingers – often due to factors like lower bioavailability – experts in the plant-based active nutrition space are pushing to shift the narrative by emphasising the benefits of combining complementary sources. “The idea comes from the fact that many single-source plant proteins don’t offer a complete amino acid profile,” said Gordon Belch, co-founder of nutrition brand Vybey. “However, with smart formulation – like blending pea protein with other nutrient-dense ingredients – you can easily meet performance needs.” Fun and indulgent formats With the rise of ‘snackification’ – as time-poor consumers opt for smaller, more frequent and on-the-go portions throughout the day – snacking has become crucial for many in meeting their daily protein goals. “Many people look to incorporate 30-40g of protein with each meal, which may be a difficult target to achieve,” said ADM’s Humpert. “This creates an incredible opportunity for high protein snacks to meet consumer goals for higher daily protein intake.” The classic bar continues to be a staple, but protein snacks are no longer confined to this arena, said Cargill’s Schotte. “We’re seeing it show up in everything from savoury crisps and puffs to nutrient-dense balls made with seeds, nuts or whole grains. These formats offer the ideal mix of convenience, taste and nutrition for today’s on-the-go consumer.” The more traditional bar format has made strides in taste and texture improvements, with historical complaints of dry and chalky textures holding the category back in the past. “Thanks to new technologies and ingredient advances, we’re now able to create protein-enriched foods that don’t feel like a compromise,” Schotte continued. “One of the classic issues has been the hardening of snack bars over time, which can impact both shelf life and the overall eating experience. But this is an area where we’ve seen real progress. By adjusting the ratio of oils, humectants and other ingredients, manufacturers can now manage moisture migration and maintain a pleasant, stable texture.” Rising consumer expectations around taste and texture have pushed brands to innovate with new flavours and snack formats. MyProtein, for example, offers a range of plant-based protein cookies as part of its MyVegan line, while flavours like speculoos – a caramelised biscuit flavour that has surged in popularity thanks to the Biscoff brand’s success – are levelling up indulgence and generating buzz in the protein snack space. UK protein bar brand Trek has tapped into this trend, collaborating with Biscoff on two product lines, the latest being its Biscoff Protein Flapjacks, launched in January. Vybey’s Belch pointed out that taste is particularly key in plant-based bars, where masking earthy notes can be a challenge. He explained that the brand had this in mind when developing indulgent flavours like chocolate brownie, mint chocolate and raspberry white chocolate for its vegan nutrition bar line – striking the balance between indulgence and natural ingredients while effectively masking any off notes from the pea protein. Beyond traditional snacks, protein enrichment has made its way into just about every product category imaginable, with manufacturers increasingly experimenting with innovative new applications, from cereal to ready meals and dairy alternatives. This trend is hardly surprising, given that recent research from ADM found 70% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers are looking to increase their protein intake, creating opportunities for brands to get creative. Jac Chetland, co-founder of plant-based protein cereal brand Surreal, told The Plant Base that the company identified a gap in the market where it could fulfill this demand while responding to other unmet nutrition and health needs. “We found that most cereals on shelves are either packed with sugar or lacking real nutritional value,” he said. “We saw an opportunity to flip that on its head: make cereal that’s actually good for you, without losing any of the fun.” Surreal’s plant-based cereals combine pea and soya proteins with gut-friendly chicory root fibre and natural sweeteners like stevia, offering a functional, high-protein option for health conscious consumers. “People are waking up to how much added sugar is in traditional foods, and they want better,” Chetland explained. “High fibre is also trending, especially as gut health becomes more mainstream.” Protein plus With functional foods booming, consumers now expect more than just protein, driving brands to develop products that deliver added benefits. Protein alone is no longer enough – growing consumer interest in gut health and ingredients that can support mental wellbeing, such as mood and focus, is driving demand for multifunctional products. Mondelēz International’s Clif brand recently released a line of plant-based caffeinated energy bars in the US, designed to fuel the performance of active consumers. They contain 65mg of non-GMO, organic caffeine as well as 10g of soya protein per bar. Meanwhile, Vybey incorporates both prebiotics and ‘braincare ingredients,’ like vitamin D and B-complex for focus and memory, into its plant-based nutrition bars. “We believe the future lies in functional convergence – snacks that combine protein, nootropics, vitamins and gut health into one format,” said Belch. “Consumers are no longer siloing their goals – they want mental clarity, sustained energy and clean ingredients, all in one product.” ACI Group’s Helm commented: “Products that combine high protein content with fibre, pro- and prebiotics, and vitamins and minerals will enable consumers to address their health in a more holistic fashion by eating a single convenient product that can boost their gut health, immunity and energy levels.” “Clear, evidence-based labelling and functional claims will help consumers make informed choices, making it crucial for manufacturers to seek expert advice when looking for specialised ingredients to give their products the edge.” Thinking beyond protein is key to product success, with some formulators even reducing protein content to make room for other functional ingredients, according to Helm. This shift reflects growing consumer interest in holistic health and wellbeing benefits – not just protein quantity. “In some cases, this can prove beneficial to the product’s overall nutritional value, enabling the body to absorb other nutrients like vitamin B12 more efficiently by reducing competition for absorption pathways,” Helm noted. “It’s always a balancing act, and protein is not the only way to add nutritional value to a recipe.” Personalisation will become more prominent, he added, with tailored snacks and meal kits designed for individual health goals like muscle recovery, weight management and gut health. “Looking ahead, we expect plant-based protein to keep gaining ground – not only in traditional health-forward formats but also in more indulgent spaces,” concluded Cargill’s Schotte. “The lines between functionality and pleasure are starting to blur, and that opens up exciting territory for innovation.“