Editor’s Note: At a time when more consumers are identifying sustainability and planet health as important, there’s a growing, global infrastructure for products incorporating upcycled ingredients. To learn more about this sector’s progress—and prospects for 2025, Prepared Foods reached out to Amanda Oenbring, chief executive officer at the Upcycled Food Association; and Kathryn Britton director of innovation for UFA’s certifying partner, Where Food Comes From, Inc. 

Prepared Foods editors looked for cocoa ingredient alternatives during this year’s Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) annual expo. Interestingly, one solution came from a seemingly unlikely source on the show floor: POM Wonderful Specialty Ingredients. Following is a conversation with POM Wonderful’s Jason Horvath, sales manager for Specialty Ingredients. 

Prior to sharing our outlook for 2025, we wanted to review the predictions we made for 2024 to determine what we got right and what might not have fully taken shape. Here, we've collected capsule information for each section of our 2024 Predictions, in areas such as sustainability, foodservice and global flavors.

Amano Enzyme experts are also presenting as part of the official IFT FIRST 2024 education program. Monica Henry, Scientist at Amano Enzyme, is presenting the session, “Improvement of Physical Properties in High Protein Plant-Based Cheese with Enzymatic Treatment,” on Tuesday, July 16, at 12:00 p.m. CDT. 

Consumers tell us that they care a lot about the health of the planet and say that it’s today’s most important global issue. They also describe themselves as being at least moderately engaged in various environmental actions.

Prepared Foods explores sustainability and ingredient “upcycling” with Amanda Oenbring, new CEO of the Upcycled Food Association.

Powered by a plant protein blend, the upcoming line of Protein Shakes deliver on the sustainable and functional demands of today, according to the company.

Each bite delivers an indulgent snacking experience that supports sustainable farming practices, as Diana’s upcycles small, single, and irregular bananas from Ecuador that would otherwise be discarded for cosmetic reasons. 

Oenbring brings a wealth of experience in community collaboration, climate philanthropy, and global growth and has a proven track record of movement building, previously scaling international membership at 1% for the Planet and leading environmental nonprofit network expansion at EarthShare. 

At the top of the trends hierarchy are five macro forces that impact consumer needs and behavior: focus on health, increased cost of living, potential political and global threats, technology transformations, and health of the planet.