GERMANY | Sugar reduction, alternative raw materials and natural colours are transforming the product development of sweets and snacks.
Less sugar, more fibre, a wider range of raw materials, and natural colours are expanding the scope of sweets and snacks development. To ensure products deliver a convincing sensory experience and can be reliably processed, ingredients must complement each other perfectly.
ISM Ingredients will focus on ingredients and application concepts for reformulating established products, as well as developing new sweets and snack concepts.
Sweets offer moments of everyday indulgence, and modified recipes shouldn't change that. At the same time, more and more consumers are seeking a more conscious approach to consumption.
According to an analysis by Innova Market Insights published in August 2026, nearly one in two people worldwide say they are consuming less sugar to maintain a healthier diet.
Manufacturers are combining sugar reduction with increased fibre. About every sixth new food and beverage product that claims to be low in sugar, sugar-free, or sugar-reduced also highlights a reference to fibre.
Consumer acceptance of such products depends on the sensory characteristics.
"We frequently observe a discrepancy between consumer intentions regarding sugar and sodium reduction and their actual behaviour - especially when it comes to compromising taste," said Lu Ann Williams, co-founder of Innova Market Insights.
This means product developers must ensure that even if a biscuit contains less sugar, it retains its familiar crunchiness and the filling still melts on the tongue. To achieve this, the ingredients in the modified recipe must be reformulated to be perfectly balanced.
Replacing sugar, while maintaining texture
BENEO demonstrates how sugar reduction and increased fibre can be combined in biscuit concepts, including chocolate chip cookies. Orafti inulin and oligofructose, extracted from chicory roots, replace part of the sugar and also enhance texture. Their selection and dosage influence perceived sweetness, dough processing, and biscuit crunchiness.
Formulation is a key focus at ISM Ingredients 2027. Overall, around 110 exhibitors from 31 countries are expected, including Brenntag, Döhler, Barry Callebaut, Bühler Food Equipment, Fuji Oil Europe, GNT, ofi and Paradise Fruits.
Greater resilience through a wider range of raw materials
Economic factors are also driving the search for alternative ingredients: Strongly fluctuating cocoa prices and supply risks are complicating manufacturers' long-term planning. A wider range of raw materials can reduce dependence on the cocoa market and make supply chains more resilient.
To this end, product developers are combining ingredients made from oats, sunflower seeds or legumes with carefully selected plant-based fats. The composition of these fats helps create chocolate's typical melting characteristics.
In this connection, Döhler is relying, among others, on broad beans. After acquiring Nukoko in June 2026, the company is driving the industrial-scale production of corresponding cocoa-free chocolate alternatives. The focus is on applications in sweets and bakery products, ice cream, and coatings and fillings.
Furthermore, for plant-based alternatives for white chocolate, Döhler combines plant-based powders with nut and seed pastes. Rice syrup powder adds sweetness, while almond and cashew pastes add texture and colour. In this way, several carefully aligned ingredients replicate the functions of dairy components.
From the ingredients solution to the retail shelf
Peas and carob open up additional options for cocoa-free sweets. Fuji Oil's Anoza M is also based on these raw materials. Fuji Oil Europe, an exhibitor at ISM Ingredients, is also part of this corporate group. The Japanese group Aeon is using this ingredient solution for three new sweets products under its own brand, Topvalu, including coated caramelised almonds and Cranberry Crunch. The phased market launch is planned to begin in September 2026 in around 3,500 stores.
The Ingredients Special Show in Passage 4/5, curated by Haute Innovation, will also offer ideas for implementing new raw materials. The spotlight is on alternative proteins, fermentation and sustainable raw materials.
On the Talks & Tasting Stage in Hall 5.2, "Chocolate Futures" and "Plant-based Innovation Tasting" sessions also focus on the future of chocolate and plant-based product innovation.
Natural colours for new product concepts
Reformulation processes are also reevaluating colouring. Product developers are looking for colours derived from fruit, vegetables and plants to replace synthetic dyes.
At the same time, natural colours can also serve as the starting point for new product ideas. GNT is applying the purple colour world of the Ube trend to cookies, muffins and donuts. The purple yam root, familiar from Philippine cuisine, combines its distinctive colour with a mild, creamy and slightly nutty flavour profile. This creates opportunities for product developers to differentiate trusted bakery formats with new colour and taste profiles.
Beyond the desired shade, key considerations include processing and dosage. California Natural Colour, an ISM Ingredients exhibitor, offers natural colours in crystalline form for sweets and bakery products. Natural colour sources are transformed into water-soluble and free-flowing crystals using a patented drying technique.
According to the manufacturer, these achieve five to ten times higher colour concentration than conventional liquid colours and enable correspondingly low usage volumes.
Discussing market trends, sampling product concepts
Knowledge partners like Innova Market Insights will enhance the event programme with insights into global trends and new market potential. For the first time in 2027, the previously separate Talks & Tasting Stage and Expert Stage will be held on a joint stage. The topics span from ingredient development and industrial implementation to consumer and market trends.
The co-staged ISM Manufacturing complements the ingredients range with machinery, systems, automation, and packaging solutions. Together with ISM Snacks & Sweets, the trade fair trio covers the entire value chain, from ingredients and recipe development to industrial implementation and packaging, right through to the finished product.
ISM Ingredients will bring suppliers and product developers together in Cologne from the 31st of January to the 3rd of February 2027.
