Food Matters Live Podcast

How do we create nutrition products that resonate with every generation? It's a complex challenge but one that's becoming increasingly important as the active nutrition market evolves. The sports nutrition industry has traditionally focused on hardcore athletes, but we're seeing a fundamental shift towards "active nutrition" – products designed for consumers of all ages who want to stay healthy and physically active. We know that different generations have vastly different health priorities, communication preferences, and product format needs.  In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Manchester in May 2025, we explore how brands can successfully navigate these generational differences to create products that work across multiple demographics, from understanding what drives each age group to practical formulation strategies. And we examine real-world examples of how ingredients like protein and creatine can be positioned differently for various life stages, while maintaining scientific integrity and regulatory compliance. Guest: Mark Evans, Senior Scientist, Holland & Barrett

What does meaningful progress towards sustainability in the food industry actually look like? Is it setting ambitious targets and regular transparent reporting? Possibly. But the key thing is how those targets affect things on the ground, the tangible benefits we see as a result. In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, made in partnership with AAK [https://www.aak.com/], we look at targeted initiatives that are creating impact at scale, while also addressing some of the sector’s most complex challenges. We learn about efforts to empower women in West Africa (and find out all about rocket stoves), how data is being used to drive regenerative agricultural practices in Swedish Rapeseed, and we tackle the tough questions around palm oil. AAK are a lead partner for the Food Matters Live events in Rotterdam [https://foodmatterslive.com/rotterdam/] and Ascot [https://foodmatterslive.com/ascot/]. AAK AAK are experts in plant-based oils and fats, the value-adding ingredients in many products people love to consume. They make these products better tasting, healthier, and more sustainable.  At the heart of AAK’s offer is Customer Co-Development, combining their desire to understand what Making Better Happen™ means for each customer, with the unique flexibility of their production assets, and deep knowledge of products and industries, including Chocolate & Confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Plant-based Foods, Special Nutrition, Foodservice, and Personal Care.  Meet AAK at Food Matters Live in Ascot and Rotterdam where they will be showcasing their innovative ingredient solutions in their technical tasting and insight session.

What happens when a booming sports nutrition market collides with regulatory reality and patchy evidence? In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Manchester in May 2025, a panel of industry experts delve into the commercial realities facing sports nutrition brands today. They discuss health claims, the novel foods approval process, and maximum vitamin limits. But it's not all about regulation. This episode covers the latest active nutrition trends and consumer behaviours. Active nutrition now covers everyone from couch-to-5K runners to elite athletes, but what they want and need can vary greatly.

When it comes to new product development, trends are a huge factor in what gets made and what doesn't. But which food trends deserve the hype and which are flying under the radar? In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Manchester in May 2025, we gather a panel of industry experts to discuss what's overhyped and underestimated in NPD right now. Our panellists pull no punches: artificial sweeteners have failed to tackle obesity, lion's mane mushrooms are being oversold as superfoods, and the protein obsession on TikTok is driving meat consumption back up for the first time in years. Meanwhile, fermentation remains criminally underestimated as the missing piece in our nutritional puzzle, and pulses offer untapped potential for both human and planetary health. And, of course, the topic of AI comes up - just how much of an impact is it having (and will it have) on NPD in the food sector?

Have you ever wondered what it would take to feed 10 billion people without destroying the planet? In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Manchester in May 2025, we tackle this question head-on with a leading researcher from the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at Imperial College London. Dr Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro breaks down the uncomfortable truths about our current food system: agriculture accounts for 33% of global greenhouse gas emissions, we are wasting 30% of everything we produce, and yet demand is skyrocketing as the world population heads toward 10 billion by 2050. He explores three game-changing approaches to alternative proteins that could solve this puzzle, and reveals how cutting-edge science is making the impossible possible, including yeast that's been launched to space to tackle the cost of feeding astronauts.  But the real story is how these breakthrough technologies could transform food production right here on Earth. Guest: Dr Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, Director, the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein