Food Matters Live Podcast

590: Butter boards and milk manga - the renaissance of dairy

Dairy products may be perceived as 'much-loved by uninspiring' in some quarters, but there's plenty of work being done to change the category's image. In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our Dublin event, we discover how it's being transformed through the prism seven consumer lifestyle pathways. We learn about communal dining trends driving butter and cheese boards across Gen Z, and "prejuvenation" - where 20-somethings obsess over aging and drive collagen-infused dairy innovation. And there is a GLP-1 angle. As appetite suppressors change how people experience food, dairy is leaning into sensory innovation - texture (yogurts with three different textures in one pot), olfactory cues (fragrance as a purchase driver in Chinese RTD teas), and maximalist joy.  From milk manga comics revealed as Japanese schoolchildren empty their bottles, to Velveeta's unapologetic 100-year celebration with nail polish and candles, dairy's future isn't about being healthy and boring - it's about nutrient density delivered with color, fun, and connection.

589: The next generation of sustainable protein

The next wave of protein innovation is here - and it looks nothing like the plant-based burgers that dominated the last five years.  In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our Ascot event in 2025, we explore two radically different approaches to meat alternatives. Mycelium fermentation that grows centimetre-length muscle-like fibres, requiring just four ingredients, and extremophilic micro algae that thrive at pH 1 without contamination or arable land. But our panel of experts also confront the hard numbers: with billions of chickens slaughtered annually and current meat consumption mathematically unsustainable by 2050, these innovations must need to achieve price parity, superior nutritional value, and genuine consumer acceptance to make a meaningful impact.

588: Forecasting the future of flavour innovation

What does the future hold for flavour innovation in the food sector? In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Dublin, five culinary innovators reveal which flavour trends are defining the 2020s - and which unexpected ingredients will reshape menus by 2030. The panel dissects everything from "borderless cuisine", to the relentless march of hot honey across every category.  And what of plant-based meat alternatives? Some of our panel push back on products trying too hard to mimic meat. And could we be about to witness a turnaround in fortunes for the PR around MSG?

587: The HFSS Challenge - Innovation, Consumer Reality and Industry Progress

Can you reformulate a product to reduce sodium by 25% without losing the rich savoury profile consumers expect? And even if you can, will shoppers actually buy it?  The UK's high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) regulations have sparked the biggest wave of reformulation the food industry has seen in decades - but success requires far more than technical prowess.  In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our Ascot event, three speakers reveal the complex reality of making food healthier while keeping consumers coming back for more. And there's another challenge: just as companies invest millions reformulating to current benchmarks, there are further changes in the works.  How can industry maintain momentum when the regulatory goalposts keep moving, and 40% of shopping baskets still come from HFSS products?

586: GLP-1 - How should the food industry respond?

What happens when 12% of US adults start using weight loss medication that suppresses their appetite? We're finding out in real time - and the food industry is working to respond.  In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Dublin in November 2025, we look at how GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are already leading to retailers and manufacturers all over the world fundamentally rethinking their strategies. The numbers are stark: households using GLP-1s spend 6% less on food overall, meanwhile, protein yogurts, meat snacks, nutrition bars and fresh produce are thriving as users seek nutrient-dense foods to maintain nutrition while eating far less. GLP-1 isn’t a side story, in fact, this consumer segment is already the same size as the vegan/vegetarian market in the UK. And the signs are that it’s only going to grow. The real challenge is, we don't know if users will take these drugs once, multiple times in cycles, or continuously at maintenance doses - and each scenario requires completely different food industry responses.