Food and beverage trends have been battling it out for supremacy in a buzzing, often crowded food and beverage market.
In 2025 we saw body positivity versus weight loss, luxury versus rustic, plant-based versus animal based, and limited edition versus nostalgia.
Discover the 2025 winners here.
But which trends will go head-to-head in 2026?
Read on to find out...
Protein vs Fibre
We’re kicking things off with two of the biggest trends in food and beverage - protein and fibre.
Both giants of the food and beverage world, protein and fibre look set to face off against each other in 2026, as shifting consumer priorities, the rise of GLP‑1 medications, and retail‑driven product innovation push these two prized nutrients into direct competition.
Protein has proven itself a consumer favourite over the past five years, but recently the question “is fibre the new protein?” has been asked time and time and time again. Could 2026 be the year that the answer is yes?
Datassential analysts certainly think so. The industry insight specialist is reporting that fibre is poised to overtake protein as the dominant health trend due to growing interest in gut health and GLP‑1‑aligned satiety benefits, while food and drink forecasts highlight “fibermaxxing” as one of the year’s biggest movements.
But things are far from over for protein. It remains essential to consumers seeking muscle maintenance, metabolic support, and high‑satiety foods and beverages.
The consumer shift back towards animal-based products is also helping to boost the megatrend that is a high-protein diet.
So, will fibre continue its meteoric rise, will protein remain dominant, or will both become must-have nutrients?
GLP-1s vs Satiety-Boosting Foods
We’re following up with another defining tension, shaping the food and beverage landscape in 2026 - GLP‑1 medications versus satiety‑boosting foods.
As the use of GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs accelerates, they’re fundamentally reshaping consumer appetites, suppressing hunger, shrinking portion sizes and reducing overall food intake. This shift is steering eating behaviours away from traditional satiety cues and towards a medicated, appetite‑dampened model of consumption.
Research shows GLP‑1 users are cutting back on sugar and carbohydrate‑heavy foods and often eating far less overall, which is prompting manufacturers to rethink formats, reformulate recipes and develop dedicated GLP‑1‑aligned product lines built around smaller portions and reduced calorie density. In this scenario, food becomes something to be managed, not something relied upon for fullness.
Satiety‑boosting foods sit on the opposite side of this trend. Their entire purpose is to make people feel full naturally, through nutrient density, fibre, protein and digestive support.
Industry analysts note that satiety‑focused innovation is expanding, driven by consumers who want reassurance from the food itself, not from pharmaceuticals. These products rely on the very mechanisms GLP‑1 drugs override - appetite, hunger signalling and the body’s natural ability to recognise when it’s satisfied.
This puts the two trends in direct conflict. GLP‑1s reduce the need for fullness from food, while satiety‑boosting foods attempt to provide it. One pushes consumption downward, the other encourages more intentional, nutrient‑dense eating.
As a result, the market is being pulled in two different directions - medical appetite suppression on one side, and food‑centric fullness on the other.
In 2026, the question isn’t how these trends support one another - they don’t. It’s how the industry will navigate a landscape where pharmaceuticals and satiety‑driven foods are competing to define the future of “feeling full”.
Functional vs Clean Label
Finally, but potentially most contentious of all - functional foods and beverages versus clean label.
Consumers are increasingly drawn to products that don’t just taste good but do good too, with gut health, cognitive support, and longevity some of the most sought-after benefits.
And brands are responding with foods and beverages fortified with probiotics, adaptogens, nootropics, and protein, to name but a few, pushing functional nutrition into the everyday.
There’s just one problem with functional foods and beverages. They often fail to conform to another major consumer trend - clean label.
But as functionality climbs, the clean‑label movement is tightening its grip - and they’re pulling in opposite directions.
Clean label has evolved from a simple preference for “no nasties” into a broader cultural expectation for short, recognisable ingredient lists, and minimal processing, something fortified functional foods and beverages can’t provide.
In 2026, brands face mounting pressure to choose which value to prioritise, because trying to satisfy both often results in compromise that convinces no one. The questions is, will they pick the one consumers value most?
Which of these trends will be crowned the winners?
All will be revealed in December 2026.
