Food manufacturing has entered a brand-new phase of innovation. The next generation of F&B products will need to balance nutrition, taste, affordability, sustainability and supply-chain resilience, all while reaching consumers faster.
For manufacturers, the focus shifts from “what should we make next?” to “how do we make it better, smarter and more resilient?”
Amid this transition, three industry leaders – Tetra Pak, Bunge and Döhler, share their future perspectives on different aspects of the industry value chain. Their shared views reveal that the biggest opportunities will come from building an integrated and connected food manufacturing ecosystem.
A journey to creating resilient food systems
Tetra Pak views infrastructure as the foundation of the food manufacturing sector’s future. With manufacturers facing increased pressure to improve efficiency while reducing environmental impact, packaging can no longer be treated as an afterthought. It is emerging as an integral facet of the broader conversation around food safety, waste, resource use and the resilience of food systems.
Aligning with this, Tetra Pak’s latest sustainability report shows a 34 per cent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions across its value chain since 2019, alongside a 56 per cent reduction in emissions from its own operations and 97 per cent renewable energy consumption in 2025.
Supply chain: A critical link in the development process
For Bunge, the challenge lies further upstream in the supply chain. Food manufacturers are increasingly operating against a backdrop of changing trade flows, raw-material volatility and growing expectations around responsible sourcing. According to Bunge, to tackle this challenge, manufacturers and ingredient suppliers need to think beyond individual ingredients and focus on building resilient value chains. This includes combining agricultural sourcing, processing capabilities, technical expertise and innovation to give manufacturers greater flexibility as market demands shift.
Outlining how rising supply-chain resilience, ingredient innovation and changing consumer expectations are reshaping food manufacturing, Katherine Huang, Vice President, Tropical Oils Value Chain Asia at Bunge stated, “Today’s food manufacturers are navigating a more complex environment, where ingredient volatility, evolving consumer expectations and cost pressures are reshaping the way products are developed. At Bunge, we see innovation and supply resilience going hand in hand. By combining our global sourcing capabilities with deep application expertise and a strong focus on traceability and sustainability, we help our customers create solutions that deliver the right balance of taste, performance and affordability. Gulfood Manufacturing is an important platform for us to demonstrate how we can turn today’s challenges into opportunities for more resilient and competitive food solutions.”
The implications of this transition are quite significant – the future of alternative and functional foods may depend less on simply offering a ‘plant-based’ proposition and more on delivering products that also taste good.
Consumers expect more value from every bite
Döhler offers a broader take by analysing this shift through the lens of the consumer.
As health, functionality and naturality become as important as taste and convenience, manufacturers are focusing on developing sophisticated formulations that serve multiple functions.
Döhler’s recent transition from focusing primarily on nutrition and natural ingredients to now prioritising taste modulation and biotechnology, highlights this change. Aligning with this, its N-Zyme BioTec platform recently expanded its focus on fermentation-based solutions designed to improve taste, texture, colour and nutritional profiles. Highlighting the need to combinetaste, nutrition and naturality in this next phase, Khaled Abo El-Nasr, General Manager of Döhler MENA commented “Presently, we have noticed a rising trend within our plant-based beverages category, where consumers increasingly expect more nutritional value, recognisable sensory experiences and consistent quality rather than novelty alone. This clearly demonstrates that there needs to be a shift in key operational processes that form the foundation of the industry to fulfil these evolving consumer expectations.”
One industry, three perspectives
These diverse perspectives reveal a common trajectory – the future of food manufacturing will not be defined by a single technology, ingredient or packaging format. Instead, it will be shaped by how effectively manufacturers connect resilient sourcing, efficient production and responsible packaging to create products that consumers genuinely want.
There is also a need for strategic collaborations across the value chain that bring packaging specialists, ingredient suppliers, technology providers and food manufacturers together to support the nascent stages of product development.
The next chapter of food manufacturing will not simply be about increasing production. It will be about making food systems smarter, more adaptable and better equipped for what consumers and the planet demand next. Supporting this transition, the upcoming Gulfood Manufacturing 2026 will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from November 3 to 5, under the theme ‘Powering Food Security Through Manufacturing Innovation’.
Aligned with the theme, the exhibition will highlight advanced processing and packaging, next-generation ingredients, automation, AI, digital manufacturing and supply-chain solutions. In spotlight this year are the FoodTech Summit and Innovation Tours, set to unveil vital insights on digital transformation, sustainable manufacturing, food safety and operational excellence. The event will serve as a key platform for synergising the technologies, partnerships and investment needed to position the UAE’s food sector as a more integrated, competitive and export-oriented manufacturing base.
Registration is free for trade professionals. To register and learn more about Gulfood Manufacturing, please visit www.gulfoodmanufacturing.com.
