Food Matters Live 2025: post-event insights

The 2025 versions of Food Matters Live have concluded (across Rotterdam (above), Ascot, and Dublin), yet the conversations driving the next generation of food and nutrition innovation are just beginning.

This feature captures essential takeaways from the show floor, featuring exclusive interviews with two industry leaders who offered perspectives on shifting value chains, functional ingredients, and the urgent need for verifiable sustainability.

We hear from Dr Kaly Chatakondu, commercial director at Arborea, and Gabriela Bocchi, marketing manager, Europe at AAK, on the critical insights and opportunities that signal where the industry is heading next.

Dr Kaly Chatakondu, commercial director, Arborea

1. What does Food Matters Live represent to you in terms of driving innovation and collaboration across the food and nutrition landscape?

Food Matters Live provides a unique forum for a relaxed technical discussion and exploration between parties across a very wide spectrum from start-up to large multinational to industry experts. The most innovative ideas often come at the boundaries and overlap of different functions.

2. How do you see your company or expertise contributing to key shifts in the value chain — from sourcing and formulation to consumer engagement?

Arborea’s BioSolar Leaf technology converts carbon dioxide into valuable food and nutrition ingredients even on non-fertile land (via the industrial photosynthesis of microalgae). The food supply chain is looking for new sources of sustainable, natural and functional ingredients such as proteins, colours and bioactive nutrients and this is potentially an unlimited new source of such ingredients from free feedstock where everyone in the supply chain can profit from farmer to manufacturer to consumer.

3. Were there any standout conversations or insights during the event that you think signal where the industry is heading next?

A key insight from many of the conversations are the important subtleties around ‘truly sustainable nutrition’ particularly for emerging key sectors such as women’s nutrition, elderly nutrition and even pet nutrition . Not all proteins are the same nutritionally, not all vitamins and minerals are in a bioactive form the body recognises, not all sustainable initiatives are truly scalable. Yet with so much debate both around issues such as GLP-1 on one hand and deforestation or loss of diversity on the other, we need broader technical discussions across multiple entities to understand these subtleties

4. What’s one challenge or opportunity in your part of the value chain that you believe deserves more attention from peers and policymakers?

The biggest challenge and opportunity is for key people with the will and drive for change to connect and communicate across very different groups along the value chain when the culture and language and incentives are very different. For change to take place, there has to be value generated by a particular solution across every part of the chain from farmer to manufacturer to consumer and all steps in between or the chain will break.

Gabriela Bocchi, marketing manager, Europe, AAK

1. What does Food Matters Live represent to you in terms of driving innovation and collaboration across the food and nutrition landscape?

Unlike many other events, Food Matters Live fosters meaningful conversations, shifting the focus from promoting solutions to exchanging ideas. This dynamic creates space for the industry to align and move forward on shared visions for ingredient innovation and food transformation, especially around essential topics like sustainability and health. For AAK, Food Matters Live is especially close to heart. It reflects our co-development philosophy and our commitment to Making Better Happen, together with our customers and the wider food community.

2. How do you see your company or expertise contributing to key shifts in the value chain — from sourcing and formulation to consumer engagement?

At AAK, we believe that better ingredients are the key to better performance, and a better planet. Sustainable progress must align with consumer expectations and evolving health standards. That’s why we contribute to key shifts across the value chain by enabling responsible sourcing, purposeful formulation, and meaningful consumer engagement. Through initiatives like Kolo Nafaso, we support direct sourcing from women collecting shea, building traceable supply chains that uplift communities.

Alongside other AAK programs, we aim for high-impact sustainability outcomes, including deforestation-free targets and ethical sourcing. In formulation, our co-development approach helps customers create products that balance indulgence with health and sustainable targets. And when it comes to consumer engagement, we help brands translate technical innovation into emotional relevance. By combining sensory expertise with sustainability insights, we empower our partners to tell compelling stories that resonate with today’s conscious consumers. From plant to brand, we’re committed to Making Better Happen across every link in the chain.

3. Were there any standout conversations or insights during the event that you think signal where the industry is heading next?

Absolutely! One recurring theme was the shift from clean labels to clean impact, a move toward deeper traceability, regenerative sourcing models, and measurable sustainability outcomes and the rising demand for multi-functional ingredients, those that deliver on taste, texture, nutrition, and sustainability simultaneously. This aligns closely with AAK’s co-development approach, where we help brands balance indulgence with a purpose.

4. What’s one challenge or opportunity in your part of the value chain that you believe deserves more attention from peers and policymakers?

One opportunity that deserves greater attention is the transformation of sourcing models to be more inclusive, traceable, and regenerative. At AAK, we’ve seen first-hand how direct sourcing initiatives can create measurable impact across social, environmental, and economic dimensions. These models don’t just deliver high-quality ingredients; they build resilient communities and deforestation-free supply chains.