There have been a multitude of exciting new launches at IFE 2024, with certain trends standing out more than others, reports FoodNavigator. Innovation was at the forefront of the International Food Exhibition 2024 (IFE 2024), with startups and established brands pushing the boundaries of food production to create products that cater to modern consumer trends. So, what's hot and what's not in the world of food? Well, the answer from the show was loud and clear—plant-based is where it's at.

Allergen-Free Doughnuts

Allergen-free doughnuts might sound too good to be true for some. But that's what Ryan Panchoo is doing at Borough 22, his bakery business founded in 2011. Borough 22's doughnuts are dairy-free, gluten-free, plant-based, FODMAP-friendly, low-sugar, and certified Kosher and Halal.

The idea stemmed from Panchoo's family life. As a father to children with food allergies, he wanted his kids to feel included—not "segregated"—at birthday parties and social events where conventional treats were served. Borough 22 creates a "completely inclusive experience," he explained at this week's IFE trade show in London.

Borough 22 first launched an allergen-free baked doughnut, which it sells in Selfridges & Co. But Panchoo remained committed to developing a yeasted, fried, allergen-free version, which was achieved in 2022. He sells these products direct-to-consumer and through his bakery in London.

"We wanted to make a product that was as good, if not better, than conventional doughnuts," Panchoo explained. The founder believes he's achieved that, after taking home several gongs at last year's Free-From Awards.

Borough 22, which sells in the UK and Northern Ireland, is now in the process of expansion. The next challenge is to investigate whether the allergen-free doughnuts can be rapidly frozen, which would extend their shelf life and allow for further transportation, the founder revealed.

Gluten-Free Products That Aren't "Artificially Priced"

The free-from market is plagued by "unhealthy" products with long ingredient lists and "artificially inflated" price tags. That's the opinion of Robert Sak, CEO of the free-from company Seedful.

In response, Sak is doing things differently. The company refuses to follow trends set by food experts, he emphasized at the IFE trade show in London this week. Instead, it produces Eastern European-inspired bread (Sak himself hails from Poland), which is "healthy" with positive ingredients and nutritional values.

Each Seedful product provides a source of fiber, is rich in omega-3, rich in magnesium, and low in sugar. Crucially for gluten-free consumers, the range is gluten-free and dairy-free.

Each product contains approximately six or seven ingredients, Sak revealed, suggesting that free-from products don't need to be complicated. "They can be easily made."

Seedful’s Buckwheat Slices are made from buckwheat flakes, sunflower seeds, brown linseeds, golden linseeds, pumpkin seeds, millet seeds, psyllium plantain, organic apple cider vinegar, Silybum marianum, and Himalayan salt.

Plastic-Free Plastic Bottles

Plant-based products are big news in the food and beverage sector, as consumer demand for tasty meat-free options continues to grow. But what about plant-based packaging?

The answer from Win Win Water is an emphatic yes! The bottles from this new bottled water brand are made from hemp, reeds, shells, sugar cane, flax, and organically grown nullei and contain no toxins or harmful oils. What's more, they will biodegrade in just 90 days.

"All of our plant-based materials are sustainably and naturally sourced from organic earth," said Joshua Daley, sales director of Win Win Water.

And the water itself boasts a naturally high electrolyte content, with nothing added.

Plant-Based Ice Cream

Danish plant-based brand Naturli' is making plant-based ice cream taste good! Established in 1988, this plant enthusiast is far from a newcomer to the meat-free industry, but its product range continues to grow. From delicious ice creams, in flavors including dough, to butter and organic plant-based milk.

"They're delicious, you should try them," said Anna Munkholm Jensen from Naturli, pointing us towards the ice cream cones. "My favorite is salted caramel," she explained. Well, "natural" we had to taste them, test them—all in the name of research, of course—and we agree that caramel is delicious, although we might need to try the other flavors to be sure of our favorite...

In addition to being dairy-free, Naturli's products are also palm oil-free, as the team behind the brand also takes into account the deforestation issues associated with palm oil.

Making Plant-Based Eating Easy

British plant-based brand Novo Farina is working on the ethos that "eating plant-based should be easy." Made from pea protein, the newly launched gluten-free mince can be used in anything from lasagna to burgers. Nova Farina is also committed to clean-label products, meaning it wants to use as few ingredients in its foods as possible.

"In recent years, pea protein has emerged as a nutritional hero, providing an optimal balance of essential amino acids, an excellent source of fiber, rich in protein, and allergen-free, making it a viable and versatile alternative to traditional protein sources," explains Emily Williams, commercial director of Nova Farina. "Until now, pea protein texturized (TPP) has been the least used soy association, but due to soy's very high carbon footprint and clean label demand, we see the appetite for quality pea protein texturized increase more than ever."

Coffee for Every Moment of the Day

Launched at IFE 2024, new coffee brand Tide makes coffee comfort a priority, with its coffee for every time of day. From sunrise to sunset, Tide has created coffee with the right caffeine level.

"We are passionate about blue health, great-tasting coffee, and reducing the negative impact we have on our environment,"

explains founder James Gray.

The term "blue health" acknowledges the happiness people experience in environments characterized by blue spaces, such as the beach. Tide coffee uses 100% Arabica coffee beans, and the capsules are 100% compostable.

Umami? No Uhhmami

Vegan brand Uhhmami transforms classic meat and fish dishes into plant-based alternatives.

"Uhhmami doesn't just mean mimicking meat flavors, but rather reinventing them to create new tastes, using fresh, organic, and cruelty-free ingredients," explains creator and chef Frank Lantz.

The range includes a wide variety of dishes, including Beef'ish, Ocean'ish, Chicken'ish, and Bacon'ish, and can be used to create soups, sauces, or simply sprinkled over a meal as a seasoning.

Vertical Farming with Fortified Vegetables

Vertical farming is proving to be a major innovator when it comes to food production. It's an eco-friendly option that allows for optimized crop growth, as plants are provided with the ideal amount of water, air, light, soil nutrients, and heat. It also reduces the carbon footprint of food, as it can be grown closer to the targeted consumers.

Now vertical farm, Ro-Gro, is launching its biofortified pea shoots "first and foremost," which contain vitamin B12.

"We are excited to embrace such advanced farming techniques to be more sustainable and also to produce nutritious food," says Jason Perrott, CEO and chief grower of vertical farming company Ro-Gro.

"Only by working together across a multitude of science and industry disciplines, including agriculture, engineering, and biotechnology, can we address some of our greatest challenges, such as caring for our land and our health.

The B12 biofortified pea shoot is a wonderful example of what can happen when we work together. And all of this—from pea seed production to biofortified pea shoot—can be done right here on British farms, all year round. Now, that's exciting!"

A 15g portion of Ro-Gro pea shoots will provide the recommended daily dose (RDD) of 1.5 micrograms of vitamin B12 for an adult.

Gut-Friendly Breakfast

SOAK'd OATS has launched gut-friendly oat bars, and they're delicious. We made sure to try all the new flavors, including apple and raisin, peanut butter and banana, to be absolutely sure!

These vegan-friendly bars are made using "SOAK'd" jumbo oats, mixed with fruits and seeds. They're made using all-natural ingredients and contain no refined sugars.

The bars are marketed as an easy plant-based breakfast on the go, but they can truly be enjoyed as a snack at any time of day.

And, like many of the brands at IFE 2024, SOAK'd OATS is working to improve its carbon footprint, with over 50% of its products currently packaged in 100% recyclable material.

"Our emissions are currently very low, but as we grow, we naturally expect our emissions to increase," explains a spokesperson for SOAK'd OATS. "Our current reduction commitments include purchasing renewable energy where possible, using low/medium emission vehicles, and zero product waste." (Photo: IFE)