Innovation Month

RSS

By blending consumer insight with culinary creativity, Ajinomoto transforms an emerging menu trend into an award-winning product. The result: a craveable, on-the-go snack that delivers comfort, texture, and cross-cultural flavor appeal.

Prepared Foods’ 2025 Spirit of Innovation Awards recognize excellence in new product development across retail, foodservice, and alternative channels. From authentic flavors to functional benefits, this year’s winners exemplify how trend insight, creativity, and collaboration drive industry innovation.

From freshness sensors to connected labels, smart packaging is becoming an essential tool for R&D teams. Explore how these innovations improve safety, reduce waste, and drive brand trust.

Tea innovation continues to flourish with functional benefits, lower sugar and mindful sourcing. From Yogi’s wellness concentrates to Milo’s growth push and Celestial’s anytime offerings, brands are steeping wellness into every cup.

Coffee innovation continues to heat up as brands blend protein, mushrooms and better-for-you ingredients into the cold and ready-to-drink space. From Bulletproof’s High Protein Iced Coffee to Daily Harvest’s cleaner PSL, functionality meets flavor in every sip.

Great innovators look beyond trends to uncover the deeper “why” behind consumer behavior. At SRG, that means blending cultural immersion, emotional insight and AI-powered tools to turn inspiration into lasting impact.

AI leverages extensive datasets to transform food innovation

In an era of data overload, real advantage comes from clarity, not volume. By spotting trends early, uncovering the details that drive them, and integrating teams from insight to execution, brands can innovate faster and smarter in 2026.

In a landscape where most new launches fail, innovation doesn’t always mean starting from scratch. By revisiting past ideas with fresh data and intent, brands can uncover faster, lower-risk paths to growth and renewed relevance.