More than 260 food industry leaders, retailers, investors, policymakers and researchers from 17 countries gathered in Berlin to address the next phase of alternative protein growth
The alternative protein sector must move beyond innovation for innovation’s sake and focus on making products relevant and affordable, according to key insights from ProVeg International’s New Food Conference 2026.
More than 260 participants from 17 countries gathered in Berlin on 24-25 August for the international conference, bringing together stakeholders from across the food value chain to explore how cross-industry collaboration can accelerate the transition towards a more resilient and diversified protein system.
Held under the theme ‘Beyond the Hype: Resilient Systems, Cross-Industry Alliances’, the conference focused on the practical challenges facing the sector as it moves from a startup-driven market towards a more mature industry.
“The alternative protein sector is entering a new phase. The question is no longer whether innovation is possible, but how we turn innovation into products, businesses and supply chains that work at scale,” said Virginia Cecchini Kuskow, Senior Food Industry Manager and NFC Programme Manager at ProVeg International.
“For this shift, we need all hands on deck. Retailers, manufacturers, farmers, investors, policymakers and innovators all have a role to play (and lots to gain) in building a protein system that is commercially viable and future-proofed. The New Food Conference 2026 helped to show this.”
From innovation to relevance
A key message from the conference was that mainstream consumers are not necessarily looking for radically different food products – they are looking for products that fit easily into their existing routines.
During a panel, Denise Blömers of YouGov highlighted the importance of relevance over novelty, with 75% of consumers in YouGov research saying that they value food choices that can be integrated into everyday life easily and effortlessly. This means that the next phase of growth will depend increasingly on familiar formats, competitive pricing, appealing taste, and clear product positioning.
Retailers are already playing an important role. Private-label products are helping to drive category growth, while price gaps between plant-based and animal-based products are narrowing in several categories. The challenge now is to turn occasional purchases into routine shopping habits.
As Miriam Schroer, CSR Director at Lidl in Germany, put it in her NFC keynote: consumers want to find alternatives alongside the products they already buy, rather than having to fundamentally change how they shop.
GLP-1 agonists revamp health considerations
The conference also explored how changing health priorities are influencing food innovation. From GLP-1 medications to growing interest in longevity and preventative health, shifts in consumer behavior are creating new opportunities for food manufacturers to rethink product development.
With reduced appetite associated with GLP-1 therapies, nutrient density becomes increasingly important. Speakers highlighted the potential for plant-based foods to contribute protein and fiber while meeting evolving consumer expectations around health and functionality.
At the same time, speakers stressed that plant-based does not automatically mean healthy. For the sector to build long-term consumer trust, health claims and communications must be grounded in robust evidence and a broader understanding of nutrition and prevention.
Resilient supply chains start with farmers
Building a more diversified protein system also requires changes further upstream. The conference highlighted the need for stronger connections between farmers, food manufacturers and retailers, particularly when developing markets for crops such as pulses and other protein-rich ingredients.
Long-term purchasing agreements and cultivation contracts can provide farmers with greater certainty, helping to translate unpredictable market demand into more manageable financial risk. Such mechanisms can support investment in new crops while giving food businesses greater security of supply.
“Farmers are excellent risk strategists. The problem is that, from the perspective of the bank, the situation is not necessarily risky; it is uncertain,” said Patricia Rishi Sundstrom of the Farm Adaptation Network during an NFC panel on farming. Multi-year purchasing commitments can help turn that uncertainty into predictable revenues, creating stronger foundations for resilient value chains.
The discussion also highlighted the strategic importance of protein diversification for food security and sovereignty, particularly as geopolitical instability and supply chain disruptions continue to expose vulnerabilities in global food systems.
Collaboration is the key to scaling
Across two days of keynotes, panels, and discussions, one message came through clearly: the next phase of the protein transition requires collaboration across the entire value chain.
The New Food Conference brought together stakeholders from food retail and manufacturing, agriculture, investment, research and politics to explore practical solutions around three core areas: volumes and scale; health, technology and taste; and protein sovereignty.
“Building a resilient food system requires us to connect the dots, from what farmers grow, to what manufacturers produce, to what retailers put on shelves and what consumers choose,” added Ceccini Kuskow.
“The New Food Conference provides a space for these conversations to happen across traditional industry boundaries. The relationships and ideas developed here are essential if we are going to make protein diversification a reality at scale.”
The 2026 conference demonstrated that the alternative protein sector is moving into a new era – one defined not simply by technological breakthroughs, but by commercial performance, consumer relevance, resilient supply chains and collaboration.
ENDS
Contact details for press officers:
Gemma Chapman | International Communications Manager | ProVeg International | [email protected]
Editor’s notes
About the New Food Conference: The New Food Conference is an international specialist conference dedicated to plant-based and alternative proteins. Organized by ProVeg International in Berlin, the event brings together decision-makers from the food industry, retail, agriculture, investment and policy to develop solutions for a more sustainable and resilient food system. Since its launch in 2019, the conference has provided a platform for cross-industry exchange and collaboration.
The 2026 conference took place on 24–25 August in Berlin under the theme ‘Beyond the Hype: Resilient Systems, Cross-Industry Alliances’, bringing together more than 260 participants from 17 countries.
About ProVeg International: Our vision is a world where the food we eat is good for all people, animals, and our planet. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable global food system by making plant-rich foods and alternative proteins more accessible and appealing.
