From policy changes and tariffs to major acquisitions and shifting consumer behavior, 2025 was an eventful year for the food industry. This year will likely bring more of the same.

In a recent discussion, Bob Garrison, chief editor of Prepared Foods Magazine, Kelley Rodriguez, editor-in-chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Magazine, and Alyse Thompson-Richards, editor-in-chief of FOOD ENGINEERING, combine their unique perspectives to discuss the biggest trends impacting food manufacturing and what’s on tap for 2026

Specifically, protein had its moment in 2025, but focus will likely return to fiber as consumers aim to improve health and wellness. Emphasis on nutritional properties also supports GLP-1 users, who according to Circana, will represent 35% of all food and beverage units sold by 2030.

Protein and whole grains are also emphasized in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines, which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture introduced after the recording.

“The protein levels are just going up and up, like 20 to 30 grams,” Garrison says. “And even though consumers may still not have any clue about how much daily protein they need, there’s seemingly no stopping of it. With our predictions for 2026, fiber is next — we’re hearing that a lot more."

A Cross-Functional Look at Food Industry Trends

Bob Garrison, Kelley Rodriguez, and Alyse Thompson-Richards combine their unique perspectives and discuss the biggest trends impacting the food industry in 2025 and beyond.

Automation adoption — and especially artificial intelligence (AI) — accelerated in 2025 and will continue to advance in 2026. While AI is already supports manufacturing in preventative maintenance and inspection, among other applications, Thompson-Richards points to agentic AI, which may soon make processing decisions.

“It goes beyond collecting large amounts of data, looking at patterns and making recommendations based on that,” Thompson-Richards says. “It’s then making decisions and taking actions without human intervention. That’s pretty scary, especially when you think about it in terms of a plant context, but I’m curious what that will look like.”

Sustainability in all forms will remain important to food manufacturers, particularly those in the cold chain, Rodriguez says

“With the cold chain, it’s always about temperature control,” Rodriguez says. “Energy is usually the second biggest cost for a processor or 3PL logistics provider behind labor, so anything that they can do to lower their footprint — generate something onsite, buy something that’s renewable — certainly that’s in the works.”