IFE Manufacturing, the ultimate business event for food & drink product development, will open with a dedicated programme on 30 March curated by the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) and Campden BRI, bringing together leading scientists, technologists and industry experts to explore the future of ingredient innovation, formulation and sustainable product development. 

Taking place on the show’s Trends & Innovation Platform, the programme will guide visitors through the full ingredient journey, from sustainable sourcing and breakthrough science to AI-enabled development and practical reformulation for healthier products. Talking points will also tie into IFE and IFE Manufacturing’s 2026 theme of ‘Feeding the Future’.  

Robert Edge-Partington of IFST, who will present at the IFE Manufacturing Ingredients Awards Ceremony at the end of the day, said: “This programme has been designed to reflect the real technical challenges and opportunities facing food and drink manufacturers. By bringing together experts from science, academia and industry, we want to showcase how evidence-based innovation can translate into commercially viable, scalable solutions. IFE Manufacturing provides an important forum for connecting research, ingredient technology and product development in one place.” 

The day begins with ‘Sustainable sourcing: Ingredients with purpose’, moderated by Nina Spencer of Campden BRI, examining how manufacturers can secure resilient supply chains while meeting growing sustainability expectations. 

In ‘From lab to label: Ingredient innovation for the future’, moderated by Craig Leadley of IFST, speakers will explore the cutting edge of ingredient science. Professor Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at Imperial College London will outline the role of emerging technologies in shaping tomorrow’s food system. 

“I will be talking about emerging technologies, such as engineering biology and precision fermentation, to produce novel ingredients,” he said. “I will be giving an update on what the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and the Microbial Food Hub are doing to manufacture functional ingredients. Visitors should attend to learn how breakthroughs in science and engineering can shape the future of food.” 

The focus then turns to digital transformation in ‘Artificial intelligence in action: Ingredient discovery and new product development reimagined’, moderated by Mike Adams of Campden BRI. The session will explore how AI is already being deployed to improve formulation, performance prediction and speed to market. 

Panellist Anna-Sophie Deetjen, Founder of Nibblr, says: “I’m looking forward to contributing to a practical conversation about how AI is already being applied in food development today, beyond the hype. The industry is facing real pressures around reformulation, NPD, resilience and speed, and this is an important moment to explore how better ingredient intelligence can support smarter, more sustainable decisions upstream. 

“The session will focus on how food teams can move away from trial-and-error by using data and intelligence to understand ingredient behaviour, trade-offs and formulation outcomes earlier. Rather than abstract theory, it will explore practical examples of how AI can help teams develop products faster, reduce cost and build resilience into formulation, while keeping human expertise firmly in the loop.” 

Panellist Lauris Tanche, Food Science Engineer at New Food Innovation, adds: “The session will be useful for teams looking to speed up development, reduce trial and error, and make better use of their existing data. It will also address the limits of AI, what it can and cannot do, and how to integrate it responsibly into NPD workflows without losing creativity or technical rigour.” 

The programme continues with ‘Product formulation: Ingredients for a healthy diet’, moderated by Amy Glass of the Food & Drink Federation. The panel will examine how manufacturers can respond to evolving consumer expectations around health, personalised nutrition and the growing influence of obesity medicines, while maintaining taste, texture and affordability. 

The day will conclude with the IFE Manufacturing Ingredients Awards Ceremony, in association with IFST, celebrating excellence and innovation across the sector and reinforcing the critical role of technical expertise in driving progress. 

The programme curated by IFST and Campden BRI positions IFE Manufacturing as a hub for technical leadership, offering product development teams, ingredient suppliers and manufacturers practical insight into how science, sustainability and digital innovation are converging to shape the next generation of food and drink.

To find out more about everything happening as part of this year’s event, and to register for your complimentary trade ticket, visit ifemanufacturing.co.uk. IFE Manufacturing takes place as part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week from 30 March to 01 April at Excel London.