Could you briefly introduce Kerry, its role in sustainable nutrition, and your position within the company?
Kerry is a global leader in taste and nutrition, offering a diverse portfolio of solutions for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. Our focus spans improving the nutritional quality of products, reducing sugar and salt, and incorporating functional ingredients like proteins and probiotics. We also ensure food safety and preservation, extending shelf life to reduce waste and ensure products are safe to consume. Beyond that, our taste portfolio ensures that these healthier, safer options are enjoyable, as taste remains a critical driver of consumer choice.
In my role as Global Sustainable Nutrition Manager, I work with over 1,100 R&D scientists to translate cutting-edge innovations into actionable insights for our commercial teams and customers. I also lead the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute, a thought-leadership platform that educates the food industry on emerging trends through events, webinars, and articles. With a background in human and molecular nutrition, my expertise in personalized nutrition informs much of my work, bridging science with industry needs.
How does Kerry adapt the trend of personalized nutrition to its broader product portfolio?
Personalized nutrition operates on a spectrum. At one end, it involves creating products tailored to broad demographics, such as gender or life stage—think infant formula or solutions for healthy aging. At the other end is hyper-personalization, where consumers track their own data like DNA, metabolism, and exercise to select products that suit their individual needs. While the food industry is far from creating bespoke products at scale, we provide options that cater to diverse health concerns, like gut or immune health, enabling consumers to make informed choices.
The ultimate goal is to offer clusters of products addressing specific needs, such as high-protein or gut-health-focused items, while maintaining accessibility. For instance, some companies are developing supplements tailored to individual genetic data. However, practical personalization remains rooted in providing a diverse yet general range of solutions for consumers to choose from, reflecting their lifestyle and health goals.
What criteria guide Kerry’s strategic focus on trends, and which current trends stand out?
We take a multi-layered approach to identify trends, combining consumer insights, scientific research, and technological advancements. This process informs our Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute's "10 Trends" framework, designed to predict innovations three to five years ahead. For instance, technologies like AI and precision fermentation are reshaping food production, while consumer data collection informs product development.
A prominent trend is weight management, influenced by GLP-1 agonists that suppress appetite. As consumers eat less, the demand for nutrient-dense, high-protein, and micronutrient-enriched snacks will grow. Another focus is healthy aging, driven by demographic shifts. Products supporting cognitive health, muscle maintenance, and stress management—featuring ingredients like omega-3s and ashwagandha—are becoming increasingly relevant. Sensory science is also critical, addressing changes in taste and texture preferences as people age.
How does Kerry reconcile the push for natural food with the convenience consumers demand?
While whole, natural foods are ideal for health, convenience remains a dominant consumer preference. Over the years, the food industry has evolved to offer packaged foods with longer shelf lives and enhanced usability. The challenge lies in creating convenient options that are both healthy and sustainable. Many products now emphasize "natural" or "clean label" ingredients, aligning with consumer demand for transparency and recognizable components.
Achieving balance involves reducing reliance on excessive salt, sugar, and fat, which have driven public health challenges like obesity and diabetes. By developing convenient, minimally processed foods that align with nutritional guidelines, we aim to meet both health and convenience needs. This shift also supports broader sustainability goals, such as reducing food miles and processing.
What does success look like for Kerry in 10-20 years?
Kerry’s ambition is to reach 2 billion people globally with sustainable nutrition by 2030. This means creating foods that are nutritious and produced in a way that protects the planet’s ability to feed future generations.
Success for Kerry aligns with advancing global nutrition and sustainability goals. A key milestone would be helping our customer to reach the industry achieve targets like a 30% reduction in sodium across food categories, as outlined by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Prominent front-of-pack labeling systems, such as Nutri-Score, could empower consumers to make healthier choices, and Kerry’s role in reformulating products to improve their nutritional profiles would be central to this effort.
Reducing food waste is another critical area.
Currently, 30% of global food production goes to waste, a stark contrast to the 800 million people who face hunger. By extending shelf life, upcycling food waste, and innovating within the biotechnology space—such as precision fermentation—we can help bridge this gap.
Additionally, investing in regenerative agriculture will ensure sustainable food production for a growing global population, projected to reach 10 billion by 2050. Success would mean a future where healthier, more sustainable food is accessible to all.
