SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 31, 2026 - From February 1 to 4, 2026, ISM Ingredients brings ingredient suppliers and sweet and snack manufacturers together in Cologne to highlight how functional, plant-based, and nutritionally enhanced formulations are reshaping product strategies across the confectionery and snack industry. As a new B2B platform hosted alongside ISM and ProSweets Cologne, the event gathers around 80 exhibitors from 27 countries and reflects a sharp increase in demand for ingredients that support reformulation, health positioning, and multisensory product experiences. For manufacturers, the show underscores how ingredient choices are becoming a decisive factor for differentiation, regulatory alignment, and long-term market relevance.
A New B2B Platform Focused on Ingredients-Led Growth
ISM Ingredients makes its debut as a dedicated meeting point for suppliers of raw materials and semi-finished products serving the sweets and snacks sector. Located in Hall 10.1 at the Cologne fairgrounds, the format responds to rising complexity in product development, where manufacturers must balance taste, texture, nutrition, and sustainability. The nearly tripled number of exhibitors compared with the former ingredients segment at ProSweets Cologne signals strong supplier interest and validates the platform's role within the industry ecosystem.
The exhibition portfolio spans antioxidant- and vitamin-rich fruit and vegetable extracts, plant-based proteins, fibres, and ingredients for flavour, colour, and texture. These components are positioned not only as nutritional enhancers but also as tools to deliver multisensory experiences that meet evolving consumer expectations.
Plant-Based and Functional Claims Gain Strategic Weight
Across sweets and snacks categories, naturalness and health have become central purchasing criteria. Plant-based positioning, in particular, has evolved into a widely trusted quality marker at the point of sale, cutting across lifestyle segments. Vegan and protein-enriched products continue to gain traction, driving demand for ingredients that can deliver functionality without compromising taste or processing efficiency.
At ISM Ingredients, this shift is reflected in solutions designed to support sugar reduction, fibre enrichment, and fat optimisation. For producers, these ingredient innovations are increasingly linked to brand credibility and shelf performance, especially as consumers seek products that offer added value beyond indulgence.
Reformulation Challenges and Process Technology Implications
While demand for healthier sweets and snacks is rising, reformulation introduces technical and operational challenges. Adjusting recipes to remove sugar or add functional components requires precise control of cooking curves, mixing processes, and temperature management. Ingredient suppliers at ISM Ingredients position themselves as partners in this transition, offering systems and know-how that support consistent quality at scale.
Functional ingredients also play a role in achieving improved scores under nutrition labelling systems such as Nutri-Score. For manufacturers, this creates a direct link between ingredient selection, regulatory perception, and market competitiveness.
Global Supplier Presence and Expanding Exhibition Scale
With participants from 27 countries, ISM Ingredients reflects the globalisation of ingredient sourcing and innovation. Natural ingredients are showcased in multiple formats, including granulates, powders, and whole fruit and vegetable pieces, alongside plant-based proteins and fibres. Compared with the previous ProSweets Cologne ingredients segment in 2025, the exhibition area has more than doubled, while exhibitor numbers have nearly tripled to around 80 companies.
This expansion highlights growing interest from both multinational suppliers and specialised ingredient producers seeking closer collaboration with confectionery and snack manufacturers.
Knowledge Exchange Through Special Shows and Expert Stages
Beyond the exhibition floor, ISM Ingredients integrates content-driven formats to support strategic decision-making. The "Special Show Ingredients - Functional and Climate-Conscious," curated by innovation agency Haute Innovation, focuses on new recipes, processing technologies, and product concepts selected for their relevance to functional and sustainable development.
On the Expert Stage, industry analysts from Innova Market Insights present insights into the "Top Trends in Sweets and Snacks Unwrapped." Sessions address themes such as reformulation, raw material sourcing, and packaging, offering manufacturers a broader view of how ingredient innovation aligns with shifting consumer demand and sustainability expectations.
From Nutraceutical Concepts to Industrial-Scale Production
A key theme at ISM Ingredients is the growing integration of nutraceuticals into sweets and snacks, including fruit gums and hard candies positioned as over-the-counter products. These applications require ingredients and processing solutions that ensure consistent dosage, controlled release, and acceptable taste profiles. Encapsulation and coating technologies are highlighted as methods to stabilise active agents and mask bitterness without compromising efficacy.
For producers, the ability to translate these concepts from pilot scale to industrial production is critical. Exhibitors at ISM Ingredients and ProSweets Cologne collectively address this challenge, covering the full value chain from formulation and moulding technologies to large-scale manufacturing of functional confectionery.
ISM Ingredients thus positions itself as a strategic sourcing and knowledge platform for manufacturers navigating a market where functionality, enjoyment, and sustainability must coexist within commercially viable product concepts.
Discover more about ISM Ingredients and its role within the global sweets and snacks industry at https://www.ism-cologne.com.