Food Matters Live Podcast

Recorded live on stage at Food Matters Live, at London's Olympia London, this is the session that opened the whole event, and it set the tone perfectly.Food historian Annie Gray and Rob Lowery, VP of Marketing at PepsiCo UK, Ireland and Europe, sit down for a wide-ranging fireside conversation on where consumer food culture has come from, where it's heading, and how to tell the difference between a genuine trend and a flash in the pan.They cover how the health concerns driving food choices today, from protein to gut health, are less new than we think, and what that tells us about what's likely to stickWhy personalised nutrition is still accelerating, and what GLP-1 medications are doing to consumer habits and food industry prioritiesAnd how fragmented eating patterns, demographic shifts, and the rise of remote working are reshaping the occasions food is designed aroundFind out about upcoming events at foodmatterslive.com.

How does the food we eat affect our immune health during different stages of our lives?In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our Rotterdam event, a panel of experts reveal how food shapes immune resilience from before birth, through to old age. They delve into the science, covering gut health, ultra-processed foods, the 1,000 day rule, and plenty more.The question is: is the food industry serving our immune systems well and is it ready to respond to an increased interest in the topic among consumers?

We're regularly bombarded with messaging around sports nutrition and functional supplements, but how can consumers navigate their way through what can be complex subjects?In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our Ascot event, three scientists cut through the pseudoscience and use real evidence to help us do just that. We discover how hydrogel technology has enabled marathon times to improve so dramatically that 85% of the top 100 performances have occurred in just the last six years, and why the magnesium market is suffering from misinformation.Our panel also touches on the perceived benefits of turmeric extract and ashwagandha. The clear message from all of our speakers; when it comes to supplements, the industry needs more focus on outcome measurements, sufficiency, and what all the evidence actually shows.

Can dehydrated vegetable scraps become the base for functional granola? And why do so many functional drinks fail at the most basic level - taste?In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our Dublin event, industry innovators reveal the missed opportunities and emerging trends reshaping functional food development. Our expert panel suggests there may be a critical industry blind spot: consumers don't buy prebiotics or probiotics - they buy breakfast, lunch, and dinner - yet some brands make functional foods sound clinical rather than delicious.On emerging trends: products formulated with GLP-1 users in mind, and functional mushrooms.The challenge? Making clean label products taste incredible while consumers increasingly pay attention to ingredient lists.

How does a trending flavour make it from social media hype to supermarket shelves? And why do some innovations succeed while others end up gathering dust in warehouses?In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our Dublin event, industry leaders from Tesco, Green King, Yo! Sushi, and Danone reveal how they navigate the innovation process. We discover why Tesco segments millions of customers into just six categories, how Green King balances 2,000 traditional pub-goers with innovation at the menu periphery, and why even the most science-backed products need consumer testing to distill complex claims into one simple line.Our expert panel will guide you through in our look ahead to 2026 and beyond.