The top food trends for 2027 focus on nutrient density design, precision protein quality and longevity engineering, with reformulations of existing products growing at 14% annually compared to 8% for new launches. Consumers increasingly seek foods that combine multiple beneficial ingredients like protein with fiber, probiotics and collagen rather than relying on single ingredients, while prioritizing protein quality, easy digestion and support for strength, mobility and healthy aging.
- Nutrient density design is the top 2027 trend, with consumers evaluating foods on multiple attributes like high protein combined with low sugar rather than single ingredients.
- Protein combinations are surging: 21% of new product launches now pair protein with fiber, up 15% year-over-year, while Google searches for protein plus probiotics increased 300% and protein plus collagen increased 190%.
- Precision protein focuses on quality over quantity, with 32% of consumers seeking high-quality protein, 32% valuing easy digestion and 29% seeking complete proteins.
- Longevity engineering emphasizes health span over life span, with product launches featuring joint health claims up 70%, aging well claims up 55% and brands combining ingredients like creatine, collagen and calcium rather than relying on single hero ingredients.
- Reformulations outpace new launches at 14% growth versus 8%, as brands reduce sugar and additives while improving protein, fiber and vitamin/mineral content.
Here’s an interesting twist in the world of human food new product development: The growth rate for reformulations of existing products is outpacing the rate for new product launches, 14% to 8% year over year (YOY). That was measured from July 2025 to June 2026 by Innova Market Insights, with the data presented during its annual webinar on the top 10 food trends for the coming year.
OK, market research firms that cover pet food, here’s your challenge: Is that also the case with dog and cat food? Is anyone tracking that data?
Whether or not the data exists, pet food brands can likely glean insights from what’s happening in human food, as always, including from some of the top trends predicted for 2027.
One key to reformulation: Adding protein and more
The emphasis on reformulation over new products (though 8% growth in new product launches is still healthy) stems from consumers’ overarching question these days: What will a food do for me?
So explained LuAnn Williams, director of insights for Innova, during the webinar. They’re looking for positive product attributes, and not in isolation. That leads to Innova’s number one trend for 2027: “nutrient density design.”
“People are not judging a formulation on one ingredient or number,” she said. They’re looking for an ingredient like protein but also checking that the sugar content is not too high, for example.
In response to that interest, reformulation for global human food and beverage producers means reducing, especially sugar, fat and calories; removing or replacing additives or preservatives (including artificial colors and flavors); and adding or improving the quality of protein, fiber or vitamins/minerals.
And, according to Innova data, it also means combining protein with other types of ingredients, especially fiber. Looking at YOY new product launches, 21% included that combination, a 15% increase from the previous 12-month period.
Innova’s not the only company tracking this trend of packing in nutrient density through such combos: Nestlé USA (yes, another division of Nestlé SA, parent company of Nestlé Purina PetCare) calls this “benefit stacking,” according to an article by Insha Naureen on FoodIngredientsFirst.com. Again, the common ingredient type anchoring these combos is protein.
“’Protein&,’ a trend coined by Nestlé USA, reflects its expectation that high protein is becoming a baseline rather than a differentiator in itself,” Naureen wrote, quoting the company: “What changes in 2027 is that high protein stops being a standalone ’protein-maxxing’ goal.”
Rather, it’s being paired more and more with other beneficial ingredient categories like fiber, probiotics and collagen. “Google search data cited by Nestlé shows searches combining protein with probiotics increased by 300% YOY, with collagen 190% and with fiber 150%,” Naureen added. This mirrors Innova consumer survey data.
Now, with pet diets needing to be complete and balanced to start with — incorporating a variety of types of ingredients to achieve that necessary goal — there’s not a direct link between this human food trend and pet food. However, given pet owners’ ongoing propensity to try and mirror their own dietary preferences to those for their pets (rightly or wrongly), labeling and marketing a “protein plus” sort of claim may have a play, provided it stays within regulatory guidelines.
Protein still in the spotlight, but quality matters, too
Even if consumers are no longer focused on protein in isolation, it still garners the spotlight, which is why Innova named “precision protein” as its number two human food trend for 2027. Yet now the focus is morphing into quality, not just quantity. Or, as a slide in the Innova webinar put it, “Beyond grams: Protein quality matters.”
“How people are counting this is changing,” Williams said. “It’s no longer just an overall number.” Consumers are looking for the “right” protein, depending on what they need it to do. Besides quality, that also means considering sources of the protein and how it fits into and works in their body. According to Innova’s survey data, 32% of global consumers seek high-quality protein, 32% value easy digestion and 29% seek a complete protein.
Innova described this within product launches as a move to “slow and complete protein,” citing a 90% increase YOY in new food and beverage launches with positioning around the concept. As named by Nestlé USA, Innova also identified collagen as a breakout source of protein, with growth happening in a variety of sources, including dairy, plant-based and animal-based.
And, speaking of plant-based, Williams described this protein source as diversifying within a mature market. Instead of a standalone, it’s now often paired with other sources (including one plant-based source combined with another plant-based source) to provide a higher protein content. Which, of course, has been happening in pet food for quite some time — out of necessity, really, to ensure the dog’s or cat’s nutrient needs are met.
Regardless of source, we know pet owners continue to focus on protein levels and types in their pets’ diets.
‘Health span’ on the radar again
Another of Innova’s top trends for 2027, “longevity engineering,” is right in sync with what’s happening with pet food and pet care. I and many others have written or presented about this trend for both humans and pets, represented by a concept called “health span” over life span: “Not just living more years, living more healthy years,” as Williams described.
Now, it’s less about age itself, she added; it’s more about holding onto what matters: strength, energy, mobility, cognition and other positive aspects.
Among global consumers surveyed by Innova, strength and mobility register as top needs: 35% say they want help staying strong as they age. Accordingly, new food and beverage product launches increasingly include claims related to joint health (up 70% YOY), aging well (up 55%) and bone health (up 24%). These match up with the types of claims and benefits pet owners seek in the pet products they buy.
For human foods, what’s changing is how the products are built, relying on a combination of ingredients rather than one, as with protein. “Brands are no longer expecting one ‘hero ingredient’ to carry the weight,” Williams said. Rather, they’re now combining creatine, collagen and calcium, for example. Innova’s data show a 94% rise YOY in product launches pairing an anti-aging or aging well claim with one touting a high level of protein.
As pets, like people, continue to live longer, and pet owners continue to want their furry family members to have a strong, healthy quality of life as they age, I imagine pet food, treat and supplement brands will showcase such combinations, too.
