From matcha lattes to pistachio-studded Dubai chocolate, ingredient trends quickly evolve from niche to viral with just a few clicks. But, the challenge for brands isn’t just identifying the next breakout raw material, it’s figuring out whether it can scale to meet demand.
There’s a growing disconnect between what consumers (and brands) want and what the global supply chain can realistically support, according to Ilana Orlofsky, associate director, brand and communications at Imbibe. While scalability isn’t a new problem, the challenges that come with meeting a global audience are accelerating.
Butterfly pea flower, for example, emerged in indie coffee shops years ago with a eye-popping blue hue for coffee and tea drinks. Thanks to social media buzz, the ingredient reached the mainstream and “brands immediately wanted in,” Orlofsky said.
But, a commercial supply chain was yet to exist at that time, she added. This created a gap in how brands could tap into a booming internet beverage trend.
That same dynamic is playing out today for other key ingredients, and in some cases at a much larger scale.
Shifting legislation plays a critical role in rising demand for bright colors with a clean label as FDA-approved natural colors – including butterfly pea, gardenia blue, galdieria extract and calcium phosphate – are further popularizing these raw materials.
“But two compounding problems have emerged – supply hasn’t caught up to demand, and formulators are finding they need significantly higher usage rates to achieve the same vibrancy as the synthetic alternatives they’re replacing. The math doesn’t work, yet,” Orlofsky said.
She continued: “Clear protein is another example. Consumers have made it clear they want protein in every format possible, and the hydration boom has made refreshment-forward protein especially compelling. But a high-quality, consumer-ready version simply doesn’t exist at the scale brands need.”
While trends can certainly shape how brands want to participate, the reality is that the infrastructure to support sourcing, manufacturing and formulation takes time – even years, according to Orlofsky.
That “information vs. infrastructure” gap is forcing brands to confront scalability constraints much earlier – often at the R&D stage – particularly when working with natural ingredients prone to variability. Weather patterns, origin differences and geopolitical shifts can all impact consistency and availability.
Brands are increasingly building resilience directly into formulation
Climate change’s impact on supply and consistency are top of mind for formulators.
“Brands are leaning heavily on their R&D teams to build resilience through testing and creative formulation strategies,” Tom Pliml, scientist at Imbibe, said.
Locking down multiple suppliers is not enough, according to Pliml.
“That’s where ‘reduction’ projects come in. This R&D tactic uses complementary or novel ingredients to extend the efficacy of a raw material, allowing for lower usage rates while helping minimize the sensory and functional differences that can occur when rotating between suppliers,” he explained.
Shifts in flavor profiles are common due to harvest changes when sourcing natural ingredients. Taste modulators can help mask off-notes, balance bitterness or bolster qualities expected by consumers to reinforce consistency, according to Pliml.
“That concept of ‘reduction’ – stretching a constrained ingredient with complementary inputs – is becoming a critical lever as brands try to preserve both cost and consistency without sacrificing the sensory experience,” he explained.
Challenges for functional ingredients are more complex
Scalability is also a challenge for botanicals and adaptogens, which face organoleptic and functional variability, according to Isabel Mirfakhraie, technical marketing associate at Imbibe.
“Consumer demand for adaptogens and botanicals is real, but the supply chain infrastructure hasn’t kept pace. Potency and consistency can vary significantly depending on origin, harvest timing and extraction method. So, even with the best intent, brands can struggle to deliver a consistent product at scale,” she explained.
A functional ingredient must align with regulatory frameworks for structure-function claims which ultimately impact the scalability of that material. For example “supports stress resilience” and “reduces cortisol” are treated differently from a regulation standpoint.
“The ingredient gets you initial interest and trial. Consistency, transparency and efficacy are what get you the repeat purchase,” she said, adding that the challenge for formulators is “evaluating whether a botanical is ready for a scalable launch – or whether it’s still a concept looking for infrastructure.”
Even with these hurdles, brands aren’t abandoning trending ingredients. Instead, they’re recalibrating how those ingredients appear in formulations – often making trade-offs on cost and inclusion levels.
“Everyone wants to pack in a half-dozen clinically-backed ingredients, but when they see what that does to the formula cost, something has to give. That might mean reducing the number of ingredients going in, switching from a branded or licensed supplier to a generic one, or dialing back the inclusion rate to a level where it still appears on the label – but without making any claims,” Adam Johnson, associate principle scientist, Imbibe said.
He added: “It’s less about walking away from hot ingredients and more about compromising on how they show up.”
Scalability is built, or broken, early
Supply and regulatory pressures are reshaping how products are built altogether. Mirfakhraie describes this as a shift toward “intentional product development.”
“Intentional product development is about creating great tasting products on purpose, not by accident. It starts with a clear understanding of the consumer job to be done, then builds a formula around real world constraints from day one – cost targets, ingredient and benefit claims, regulatory requirements and supply realities.”
Ultimately, success hinges on decisions made long before a product reaches shelves. Pliml emphasizes that scalability is built, or broken, early.
“Two of the most critical factors are product stability and supply chain resilience – and both are worth investing in heavily on the front end,” he emphasized.