IFE (International Food & Drink Event) is the ultimate food & drink event for product discovery. Mintel’s Alice Pilkington spoke onstage at IFE discussing food and drink predictions on 31 March 2026, 10:15 – 11:00 am.

Mintel’s 2026 Global Food & Drink Predictions were developed with a view to how empathetic brands can help consumers who feel like they are only surviving, rather than thriving.

Alice revealed how shifting behaviours will influence the next wave of product development, marketing, and brand storytelling, such as:

Intentionally Sensory – Consumers will expect their sensory demands, beyond taste, to be more thoughtfully addressed through texture, sound, scent, and experience.

Maxxing Out – Consumers will expect their evolving nutritional needs to be addressed by food and drink, demanding products that support holistic wellbeing.

Diversity In – Consumers will expect brands to reflect their evolving attitudes to the past, embracing diversity, heritage, and rediscovery with authenticity.

Gain the clarity you need to guide your strategies into the next decade.

Meet the presenter

Alice Plinkington

Associate Principal

Alice combines a flair for uncovering exciting, data-driven consumer insights with a passion for food that stems from her previous career as a cookery school teacher for Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay. She regularly provides enthusiastic and thought-provoking presentations to both clients and trade shows.