AAK, Bühler, Givaudan and Ingredion announce top 5 companies selected for the Healthy Snacks Challenge 2027

The five selected companies are:

Anomaly Bio, Singapore – develops whole-food protein–fibre ingredients through submerged fermentation. Pruv® supports human nutrition across 9+ approved markets. Anomaly’s processing innovations further enable ambient supply chains across multiple moisture levels.

Agro Ludens, Japan – develops Comeat®, a rice- and koji-derived mycoprotein made through solid-state fermentation, offering a high-protein, low-fat, gluten-free ingredient with natural umami and meat-like texture.

Coa & Co, Singapore – creates fermented, shelf-stable ingredient systems and protein-rich chocolate clusters using solid-state fermentation to improve protein quality, fibre content, digestibility, and satiety in everyday snacks.

Protoga, China – produces microalgae-based ingredients, including chlorella protein made through heterotrophic fermentation, delivering a plant-based complete protein option that is cholesterol-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, and naturally non-GMO.

ROA Midnight Pte Ltd, Singapore – using ingredients such as avocado, house-made brown rice milk and psyllium husk, RÓA creates indulgent, tasty products free from major allergens and is now pushing beyond “free from” towards cleaner-label, higher-fibre, and more nutritionally purposeful snacking.

The selected companies will participate in concept validation and technical discussions with the four program partners from October to December 2026. They will then travel to Singapore for Snacks Hack Week from January 18–22, 2027, where they will work with technical, product, and innovation specialists to develop, test, and refine their concepts.

The week will conclude with the Finalists Demo Day on January 22, 2027, where finalists will present their innovations and offer product tastings. Following Demo Day, three companies will be selected for the Top 3 Showcase and the opportunity to access further development support through the partners’ laboratories.

Supporting the future of better-for-you snacking

The Healthy Snacks Challenge was created in response to changing consumer expectations. Across the region, consumers are looking for snacks that offer improved nutrition, affordability, and sustainability while continuing to deliver compelling taste and texture.

The challenge invited start-ups and SMEs across Asia Pacific to submit technically testable products, ingredients, formulations or technologies relevant to formats such as baked, extruded, puffed, coated, fried, filled, bar-type, and hybrid snacks.

Relevant health and nutrition propositions included higher protein or fibre, lower sugar or salt, reduced saturated fat, improved fat profiles, cleaner labels, plant-based ingredients, functional nutrition, and the use of whole grains, pulses, nuts or seeds.

Each selected company demonstrated a clear better-for-you nutrition proposition, meaningful innovation and the technical readiness required to develop and validate its concept in a practical innovation environment.

Four partners, complementary capabilities

Throughout the program, the selected companies will have access to complementary expertise from across the snack innovation value chain:

Bühler: Processing, extrusion, milling, mixing, roasting, drying and industrialization

Givaudan: Flavour, taste, aroma, masking, modulation and sensory experience

Ingredion: Texture and healthful solutions, including starches, hydrocolloids, fibres, sweeteners and clean-label systems

AAK: Fats, oils, coatings, fillings, plant-based fat systems and mouthfeel solutions

“The five selected companies reflect the creativity and technical potential emerging from the Asia-Pacific food innovation ecosystem. Their concepts address important consumer needs while exploring new ingredients, processes, formats, and sensory experiences. We look forward to bringing the companies together in Singapore and helping them take their innovations to the next stage,” said Adrien Beauvisage, Head of Region Southeast Asia, Bühler Group.

“At Givaudan, we see taste, texture, and nutrition as an integrated opportunity to create healthier snack experiences that truly resonate with consumers. Delivering on all dimensions is what will keep us ahead in addressing rapidly evolving consumer needs. Through the Healthy Snacks Challenge, we are proud to support exciting ideas and emerging solutions that place taste and wellbeing at the forefront, while continuing to deliver enjoyable savoury experiences that consumers expect,” said Laveena Vaz, APAC Savoury Business Unit Director, Givaudan.

“Healthy snacking continues to be one of the most dynamic growth areas in the food industry, driven by consumers seeking products that support their wellbeing without compromising enjoyment. Through our partnership with the Healthy Snacks Challenge, Ingredion is pleased to contribute our expertise in texture and healthful ingredient solutions, helping innovators create snacks that balance sensory appeal, nutrition, and market relevance,” said Ai Tsing Tan, Director, Customer Innovation, Texture & Healthful Solutions, Ingredion.

“The most promising snack innovations combine a clear consumer benefit with strong technical performance. By working side by side with the selected companies and our program partners, we hope to help accelerate concepts that deliver better nutrition, enjoyable eating experiences, and real potential for further development,” said Nikesh Hindocha, General Manager, SEA & NEA, AAK.

From concept validation to hands-on prototyping

Between October and December 2026, experts from the four partner companies will work with the selected participants to validate their concepts and define the technical priorities for Snacks Hack Week.

During the hands-on program in Singapore, the teams will take part in:

Ingredient and technology exploration

Formulation and concept development

Taste and sensory reviews

Processing and prototype refinement

Demo Day presentations and tastings

At the Finalists Demo Day, each company will present its refined concept to an invited audience of industry representatives, customers, partners and other stakeholders.

Three companies will then be selected for further development support. Follow-on activities with the partner laboratories are expected to begin in mid-February 2027 and may include additional formulation work, processing trials, sensory development, texture optimisation, fat-system development, and scale-up assessment.

The challenge is designed to encourage collaboration while respecting the intellectual property of participating companies.

Additional information

About the Healthy Snacks Challenge 2027

The Healthy Snacks Challenge 2027 is a collaborative innovation initiative from Bühler, Givaudan, Ingredion and AAK. The program supports start-ups and SMEs from across Asia Pacific that are developing healthier and technically testable products, ingredients, formulations or technologies for the snacks category.

Eligible companies were required to be at least at lab or pilot scale, provide physical product, ingredient-system or prototype samples, and demonstrate a clear better-for-you nutrition proposition.

Relevant snack formats include baked, extruded, puffed, coated, fried, filled, bar-type and hybrid snacks. Potential health and nutrition areas include higher protein, higher fibre, lower sugar, lower salt, reduced saturated fat, improved fat profiles, cleaner labels, plant-based ingredients and functional nutrition.

The five selected companies will participate in Snacks Hack Week in Singapore from January 18–22, 2027. The program will conclude with the Finalists Demo Day on January 22, when three companies will be selected for further development support.

Key program dates