Ingredient Innovation: Pathways to Resilient Food Systems October 2025 Food systems must expand access to healthy diets while operating within tightening land, water and climate limits. Yield growth in staple crops has slowed, climate variability is driving wider swings in output, and reliance on a narrow set of inputs leaves supply chains more exposed to shocks. With climate risks already evident, food and feed systems alike need diversified portfolios of inputs that can function through more frequent and severe disruptions. A key risk is reliance on a narrow set of crops and inputs. Maize, wheat, rice and soy dominate calories and feed. Due to this concentration, price volatility thins producer margins and bloats consumer prices.1 For farmers, this dependence narrows income opportunities and exposes them to volatile markets. Demand for proteins, edible oils and functional ingredients is expected to rise globally towards 2050, reflecting projected population growth and dietary shifts, even as consumption already exceeds needs in some regions – which will increase exposure to supply shocks and market volatility if input sources are not diversified. 2An ingredient-level lens provides a practical entry point. Here, “ingredient” refers to the materials used in food and feed formulations obtained through crops, biotechnology or circular routes. Diversifying inputs adds options that maintain functionality during shocks, reduce dependence on climate-sensitive commodities, and create more stable income for farmers. This paper frames ingredient innovation as an upstream strategy for resilience and adaptation across three pathways with near-term potential: diversified crops and feed systems, biotechnology-enabled ingredients, and circular and waste-derived routes. It is developed by the World Economic Forum’s Food Innovators Network, a global platform that convenes thematic “sprints” to accelerate food innovation. The sprint on Ingredient Innovation brings together public and private partners to align innovation with procurement, policy and finance.Introduction Ingredient Innovation: Pathways to Resilient Food Systems Food Innovators Network 3

Ingredient Innovation Pathways to Resilient Food Systems 2025