Imbibe will be closed on October 3, 4, 17, 18, 25, and 26. Please expect delays in responses during this time.

The next frontier for functional foods?

mushroom, hot cocoa, mushroom hot cocoa

ANAHEIM, CALIF. — Though still relatively unfamiliar to consumers, adaptogenic herbs are expected to flourish in food and beverage products. Linked with stress reduction and supported by traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, ingredients such as ginseng, Peruvian maca root, ashwagandha, licorice root, holy basil, and medicinal mushrooms, including cordyceps, reishi and chaga, were featured in new product innovation at Natural Products Expo West, held March 10-13 in Anaheim.

Read more.

Keep Reading:

What’s Driving Flavor in 2027 — And What It Means for Beverage Innovation

Explore Imbibe's 2027 Flavor Trends report and discover how formulation complexity, functional ingredients, and evolving consumer expectations are changing the role of flavor in beverage innovation.
READ MORE

Why Relaxation Beverages Require a Different Flavor Strategy

Ingredients commonly associated with calm and relaxation — including ashwagandha, magnesium, valerian root, reishi, l-theanine, and other botanicals — can introduce earthy, woody, bitter, savory, sulfurous, or lingering off-notes.
READ MORE

Masking Isn’t the Solution—It’s One Part of It

Considerations like format, processing, shelf life, and label constraints all influence how a solution performs in the final product. What works in one system may not translate directly to another.
READ MORE

Notice: Holiday Closure

Imbibe will be closed April 2, 3, 8, and 9. Please expect some delays in our response during these dates.