Three days at the trade show, countless conversations, and one clear takeaway: anyone looking to understand where the Polish food market is heading didn’t have to look far this spring. NutraFood Poland 2026 made one thing evident—there’s a lot in motion, just not all at the same pace.

While some trends already feel well established, others are only just emerging. It’s precisely within this tension that the industry currently operates. For Erbacher Food Intelligence, the event was full of questions—and surprisingly concrete answers.

   

Poland is following Europe’s major food trends - but with a delay.

Protein, functional ingredients, personalized nutrition - they’re all present. Just not across the board yet.

“The trends are comparable to Western Europe, but not as advanced,” says Christoph Becker, Managing Director of Erbacher Food Intelligence.

At first glance, that may sound like a gap. In reality, it’s something else entirely: timing. Because in this early phase, it’s decided which solutions will gain traction - and who will be seen as the right partner.

   

One thing became clear throughout the conversations at NutraFood 2026: it’s no longer just about ingredients. It’s about functionality. Added value. And clear product positioning. 

Protein is a given. Whether in bars, chocolate, or powdered applications - protein sits at the center of innovation.

“Protein crispies and, in general, anything protein-related were in high demand,” reports Monika Jezek.

But for many manufacturers, that’s no longer enough. The trend is evolving toward combinations: Protein plus collagen. Protein plus fiber. Protein plus functional benefits.

“One recurring topic was the integration of collagen—particularly from fish. Overall, there was strong interest in functional ingredients and added benefits,” says Kajetan Bieszke from Erbacher Food Intelligence.

What’s emerging here is a shift away from pure ingredient thinking—toward concrete product concepts.

  

Nowhere is this more visible than in the snack segment.

This is where most of the momentum is concentrated: bars, chocolate, functional snacks – often positioned with clear claims like “high protein,” “no added sugar,” or “clean label.”

“The strongest interest came from the snack and confectionery industry - especially in healthier snack and supplement applications,” summarizes Kajetan Bieszke.

Other categories? Less dynamic - for now.

Breading solutions or meat alternatives played a smaller role at this year’s event. That doesn’t make them irrelevant. It just means their moment is still ahead.

   

One recurring moment of surprise at the Erbacher Food Intelligence booth: the range of possibilities.

“Many visitors were impressed by how tailored our product solutions are and by the technical capabilities behind them. Comparable offerings are still rare in the Polish market,” says Kajetan Bieszke.

“And many contacts showed genuine interest and requested samples right away.”

This highlights a key insight: tailored, application-specific product solutions clearly resonate with the Polish market and will become even more important as the market continues to mature.

   

NutraFood Poland 2026 wasn’t a show with ready-made answers.

But it asked the right questions.

How will functional foods evolve in the Polish market? What role will combined ingredients play moving forward? And who will succeed in turning trends into real products?

The direction is clear: protein is here to stay. Functionality is gaining ground. Applications are becoming more defined.

And that’s exactly where the opportunity lies for Erbacher Food Intelligence - not just to follow trends, but to translate them into market-ready solutions together with customers.

Or, as Christoph Becker puts it:

“Poland is a market with strong growth potential. Those who establish a presence now will benefit in the long term.”