CHICAGO — Twenty-eight percent of the consumers surveyed for the 2024 Food and Health Survey from the International Food Information Council, Washington, identified maintaining such “brain function” attributes as cognition, focus and memory as benefits they sought in food and beverages.

Holland & Barrett, Nuneaton, the United Kingdom, a health and wellness retailer, expects more consumers to prioritize brain health this year, according to its Wellness Trends Report 2025. In response, innovators are adding brain health ingredients to all types of foods and beverages.

“In 2024, we have globally recognized the demand for products that support brain health and are seeing a high increase in supplements in this category,” said Rachel Chatterton, director of product global brand at Holland & Barrett. “We are going a step further and evolving our ‘food with benefits’ range by launching several first-to-markets products, including a brain health tea and a focus superfood blend.”

The trend report showed that over the years, consumers interested in “brain foods” have gotten increasingly younger. So, in 2025, Holland & Barrett predicted a rise in the popularity of products fortified with ingredients associated with brain health like omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, choline and nootropics.

Los Angeles-based MOSH, the “brain brand” co-founded by Maria Shriver and her son Patrick Schwarzenegger, reformulated and rebranded its protein bars for retail distribution. They now include Cognizin, an ingredient associated with attention and focus support.

MOSH is the first and only protein bar with Cognizin, a nootropic ingredient that supplies the brain with citicoline, according to the company. The bars also are formulated with other functional ingredients like lion’s mane, ashwagandha, omega-3s, and vitamins B12 and D3.

Miami-based Euroky is introducing a namesake vitality drink that provides a blend of ingredients to support rejuvenation, immunity, cognition and energy, according to the company. The cognition support is attributed to the inclusion of ginkgo biloba and ginseng, which have been shown to increase blood flow and oxygenation to the brain, and in turn may enhance focus and cognitive performance.

Stampede Culinary Partners is launching a line of heat-and-eat refrigerated meals formulated with functional ingredients associated with brain health.

| Source: Sosland Publishing Co.

One of the newest innovators in the brain health space is Stampede Culinary Partners, Bridgeview, Ill., that is marketing a line of heat-and-eat refrigerated meals formulated with functional ingredients associated with brain health, prepared using sous vide and called Brock’s Functional Foods.

The company provided attendees of the Annual Meat Conference (AMC) that recently was held in Orlando, Fla., with a sneak peek at the line of products. The functional component of the meals is a blend of plant extracts associated with supporting cognitive health. The seven ingredients — lion’s mane mushroom powder, berberine, ginseng, alpha GPC, bacopa monnieri extracts, gingko biloba and huperzine A — are added to a marinade that is injected into either beef or chicken and then turned into ready meals such as beef Bolognese and chicken tikka masala.

Historically, functional foods have been mostly in the formats of beverages, bars and dairy.  At the AMC, Anne-Marie Roerink, principal, 210 Analytics, Houston, presented findings from the 20th Power of Meat report.

“More than 7 in 10 consumers believe meat and poultry are nutrient powerhouses and an overall healthy choice,” she said. “Most people believe meat belongs in the diet. At 22%, the share of consumers who are actively trying to eat less meat and poultry is at its lowest point in many years. When considering health and nutrition in the meat and poultry purchase, consumers zero in on protein. Opportunity remains to educate consumers about complete proteins and the many benefits of meat and poultry protein that closely align with consumers’ health priorities.”

Adding functional ingredients to meat-based products like Stampede Culinary Partners is doing may provide a point of differentiation that the company may benefit from.  

“Eating meat is the norm,” Roerink said. “The nation’s eye is on protein, with 90% believing it is important to consume ample protein daily, with 59% tracking their intake. Better consumer understanding of the benefits of high-quality protein along with a focus on other key nutrients in meat and poultry could further strengthen nutrition’s positive role in meat and poultry purchases.”