Silvi Siddhu, Global Scientific and Technical Manager – Univar Solutions

Silvi Siddhu is the Sr. Manager of Global Marketing & Technical Sales for Nutraceuticals at Univar Solutions, where she oversees the marketing, sales and technical development efforts of a robust specialty ingredient portfolio and solutions. For over 13 years, she has leveraged her knowledge of functional foods and natural health products to help bring new products to market and implement strategic and technical promotion programs, particularly in the novel food-based bioactives space. Prior to working at Univar Solutions, Silvi held research and development, product development and product management positions at leading Canadian food, health and wellness and sports nutrition companies. She obtained her master’s in food science from the University of Manitoba.

PRESENTATION:

Is the future of food functional? Meeting changing demands of a health-conscious consumer

By 2025, the size of functional foods market in Canada is projected to double in size compared to a decade earlier. Consumers today are proactively seeking physical and mental wellbeing. Food alternatives are no longer limited to dietary restrictions. With more health and planet awareness, alternatives are widely accepted. The demand for natural and therapeutic ingredients coupled with ‘pill fatigue’ will open doors to more functional food launches. Keeping overall wellbeing at the forefront of innovation could be the key to generate interest and meet these evolving needs. This increased awareness and the desire for more ‘food for health’ education present the industry with a great opportunity to reform into one that is healthier, holistic and more sustainable. Growing consumer demand is directly linked to research and innovation in both public and private sectors. We discuss more about the blurring of category boundaries, market intelligence and increased association of functional ingredients with physical, mental and cognitive benefits.