Cargill CTO Florian Schattenmann outlines AI, fermentation and precision nutrition as defining forces in food R&D

Cargill’s Chief Technology Officer Florian Schattenmann has identified generative and agentic artificial intelligence, next-generation fermentation and precision nutrition as the three forces he believes will define food research and development through 2030.

In a 16 February article on LinkedIn, Schattenmann argued that disruption has become a constant in the global food system and that companies must rethink how they innovate if they are to remain competitive.

• Cargill’s CTO Florian Schattenmann identified AI, next-generation fermentation and precision nutrition as the three trends shaping food R&D to 2030.

• The company said it has invested more than US$2 billion in fermentation over the past 30 years.

• Schattenmann cited data showing 61% of North American consumers say they are eating more protein.

“Let’s be real – disruption isn’t the exception anymore; it’s part of daily life,” Schattenmann wrote. “Whether it’s shifting supply chains or rapidly evolving consumer expectations, staying still isn’t an option.”

He said progress in food innovation would not hinge on a single breakthrough but on how effectively companies collaborate across the ecosystem, apply AI and biological science, and align more closely with consumer expectations.

On artificial intelligence, Schattenmann described generative and agentic AI as reshaping the pace and scale of innovation. Citing McKinsey’s 2025 analysis that AI could unlock up to US$560 billion in annual economic value across industries by accelerating R&D, he said food R&D stands to benefit significantly.

“At Cargill, we’re applying AI across the full innovation journey – from discovery to commercialization – grounded in well-governed scientific and operational data,” he wrote.

The company’s AI-enabled pipeline supports customer co-creation, modeling, reformulation, recipe development and production efficiency. Schattenmann pointed to faster experimentation through predictive modeling of microbial strains and fermentation conditions, generative AI tools such as Cargill’s AskEmma ideation platform, and CarVe, a patent-pending AI and computer vision system that measures red meat yield in real time to improve processing efficiency.

He also highlighted the emergence of agentic AI systems that can reason through decisions and execute tasks within defined guardrails.

“In R&D, agentic AI ‘coworkers’ are beginning to support Cargill’s technical teams and product formulators by accelerating research and design cycles, and strengthening cross-industry collaboration,” he wrote, adding that the technology was intended to amplify rather than replace human expertise.

However, Schattenmann cautioned that realizing AI’s full potential requires redesigning processes end-to-end to prevent bottlenecks from simply shifting within the R&D pipeline.

Fermentation formed the second pillar of his outlook. While the technology has been used in food production for centuries, he said advances in scale, precision and efficiency are expanding its application.

“With more than 30 years of experience and more than US$2 billion invested, Cargill views fermentation as a high-impact arena of innovation for the future,” he wrote.

He cited projections that the global fermented food and ingredients market could reach between US$100 billion and US$170 billion by the mid-2030s.

Examples within Cargill’s portfolio include EverSweet, a fermentation-produced sweetener derived from stevia components, EpiCor, a postbiotic ingredient created through a proprietary fermentation process, and partnerships such as ENOUGH, which produces ABUNDA mycoprotein through zero-waste fermentation.

Schattenmann said fermentation is expanding the ingredient toolbox available to food R&D teams, offering greater functionality and cost efficiency.

The third trend he identified was precision nutrition, which he described as a shift toward more intentional and benefit-driven consumer behavior.

“The next five years won’t just be about what we make, but why we make it,” he wrote.

According to Cargill’s TrendTracker data, 61% of North American consumers report eating more protein. He also noted growing demand for fiber and functional ingredients supporting digestion, gut health and mood, as well as interest in active aging and longevity across age groups.

He outlined four themes shaping consumer expectations: seeking goodness through health-driven choices; eating to support longevity and everyday wellness; indulgence without compromise; and spending with intention by balancing experience and affordability.

“Our research shows nearly 90% of consumers indulge – through snacks, chocolates or other treats – and when they do, they want it to be worth it,” he wrote, underscoring the need for innovation to deliver on taste alongside health and sustainability goals.

Schattenmann concluded that innovation must become embedded in how companies operate rather than treated as a headline initiative.

“As I’ve said before, innovation only matters if it delivers impact at scale,” he wrote.

Cargill, he added, aims not only to respond to these trends but to help shape them as the food system evolves toward 2030.