Ingredion Sustainability Report Highlights Growth in Sourcing and Upcycled Ingredient Initiatives

Sustainability strategies are becoming increasingly integrated into sourcing, manufacturing, and product development decisions across the food and nutraceutical industries. In its recently released 2025 sustainability report,¹ Ingredion detailed progress tied to its “All Life” sustainability framework, including advancements in sustainable sourcing, agricultural partnerships, and ingredient upcycling initiatives.

Among the report’s most notable developments, sustainable sourcing across the company’s tier 1 priority crops surpassed 96% globally in 2025, compared with 25% in 2020. It notes that those crops, including corn, tapioca, potatoes, stevia, and pulses, represent approximately 99% of the company’s global sourcing volume.

“Five years ago, sustainable sourcing for corn, tapioca, potato, stevia and pulses measured just 25%,” said Larry Fernandes, Ingredion’s senior vice president, chief commercial and sustainability officer in a company press release.² “This progress demonstrates that sustainability can scale quickly when it’s embedded into business decisions and operations, not treated as a separate initiative. Reaching over 96% sustainably sourced priority crops didn’t happen by setting distant goals; it’s a product of how we work across regions, disciplines and how we partner with growers, suppliers and customers every day.”

For finished product manufacturers, the report reflects broader industry movement toward traceable sourcing systems and environmentally focused ingredient strategies as supply chain pressures, climate-related agricultural concerns, and consumer expectations continue influencing procurement priorities.

Why Is Sustainable Sourcing Becoming a Priority Across the Ingredient Industry?

Ingredient sourcing has become a growing focus for manufacturers evaluating long-term supply chain resilience, environmental impact, and agricultural stability. Companies operating across food, beverage, and supplement categories are increasingly seeking supplier partnerships capable of supporting transparency and responsible sourcing initiatives.

Ingredion’s report emphasized grower collaboration as a key factor behind the expansion of sustainable sourcing practices. According to the company, agricultural partnerships focused on improving land stewardship, operational efficiency, and resource management across high-volume crop systems.¹

The report also reflects broader industry recognition that sustainability initiatives are becoming more closely tied to operational continuity and ingredient availability. Climate variability, supply chain disruptions, and evolving retailer expectations continue prompting manufacturers to assess sourcing strategies more closely.

How Are Upcycled Ingredients Influencing Food and Supplement Innovation?

The report additionally highlighted several ingredient circularity projects involving agricultural byproducts and organic waste streams. One partnership in Malaysia converts organic waste into protein for animal feed using black soldier flies, while citrus peels are being repurposed into citrus fiber ingredients as part of broader upcycling initiatives.

Interest in upcycled ingredients has expanded across food and nutraceutical sectors as manufacturers seek opportunities to reduce waste while developing additional ingredient applications. Citrus fiber, for example, is increasingly incorporated into formulation systems targeting texture, stabilization, and fiber enrichment.

Circular sourcing initiatives may also align with growing consumer interest in sustainability-oriented wellness products. Ingredient transparency and environmental positioning continue becoming more visible considerations within product development and branding discussions, particularly among companies targeting health-conscious consumers.

Despite increasing investment in sustainability initiatives, challenges remain regarding consistency in environmental reporting and verification standards. Different companies often use varying methodologies to measure sourcing practices, emissions reductions, and environmental impact metrics, making comparisons difficult across the ingredient sector.

In addition, sustainability outcomes may vary substantially depending on geography, agricultural practices, crop type, and supplier participation. Long-term implementation also requires coordination throughout complex global supply chains involving growers, processors, distributors, and finished product manufacturers.

References

1. Ingredion Incorporated. The power of us: 2025 sustainability report. May 27, 2026. Accessed May 27, 2026. https://www.ingredion.com/na/en-us/company/2026/pdf/2025-ingredionsustainabilityreport.pdf

2. Ingredion achieves 96.3% sustainable sourcing of tier 1 priority crops, up from 25% just five years ago. GlobeNewswire. May 27, 2026. Accessed May 27, 2026. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/27/3301916/0/en/ingredion-achieves-96-3-sustainable-sourcing-of-tier-1-priority-crops-up-from-25-just-five-years-ago.html