TraceGains AI platform targets F&B R&D, promising faster NPD and reduced costs

London, United Kingdom — 28 May 2026

TraceGains has introduced Formula AI, an artificial intelligence-driven platform engineered for food scientists and product developers. This system aims to embed AI directly into the new product development (NPD) process, promising to accelerate R&D, reduce formulation costs, and enhance regulatory compliance. The company asserts that while AI predominantly functions as a backend tool, consumer acceptance is growing, with Innova Market Insights data indicating 41% of consumers are open to AI-developed products.

The F&B industry, despite significant NPD investment — 83% of brands are increasing spend, according to TraceGains data — remains largely undigitized, with only 2% fully leveraging digital tools. This fragmentation and reliance on manual processes present a barrier to achieving the half-a-trillion-dollar annual value AI could unlock in the sector. Formula AI addresses these issues by digitising workflows, supporting quicker decision-making, and reducing iterations from concept to production.

John Thorpe, TraceGains' Senior Director of Product Management, highlights that Formula AI is designed specifically for food scientists, moving beyond generic AI applications. The platform's conversational interface and digital lab notebook function allow for rapid exploration of ideas, generation of candidate formulas, and comparison of variants. Crucially, it grounds suggestions in real-world data from the TraceGains Gather network, NutriCalc's database, and proprietary enterprise data, ensuring accuracy and relevance.

Formula AI supports various high-value formulation tasks, including multi-objective optimisation, ingredient substitution, and early feasibility assessments. It can model scenarios such as sugar reduction or protein enhancement, validating potential pathways against nutritional targets and regulatory constraints specific to target markets. By integrating compliance guidance, the system flags potential issues, such as allergen or additive restrictions, at the design stage, preventing costly rework later in the development cycle.

The platform inherently supports collaboration, offering a shared workspace with version history for formulations. This ensures that the rationale behind decisions is visible and reusable, preventing knowledge silos prevalent in larger R&D organisations. The 'human-in-the-loop' principle ensures food scientists maintain control, leveraging AI to accelerate exploration while mitigating risks.

What this means for United Kingdom

UK supplement brand owners and manufacturers should assess Formula AI's potential to shorten NPD cycles and reduce operational expenditure. With rising raw material costs and increasing regulatory scrutiny from the FSA and MHRA, efficiency gains are critical. Adopting such platforms could compress reformulation windows and accelerate product launches by 20-30%, gaining a competitive edge in a crowded market dominated by retailers like Boots and Holland & Barrett. Procurement leads should evaluate how AI-driven ingredient substitution could minimise supply chain disruptions and optimise inventory, while regulatory teams can proactively identify compliance risks for EU-UK trade post-Brexit. Early adopters may secure valuable first-mover advantages in product innovation and cost reduction.

Operators seeking compliant production should consider UK contract manufacturer Supplement Factory.