Reformulating with the community in mind

In partnership with Impact on Urban Health, ROTA, RSSL, Reformul8 and FDF Scotland, EIT Food has designed the “Nourishing Neighbourhoods” project, an initiative that puts communities at the centre of food innovation.

The aim? To prove that reducing barriers to food reformulation (changing recipes to improve the healthiness of products) can lead to real, measurable health improvements for families, starting in London’s boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark.

The food options available to us depend heavily on where we live. So how can we support the community by removing barriers to healthy, affordable food options? We’re exploring how the food system itself (especially the foods available in local shops) can change for the better.

By working with families, we will identify which products are bought most often and which of those, if reformulated, could make the biggest health impact. The goal isn’t just to offer “healthier versions,” but to ensure those options are affordable, culturally relevant, and taste just as good as the originals.

Reformulation is not a new idea, but this project takes a new approach. It’s:

• Community-led: Families inform which products matter most and shape what reformulation should look like.

• Targeted: Products are chosen not just for popularity, but for their potential to positively impact health, technical feasibility, and cultural significance.

• Collaborative: Food manufacturers and technical experts are brought in to make reformulation possible (and successful).

Often, mainstream reformulation overlooks culturally specific foods or focuses on categories that don’t resonate with all communities. This project challenges that pattern, making sure reformulated foods reflect the needs and tastes of the people who eat them.

Food reformulation faces some serious hurdles. Manufacturers worry about consumer backlash, technical constraints, and the cost of tailoring new recipes. Without regulatory pressure or clear consumer demand, many see reformulation as a risk.

But this project is tackling those concerns head-on:

• Consumer acceptance: Research shows people are more accepting of healthier foods when reformulation is silent - i.e., it doesn’t draw attention to itself with “healthy” labels or taste compromises.

• Cost and access: Reformulated products must remain affordable and widely available, particularly in areas of lower average income where access to healthy, affordable food is often limited.

• Policy alignment: By gathering data and demonstrating demand, this pilot provides evidence for stronger food policy and regulation.

• • Between April 2023 and December 2024, Phase 1 focused on research and laying the groundwork - identifying key barriers and opportunities for reformulation, exploring where food tech can have the greatest health impact, and understanding how to support high-potential ventures to scale. It also examined how to better assist companies with reformulation, build effective support models, and engage consumers and communities to boost acceptance and impact.
    
  Key findings include:
  
  • Sugar intake in adolescents is well above levels recommended by the NHS
    
  • Fibre intake in families is half the recommended level
    
  • Top contributors to excess sugar: Biscuits, cakes, yoghurts, fruit juice, sugary drinks, and added sugars.
    
  • Major gaps in reformulation: Bakery items and culturally important foods are underrepresented in industry reformulation efforts.
    
  • Consumer preference: People prioritise taste and cost. ‘Healthy’ branding can decrease appeal.
    
  • Technical feasibility: Reformulation is possible in high-impact categories using alternative ingredients, fibre blends, and other innovations, but only if manufacturers have the right support.

In the current phase, up to 10 food and drink products will be reformulated and introduced in Lambeth and Southwark, home to nearly one million residents. These products will be tailored to what local families want, priced affordably, and taste-tested to ensure they remain favourites.

If successful, this could be the beginning of a much broader change. Long-term modelling shows that if calorie intake drops by 20% across these communities, it could prevent over 500 premature deaths, save the NHS nearly £67m, and reduce social care costs by a similar amount over the next 25 years.

While the pilot is rooted in London, the model is widely applicable. If manufacturers and policymakers across the UK (and beyond) see that reformulated products can be both profitable and popular, we may see a much-needed shift toward healthier food systems everywhere.

Reformulation is not about asking people to change what they eat - it’s about making the foods they already love that little bit better for them. With the right partnerships, community insight, and technical support, healthier eating doesn’t have to be harder. It just has to be smarter.