IFT First 2026

Building Connections Above the Chicago Skyline

IFT First is one of our favorite industry events, especially since it is hosted in our hometown of Chicago, IL. Throughout IFT week, the CoreFX team had the opportunity to connect with customers and innovation leaders to discuss one of the biggest shifts happening in nutrition today: the growing focus on nutrient performance from formulation through end product.

While conversations on the show floor were invaluable, one of the highlights of the week happened above it.

CoreFX welcomed customers and partners to a rooftop networking event overlooking Chicago’s skyline. Away from the bustle of the convention center, the evening created space for more meaningful conversations about formulation challenges, product innovation, and where the industry is headed next. Strong partnerships have always been central to how CoreFX works. Whether we're solving a formulation challenge or developing a new product concept, the best ideas often begin with open conversations. 

The Conversation has Shifted

One theme emerged consistently throughout IFT: brands are looking beyond ingredient specifications and asking how nutrients actually perform in finished products. Stability, dispersibility, sensory experience, manufacturability, and biological performance have become just as important as the ingredient itself.

Those conversations reinforced exactly why CoreFX exists. Through the CoreNhanced™ technology platform and proprietary eXoFunction™ and shielded BioTransport™ technologies, we help bioactives achieve greater stability, functionality, manufacturability, and biological performance across functional foods, beverages, and dietary supplements.

Across customer meetings and technical discussions, several consistent themes emerged:

• Improving nutrient stability throughout processing and shelf life

• Enabling functional beverages, gummies, chews, and other consumer-preferred formats

• Simplifying manufacturing while maintaining product performance

These conversations reinforced the industry's growing focus on clean performance and the importance of technologies that help nutrients perform consistently from manufacturing through consumption.

We look forward to continuing these conversations and partnering with brands to bring the best formulations for functional foods, beverages, and dietary supplements to market.

Thank You, Chicago!