Lemon Rice Concentrate and Choco Rice Concentrate 65 BRIX have been selected by the independent SIAL Innovation Paris 2026 jury, placing two of MAK Food Company’s plant-based developments among the innovations recognised at this year’s edition of SIAL Paris.
Innovation is a core part of MAK Food Company’s strategy: developing ingredients that enable manufacturers to respond to new market opportunities with versatile, efficient solutions designed for industrial applications.
Today, we are proud to share an important recognition of that commitment.
Lemon Rice Concentrate and Choco Rice Concentrate 65 BRIX have been selected by the independent SIAL Innovation Paris 2026 jury, following evaluation by the Food Ingredient Committee.
Both products will be part of the SIAL Innovation Paris Selection 2026, which showcases outstanding innovations from across the international food industry and highlights solutions addressing emerging market needs and trends.
For MAK Food Company, having two developments selected also represents recognition of our commitment to expanding the possibilities of plant-based ingredients and exploring new areas of innovation beyond conventional plant-based solutions.
Rice Concentrates: A New Route for Plant-Based Innovation
The plant-based market continues to evolve.
For manufacturers, the challenge is no longer simply about replacing animal-derived ingredients. It is increasingly about developing products that deliver new sensory profiles, greater formulation versatility and additional nutritional value, while creating genuinely differentiated concepts.
Within this context, rice offers an exciting platform for new product development.
At MAK Food Company, we have built on this potential to create a range of Rice Concentrates specifically developed for food and beverage manufacturers, expanding the possibilities of rice within plant-based innovation.
The fact that two very different solutions have been selected for SIAL Innovation Paris 2026 reinforces this vision: starting from the same plant-based platform and transforming it into distinctive solutions capable of addressing different product concepts and market opportunities.
Lemon Rice Concentrate: Freshness, Fiber and Vitamin C in a Plant-Based Solution
Lemon Rice Concentrate goes beyond combining rice with a refreshing citrus profile.
Its formulation brings together rice concentrate, lemon juice concentrate, citrus fiber, vitamin C and ginger extract, alongside natural lemon flavouring and sweeteners, creating a versatile base for manufacturers looking to explore new functional and plant-based concepts.
The result is a solution that combines the mild character of rice with the freshness of lemon and the distinctive notes of ginger, while incorporating two particularly relevant nutritional components: fiber and vitamin C.
One of the key differentiating features of the formulation is its citrus fiber content. In a ready-to-drink application at 5°Bx, the formulation provides approximately 3.1 g of fiber per 100 kcal.That’s why a “high in fiber” claim may be applicable, subject to the final product formulation and applicable regulatory requirements.
Vitamin C adds another important dimension to the concept.
The concentrated formulation at 40°Bx, it is recommended for a 60 ml nutritional shot, which provides 546 mg of vitamin C, receiving a high dose of this vitamin.
Combined with lemon and ginger, this makes Lemon Rice Concentrate an interesting platform for functional drinks, wellness concepts and other plant-based applications where nutrition, flavour and differentiation need to work together.
From a B2B perspective, this versatility gives R&D teams much more than a new flavour option.
It provides a flexible ingredient platform for developing products with both sensory and nutritional differentiation.
From Functional Beverages to Wellness Shots
The composition of Lemon Rice Concentrate also opens up interesting opportunities beyond conventional plant-based beverages.
One potential route is the increasingly relevant functional shot category, where concentrated ingredients can deliver nutritional value in a convenient serving format.
For example, the vitamin C concentration of the formula provides manufacturers with the flexibility to explore small-format functional beverages combining rice, citrus fiber, lemon, ginger and vitamin C.
This creates an attractive starting point for R&D teams working on concepts related to wellness, vitality and functional nutrition, while the lemon and ginger profile is particularly suited to concentrated beverage formats.
The final formulation, serving size, nutritional profile and authorised claims can then be adapted according to the target market and specific product concept.
Choco Rice Concentrate 65 BRIX: Plant-Based Innovation Meets Indulgence
The second selected development, Choco Rice Concentrate 65 BRIX, explores a completely different direction.
Here, MAK combines the potential of rice with a chocolate profile, creating a solution designed for applications where plant-based positioning and indulgence can come together within the same formulation.
The result opens up interesting opportunities for manufacturers looking to develop concepts with a richer, more appealing and indulgent profile while remaining within the plant-based space.
Choco Rice Concentrate 65 BRIX also demonstrates just how versatile rice can be as a platform for creating very different sensory propositions.
From the fresh, functional profile of Lemon Rice to the indulgent character of Choco Rice, both developments are built around the same objective:
to expand manufacturers’ innovation possibilities through new plant-based solutions.
From an Ingredient to an Innovation Platform
This is precisely one of the most interesting aspects of these new developments from MAK Food Company.
They are not simply two new ingredients.
They demonstrate the potential of Rice Concentrate as a platform for developing new food and beverage concepts.
Manufacturers increasingly need ingredients that offer the flexibility to create products for different markets, consumer profiles and consumption occasions.
The contrast between the two products selected by SIAL Innovation illustrates this perfectly.
Lemon Rice Concentrate explores a fresh and functional territory, combining citrus notes with fiber and vitamin C.
Choco Rice Concentrate 65 BRIX moves towards a richer, more indulgent profile.
Two very different propositions demonstrating how innovation based on the same plant-based platform can generate solutions for very different market needs.
B2B Innovation Designed for Real-World Applications
At MAK Food Company, innovation is not about developing ingredients purely from an experimental perspective.
Our goal is to create solutions with genuine potential for the food and beverage industry, designed to integrate into manufacturers’ development processes and help turn new ideas into commercially viable products.
That is why we work closely with our customers’ R&D teams, adapting our solutions to the technical, nutritional and sensory requirements of each project.
This philosophy extends across our portfolio of Fruit Concentrates and Plant-Based Ingredients, where we combine technical expertise, development capabilities, flexibility and a strong commercial focus.
Because innovation only creates real value when it can become a business opportunity for our customers.
MAK Food Company at SIAL Innovation Paris 2026
The selection of Lemon Rice Concentrate and Choco Rice Concentrate 65 BRIX means that both developments will be part of the SIAL Innovation Paris Selection 2026.
The next stage will take place in mid-September, when the Grand Jury meets to select the award-winning products.
Award-winning products — excluding the Gold, Silver and Bronze categories — will be revealed during the SIAL Innovation press conference on 17 September 2026.
The Gold, Silver and Bronze winners will then be announced during the official awards ceremony on 17 October 2026, the opening day of SIAL Paris.
In the meantime, both products are officially entitled to carry the “SIAL Innovation Paris 2026 Selection” label.
For MAK Food Company, regardless of the outcome of the next stage, having two innovations selected by an independent jury of experts represents significant recognition of our team’s work and our commitment to developing solutions that create new opportunities for the food industry.
Discover Our Latest Innovations at SIAL Paris 2026
SIAL Paris will provide the perfect opportunity to discover these developments first-hand.
From 17 to 21 October 2026, the MAK Food Company team will be in Paris showcasing our latest solutions and meeting with manufacturers interested in exploring new possibilities within Fruit Concentrates and Plant-Based Ingredients.
Visit Us at SIAL Paris 2026
Hall 5C | Stand G159
If you are working on a new plant-based or functional product, or looking for ingredients that can bring greater differentiation to your next development, our team will be delighted to explore the possibilities of Lemon Rice Concentrate, Choco Rice Concentrate 65 BRIX and the wider MAK portfolio with you.
Two products. Two completely different profiles. One shared commitment to innovation.
MAK Food Company. Innovation designed for the food industry.