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Disruptor brands spearhead sustainable solutions

Manufacturers, big and small, sharpen their focus by providing sustainable products and services centred on comprehensive and sustainable approaches to traditional methods.

A 2025 Sustainability Index suggests big brands have the power to close the sustainable gap between production, packaging and purpose, while disruptor brands will need to offer sustainable alternatives.

As consumers become more environmentally conscious, startups, scaling brands, and sizable multinationals are working to meet their expectations with sustainable offerings. However, with expectations for 2025 predicting that the larger, more established brands will tighten their grip on sustainability and progress their efforts, the spotlight is on smaller disruptor brands to gauge how they will respond.

With the United Nation’s (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Goals now less than five years away, consumers place an ever-growing focus on sustainability, giving food and beverage companies the opportunities to fulfil these expectations. According to Innova Market Insights, today’s shoppers expect manufacturers to protect nature and support the environment by cutting waste.

Will disruptor brands continue to lead the charge, or will the leaders close the gap?

Index tracks brand sustainability across various metrics

For brands and manufacturers to progress with their sustainable efforts, they need to look beyond simple or one-dimensional offers of eco-conscious considerations, like choosing environmentally friendly packaging or ingredients. “It’s about meeting various environmental, ethical, and social criteria,” says Josh Simpson, co-founder of Impact Score, an app designed to help consumers find sustainable and healthy products in UK supermarkets.

Apps are synonymous with food delivery, providing convenience and on-the-go purchases, and have been on the rise since COVID-19 lockdowns. Apps have also become an increasingly popular mainstay within the food and beverage industry, allowing consumers to research ethics, traceability and transparency in information about the supply chain straight from their fingertips.

Impact Score’s Sustainability Index 2025 evaluates over 300,000 products from 13,000 brands, showing how well the industry keeps pace with consumer expectations.

Providing a comprehensive view of sustainability in food and beverage sectors like confectionery, the Index tracks short- and long-term changes. It also offers insights into where brands, mainly disruptor names, fare in the competitive landscape. The Index considers numerous sustainability indicators such as animal welfare, nutritional value, packaging, carbon footprint and fairtrade certification.

Big brands close the gap

In the confectionery sector, for example, multinational heritage brands are demonstrating their biggest jumps in sustainable progress – perhaps unsurprising, given their large budgets, extensive campaigns and robust resources. These brands can direct these towards executing swift and effective updates to their sustainable supply chains.

The Index shows that while challengers remain leaders in sustainability, their scores have declined in 2024 compared to 2023. “This suggests that even top performers face challenges as the industry’s standards continue to evolve,” says Ian Yates, co-founder of Impact Score.

However, established players like Lindt, Guylian, and M&M’s have significantly improved their sustainability efforts, with each brand improving their index scores by over 5%. “While the challenger brands still lead, the momentum shifts as the big players close the gap,” Simpson explains.

Sustainability practices alone not sufficient to stand out in the industry

While sustainability remains a focal point for consumers, trends within the chocolate industry show signs of maturing.

“For instance, vegan chocolate – once a booming sector – has seen a decline in the number of new products despite its growing profitability,” Yates notes.

The basis for this is that these reflect that the market for vegan chocolate is stabilising. As a result, established brands focus on refining their existing products rather than expanding new ranges.

Disruptor brands may need to adapt their approach as big players gain traction. Adopting sustainability practices is no longer sufficient. Instead, disruptor brands in 2025 will need to offer more sustainable alternatives to stand out against competitors. They will need to focus on areas like ethical sourcing, transparency, and more ambitious environmental goals.

Consumer preferences driving the industry forward

The direction the industry takes will depend on consumer behaviour. As shoppers become more informed about sustainability issues, they wield significant influence over which brands succeed.

“Consumers’ preferences for ethically produced and environmentally friendly products will continue pushing the industry in the right direction, forcing big players and challengers to adapt,” explains Simpson.

Sustainability, though, means more than choosing products based on claims.

“As the sustainability race intensifies, shoppers will likely become more discerning, seeking brands beyond token efforts and offering tangible, measurable impact,” Yates adds.