The food and beverage of tomorrow? Healthy, rich in protein, on the go, appealing to millenials, fresh for home made cooking. Innova Market Insights tries to understand worldwide consumer needs to help manufacturers to create successful products.
- From clean to clear label
The move from ‘clean’ to ‘clear’ labelling is a key trend for 2015, reflecting a move to clearer and simpler claims and packaging for maximum transparency . Nearly a quarter of all food and beverage companies worldwide has launched this year highlighted ‘naturalness’ and ‘origin’ in their product description, according to Innova data analysis, but there is a need for more clarity on the definition of ‘natural’ before the trend could really grow up.
- Convenience for foodies
Home cooking is seen as fashionable, as well as healthy and cost effective, it has driven demand for a greater choice of fresh foods, ingredients for cooking from scratch and a wider use of recipe suggestions by manufacturers and retailers. Television shows have continued to drive interest in home cooking, but even gourmet consumers like products that make things easier.
- Marketing to millenials
Consumers aged 15 to 35, also known as Millennials make up about one of a third of the world’s population. According to Innova they are more likely to be well informed and want to try something different. They are tech-savvy and they want to know about the story behind products and brands. Meeting their needs has become a key focus for food and beverage industry which try to engage millennial consumers through technology because they are less brand loyal than older consumers.
- Snack rise to the occasion
Traditional mealtimes are in decline and healthy snacks are filling the gap. We are seeing the snackification of just about everything. A slump in formal dining and the growing amount of snack foods and drinks would result in the development of more snack foods for specific occasion. The food industry has answered the call for snack for specific occasion to replace conventional breakfast foods, with pouches, muesli bites and breakfast biscuits, among many others and it is moving into convenient, portable foods.
- Good fat, good carbs
Market analysts are beginning to see more butter related claims on product labels. What are they seeing is that is not so black and white when it comes to fat and carbs. There is a lot of more grey in between. Focus from industry and the so called ‘obesity crisis’ would also feed consumers growing awareness of healthier foods, according to Innova. With concerns over obesity there is a growing enphasis on unsaturated and natural fats and oils that has seen rising interest in omega-3 fatty acid content as well as the return of butter to favour as a natural, tasty alternative to artificial margarines. The move toward protein rich food may not be new, but companies are now highlighting the source of protein, whether pea, whey vor milk, for example. Novel source of protein are also on the rise, including from algae, which is seeing greater consumers acceptance.