Italian producers are amongst the ones better understanding the new global trends of the food and beverage industry. Let’s see why, by using some of the categories provided by Innova Market Insight, a leading international research institute:
1) Clean supreme: the new international standard is to buy food with ‘clean and clear’ labels. Producers all over the world have put a considerable effort to respond to this industry trend by trying to highlight the transparency and traceability of the supply chain. In this regard, Italian companies are leading thanks to simplified recipes, using less ingredients, and clean labels.
2) Disruptive green. It means increasing the use of vegetable ingredients to support the consumers’ health: over the last year there has been a 25% increase of the launch of vegetarian/vegan produces at a global level.
3) Low sugar: between 2012 and 2018 “low sugar” products and the use of stevia as a sugar substitute have increased of 28%. The majority of the Made in Italy products is low sugar.
4) The great interest in ethnic food, Western food in particular, comes fourth.
5) A global consumer expects to gain the most ‘Body tuning’ through food. As a consequence, producers promote ‘tailored’ products that meet the consumers’ specific needs. The classic example of this trend in particular is the growing popularity of gluten free: 15% of new products launched in Europe are GF (in 2012 they represented only the 7% of the market); it is exponentially growing in Italy as well.
6) Premium, gourmet food and delicatessen: the number of people who prefer to spend more to buy quality products is growing; our food excellences are at the top of the list.
7) Encapsulating moments: on-the-go ideas are much loved by international consumers. Drinks, snacks and food tailored for sportsmen and women. Italian company Eurovo was awarded during Anuga for it’s OvoKit, a package that provides with the necessary to eat a boiled egg on the go.
8) Watch out for the kids: the tendency of children influencing their parents’ purchases – including food – is also growing: in the dairy sector over the last year for example, 47% more products dedicated to kids were launched in the market.
9) Viral contamination: there has been a number of new launches of experimental food hybrids, mixing different categories of foods especially among snacks. The consumers are interested in experiencing new bold tastes.
10) The seeds triumph: you can so call the last but not the least food macro trends of the global market. The presence of chia, quinoa, and many other high-protein fibre suggest a send of health and wellbeing to the products using them that the international consumer is so eager to have.
A further evidence that Italian manufacturers are interpreting this trends in the best of ways is proved by the fact that international retailers are increasingly more interested in partnering as copackers for their own labels. Transparent supply chains, excellent, safe, and healthy products are our pluses that, in international showcases such as Anuga, are gaining the full importance and visibility deserved.
Maria Cristina Alfieri