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Market intelligence agency Mintel has put together the three top food trends it anticipates for 2019, and shared these with Vada Magazine. These trends are around sustainable consumption, food and drink for medical purposes and elevated convenience food. We’ve outlined these below – do you agree, or are there other food trends we should be watching?
Evergreen Consumption
Sustainability has extended to encompass the entire product lifecycle. This includes foodstuffs. From farm to retailer to fork to bin and, ideally, to rebirth as a new plant, ingredient, product or package, a 360-degree approach will ensure resources are kept in use for as long as possible. The movement towards circular economy for food as the new model sustainability will require collaboration between suppliers, manufacturers, governments, nonprofits, retailers and consumers.
A seismic shift in how consumers think about plastic is underway, with bio-based packaging materials set to be a key component to the next generation of responsible packaging. In 2019 and beyond, sustainability efforts will include not only improving access to recycling, but incentivising consumers to recycle packaging and offering up-cycled goods. At the same time, efforts to improve air pollution, support plant welfare, restore soil health and embrace regenerative agriculture will emerge as crucial elements of holistic sustainability programmes that are important to us all.
Through the Ages
Preparing oneself for a longer, healthier lifespan is becoming more relevant as consumers prioritise health and wellness as a holistic, proactive, and ongoing pursuit. Longer lifespans present significant opportunities for food and drink manufacturers to take inspiration from the beauty industry, which has successfully established a model for healthy ageing by designing proactive products that are marketed with positive language to people of all ages.
Specific to the world’s diverse senior populations, their needs can be addressed through food and drink for medical purposes, as well as products designed for prevention, with formulations that are nutritious, flavourful, and easy to consume. Yet as humans are living longer, more food and drink can be formulated to address concerns from people of all ages about bone, joint, brain and eye health as well as other age-related health concerns.
Elevated Convenience
From breakfast to dinner, a new generation of modern convenience food and drink is emerging as manufacturers respond to rising healthy eating priorities, quests for foodie-inspired flavours, interests in personalisation and competition from speedy delivery services (think Deliveroo). Looking ahead, a new wave of shortcuts will be available, offering new conveniences such as the expansion of individual meal kits sold at retail points, foodservice-inspired packaged beverages, and a new generation of prepared meals, sides, and sauces that closer emulate the flavours and formats of restaurant meals.
Advancements in technology will also elevate the expectations of convenience food and drink options for consumers moving forward, from planning to shopping to preparation. Interest in premium convenience will not be limited to dinnertime, creating opportunities for every meal, snack, and beverage break.
For more information on Mintel, please visit mintel.com.
