So what will we be eating in 2016?
The Mintel food and drink trends for 2016 have just been released. Mintel is a global market research company and has predicted 11 trends for the next year.
- Vegetarian is now mainstream
Jenny Ziegler, Mintel’s Global Food and Drink Analyst, said; “Veggie burgers and non-dairy milks have escaped the realm of substitutes primarily for people with dietary concerns and followers of vegetarian diets. Instead, the growing ranks of novel protein sources and potential replacements appeal to the everyday consumer, foreshadowing a profoundly changed marketplace in which what was formerly ‘alternative’ could take over the mainstream.”
- Natural is king
Consumers are already concerned about their food being “natural” and not “processed”, and this trend is not going to be stopping any time soon. The growth of the whole clean food movement reflects this increasing trend.
- Is your business sustainable?
If food businesses are not being sustainable, and being seen to be, they will be losing sales as consumers place increasing importance on a product and it’s maker being “green”.
- You are what you eat.
Functional ingredients like probiotics and collagen will increase in use as people eat for beauty or health.
5 Eating and Exercise
“The rising promotion of programmes that encourage consumers to get and stay active showcases a parallel need for food and drink that helps consumers get acquainted with sports nutrition. This creates an opportunity for communication and product ranges that progress alongside people’s activity levels and goals,” Ziegler said.
6 Speak the truth
Consumers and regulators are going to continue to want proof that what you say about your product is true – in other words they want verification.
7. Does your blood type really determine what you should eat?
Consumers are starting to believe en masse that their actual make up, determines what they should eat. So superfoods and ancient grains will continue to increase in popularity
8. Did you see the picture / story / recipe on Facebook?
“The rise of food-centric media has sparked new interest in cooking, not only for the sake of nourishment, but for the purposes of sharing one’s creations via social media.This finds people taking divergent paths: some hope to become well-rounded enough to compete on popular television programmes, while others privately cultivate specialties ranging from cupcakes to curries. Either way, people are cooking to share with friends and social media followers,” said Ziegler.
9. It is OK to eat alone.
With an increasing number of people living alone, the whole idea of eating alone is no longer thought of as unusual. So manufacturers are going to working on developing single size meals and promotion to accompany them.
10. Good fats are good for you and can be eaten
People are now more aware that there are good fats and bad ones and are becoming less concerned about buying and eating foods containing those fats that help with health.
11. Looks do matter – when it comes to food
“Flavour has long been the core of innovation, but more visual and share-focused societies call for innovation that is boldly coloured and artfully constructed. Finding inspiration in global foodservice offerings, brands can experiment with vibrant colours and novel shapes to make packaged products worthy of consumer praise and social media posts,” said Ziegler.
“These trends explore how consumers’ evolving priorities, opportunities from advancements in functional formulation and the almost inescapable reach of technology will affect food and drink in the coming year. Consumers are not the only influencers, as shifting economics, natural phenomena and social media are shaping what, how, where and with whom consumers are choosing to eat and drink.” said Ziegler.
“The trends will play out differently across the world based upon a variety of factors, including cultural norms, regional availability and societal needs. In some cases, established trends from one area are migrating to new regions, while a few emerging trends have the potential to disrupt the worldwide landscape,” Ziegler concluded.