Food Sector Trends

Food Sector Trends - Supported by IMCD At IMCD, we know that the first step on the path to successful product development is understanding trends correctly. Our global team of food experts has identified market dynamics that will shape the sector's future in the coming period. You can find their insights and recommendations in this report.

Welcome to the Future of Food!

Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an impact, health remains a top priority for consumers worldwide, shaping their nutritional preferences. But has anything changed over the past year? Many consumers who began paying more attention to their health due to the COVID-19 pandemic found an opportunity to educate themselves about healthy living and move towards higher well-being goals. This has created a new target audience for nutritional solutions addressing common health concerns. Research shows that annual growth in food and beverage launches with "functional" in the product name increased steadily at an average rate of 59% per year between 2016 and 2020.1 As consumers become familiar with their own health profiles, they realize that many health-related areas overlap and influence each other. This also coincided with a period when mainstream media increased coverage of the importance of gut health. For example, it is now known that the benefits of a healthy gut extend far beyond digestion and reach cognitive health, healthy aging, and more.2

Meet the Functional Food Enthusiasts

Annual growth in functional food and beverage launches increased steadily at an average rate of 59% per year between 2016 and 2020.3 Consumers seek various benefits such as high energy and immune support in basic food products rather than packaged goods. Quality standards for these foods are also rising: A snack or ready meal is expected to deliver a "fresh-like" experience with authentic flavors and textures, in addition to health benefits. Consumers know that finding what works for their minds and bodies requires trial and error. They are looking for brands that can provide personalized nutrition recommendations and suggest nutritional and lifestyle changes, as well as supplementary products that are right for them as individuals. Many people prefer the idea of lifestyle change over dieting. For example, keto enthusiasts typically emphasize what they love about the "keto" lifestyle: not a short-term change, but a permanent transformation. In ketogenic diets, carbohydrate intake is significantly reduced, so energy burning is provided by fats and puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, which triggers weight loss. Keto was the most searched eating trend on Google in 2020 with 25.4 million searches.4 Immunity: The Next Chapter The increased interest in healthy immunity created by COVID-19 shows no signs of declining. It has become common knowledge that a healthy immune system is at the center of overall health, and many people now view immune health in a broader context rather than as an urgent concern. 1 Innova Market Insights, 2020 2 https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/diet-nutrition/a37545299/gut-brain-axis-mental-health/ 3 Innova Database, Innova Health & Nutrition Survey 2020 4 https://uk.news.yahoo.com/10-most-popular-diets-2020-090900005.html 5 Innova Database, Top Ten Trends Survey 2020 Berna Belli Akça Head of Food Division – Food and Nutrition IMCD