Food in 2017 THE LITTLE BOOK OF BIG TRENDS
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Food in 2017 THE LITTLE BOOK OF BIG TRENDS
The following pages contain a collection of industry relevant trends, inspired by attendees at the NPD Food Conference and built upon through collaboration with our strategic team. If you would like to discuss how these may be relevant to your business, please get in touch with Nick at nick@echobranddesign.co.uk
Food, as one of our most dynamic cultural assets, has evolved from a functional human requirement to a mature lifestyle industry with high emotional value. As food delivers against increasingly higher order needs, it becomes ever more influenced by the push and pull of consumer trends. As digital advancement opens up borders, we are witnessing an almost instantaneous influx of global influences resulting in a truly multi-cultural melting pot. As consumer attitudes and behaviours evolve, new areas of opportunity open up to responsive brands. However there is a fine balance to be struck between chasing trends and taking a strategic approach. Brands that get stuck on the merry-goround, chasing the same consumer insights and trends as competitors, risk devaluing their brand with me-too innovation that has little, or no, relevance to their mission. At Echo, we believe that brand inspired innovation is the best way to generate unique, meaningful and ownable NPD. By placing a brand’s core values and guiding purpose at the heart of the innovation process, we help clients to navigate consumer trends and new technologies to find exciting relationships and achieve long-term growth.
What you Shared with us... Coatings
Craft
Fragmented Eating
Simplicity
Positive Ea
Engagement
ting
Low / No Sugar
Cooking at Ho
me
Naturals
Multi-sensorial
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Protein R
INSTANT VS IMMERSIVE IN BRIEF
“The average person expects good, reliable service quicker than ever before and the results show expectations are reasonable. Frustration kicks in when there’s a lack of communication or poor processes.” - Interparcel, 2015
• Find the sweet spot at the intersection of the On- Demand and Experience Economies • Convenience is the new luxury - harness new technologies to improve speed and simplicity • Captivate consumers with immersive experiences that invite participation and satisfy the senses
THOUGHT STARTERS
Deep rich oriental scents
How can you bundle instant gratification and longer term rewards into the same offer to forge deeper consumer relationships?
How can you use customisation to make something accessible but still aspirational?
How can you integrate physical and virtual environments to build a seamless narrative that captivates and inspires?
How can you harness new technologies to alleviate pain points and heighten moments of delight on the consumer journey?
Atari Fit gamifies your fitness journey, keeping you motivated by celebrating every step of the journey.
Magnum Pop Up invites you to design your perfect pleasure, making the everyday exceptional.
The launch of the new Chanel No 5 spans platforms with a multi-sensory synesthetic campaign.
Hello Fresh let you trade in time at the shops for more time getting creative in the kitchen.
FOOD OF SUBSTANCE IN BRIEF
“Consumers are looking for food with function - the focus of people’s diets is less about eliminating foods than adding them.” - Google Food Trends, 2016
• Technology is facilitating a very personal approach to nutrition - what is good for YOU vs latest fads • Real food has value vs calorie counting and diets • We are more health conscious than ever: knowledge is power and consumers are gaining more and more of it
THOUGHT STARTERS
How can you educate and empower consumers to take control of their diet without being preachy?
Can you communicate the functional, emotionally?
How can you balance optimal nutrition with minimal processing?
Can you offer a product with mass and individual appeal simultaneously?
Habit makes personal nutrition modern and accessible by using the latest macrogenetic health tech to put consumers in a totally personal driving seat.
Tapped Birch Water’s playful packaging simply communicates provenance and process, emotionally informing consumers of its functional benefits.
gomacro’s bars are made from sustainably sourced wholly natural ingredients, and nothing else. Each bar is named by its protein function.
Our Vodka is a global brand with local distilleries, with each batch named after the city it was created in.
NATURAL INSTINCT IN BRIEF
“62% of consumers actively seek out food with minimal processing and 53% prefer a short list of recognisable ingredients.” - Natural Marketing Survey, 2015
• Mindful eating - we are increasingly conscious of what you put in your body and where it’s come from • We want what’s good for us and the world • Your brand is your culture and your culture is your brand; transparency and consistency are key
THOUGHT STARTERS
Can you build advocacy through a simple, natural offering?
Do you have a realisable sociable ambition?
Can you champion local producers and suppliers?
Could you run an entirely sustainable business and still turn a profit?
e5 Bakehouse have built an unwavering loyal customer base through doing one thing very well indeed. Organic baked produce is made freshly on site every day with regular training events and even a baking retreat.
The Pret Foundation Trust supports local charities and food schemes nationwide, alongside running its own apprenticeship scheme to give the homeless a much needed helping hand off the streets.
Farmdrop works by postcode to deliver fresh produce direct to your door in 19 hours, cutting out needless supply chains and ensuring farmers get fair prices.
Leon’s dedication to bringing natural food to the mass market saw them invest heavily in the belief that their ethical core would ultimately win true. And it did.
FRAGMENTED LIFESTYLE IN BRIEF
“90% of people snack multiple times throughout the day. Of these, 70% forego meals altogether in favour of all-day snacking.” - Hartman Group, 2013
• Consumers eat around their schedules vs scheduling around mealtimes • 80% of snacking is ‘purposeful’ (fulfiling a physical, emotional, social or cultural desire) vs 20% is ‘aimless’ (driven by availability rather than need) - Hartman Group, 2013 • Almost half of all meals are eaten alone, and over a third of us go a whole week without dining alongside someone else (based on a survey of 2,000 UK adults) - The Big Lunch, 2016
THOUGHT STARTERS
Can technology be used to add intelligence and functional advantage to your offer?
Can you meet multiple consumer needs in one efficient offer?
Can you rework format to better suit your audience’s lifestyle and routine?
How can you simplify and streamline your consumer experience?
Starbucks have added to the internet of things with their smart Ember mugs, enabling people to adjust the temperature of their drink via smartphone.
Soylent Coffiest powers your morning with 400 calories of balanced, plant-based nutrition and the same dose of caffeine as a strong cup of coffee.
Pip & Nut Nut Butter range is now available in single portion sachets creating new consumer occasions through an on-the-go format.
Daily Harvest, a subscription service, deliver pre-portioned smoothies and soups straight to your door, frozen and ready to enjoy on your schedule. No prep, no mess.
HOLISTIC HEALTH IN BRIEF
“More than 80% of Gen Ys are investing nearly 1/4 of their disposable income in health foods and services as a proactive measure to support long term health.”. - Cassandra:online, 2015
• Food as medicine - consumer demand for hyper-functional, nutrient-dense and ultra-healthy products • Growing popularity of ancient remedies to solve modern maladies • Eliminate the taste and experience compromise with healthy hedonisim
THOUGHT STARTERS
Can you add heart and soul by offering something by the people, for the people?
What ingredients can you hero to amplify nutritional value?
How can you support interconnected physical and emotional wellbeing?
How can you boost brand reputation with a health halo?
Campbells Soup has leveraged their biggest asset - their staff by creating a range to suit their personal taste. The ‘Well Yes!’ ready to serve line was created by employees, showcasing the multinationals relatable human side.
Dirty Lemons Detox drink boosts its cold-pressed lemon, ginger, and dandelion root juice with activated charcoal, an ancient antidote for digestive ailments and a powerful hangover cure.
The Dr Smood Organic cafés serve up holistic nutrition to support optimal performance of mind, body and soul. The organic menu is built upon 6 pillars: immunity, energy, beauty, detox, power & health.
Mars Food have bravely done the right thing over the easy thing by committing to reducing sodium and sugar content and signposting products with ‘everyday’ or ‘occasional’ labels.
Where to from here? With such a wealth of exciting and ever-evolving trends, it is tempting to jump at them all in a bid to stay relevant and one step ahead. But before taking the plunge it is so important to go back to your core brand values and establish a strong guiding purpose, making for innovation that is true to you, and NPD that is trend-influenced rather than driven. At Echo we believe in brand inspired innovation; in working with brands to achieve a future-focused vision together. If you’d like to find out more, we’d love to chat. Please get in touch with nick@echobranddesign.co.uk
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