Sustainability and plant-based represent ‘major shifts in the industry’ interview with Lu Ann Williams, Global Insights Director, Innova Market Insights The health of the planet has now surpassed personal health as consumers’ biggest global concern, according to Innova Market Insights, which recently launched its Top Ten Trends for 2022. Based on consumer research and global surveys conducted across 11 countries, the trend predictions offer food and drink manufacturers insights into the issues that will drive and shape consumer choices throughout 2022. “Sustainability is very much on the agenda, and even if it’s not the number one purchase driver for consumers, it might be the tie-breaker,” said Lu Ann Williams, Global Insights Director at Innova. “Consumers are aspirational, so it’s definitely going to be on people’s minds more and more.”
Lu Ann Williams Global Insights Director Innova Market Insights
“Sustainability is more and more a consumer issue. Instead of making some big general proclamation about their credentials, brands now have to [do] something more understandable in terms of measurements or the social impact,” Williams said.
Plant-based innovation Innova’s second big trend for 2022 is the evolution of the plant-based category. According to Williams, plant-based products are no longer just about mimicking meat or dairy, but instead represent a whole platform for innovation with expanding sub-categories and increased premiumisation. The past year has seen a diverse range of product launches, from vegan salmon in Brazil to a range of plant-based seafood in Asia by Omnipork, for instance, and Innova has tracked a 59% increase in new plant-based products that also carry a premium or indulgence claim over the past year. “We see now top chefs offering vegan menus, we see whole muscle foods creep onto the agenda with more plant-based steaks or sushi, and higher quality [products]. This is because, still, one-third of consumers across the 11 countries we surveyed said they don’t want to buy 100% plant-based products because of poor taste and texture. There is still a massive opportunity there.”
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