Top Trends for the 2019 in the Food and Beverage Industry

At HiE 2018, Innova Market Insights launched their top ten trends for 2019 for the food and beverage industry. These trends will also have an impact on the baking industry.

Innova Market Insights has been tracking new food and beverage product launches over the past 25 years. Over 350,000 new products are entered into their database annually. They now have over 130 million records and with that information they do trend analysis. During the 2018 Health Ingredients Europe, Irene Kersbergen from Innova Market Insights presented the Top Trends for the 2019 Food and Beverage Industry based on new product launches.

1 Discovery: The Adventurous Consumer. Globalization has sparked consumer’s curiosity for new flavors from all over the world. 2 of 3 US, UK and Chinese consumers say they love to discover new flavors. Consumers seem to be looking for new products that arouse their curiosity.

2 Plant Kingdom. Eating plant-based has become mainstream as consumers are making healthier food choices. Increases in this category include consumers who are increasing fruit and vegetable consumption to be healthier. There are also more new plant-based pizzas and pastas available.

3 Alternatives to All. There are alternatives to almost everything including: dairy, protein, sweeteners, and even a fish alternative! Half of US consumers choose alternatives for health reasons. People also choose alternatives for diet variety, novelty and even sustainability. The vegan trend is also influencing this market. Over the past 5 years, the average annual growth was 46% with new products making vegan claim.

4 Green Appeal . Industry increasingly committing to and answering consumer expectations around sustainability. 2 in 3 consumers in US, UK and China expect companies to invest in sustainability.

5 Snacking : The definitive occasion. Snacking is no longer optional. 63% of millennials are replacing meals with snacks because of busy schedules.

6 Eating for Me. Consumers have individual needs and preferences and becoming more important to them. More personalized nutrition to support popular diets including: keto, paleo, plant-based, high protein, vegan etc. Personalization nutrition with apps that can prepare grocery lists to meet your requirements. Also, companies are beginning to offer personalization with custom online ordering product with custom text and images on the product or packaging.

7 Fresh Look at Fiber. Research has shown the return of fiber as an essential food ingredient. 44% US consumers say they have increased consumption of fiber. People are consuming more fiber even for weight management reasons. There is even a 55% growth average annually over the past 5 years of fiber in the sports nutrition category.

8 I Feel Good. There is a rising interest in the role that nutrition can play in emotional well-being. This includes holistic well-being, and emotional health is an important factor. 90% of consumers are saying that mental health is as important as physical health. 36% growth in these feel-good claims on products, for example using term “happy” or “joy”. Strong growth of guilt-free claims on packaging. 1 in 4 US, UK, and Chinese consumers say “relaxation” is an important factor overall when consuming food and beverage.

9 Small Player Mindset. Startup companies continue to shake up industry. 2 in 5 US and UK consumers prefer small brands because smaller companies are more dedicated to product and have a more personal story. Big companies are even going small in strategy and investing in smaller start-ups.

Connected to the Plate: All About Technology. Social media helps consumers engage and even co-create new flavors with companies. With social media, fans are involved in creating new flavors, and companies to letting consumers choose what the next flavor will be. Young consumers are sharing what they eat online. In China, 55% of millennials share pictures of their foods once per week or more. Other technology like blockchain, is also helping with traceability. 80% US consumers are more likely to buy brands that are honest and transparent about how and where products are produced. With blockchain a product barcode can be scanned to see where and how it was produced.

* Statistics from Innova Market Trends 2018 as presented at HiE 2018. +++