The predictions for on-the-rise flavors, products and more reported by Whole Foods Market.
Everything Butters and Spreads
Has (insert nut, seed, snack) been made into a butter yet? It’s likely to happen in 2020. Think seed butters beyond tahini – like watermelon seed butter – and seasonal products like pumpkin butter year-round. Nut butters beyond cashew, almond, and peanut (hello, macadamia) and even chickpea butters (no, it’s not a new name for hummus). Look for creamy vegan spreads perfect for toast, crackers, bagels and celery sticks that get their full flavors from trending superfoods like pili. It helps the trend that spreads and butters are touting paleo- and keto-friendly attributes, but transparency is also a key player in this trend. Many brands are looking to either eliminate the use of palm oil or promote a Responsibly Sourced Palm Oil certification and use nuts that are grown in ways with less likelihood for environmental impact.
Rethinking the Kids’ Menu
Are the days of picky eaters numbered? Judging from the number of kids’ cooking and baking competitions on TV, kids are kitchen-savvier than ever. By 2026, 80% of millennials will have children, and many parents are introducing their kids to more adventurous foods — with great results. Food brands are taking notice for the next generation – possibly our first true “foodies” – expanding the menu beyond nostalgic foods with better-for-you ingredients and organic chicken nuggets. They’re bridging the gap from old-school basic kids’ menus and taking more sophisticated younger palates into consideration. Think non-breaded salmon fish sticks. Foods that are fermented, spiced or rich in umami flavors. Colorful pastas in fun shapes made from alternative flours. Maybe it’s time adults start taking some cues from the kids’ menu.
Not-So-Simple Sugars
Sure, there’s sugar. But for those seeking sweetness outside of the usual suspects like sugar, stevia, honey and maple syrup, there’s lots more to choose from for your cooking, baking and tea- or coffee-stirring needs. Syrupy reductions from fruit sources like monk fruit, pomegranates, coconut and dates are one way to add concentrated, unique flavors into recipes for desserts, meat glazes and marinades. Sweet syrups made from starches like sorghum and sweet potato can be compared to the deep flavors of molasses or honey, and can be used for baking and sweetening beverages. Swerve, a cup-for-cup zero-calorie non-glycemic replacement for sugar, combines erythritol with ingredients from fruit and starchy root vegetables to produce a sweetener that’s available in granular, confectioners’ and brown versions.
Meat-Plant Blends
Butchers and meat brands won’t be left out of the “plant-based” craze in 2020, but they’re not going vegetarian. Chefs across the country have been on board with the trend for years through James Beard Foundation’s The Blended Burger Project, a movement that strives to make the iconic burger “better for customers and for the planet” by blending in at least 25% fresh mushrooms. For the health-conscious at-home chef, adding plant-based ingredients to meatballs and burgers has an added bonus – it’s budget-friendly! Major brands like Applegate are seeing if meat-eating consumers will swap a traditional beef burger for one with 30% plant-based ingredients, touting benefits of less fat and cholesterol when compared to USDA data for regular ground beef (check out Applegate’s website for nutritional comparison information). And other brands are taking note, too, with products like the Lika Plus Burger made using 75% ground beef blended with 25% Lika Plus (wheat, mushroom, barley yeast and water), showing up at meat counters in Whole Foods Market’s Southwest region. Flexitarians looking to strike a tasty balance between meats and plants can expect more blended products in their future.
Zero-Proof Drinks
With so many consumers seeking out alternatives to alcohol, unique non-alcoholic options are popping up everywhere, from menus at the world’s most acclaimed bars to specialty stores. Many of these beverages seek to re-create classic cocktail flavors using distilling methods typically reserved for alcohol, creating an alternative to liquor meant to be used with a mixer rather than a drink on its own. Think alt-gin for gin and tonics and botanical-infused faux spirits for a faux martini. Add to that options enjoyed straight from the bottle or can, like hops-infused sparkling waters and zero-proof apertifs, and you can be sure guests avoiding the bar cart will never get bored.
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Full article: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/tips-and-ideas/top-food-trends
According to Key Trends in Food available at www.new-nutrition.com, the trends are fuelled by emerging science – discussed in the media and online– that’s associating carbs with health issues such as weight gain and blood sugar response.
“Consumers are increasingly experimenting with lowering their carb intakes, or improving the carbs they eat, in the hopes of benefiting their health and/or their waistlines,” says Julian Mellentin, author of the report.
In Spain, as many as 63% of consumers are regularly trying to eat fewer carbs, according to an NNB survey; in the UK, that figure is 48% and in Australia 47%.
And in North America, 36% of consumers believe they should eat less bread, pasta, potatoes and rice.
In Japan, food service operators are cutting carbs, with one restaurant chain kneading spinach and chlorella into noodles to lower their carb content by 25%.
“Companies are responding to these opportunities by adopting one or more of five strategies,” says Mellentin. “The biggest of these strategies is Reformulation – not only substituting whole grains for refined wheat, for example, but offering gluten-free variants to take away a big digestive health issue that many consumers have with carbohydrates.”
One area that is moving quickly is the re-formulation of pasta. Explore Cuisine is one of several companies offering pastas and noodles made not from wheat but from dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas.
Even the potato industry is experimenting with new low-carb varieties such as Lotatoes, successfully marketed in New Zealand by one of the country’s biggest fruit and vegetable companies.
Some companies are going yet further in changing “bad” carbs into “good” carbs. Hamburg-based milling giant Good Mills has launched a new type of wheat that directly addresses consumer concerns about gluten and difficult-to-digest carbs. Called 2ab Wheat, it is free from gluten and addresses concerns about FODMAPs, a rapidly-emerging consumer concern.
Another powerful strategy that many companies are following is Greener Carbs.
Convenient vegetables, and vegetables in forms that can be substituted for traditional carbohydrates, are the fruit of creative NPD and skilful food technology.
For the first time, vegetables can be as convenient as traditional carbs. For example:
–Green Giant in the US markets riced cauliflower (for use instead of rice) as well as spiralised vegetables and has massively expanded its range in 2017.
–Fazer, the Nordic bakery group, successfully markets bread with a 30% vegetable content.
The Good Carbs Bad Carbs trend shows that Key Trends often overlap with, and fuel, one another. Digestive Health, Plant-Based and Snackification are all connected to this trend.
Another trend that’s a powerful driver of Good Carbs is Personalisation. Increasingly, people are going online, doing their own research and crafting their own eating style that they believe matches their needs as individuals. The belief that diet cannot be “one size fits all” is gaining ground.
For about 50% of the population, according to a survey by New Nutrition Business, the idea that each of us has unique nutritional and metabolic needs is becoming an accepted fact. These people, no matter what official dietary guidelines say, look upon carbs as a menu from which they feel free to select some as “good” and reject others as “bad”.
This creates opportunities for companies willing to respond creatively to this much greater variety of needs and beliefs.
The growing spread of COVID-19 is altering consumer routines – from spending time with family and friends to partaking in usual activities such as going to the gym – adults are bound to home isolation and forced to accept limited person-to-person interaction. In this time of uncertainty, adults are looking for some semblance of normalcy as they face additional and possibly first-time stressors, including financial insecurity, income loss, social isolation, health concerns and fear of the unknown.
Mintel examines consumer behavior through the lens of seven drivers, determining what is impacting attitudes and actions now and in the future. Mintel consumer driver, ‘Identity,’ explores how consumers understand and express their place in society. Adults find comfort in groups that share something in common. The unwavering desire for community drives people to band together and find connection in times of inevitable separation. Adults also feel a sense of identity and pride when they are in control of their health and wellbeing. With self-care being an aspect of health that consumers place a significant emphasis on, many wellness-focused brands are making a difference by providing an outlet for community, connection and support when the outside world feels chaotic.
At-home exercise platforms find their voice
In-person relationships are necessary to everyday life and are being compromised in the attempts to limit the spread of COVID-19. Instead, people are leaning heavily on technology to provide new connections and access to a myriad of brand products and services. With adults spending more time at home, fitness brands are taking this opportunity to strengthen their relationships with current users and enticing new users to stay active and healthy. Luckily, consumers are already accustomed to working out in their homes. According to Mintel research on exercise trends, more than half of exercisers report working out within their home, and frequency of at-home exercise is even more substantial for adults who are interested in digital workouts.
Brand response
During times of shelter-in-place, fitness facilities are challenged to stay relevant and profitable with their members. Some niche exercise franchises, such as CorePower Yoga, have turned to social media platforms to provide free, streamable classes for users to join at home. Equinox is maintaining engagement by sending daily check-ins to members through their app with exercise tips, self-care advice and health-forward rituals to continue during home isolation. Digital fitness platforms like Peloton, that already have at-home exercise content on hand, have found their stride with many by offering extended free trials to gain new members.
What consumers want and why
Adults who exercise at boutique fitness facilities are more likely to seek out a sense of community than those who work out in a traditional gym setting. Fostering a sense of community and belonging when in-person contact has been discouraged is even more critical to keep users engaged during and after COVID-19. Providing users with daily check-ins, unfiltered workouts and honest content can reinforce a sense of support, connectedness and relatability.
According to Mintel research health management trends, nearly half of adults say making activities fun would help them achieve their health and wellness goals. To move beyond the clutter of digital exercise offerings, brands can infuse some enjoyment and encouragement into staying active. Developing workouts that involve family or creating virtual challenges to reach a larger goal (ie competition where participation results in a brand donation to a charitable foundation) could keep adults even more motivated during shelter in place.
Mental health services cater to the masses
Exercise brands are not the only form of self-care services evolving quickly in response to heightened demand. Mental/emotional health apps are recognizing that many adults are facing new and daunting challenges with unclear solutions. According to Mintel data on health hurdles, nearly one-third of adults say their day-to-day responsibilities keep them from reaching their health and wellness goals. For some adults, everyday responsibilities may include at-home schooling and child care, cooking every meal, working remote, seeking a new source of income and more. Self-care brands have the opportunity to act as a simple tool for stress relief, advice and maintaining a sense of calm as consumers adjust.
Brand response
In mid-March 2020, popular meditation app Headspace announced free subscriptions to healthcare professionals through the end of the year; an offer for front-line responders who will undoubtedly need support during and well after the current COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Headspace partnered with Hyatt to unlock a collection of meditation and sleep therapy sessions free to the general public titled “Weathering the Storm.” Efforts are mirrored by many self-care companies to help adults find mental/emotional wellbeing during the crisis.
What consumers want and why
Before the threat of COVID-19, Americans were particularly aspirational with their health and wellness goals because they perceive health management as an ongoing process of improvement. With most adults already focused on bettering their wellbeing in some capacity, it is now time for brands to help consumers feel in control of their health: reinforcing that wellness aspirations are not out of reach amidst uncertain times. Brands should latch on to the power of human connection and support their community when day-to-day routines are compromised.
What’s the next big food trend in 2020? According to Whole Foods Market published on website www.wholefoodsmarket.com. The report concluded from asking their panel of trend-forecasters to make the predictions. These culinary experts, buyers and foragers in the global offices and across their 490 stores have decades of experience and expertise in product sourcing, consumer preferences and more. Here’s what to watch out for in 2020.
Regenerative Agriculture
Farmers, producers, academics, government agencies, retailers and more are taking a closer look at how to use land and animal management practices to improve soil health and sequester carbon. While the term “regenerative agriculture” can have many definitions, in general it describes farming and grazing practices that restore degraded soil, improve biodiversity and increase carbon capture to create long-lasting environmental benefits, such as positively impacting climate change. You can help by seeking out brands that support regenerative practices.
Flour Power
As seasoned and amateur bakers alike look to scratch a creative itch in the kitchen, an array of interesting flours are entering the market making baking more inclusive and adventurous. Consumers on the baking bandwagon are seeking out ingredients used in traditional dishes, like teff flour used for Ethiopian injera. 2020 will bring more interesting fruit and vegetable flours (like banana!) into home pantries, with products like cauliflower flour in bulk and baking aisles, rather than already baked into crusts and snack products. Consumer packaged goods are getting in on the trend by replacing traditional alternative flours with tigernut flour in chips and snack foods, and tasty pastries made with seed flour blends. As consumers look for more ways to boost their bake, “super” flours delivering protein and fiber join the trend. Let the adventures in baking begin!
Foods from West Africa
From indigenous superfoods to rich, earthy dishes, traditional West African flavors are popping up everywhere in food and in beverage. The trio of tomatoes, onions and chili peppers form a base for many West African dishes, and peanuts, ginger and lemongrass are all common additions. The 16 nations within West Africa share similar foods, but each have their own specialties based on subtle influences from the Middle East and Western Europe. Brands are looking to West Africa for its superfoods too like moringa and tamarind, and lesser-known cereal grains sorghum, fonio, teff and millet. Chefs like Pierre Thiam are embracing the region too. His new Harlem restaurant, Teranga, is an ode to African culture through food.
Out-of-the-Box, Into-the-Fridge Snacking
Life isn’t slowing down, but snack options are more than keeping up. The keyword is “fresh” in this new generation of grabbing and going—gone are the days when the only options were granola bars and mini pretzel bags. The refrigerated section is filling up with the kind of wholesome, fresh snacks typically prepared and portioned in advance at home: hard-boiled eggs with savory toppings, pickled vegetables, drinkable soups and mini dips and dippers of all kinds, all perfectly portioned and in convenient single-serve packaging. Even nutrition bars have made their way from the shelves to the chiller, thanks to the addition of fresh fruits and vegetables. These snacking innovations mean ingredients lists are shrinking and there’s a lot less guesswork in picking up a quick snack you can feel better about.
Plant-Based, Beyond Soy
Tofu scrambles may always have a place at the vegan breakfast table, but in 2020 the trendiest brands are slowing down on soy, which has traditionally dominated the plant-based protein space. Some of the products touting “no soy” in the next year will be replacing it instead with innovative blends (like grains and mung beans) to mimic the creamy textures of yogurts and other dairy products. In the supplement aisle, brands are swapping soy for mung bean, hempseed, pumpkin, avocado, watermelon seed and golden chlorella, maintaining the smooth textures in vegan protein powders and bringing a spectrum of plant-based amino acids to the table. As the plant-based movement gains traction with flexitarian eaters, brands are looking to avoid as many of the top allergens as possible, so look for plant-based prepared foods (especially meat alternatives) and traditionally soy-based condiments going soy-less!
Continue to ep.2 or read the full article here:
Full article: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/tips-and-ideas/top-food-trends
The Chinese economy contracted by 6.8 percent (YoY) in 1Q20, marking the first time that the Chinese economy has experienced a contraction since statistical reports began in 1992. The main reason for this phenomenon is the stringent COVID-19 disease control and prevention measures issued by the Chinese authorities, including lockdown orders and orders for domestic tour operators to cease tour package sales. Such measures have caused a partial stagnation of economic activity throughout China. Some of the impacts can be seen in retail sales and industrial production figures in 1Q20, which declined by 19.64 percent (YTD, YoY) and 8.4 percent (YTD, YoY), respectively.
Although the Chinese authorities have started to gain control of their outbreak situation, the prospects for immediate recovery of the Chinese economy are not so bright, based on the overall picture of Chinese exports, which continue to face pressure from the sheer number of countries that may simultaneously enter recession. Likewise, private consumption might then be unable to return to the level it held prior to the pandemic, in the same way as investments are being held back in anticipation of a clear revival of the world economy. KResearch has readjusted its projection for economic expansion in 2020, from a previous projection made in January 2020: the new figure is a cautious expectation of growth in the range of 1-3 percent, compared to the original projection of 5.7 percent.
With China’s economic conditions set on a trajectory of very low growth, to the extent that the Chinese authorities will be hard-pressed to fulfill their goal of doubling the amount of gross domestic product (GDP) from 2010, more stimulus packages may be issued in the form of monetary and fiscal policies to help sustain the economy. Monetary and fiscal policy normalization can be expected once the Chinese economy begins to show signs of recovery, to ensure that such policies are not too relaxed which might lead to stability issues for the Chinese economy in the long term.
In view of the global spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), and after intensive consultation and communication with exhibitors and partners, we will postpone SIAL China 2020 to September 28th – 30th, 2020 at National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) (NECC).
The serious international concerns of COVID-19 dictate that health and safety of exhibitors and visitors must be our priority. Therefore, we have undertaken further analysis of the current situation. In light of cities like Beijing and Shanghai adding more precautionary restrictions, such as a 14-day self-isolation upon landing in China, we must reconsider our plans. The impact on travel in May, for our international participants, is too logistically challenging to continue as planned. Therefore, as the organizer of SIAL China, we have decided to postpone the SIAL China 2020 to September. We are pleased to report that this decision is supported by both international and domestic exhibitors and partners.
Currently all our work, preparation and promotion for SIAL China 2020 has adapted to the new exhibition date and venue. We will work closely with the venue and all partners in the coming months to make sure SIAL China 2020 will have a great edition in September. At this moment we invite all our international exhibitors, visitors and partners to follow the most up-to-date news about SIAL China 2020 on our website and social media accounts. For more information, free visitor registration and the pre-cautions will be taken onsite, please visit www.sialchina.com.
We would like to sincerely thank you for your understanding and support. We look forward to welcoming you to SIAL China 2020 in September 28th-30th at NECC.
จะเห็นว่าแบรนด์สตาร์ทอัพอาหารและเครื่องดื่มกำลังไปได้สวย แต่ในด้านการลงทุนเพื่อสร้างรายได้หรือเปิดตัวธุรกิจสตาร์ทัพใหม่ของตัวเองดูจะเป็นความเสี่ยงสูงเกินไปและยิ่งด้วยตอนนี้มีการแพร่ระบาดของโรคโควิด 19 “การลงทุนสตาร์ทอัพอาจจะเป็นวิธีการผลาญเงินทุนที่ดูเข้าท่าที่สุดเหมือนกับการเดิมพันระยะสั้น” Julian Mellentin, Director of international consultancy New Nutrition Business (NNB) ผู้เชี่ยวชาญด้านอุตสาหกรรมอาหารกล่าว
Start-up food and beverage brands are cool. But investing in, acquiring, or launching your own start-up is ultra high-risk – and even more so now thanks to COVID19. “A start-up may be the most effective way to destroy your capital, short of betting on horses,” says food industry expert Julian Mellentin, Director of international consultancy New Nutrition Business (NNB).
Fat boy with overweight checking out his weight isolated on white background
“In 2019 it was becoming clear that all was not rosy in the start-up garden,” said Mellentin. “We had learnt from talking to the market that most start-ups fail to achieve scale and most have terrible financials.”
“And the big successes that every investor wants – like Chobani or Grenade – were rare outliers,” he adds.
NNB’s research focused solely on the UK market, which is Europe’s start-up capital, producing more challenger brands than anywhere else in Europe. The UK retail environment also favours start-ups, with giant retailers willing to giving them shelf-space.
NNB selected 83 companies that had launched between 2005 and 2015. “We cut off at 2015 so that there would be at least three years of data for the newest companies,” Mellentin explains.
The analysis shows that achieving profitability and scale is the exception, not the rule:
• In 2018, only 27 (33%) of the 83 businesses made any profit. The combined sales of these profitable companies was £238.9 million ($298.4m/€273.5m).
• Of these, only seven achieved any scale.
• A further 15 (18%) folded.
• The remaining 41 (49%) were producing losses.
• Failure to scale = no profitability – the ‘happy place’ was found at annual sales above £35 million ($43.7m/€40.1m).
The biggest winners were in snacking
Snacking was the most profitable category with an average profit margin of 4.2%. The three most successful companies in the total sample were snacking companies:
1. Nature Delivered (better known by its Graze brand)
2. Grenade, maker of Carb Killa bars
3. Urban Fresh Foods, a maker of fruit snacks for kids and adults
These three companies alone accounted for 51% of the sales and 52% of the total profits of the 27 companies who were profitable in 2018.
Dairy did well, plant-based dairy did not
“The dairy companies in our sample were also mostly successful,” comments Mellentin. “Companies like Collective Dairy and Biotiful are growing and making profits.”
However, none of the companies making plant-based substitute milks or yoghurts in the sample had ever made a profit, and in one case losses were worsening each year: “Despite the hype about dairy substitutes, it’s clearly still a niche and a very crowded one.”
NNB’s research threw up a few golden rules for start-up success:
1. Understand the category you are going into: Know the category and its dynamics (and which categories to avoid). It’s clear that some categories have profound challenges. Gluten-free bakery, for example, may be past its peak.
2. Successful entrepreneurs don’t always win twice: Previous success is no guarantee of success with a new venture. It depends more on the category dynamics. “One very successful entrepreneur had gone into a new category, but after seven years the new business was still nowhere near making a profit,” says Mellentin.
3. Create a point of difference: Collective Dairy is a successful insurgent brand in the UK. Its flavours, packaging and total proposition stand out in an over-crowded yoghurt aisle.
4. Good taste and texture help you win: Grenade, Urban Fruit, Graze, Collective Dairy, Biotiful – all these companies deliver on taste and texture and they are among the biggest winners.
5. If you want to sell your business, make a profit: “The investor’s hope, which originated in Silicon Valley 20 years ago, is that you can focus on growth and the profits will follow,” Mellentin observes. “It’s clear that in food and beverage that doesn’t apply. None of the loss-making businesses achieved an exit sale for their founding investors, with the exception of one bakery business which was sold to a private equity group which has since grown sales but never managed to make their acquisition achieve a profit.”
