food and drink trends to keep an eye on in 2023
As 2023 gets into full gear We have identified the top five trends to watch out for in the world of food and drinks and beverages, with “next-generation plant based” leading the trend.
The food and drink sector, the standards for food and beverage are continually evolving and changing, but some are carried over throughout the year. Many return after a period of relative inaccessibility. With numerous hot topics coming out and old ones getting more attention and gaining traction, we’ve narrowed it down to five trends that you can count on this year.
Next-generation plant-based
For quite a while, the use of plant-based alternatives to dairy products and meat has been on the rise and developing quickly, and that’s why it’s a number. number 1 on our list of. We like to refer to as “next-generation plant based.” According to the ADM 2023 Global Consumer Trends report, more than half (52 percent) of consumers worldwide are flexitarians. This is the combination that is “flexible” and “vegetarian”–people who are adding more plant-based alternatives in their diet, while remaining aware of their meat consumption. As more and more people are embracing both animal and plant-based proteins, numerous ingredient companies are developing new alternatives.
Although the trend of plant-based foods is not new, the steady growth that it has seen in the past five years is significant. According to food and beverage analytics company Spoonshot, interest in alternative foods–alt-dairy, alt-meat and alt-seafood–increased 262% between Jan. 2016 and April 2022, largely driven by perceived health benefits, concerns over animal welfare and sustainability. There is still a long way to go in getting the right taste and texture of products made from alt-seafood but Spoonshot stated that the food industry can anticipate the most innovations from this area as more products are pulled from the pipeline.
Transparent supply chain
As consumers hunt for healthier foods and drinks, they are keen to know what exactly is in everything. Long lists of ingredients can be a turnoff for those who want foods that are not processed and have more natural ingredients that they are familiar with. According to the exclusive ADM Outside Voice research, over 70% of customers have said that simple, easily identifiable ingredients affect their buying purchases, and nearly two-thirds (66 percent) stated that they are seeking out labels that have the shortest list of ingredients.
The HTML0 “transparent supply chain” trend has a growing interest in the support of the development of new agricultural technologies as well as other innovations that will assist in reduce the carbon footprint of our society as well as increase the life of our planet including the regenerative agricultural system, vertical farming crops, crop rotation and breeding of plants.
Globally, nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of consumers said they feel positive about companies that disclose the place and method by which the products were created, developed or cultivated, as per Mintel’s Global New Products Database of CPG launches to be announced in 2022.
Sustainable packaging and source
Sustainability is at the center of every industry of late, with an emphasis on beverages and food sector. Consumers are increasingly taking note of corporate sustainability initiatives that comprise everything from recycled packaging to the new economics that are being developed in areas of low service.
Large-scale brands such as Coca-Cola as well as General Mills, for example have led efforts to design recycled packaging to sell their goods and are also attempting to sustainably source their ingredients as well as set clear objectives for the next few years. A lot of F&B firms–not only the big players — are focusing their efforts on establishing an environment that is more circular, like Pacific Ridge (PacRidge), which is a company focused on regenerative farming that is fully integrated.
“Consumers are increasingly looking for products that are grown, processed and packaged in the most sustainable ways possible,” PacRidge CEO, Ken Grenier, said. “That demands affects all aspects of the supply chain, from the seed to the shelf. Farmers are interested in knowing what’s on sale and how they can best manage their property. Retailers want to track a product’s quality nutrition value, as well as carbon footprint. In addition, as the increasing demand for plant-based goods and the manufacturing processes that surround these products are becoming more important.” He said that for his business, technological innovation is all about developing an eco-friendly supply chain that is rooted in regenerative agriculture and the ancient respect for the earth’s resources.
Over 40% of world consumers are now more confident of claims regarding the environment that brands and products make in the last two years FMCG Gurus’ Path to Sustainability research discovered further proving the importance of sustainability efforts.
