Food trend specialists, Innova Market Insights, has unveiled its annual Top Ten Trends for 2021, highlighting that brands are “upping their game” to meet ethical, environmental and clean label consumer demands.
Innova Market Insights’ Top Ten Trends for 2021 provides an in-depth look at how the food and beverage industry has evolved. For example, the pandemic has put a large focus on health and immunity, with consumers seeking foods and ingredients that support personal health. This research also highlights that attention is now on “the post-COVID landscape” to explore how these new behaviours will shape the future of the food and beverage industry.
“Transparency throughout the supply chain will dominate in 2021, with consumers searching for brands that can build trust, provide authentic and credible products, and create shopper confidence in the current and post-COVID climate.”
Lu Ann Williams, Director of Insights and Innovation at Innova Market Insights
Innova Market Insights’ top trends for 2021 are in response to the ever-evolving and consumer-centric food and beverage industry. These new trends include:
- Transparency Triumphs
According to the Innova Consumer Survey 2020, six in 10 global consumers are interested in learning more about where foods come from. Innova highlights that transparency will dominate consumer demand in 2021. Therefore, increasing transparency to meet evolving ethical, environmental and clean label consumer demands is key.
As a result, it is expected that brands adopting and pairing new packaging technologies such as invisible barcodes and near-field communication technology with creative, meaningful storytelling will be successful.
- Plant-Forward
As plant-based trends reach global phenomenon status, the “plant-based” definition is ever-evolving. Innova predicts that its rising mainstream appeal will drive expansion to different regions and categories in 2021, including accelerated demand for new formats, plant proteins and more sophisticated alternatives.
- Tailored to Fit
It is expected that personalised nutrition will be in the spotlight as consumers look for food and beverage options that fit their unique lifestyles. Innova Market Insight states that “consumers expect a tailored approach to eating, with technological breakthroughs, constant new launches and exciting sensorial experiences providing the opportunity for customised lifestyles to extend to food and beverage consumption”.
- New Omnichannel Eating
Consumers are seeking convenience, richer experiences and accessible indulgence. In addition, traditional hospitality is getting edged out, especially as COVID-19 is giving consumers more time to stay at home and sharpen culinary skills. The Innova Consumer Survey 2020 found 46% of consumers believe restaurant-branded products are a convenient way to attain the restaurant experience and flavours at home. Along with restaurant delivery growing, consumers can now directly access many specialty products that were previously only accessible via foodservice.
- In Tune with Immune
Ongoing anxiety stemming from COVID-19 will encourage consumers to prioritise their immune health into 2021, according to Innova Market Insights. The Innova Consumer Survey 2020 found that six out of 10 global consumers are increasingly looking for food and beverage products that support their immune health, with one in three saying that concerns about immune health increased in 2020 over 2019.
On 11 November 2020 Lu Ann Williams will be presenting the Top Ten Trends for 2021. You can find out more on how to attend this webinar at: https://www.innovamarketinsights.com
