On November 15, consulting firm Mintel released a report on '2017 Global Food and Beverage Market Trends.' We highlight four key trends: ancient techniques as a selling point, plant-based foods gaining global popularity, and beverages that soothe and calm at night.
Authentic, Ancient, Traditional
In the past few years, consumer interest in product authenticity and product stories has expanded to concepts such as craftsmanship, artisan techniques, and handmade. Traditional or retro products satisfy consumers' desire to learn more about the product. According to Mintel's Global New Products Database (GNPD), in the global food and beverage market, the number of products launched between September 2015 and August 2016 described with the word 'ancient' increased by 269% compared to September 2010 to August 2011. These 'ancient' elements include traditional ingredient recipes, traditional applications, and ancient heritage. For example, Diageo's beer brand Guinness launched an African specialty stout in Nigeria, containing local ginger, lemongrass, cola nut, and chili, with artwork by a Nigerian graffiti artist.
Rise of the Vegetarian Trend
More and more manufacturers are introducing plant-based formulas or emphasizing the special flavors, nutritional fortification, and multiple functions brought by plants. In 2016, this trend began to develop rapidly, with 'plant' occupying a prominent position in product names and marketing. For instance, Evian launched fruit and plant-flavored mineral water in Europe, and WhiteWave's dairy-free beverage brand Silk used the slogan 'DoPlants.' Brands promoting plant ingredients have also sparked consumer interest in vegetarian and vegan products. This is the so-called flexitarian lifestyle. The number of products with 'vegetarian' and 'vegan' concepts from September 2015 to August 2016 increased by 25% and 257%, respectively, compared to September 2010 to August 2011. In 2017, the preference for plant concepts will accelerate the launch of new plant-based products and marketing campaigns. Innovation around plants points new directions for existing products and categories, with UK plant-based non-alcoholic distilled spirit Seedlip being a typical example. In marketing, Brazilian retailer Hortifruti's Netflix juice named products in a parody style, such as 'House of Carrots' mimicking 'House of Cards.' Some companies are using technology to improve the taste of plant-based foods. For example, Chilean startup NotCompany uses artificial intelligence to develop plant-based products to replace animal-based products like milk, mayonnaise, yogurt, and cheese. It is said that the company uses AI algorithms to analyze the molecular structure of food and human taste and texture preferences, ultimately developing products like NotMilk. NotMilk is made from almonds, AI-developed plant-based peas, rice, nuts, flaxseed, coconut milk, and vanilla.
Convenience and Slow Pace
Mintel's GNPD shows that the number of food and beverage products launched between September 2015 and August 2016 containing the 'slow' concept increased by 214% compared to September 2010 to August 2011. For example, Australian ready-meal brand Herbert Adams' slow-cooked 6-hour smoked pork pie emphasizes the time-consuming process in its name. However, these 'slow' products still need to be convenient to eat. The number of food and beverage products with a 'portable' concept launched during this period increased by 54% compared to the previous period.
Nighttime Eating and Drinking Goes Beyond Functional Beverages
Many products draw inspiration from tea, adding chamomile, lavender, and other botanicals to achieve a calming effect at night. Creative products for nighttime occasions have already appeared on the market. For example, retailer Lidl launched a melatonin-infused soothing juice in Spain. In 2015, a snack bar series called NightFood appeared in the US. The series promises to solve the problem of wanting to eat after dinner, making dieting easier and promoting sleep. In Mexico and Colombia, several Kellogg's All-Bran cereal products were repackaged with darker colors, promoting dinner oatmeal, claiming to improve digestion and give consumers 'a feeling of easy recovery.'
Source: Jiemian News -END- The best learning platform for FMCG distributors in China Focusing on providing professional, practical, and actionable tutorials for companies and distributors Committed to helping Chinese FMCG distributors grow rapidly The most professional and practical knowledge base in the FMCG industry Reply with the red number below to get corresponding content Reply with number 1 to view the complete knowledge base | 001 Excellent article selection | 002 Distributor market operations | 003 Terminal visit management | 004 Sales supervisor skills | 005 Sales improvement techniques | 006 Channel expansion | 007 Managing distributors | 008 Distributor development | 009 Distributor internal operations management | 010 Team management | 011 Efficient distribution techniques | 012 Sales manager's eighteen skills | 013 KA operation methods and strategies | 014 First lesson for new salespeople | 015 Internet, brands | 016 Distributor B2B transformation | [Long press QR code to follow]