Food Trends 2021
Tags: Retail, Food, Health, Nutrition, Trends

What will hit the shelves and what will hit the mainstream

Photo by Benziad on Unsplash

The health megatrend is only just getting started, but the lines between nutritious foods and supplements are already blurred. It leads to nutrient-dense products that feature functional health benefits to support consumer wellbeing. According to ADM research, 31% of consumers buy products to support their health, and 50% state a preference for products with naturally occurring beneficial ingredients.

Buzzwords

Adaptogens, functional ingredients, probiotics, superfoods

Reimagined Basics

New takes on staples, such as pasta, sauces, blended spices, and baked goods due to new shelf-stabilizing techniques and repurposed ingredients such as hearts of palm pasta, applewood-smoked salt, and meat flavored vegetarian products. The omnipresent chickpea will continue to lead this reimagination in alt-foods such as tofu, chips, flour, and cereals.

Baby food for grown ups

While Soylent may have been a decade too early, the category is getting a makeover with products focusing on adults’ health benefits. Think of a fruit mousse with ingredients such as fruits and flaxseeds.

Upcycled foods

Brands and food manufacturers are continuing to find new ways to upcycle ingredients that would’ve previously gone to waste, “we’re seeing a huge rise in packaged products that use neglected and underused parts of an ingredient as a path to reducing food waste. Upcycled foods, made from ingredients that would have otherwise been food waste, help to maximize the energy used to produce, transport and prepare that ingredient.”​ according to Whole Foods.

Buched-up — Boozed down

While hard seltzer burst onto the scene in 2018, alcoholic kombuchas are a big trend in the beverage category despite the onset of non alcoholic RTD cocktails and beverages. Kombucha’s USP, it is gluten-free, it is bubbly and probiotic cultures can be added for further product differentiation.​

Protein Power

Protein trend goes mainstream, formerly reserved for gym members and pro athletes, it has already found a foothold in the yogurt aisle by emphasizing and rebranding dairy products

Pro Brands Protein Chips with Sea Salt Flavor

Spicely Organics Organic Italian Protein Seasoning

Take Two Barley Milk: Vanilla

Plant Power

Tulsi , an Indian basil variant, said to reduce metabolic stress, primarily used in tea

, an Indian basil variant, said to reduce metabolic stress, primarily used in tea Noni , a superfruit and antioxidant that contains more than 100 vitamins and minerals, originally from the South Pacific Islands, supply may be constrained

, a superfruit and antioxidant that contains more than 100 vitamins and minerals, originally from the South Pacific Islands, supply may be constrained Achacha , high in Potassium and Vitamin C, is originally from Bolivia, but has seen commercialization in Australia

, high in Potassium and Vitamin C, is originally from Bolivia, but has seen commercialization in Australia Rambutan , one more superfruit that is relatively common in South East Asian, its similarity to Lychees and a possible take off in travel in 2021 could propell this hairy fruit onto the mainstream

, one more superfruit that is relatively common in South East Asian, its similarity to Lychees and a possible take off in travel in 2021 could propell this hairy fruit onto the mainstream Calamansi, South Korean, and popular in beauty products already, but also used for lemonades, it could cross the Pacific as part of the ongoing interest in the K-Pop — culture export

Adaptogens

Drinks that can help you focus, cereals that make you tired, sodas that lift the mood. Products containing adaptogens most commonly have such claims, and consumers, especially in North America, love it.

What else ?

Meat and dairy alternatives will continue to progress, but have reached mainstream acceptability, therefore I did not include them as such. Cultured meat, such as recently announced by Eat Just, still faces a long road towards industrial production and regulatory scrutiny.

Adapotgens may see a bit of PR backlash as most products claim effects that have not been backed up for their particular recipe, rather that just one of the ingredients.

Alternative Proteins, various startups are working on them, and have recently discovered previously unknown ones, but as with most new ingredients, it takes time until they can be commercially produced and sold.

So I will close this piece with two already available products that are representative of the aforementioned trends.

Table of Plenty

Ginger Honey and Coconut Immunity Plus Porridge

Chobani Complete

Advanced Nutrition Greek Yogurt Shake: Vanilla

Eat healthy and nutritious everyone, and have a great 2021.