Page 18 - Food & Drink Business Jan-Feb 2020

TRENDS REPORT 2020
2020the year ahead
Telling a product’s story is the biggest trend to watch this year according to Innova Market Insights’ annual trends report. For Innova co- founder, director and trends expert Lu Ann Williams, increased consumer interest in the stories behind what they are eating and drinking will see an increase in companies adopting storytelling in branding strategies. Plant-based products, sustainability, and unusual ingredients are also on Innova’s Top 10 list. Kim Berry reports.
Cape Grim Beef is taking storytelling to the next level, working with start-up Off the Table, developing a cooking school on its farm in north-west Tasmania. Image: Brodie Peters
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THE PLANT-BASED REVOLUTION
As plant-based eating is moving from a trend to a food revolution, the industry is taking up the challenge to deliver more “clean label” meat and dairy alternatives.
Innova’s research found two thirds of global consumers want products with clean and clear labelling of easily understood ingredients.
According to Williams,
plant-based innovation has
flourished because of increased
consumer interest in health,
sustainability and ethics, which ties
into the broader consumer lifestyle trend towards cleaner living.
STORYTELLING: WINNING WITH WORDS
Increased consumer interest in the origins of their food and drinks means
“As the use of the term plant-based moves more into the mainstream, there is a lot more opportunity to deliver more clean label meat and dairy alternatives with improved nutritional profiles,” she says. In the last five years, there has been 68 per cent average annual growth in food and beverage launches that have plant-based claims.
ingredient provenance is becoming a key element of brand storytelling,
Innova Market Insights co-founder, director and trends export Lu Ann
the market. “Fifty-six per cent of global consumers say that stories around a brand influence their purchase decision,” she says.
Consumers’ attention is piqued by opportunities to learn more about how products are made and what they are made of. That promotes an understanding of a product’s benefits and helps build trust in the brand, Williams says.
“You can’t convince consumers anymore, they have to decide. Consumers want authenticity, honesty and transparency.
“Manufacturers are increasingly focusing on ingredient provenance platforms in order to highlight the taste and quality of their products, as well as their uniqueness and sustainability efforts.
“Provenance platforms can communicate a whole range of messages to the consumer, including flavour, processing methods, cultural and traditional backgrounds, as well as the more obvious geographical origin.”
18 | Food&Drink business | January-February 2020 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au
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Williams told Food & Drink Business. It is “absolutely crucial” to success in
The alt milk market in Australia continues to grow with the market broadening from soy and almond milks. At the Naturally Good Expo in Sydney last year, food consultant Bob Burke said oats were on the rise as a dairy alternative. Nielson data showed it grew 636 per cent from October 2018 to 2019. And in the US, yoghurt manufacturer Chobani announced it is launching oat based milk and yoghurt products.
ABOVE: Australia’s first pea protein milk – Australia’s Own LIKE MILK – was launched by Freedom Foods Group in 2018 and is growing at 60 per cent in retail sales value a year.