Page 18 - Food & Drink Magazine Jan-Feb 21

7
9 0
TRENDS FORECAST
Shine+ beverages contain nootropics, ingredients that improve brain function including L-theanin, caffeine, gingko biloba,
turmeric, B vitamins and green tea.
MOOD: THE NEXT OCCASION
With consumers increasingly prioritising their holistic health and wellbeing, new products and technological applications will focus on how food and beverages influence the physical, mental and emotional aspects of health. New mood-based product development is seeing staggering growth as are on-pack labelling claims.
Adaptogens are being promoted for all kinds of benefits including reducing stress, improving mental health and skincare. Williams says while there has been much focus on occasions like breakfast and snacking, mood and sleep are becoming occasions in themselves.
“The potential to capture consumers with emerging mood platforms like energy and relaxation are well established, small but growing. Some of the new ones could be sleep albeit from a very small base. Plant-based functionality includes botanicals, collagen peptide and GABA are also becoming more mainstream,” she says.
PRODUCT MASHUPS: WHEN TRENDS COLLIDE
This is where variety and multifunctionality appeal to consumers eager to discover new products, formats and categories, for all occasions. And to have some fun. Innova says three in five consumers are interested in trying new sensory experiences, i.e., aromas, tastes, textures, colours and sensations.
Williams says the adventurous consumer looking for
MODERN NOSTALGIA
While consumers want to try regional and exotic flavours inspired from around the world, they also want local appeal. Innova says global trends will be given a local twist to provide the familiar while also offering a heightened sensory delivery through surprising and unexpected flavours, textures and formats.
“This is also very interesting because we see huge interest in food provenance while also revealing another COVID-19 impact of retreating to the familiar. But as we yearn
for safety, there’s also that
feeling of going back to the
restaurant you used to go to
as a kid and feeling sad if it
hasn’t been updated at least a
little bit.
“So, it’s about global trends that get a local make-over, or something that makes us feel safe and secure but has been modernised by looking at exotic ingredients in familiar products,” Williams says.
RIGHT: Lion’s Dare Sparkling Cold Brew Coffee taps into consumers’ desire for a new take on the familiar.
Consumers are shifting away from social media influencers to sources they trust.
experience,8
1
flavour, storytelling and texture is causing hybrid innovation take off.
“There are great opportunities for the food service sector here. In China,
Pizza Hut made a drinkable pizza with peach-flavoured cheese, in
the US Dunkin’ Donuts has been exploring cereal.
“In Australia, Ben & Jerry’s Doughlicious, served ice cream came in the form of a
pizza with a dough crust, which was served by the slice.”
LEFT: Ben & Jerry’s Doughlicious ice cream is a hybrid innovation that is fun for the consumer.
AGE OF THE INFLUENCER
Storytelling, brand connection and shareable social media experiences still reign supreme, but expect to see a slow shift to more reliable influencers and a gradual expansion of the diversity of influencers to drive trust and credibility.
“Digital transformation is informing everything around food. It fuels the
innovation pipeline. While influencer endorsements will continue to give
products and brands a push, there is a slow shift to more reliable
influences occurring,” Williams says.
Two in five consumers say they don’t believe blogs, bloggers and influencers are honest about the products they promote. “There is a growth of science-based influencers, so we’re in a change period and we’re slowly moving back to seeing consumers working out who they do trust by themselves,” she says.
18 | Food&Drink business | January/February 2021 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au