The Adventurous Consumer: Top Ten Trends 2019

Consumers are increasingly looking for healthier and more ethical options with regard to their snacking habits. Industry is delivering plant-based alternatives of existing snacks to satisfy consumer demand for guilt-free indulgence. New product launches from the snacks category featuring a plant-based claim are soaring with an annual average growth of +65% (Global, CAGR 2018-2020).

Texture plays a key role in consumers’ enjoyment of food, as textural characteristics define their perception of the product quality. Plant-based continues to be one of the top food and beverage segments focusing on texture innovation. Creamy is the predominant texture claim tracked on the plant-based market (Global, 2020).

Driven by social media and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are seeking ways to share positive experiences to communicate with the outside world. Colors prove to be good carriers of visual appeal as a sensory attribute. Another big trend is the use of natural colors, or no artificial colors, with natural foods such as turmeric/curcumin and beetroot.

With consumer preferences shifting toward more sustainable and ethical preferences, plant-based dairy-free alternatives continue to spark the consumer’s interest. Fast-growing product subcategories in this segment are non-dairy cheese, spoonable non-dairy yogurt and non-dairy ice cream & frozen yogurt (Global, CAGR 2018-2020). Well-established ingredients such as almond, oats and coconut are joined by fava bean, lentil bean, cashew and more to stand at the basis of many of these plant-based products.

Consumers are demanding products that are aligned with their specific lifestyles such as keto, vegan and paleo, among others. In bakery products, an astonishing rise of “keto” claims is reflected by an average annual growth of +262% (Global, CAGR 2017-2020). A key challenge for bakery manufacturers remains the (re)formulation of lifestyle-specific innovation without compromising on taste.

Standing out in the confectionery aisle can be challenging for brands, with so many appealing and colorful choices already available. Many adventurous launches are observed to get the consumer's attention that combines unconventional flavors or an element of surprise.