Food for thought: Future-proof ingredients to boom following pandemic, almonds star in NPD

26 Jun 2020 --- The COVID-19 pandemic and the speed at which it developed has had a profound effect on day-to-day life. While it is too early to understand the full impact of the new normal, it’s increasingly clear that many of the changes to consumer behaviors that have resulted from life under lockdown could be here for some time. This change is particularly true when it comes to food and beverages. FoodIngredientsFirst speaks with the Almond Board of California (ABC) and Innova Market Insights who flag the undeniable changes shaping F&B categories as we know them. At the same time, personal health and immunity-boosting ingredients stay top of mind.

The combination of not physically going to the supermarkets as often, a desire to stay healthy but still indulge, and a heightened awareness of the future of the planet and food safety, has impacted how and what we eat. It has also emphasized the importance of a reliable food supply and healthy, shelf-stable and sustainable ingredients. 

“It’s not surprising that the pandemic has pushed personal health to the top of the agenda for consumers as they look to boost immunity and maintain good health to prevent catching and spreading the virus. Nutrition and diet play a big role in supporting good health and immune systems, so consumers are now drawn to the basics of good nutrition based on the nutritional properties of products and ingredients,” Dariela Roffe-Rackind, Director Europe & Global Public Relations at the Almond Board of California, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Andrea Launay, Analyst Team Manager at Innova Market Insights, says that in order to stay healthy and build immunity, consumers seek products that bolster personal health with healthful foods and ingredients. 

Almonds are easy to pair with a variety of other foods, says the Almond Board of California.“Products with functional benefits became more popular than classic comfort foods. Anxiety around the pandemic could lead even more people to seek nutritional solutions that they learn about through internet searches and social media while confined to home. Fortification, a public health nutrition strategy, has been under fire for being less natural than whole foods. Still, as consumers seek ways to restore their health after weeks at home and to improve their resistance to disease, they could return to the basics of good nutrition,” she explains. 

Almonds star
According to the ABC, ingredients like almonds can help food manufacturers innovate in step with consumers who are thinking more profoundly about what they are eating and buying. 

“Items like almonds that have a long shelf life are being sought out more and more by consumers during the pandemic. For many people, almonds are a store cupboard staple and so it stands to reason that they’re being used in recipes and also paired with other ingredients like dark chocolate or fresh or dried fruit as simple, healthy snacks,” Roffe-Rackind comments. 

Whether it’s simply serving standalone ingredients together or more involved snack recipes such as bars and energy balls, almonds are easy to pair with a variety of other foods, she adds. 

“Beyond traditional inclusion of almond as a piece, almond is expanding to new segments with different forms including almond butter, almond paste, almond meal/flour and almond-based dairy alternatives. These four almond forms are showing growth globally over the last five years,” Launay explains. 

Globally in 2019, among all nut ingredients, almonds were the top nut used in Bakery, Bars, Dairy and Cereal. “In these categories, it is the clear front runner, with far more launches than other nut-based ingredients. In Snack and Confectionery categories, it is closely competing for the top spot. In all of these five categories, the application of almonds is growing,” she details. 

As one of the most researched foods, there are over 170 published papers to date and studies in progress to support the health benefits of almonds. This research has aided our understanding of the beneficial impact they may have on heart disease, diabetes, weight management, skin health and more. 

“Research like this is important for today’s increasingly mindful consumers who seek foods that can keep them sustained throughout busy days and are both healthy and tasty,” continues Roffe-Rackind. “Supporting science can also help manufacturers when procuring ingredients to fulfill these demands, and even help them when positioning their products to consumers.”

While the pandemic has impacted businesses around the globe, California’s almond shipments have been steady. 

“Though there have been reports of some challenges related to supply chain logistics, almonds are a shelf-stable food and have been able to withstand some of the delays which the food industry has experienced,” adds Roffe-Rackind. 

Almonds are an ingredient that can fulfill both of these demands, she asserts. “They will continue to be important for manufacturers who are already responding with innovation to some of these new consumer habits – whether that be in the form of indulgence and comfort, healthy snacks or hybrid products that blend flavor, functionality and food types,” Roffe-Rackind notes. 

Added to this, a trend report released by Innova Market Insights continues to show that consumers seek foods with a “health halo” and the benefit of a long shelf life as eating habits evolve in the pandemic. 

The market researcher highlights four key trends which have been influenced by the virus.

Trend 1: Restoring Personal Health The definition of good health is now focused on conventional health, heralding a return to the basics of good nutrition when it comes to F&B products, says Innova Market Insights.
The pandemic has caused consumers to think about the importance of keeping healthy, and the primary concern for most consumers is for their personal health and that of family and friends. This is as much for recovery purposes as for prevention. 

Despite the rise in alternative therapies and trendy diets over recent years, the definition of good health is now focused on conventional health, heralding a return to the basics of good nutrition when it comes to F&B products. 

Meanwhile, the appetite for immunity-boosting ingredients in F&B products has also accelerated. According to Innova Market Insights, more than a quarter (27 percent) of European consumers are specifically eating or drinking products that claim to boost the immune system. Foods enriched with vitamins and minerals have taken on a new level of importance and will likely continue to do so.  

Trend 2: Back to Basics
As lifestyles have adapted to new restrictions and everyday disruption, two in five European consumers buy more food, drink and household goods, looking to stock up for one to two weeks. As well as looking at the health properties, consumers are considering the shelf-life of products, with over 43 percent of Europeans placing more importance here, suggesting a shift away from more indulgent categories as well as some fresh foods.

As people learn to appreciate life’s simple pleasures, with cost also becoming a concern for some, consumers turn back to basics. This has manifested itself in a few different ways; stocking up on staple items that can be stored for longer, returning to processed foods and a new appreciation for frozen, dried and canned goods. Manufacturers can tap into shelf-stable ingredients like nuts and seeds to provide the nutrition and flavor consumers are looking for, with the convenience of product stability. 

“A healthy snacking essential for many already, almonds certainly play to consumer notions of a trusted and convenient basic ingredient. But the real benefit is that when packaged and stored correctly, almonds have lengthy shelf-lives meaning they’re great as both a stand-alone nutritional staple to keep in the cupboard and a useful and versatile ingredient if you’re looking to formulate longer-lasting products,” adds Roffe-Rackind. 

Trend 3: Indulgence 
There is a clear focus on healthy eating across Europe, but food also provides relief from stress and offers comfort. As consumers continue to look for a release from the day to day, treats and indulgences play an even more significant role. 

Recent months have seen a surge in sales among grocery and convenience food across Europe and a spike in meal delivery services in the first few weeks of the pandemic. However, this trend does not look set to continue in the same way, especially in light of uncertain times ahead and focusing on personal health.

With limitations placed on restaurants and coffee shops, there is a desire to enjoy food, have some fun and try to recreate outside indulgent experiences at home. Twenty-eight percent of European consumers are experimenting more with new recipes and people are sharing what they’ve created on social media – spreading inspiration and encouragement.

“Almonds are perfect for developers looking to create indulgent at-home occasions for consumers, particularly when paired with something sweet like chocolate or caramel. The breadth of almond forms available means they can be used for formulations seeking to emulate traditional ingredients, such as almond butter, milk or flour,” adds Roffe-Rackind. 

Trend 4: Responsible Consumption
Consumers are looking for companies to help them address the global health pandemic, extending more broadly to an expectation that businesses should place a greater emphasis on the social and human aspects of “acting responsibly” – whether that’s towards the environment, employees or communities.

“California almonds are an ingredient that both consumers and manufacturers can feel good about. They are grown predominantly by third- and fourth-generation farmers committed to protecting their communities and environment. This provides a story for manufacturers to tell, it also provides peace of mind when sourcing almonds as an ingredient,” Roffe-Rackind concludes. 

While the world gets used to the “new normal,” it is clear that consumer priorities have shifted for now and interesting conversations are taking place about the future of food. 

The impact across the industry will be felt in different ways, but, out of crisis can come opportunity and new developments, plenty of which will lie ahead. Food producers and manufacturers that respond to these new ways of thinking will be part of the solution and thriving in the long term.

By Elizabeth Green