Sensory engagement, conscious indulgence and personalization are three global trends observed by FrieslandCampina Ingredients Food & Beverages. These topics are collected from consumer demand and behavior and are collated in the companys first annual trend report. This will help potential customers find Inspiring Suggestions for the final product of food and beverage to enter the trend selecion and allow manufacturers to lead the market and competition.

“To leverage one or more of these trends, a close collaboration between manufacturers and their ingredients partners is required. Manufacturers are able to jump quickly on the trends and win in the market when ingredient partners already have appealing trend-based concepts ready as well as the ingredients that perform in these concepts,” says Anneke van de Geijn, Global Marketing Director at FrieslandCampina Ingredients Food & Beverages.

The trend of “experiences engaging all senses” refers to consumers’ desires to have indulgence stimulate more than just the taste buds. Rather than just tasting good, menus now need to look good, smell good, and even sound good in order to offer a multi-sensory experience that will be remembered. This aligns with Innova Market Insights pegging of “The Adventurous Consumer” as the number one 2019 trend. 

Innova Market Insights consumer research (2018) indicates that seven in ten US consumers “love to discover new flavors,” with similar numbers of respondents reported in China and the UK. The market researcher also finds that 28 percent of US, UK and Chinese consumers have experienced a shift in their tastes towards more exotic or adventurous flavors in snacks. This market dynamic has contributed to a 35 percent growth in the use of “discovery” claims in 2017 from 2016. These types of products feature claims that include the use of words such as “discover,” “explore,” “uncover,” “unveil” and “unravel.”

“Conscious indulgence” describes how increasing numbers of consumers are making more conscious choices when it comes to their products. They are looking at food and beverage packaging and searching for ingredients that may be sustainably produced, healthier or offer more variation. Food and drinks should still taste indulgent but consumers will appreciate them more if the experience comes with additional peace of mind for being a responsible treat. An Innova Consumer Lifestyle and Attitudes Survey (2018) in six major markets (US, UK, France, Germany, China and Brazil), found 42 percent of consumers to say “they enjoy food and dining experiences most out of their leisure-time experiences and events.” 

Finally, “personalize it yourself conveniently” notes how people around the world are looking to personalize their food and beverages with a unique touch. Part of this stems from the growing number of people who enjoy home-style or semi-professional baking, brewing or ‘barista-ing.’ They are often looking for easy decoration or taste-tweaking options.

Innova Market Insights reports that the influence of this personalization on product development is clear, as manufacturers look to meet the needs of relatively small consumer bases. For example, strong growth has been reported in the percentage of new food & beverage launches with seleced dietary claims (Global, 2017 vs. 2016). Over this period, a 76 percent rise was reported in “keto” product launches (from a small base), a 32 percent rise in “paleo,” a 28 percent rise in “plant-based,” 17 percent growth in “high in protein” and 14 percent growth in “vegan.” 

“Brands that are able to work together with the entire supply chain will be the ones that optimally leverage, especially the conscious indulgence trend. When addressing the trend of multi-sensorial experiences, it is important for manufacturers to partner with an ingredient supplier with strong sensory capabilities. Personalization requires that ingredient manufacturers deliver versatile ingredients that mix and match with a variety of other ingredients,” notes van de Geijn.

Global differences
It is crucial to understand local nuances and preferences when examining the global market in order to avoid missing the virality tipping point. “Although the trends take place on a global level, there may be local differences in the way these trends take shape. For example, European consumers may be looking for vegan-friendly options, wheras consumers in Asia may be looking for authentic dairy products as part of their quest for consciousness,” continues van de Geijn. “These are aspects that we looked into with our own listening program of FrieslandCampina Ingredients. High-over relevant results are shown in the Trend Report.”  

The data comes from FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ intelligence services such as market studies and global research, as well as the input of experts in the internal industry and their own research.The focus is on trends in the coffee, tea, cakes, bakery and pastry, desserts and ice creams industries. “By launching the first annual trend report, we can support our customers even better. Our insights show the emerging needs among consumers which enables our customers to anticipate what’s to come. This way we can, together with our customers, bring relevant innovation to the consumer and create more moments of feeling good,” concludes van de Geijn.