FrieslandCampina Ingredients has released a new report revealing five trends and developments set to drive the evolution of the food, drinks and supplement industries in 2022. The report, “Shaping the future of nutrition”, offers expert insight into the latest market and consumer research to help brands pinpoint areas for innovation and NPD in the active, performance and medical nutrition markets.

Against the backdro of COVID-19, anxieties around health and well-being have never been greater. Yet research suggests that consumers are tackling this in new and unexpected ways – including recognising a link between personal and environmental health¹. The five trends shaping consumer behaviours and buying habits include:

Planet-first nutrition. 65% of consumers believe food and nutrition brands should do more to protect the planet1. As consumers become more ethically and environmentally conscious, building brand trust is crucial. Transparency is non-negotiable when it comes to creating this trust, but brands will also need to make claims meaningful and tangible to stand out to consumers.

Resilience in an ever-challenging world. The pandemic created a rare, unifying experience for people all over the world and if one word sums up how people are feeling, it’s stressed. In 2022 people will want to recover and protect their futures by building more resilience. And this resilience will be an issue of body and mind. 60% of consumers say improving their general health and wellness is their main priority, with sleep, mood and physical fitness being top of the agenda².

The future is flexitarian. In an effort to be healthier, consumers are increasingly incorporating plant-based ingredients into their diets alongside traditional protein sources¹. In fact, over one quarter of consumers consider themselves flexitarians².Green protein is seen as clean protein¹, but with consumers not wanting to miss out on the taste, texture and nutritional value of animal products¹,combining multiple plant and dairy protein sources ticks every box.

Holistic health starts in the gut. Balance is trending, and for many consumers, holistic well-being is the ultimate goal in 2022. Globally, two in three consumers recognise that gut health is key to achieving overall well-being¹. With tech-savvy consumers staying up to date with the latest research, and science furthering our understanding of the gut’s all-important role, FrieslandCampina Ingredients predicts a growth opportunity for food, drinks and supplement products that target trending health areas, like immunity or sleep, by including gut-boosting ingredients such as prebiotics.

Celebrating healthy ageing. As the global population continues to get older, consumers are rethinking what it means to age well. Consumers of all ages are proactively re-evaluating their health and diets, looking for healthy ageing benefits from everyday foods. With 90% of ageing consumers choosing food and drink over traditional supplements²,there is a clear demand for new and innovative products supporting healthy ageing, aimed at a range of consumers across age brackets.

“Brands are feeling the pressure to keep up with to date with ever-evolving demands, as consumer behaviours continue to shift and be shaped by external forces,” said Vicky Davies, global marketing director of performance, active and medical nutrition. “COVID-19 has put health and wellness concerns front of mind, both for the individual and for the collective global population. At the same time, the pandemic has sharpened focus on sustainability and how environmental health influences our current and future well-being. It is crucial for brands to embrace and steer these trends. At FrieslandCampina Ingredients, we are always exploring how to help our customers get the most out of their ingredients by empowering them to tackle pressing global issues. In our latest report, we’re shedding light on these trends so brands can help shape the future of a more sustainable, focused food, drinks and supplement industries.”