FrieslandCampina Ingredients, a supplier of functional ingredients, has released a report revealing five trends and developments set to drive the evolution of the food, drinks and supplement industries in 2022. The report, titled: ‘Shaping the future of nutrition’, offers insight into the latest market and consumer research to help brands pinpoint areas for product development in the active, performance and medical nutrition markets. 

The research suggests, against the backdro of COVID, consumers are addressing their health and wellbeing in unexpected ways, including recognising a link between personal and environmental health. 

The five trends identified by the company include: 

Planet-first nutrition: 65% of consumers believe food and nutrition brands should do more to protect the planet. For more ethically and environmentally conscious consumers, building brand trust is crucial. Transparency is key in creating this trust, and brands will also need to make meaningful and tangible claims to stand out to consumers. 

Resilience in an ever-challenging world: After the stress caused by the pandemic, consumers want to recover and protect their futures by building more resilience. This resilience will concern both body and mind. Three in five consumers say improving general health and wellness is a main priority, with sleep, mood and physical fitness being top of the agenda. 

The future is flexitarian: Consumers are increasingly incorporating plant-based ingredients into their diets alongside traditional protein sources. More than one quarter of consumers consider themselves flexitarians. Green protein is seen as cleaner, however consumers don’t want to lose the taste, texture and nutritional value of animal products, so combining multiple plant and dairy protein sources ticks every box, the company says. 

Holistic health starts in the gut: Globally, two in three consumers say gut health is key to achieving well-being. The company 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: Consumers of all ages are reportedly 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 supplements, there is 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, 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.”