2015 holds great promise for the food, nutrition and health markets.
2015 will be full of new and exciting ideas and trends in the packaging community. New trends are always coming up at the beginning of the year, and this year, the food industry is going back to the basics and focusing on healthy alternatives. A recent study was conducted by New Nutrition Business, which revealed the top 10 key trends in food, nutrition and health. These trends will help open up new opportunities for both big and entrepreneurial brands alike. Which trends are the most important to watch? Here is the list:
1. Naturally Functional
Naturally functional foods were among the upcoming trends in 2014, but it has risen to the top in the last year. What classifies foods as naturally functional? These products have purpose; the products claim to have the health ‘halo’ of being completely natural. Natural is a label that reminds customers that the item is locally grown, healthy, fresh, organic, etc. It makes consumers believe they are doing well for themselves by eating naturally functional foods. These foods are considered the ‘guilt free’ foods because consumers believe it is all good for their bodies.
2. Snackification
The second largest food trend, for a few years running, is the snackfication. These foods highlight the ‘snack time’ addition to the 3 meals a day. Researchers believe that the snack time will start to replace the three large meals a day. This new eating time category is a great place for entrepreneurial brands to take advantage and offer innovative foods.
3. Weight Wellness
Consumers are leaving with the ways of trying to lose weight through fads and unhealthy diets. This market is shifting towards the weight wellness items. These foods are good for you but also help you either maintain or lose the weight in a healthy way. Everyday products will start to show the health benefits on their packages, bringing the in weight watching crowd. This shift will also bring in new, innovative products that claim to help consumers lose the weight in a healthy way.
4. Protein
Following the weight wellness trend, protein-enriched foods will also be a major trend of 2015. Consumers are aware of the health benefits that protein has for weight management. This awareness is increasing with the trend of losing weight in a healthy manner. Foods that are high in protein also tend to be considered naturally functional. According to foodengineeringmag.org, last year 62% of consumers said they were making an effort to get enough protein in their diet. 2015 is predicted to be even higher.
5. Good Carbs versus Bad Carbs
Consumers are decreasing their participation in the ‘no carbs’ fad and eating more good grains. These good grains include oats, whole grains, and ancient grains. Niche markets are expected to increase in this category, becoming targets for many manufacturers. The sales of these grains are expected to continue to soar in 2015.
Overall, consumers are predicted to eat better snacks, focus on the healthy ingredients inside each item, increase their protein intake and manage their weight in a healthy way.
