2016 Food and Supplement Trends: Coffee Flour, Jackfruit, Mushrooms, and More

Will grains like millet, barley, and rye gain new cache in 2016?

Market researcher SPINS (Chicago) has revealed its own trend predictions for 2016 for food and beverage, dining, and dietary supplements. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) firms will want to note the following trends:

Local, Sustainable, and Clean-Label

Locally sourced ingredients, sustainability, and “free from” claims will continue with force into 2016.

Produce brands are finding new ways to provide shoppers with fruits and veggies grown closer to home. CPG firms have already found the “local food” trend driving demand for ancient grains that are locally sourced. Grains like millet, rye, and barley are seeing their stock rise beyond just cheap ingredients for animal feed, says SPINS.

On the sustainability front, finding new uses for ingredient discard is a growing focus. SPINS mentions a growing interest in grape flour, as well as banana flour, which Nutritional Outlook reported on earlier this year.

Coffee flour is also gaining attention, SPINS reports. “The coffee cherry or surrounding pulp of coffee beans is pulverized into powder-creating new revenue streams for producers and introducing a nutritious and distinctly flavorful ingredient to the global menu,” it says.

Nutritional Outlook’s December 2015 cover story interviews a selection of ingredient suppliers finding new ways to repurpose ingredient byproduct, including byproduct from carrot, sugar cane, and avocado.

As consumers continue seeking “free from” labels, SPINS says that “emerging claims in packaged goods” include claims of being free of carrageenan, xanthan gum, and palm oil. “Free-from claims have become the norm, and will only continue to gain momentum in the coming year.”

Page 2: Alternative Protein and More

Meat Free, Alternative Protein

Grains, soy, and peas are common ingredients for meat replacement, but SPINS calls out jackfruit as “an emerging ingredient with a shot at long-term success.” Jackfruit's “chewy, stringy” texture is a good meat substitute, and as such some companies are using it in meatless products, as well as in dried pieces, syrups, and flavoring for tea and chips.

Alternative protein sources continue to flourish. Garbanzo bean is a growing star in everything from hummus to crunchy snacks and pasta. And algal protein is being used as a plant-based egg replacer, SPINS says, pointing to Follow Your Hearts’ Vegan Egg as “among the first generation of algae-based egg replacers.”

Interest in Good Health

Western interest in Ayurvedic medicine continues to grow, and Ayurvedic ingredients will continue gaining traction, SPINS says. Also, medicinal mushrooms are expanding from dietary supplements and into other delivery forms such as ready-to-drink tea and body-care antiaging creams and serums. The most popular is reishi, followed by shiitake, chaga, and cordyceps.

An extract of cannabis, hemp CBD is also continuing to emerge. “Expect to see more crossover from dietary supplements towards healing balms and infused beverages. We may even see a grab-n-go snack innovation come forth from this trend,” SPINS says. In the United States, the future CBD market will depend largely on emerging regulations, as Nutritional Outlook reported earlier this year.

Page 3: HPP Beverages and Medium-Chain Triglycerides

More HPP Beverages

Drinks that are cold-pressed and high-pressure pasteurized (processed without added heat, instead using high pressure to kill bacteria) are gaining popularity because these methods preserve more of a fruit or vegetable’s nutrients and enable processing “without using chemical preservatives or artificial additives,” SPINS says.

“Pecan, walnut, and macadamia nut milk are more recent players in this space,” it adds. HPP is even making its way into baby food.

Medium-Chain Triglycerides

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)-typically from coconuts or palm kernels-have “reached new heights,” SPINS says, and are now being used in ready-to-drink coffee, smoothies, water, and energy bars.

“Healthy fats are on consumers’ minds, and innovative use is expanding, like grass-fed butter paired with MCTs in cold-brew coffee,” SPINS says. “In 2016, we expect to see MCTs start to merge with the bone broth trend.”

Anti-Inflammatory

Finally, as consumers are educated about the risks of inflammation, more may turn to studied anti-inflammatory ingredients like omega-3 fatty acids, therefore driving interest in algae, black seed, and perilla seed. Personal-care companies, too, are taking a second look at anti-inflammatory ingredients like black seed, turmeric, chia, and moringa for lotions, serums, body washes, and bar soap.

The drive for anti-inflammatory ingredients will also send consumers to natural sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit, non-GMO erythritol, and birch-sourced xylitol, SPINS says.

Jennifer Grebow
Editor-in-Chief
Nutritional Outlook magazine
jennifer.grebow@ubm.com