Innova’s 2013 Food and Beverage Trends

Innova Market Insights has announced its top food and beverage trends for 2013. The market research group is in Frankfurt this week to discuss its predictions at the Health Ingredients Europe tradeshow. Here is Innova’s top five:

The Aware Shopper, who is more informed and knowledgeable about value and health, is increasingly influencing the market, supported by mounting pressure from lobby groups, NGOs and celebrities, calling for transparency, credibility, and accountability for the industry. Meanwhile, social-media-driven campaigns are also making companies more susceptible to negative publicity.Health Traffic Jam. A lack of innovation in functional foods has resulted from the December 2012 deadline for the removal of EU non-approved claims from packaging labels. Companies are focusing on switching marketing messages behind approved claims, with a greater emphasis on the inherent benefits of certain foods and ingredients and a longer term investment in future personalized nutrition products.Gray but Healthy will be a focus for an aging population, driven by rising consumer understanding of the role of a healthy diet in extending the active years. This will be reflected in greater interest in cleverly-marketed anti-aging products, including the move of well established medical brands into mainstream aisles and the increasing promotion of inherent nutrients on an aging well platform.Just Say "No." Free-from claims are becoming increasingly prevalent. Gluten-free is now relatively mainstream, with lactose-free set to follow suit as awareness of problems associated with nutrient intolerance rises and technological advances improve the quality and availability of a whole range of products. "No" products also encompass meat-free lines, with technology allowing the development of innovative vegetarian foods, as well as fat-, sugar-, and salt-free alternatives."Natural" Cracks Emerge after years of solid growth for products marketed on a natural platform. Lawsuits and regulatory pressure are rising over concerns about the definition of "natural" and whether highly processed foods should be using that description. As a result, some companies are switching to "additive-/preservative-free" positionings, while the use of GM-free claims is also growing in popularity.