Market Trends

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NPD Trend Tracker: From real meat to plant-based alternatives

By Flora Southey

In our latest new product development round-up, we’re homing in on animal-based products and their plant-based alternatives. These include pork snacks and mini fish fillets, as well as fermented plant-based steaks and barista oat milk. We’ve also included...

Can beverage brands succeed in going label-free?

Can beverage brands succeed without labels?

By Rachel Arthur

Coca-Cola is removing labels from Sprite bottles in a UK trial in a bid to improve sustainability: presenting a bare bottle on shelves. Will other brands follow suit – or will branding and marketing teams decide the move is simply too risky?

Gut-health: Why this consumer trend is here to stay. GettyImages/Meeko Media

Gut health: Why this consumer trend is here to stay

By Donna Eastlake

Consumer appetite for gut-health friendly foods shows no signs of abating as understanding of its impact on overall health continues to grow. But how will this trend evolve and grow in the future?

Food & drinks trends: Are influencers setting the agenda? GettyImages/Marco_Piunti

Food & drinks trends: Are influencers setting the agenda?

By Donna Eastlake

Influencers are a twenty-first century force of nature, courting brands and attracting thousands, if not millions, of adoring fans who buy their merchandise, copy their look and hang off their every word. So do influencers have the power to change or...

Food swaps to stop biodiversity loss. GettyImages/RealPeopleGroup

Food swaps to stop biodiversity loss

By Donna Eastlake

We’ve all heard of the rallying World War Two cry, ‘Dig for Victory’, urging citizens to combat food shortages by growing fruits and vegetable in their allotments and gardens. Well, now people are being urged to make food swaps to stop biodiversity loss....

Swiss aged raw cow's milk cheese Hornbacher was named World Champion Cheese at the 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest. Photography: Andy Manis

What’s Hornbacher, the 2024 World Champion Cheese?

By Teodora Lyubomirova

Nicknamed ‘the baked potato cheese’ for its complex umami taste, Hornbacher was until recently only sold in the cheese shop ran by its four-time world champion cheesemaker, Michael Spycher.

© Mary Long / Getty Images

International Women's Day: Trends in women’s health

By Olivia Haslam

PMS and menopause support, mental and emotional well-being, supporting active lifestyles, and creating tailored solutions are the key trends emerging in women’s health, according to industry experts.

The salty snack sector has witnessed positive growth, largely due to the vast array of products available in Europe and their relative affordability GettyImages/Moyo Studio

Salty snack supply set to grow and diversify in 2024

By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

Affordable, better-for-you and flavourful salty snacks lead producers’ formulation considerations in 2024, while creating resilient crops and exploring the metaverse landscape drive the wider value chain.

The detrimental effect of unfavourable weather conditions is hitting global cocoa supplies. Pic: GettyImages

Commodities

ICCO predicts 11% drop in global cocoa output, after El Niño effect

By Anthony Myers

The El Niño weather phenomenon, which hit the west coast of Africa last year, carrying unseasonal heavy rains followed by dry heat, is the main factor in an 11% drop in the season’s main cocoa harvest, according to the latest figures from the International...

The campaign showed success, in spite of the setbacks linked to the declining plant-based market and the cost-of-living crisis. Image Source: Getty Images/ArtMarie

Veganuary 2024: Success or failure?

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Veganuary has historically led to a significant uptick in consumption of vegan food products. However, with the plant-based sector in decline, and a cost-of-living crisis sweeping much of the world, can the early-year vegan fervour continue apace?

Could a plant-based diet prevent chronic diseases in women? GettyImages/Daria Kulkova

Could a plant-based diet prevent chronic diseases in women?

By Donna Eastlake

Plant-based diets are proving hugely popular amongst men and women across the globe, with everything from animal cruelty to environmental impact being cited as the reason. But could the plant-based way of life also prevent against chronic diseases in...

Foodies are falling for luxury butters in a big way. GettyImages-carlosgaw

Foodies are falling for luxury butters in a big way

By Donna Eastlake

Whether you’re spreading it (generously) on a crumpet, making pastry for a pie or baking a cake, butter is a kitchen essential that’s loved by many. But this humble ingredient is having something of a luxury makeover and food lovers are flocking.

Is eco-friendly eco-nomically savvy? GettyImages/NataliaDeriabina

How powerful is the eco-conscious consumer?

By Donna Eastlake

Shoppers are voting with their feet when it comes to environmentally friendly foods. But how powerful is this consumer trend and what does it mean for manufacturers?

Digital buying is central to how Gen Zers, people born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s, are approaching food purchasing. GettyImages/Klaus Vedfelt

‘Glocal’-loving Gen Zers seek brand reliability in 2024

By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

Falling into loyalists and reluctants, Generation Z consumers value reliability and brand experience, remaining avid trendwatchers, looking for products on social channels that appeal to their price and quality expectations.

Image Source: Getty Images/D-Keine

NPD Trend Tracker: From mandarin orange juice to AI-generated recipes

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In this week's NPD Trend Tracker, we see how high orange juice prices have led to the development of mandarin orange juice, and the rise of generative AI has led to the creation of an AI cookbook. Furthermore, we see a rebranding from Mallow &...

Scientists have analysed consumer purchasing behaviours of goods with fair trade and organic labels on their packaging. GettyImages/TommL

Fair trade label retains purchasing power despite recession, study shows

By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

Using a combination of social psychology and economic models, a new UK study shows fair trade product sales increased in popularity during an economic downturn while organic product sales dropped, indicating a divide between the two labels’ favourability...

Could low-sugar chocolate actually taste better? GettyImages/Chris Ryan

Could low-sugar chocolate actually taste better?

By Donna Eastlake

Less is apparently more when it comes to the amount of sugar used in the creation of the perfect chocolate bar. So will manufacturers reduce the amount of sugar they use in the making of this sweet treat and will consumers welcome the change?

Is macauba a rainforest-friendly alternative to palm oil? GettyImages/MEDITERRANEAN

Is macauba a rainforest-friendly alternative to palm oil?

By Donna Eastlake

Palm oil is cheap to produce in large quantities but unsustainable production methods, notably deforestation, means the bad can far outweigh the good. As a result, brands are increasingly distancing themselves from the use of irresponsible palm oil in...

‘Africa's becoming increasingly investable’: Sherief Kesseba. Managing partner at Climate Resilient Africa Fund (CRAF), speaking at last year’s World Agri-Tech summit in Dubai

AGTECH INVESTOR PROFILE

Are we at the dawn of African agri-tech innovation?

By Oliver Morrison

The continent’s agtech sector is rife with challenges but the potential rewards are huge, Sherief Kesseba, managing partner at Climate Resilient Africa Fund (CRAF), tells AgTechNavigator.

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