The report, ‘Nutritional Food: Shaping the Future of New Ingredients,’ is based on research conducted late last year and offers insights into market developments and the driving factors behind consumer choices.
As the challenges of Covid-19 continue to influence global behaviors, the nutrition industry is seeing increased levels of consumer interest in health consciousness, overall well-being, and the role of nutrition in supporting individual needs.
FrieslandCampina Ingredients said it has identified four leading trends set to shape the performance and active nutrition market.
- A renewed outlook on health and well-being – Globally, according to FMCG Gurus, six out of 10 consumers said that they are more conscious about their overall health and wellbeing as a result of Covid-19. Consequently, they are paying more attention to eating well, exercising, and are looking for products to support their health and overall quality of life. FrieslandCampina Ingredients said it predicts a strong growth opportunity for health-related food and beverage products that take into consideration key consumer needs such as clean and simple labels, convenience, hydration, protein fortification, gut health, brain health and immunity.
- Personalization, identity and technology – Personalized, nutritious products that can be easily incorporated into work and social life are growing in popularity, creating opportunities for manufacturers to target consumers with specialized, differentiated offerings to meet their unique needs. The female market is set for growth, as women account for a growing proportion of the performance and active nutrition market. Proteins are essential to performance nutrition, but choice can be difficult for consumers looking for specific requirements. Products tailored to individual needs, driven by breakthroughs in technology and science, look set to attract consumer attention.
- Convenience is key – An increased focus on health is leading to consumers re-evaluating snacking habits. With 51% of active consumers skipping most or all meals due to time pressure, there is demand for products that are nutritious and convenient. Evolving mealtime habits, perceptions of time-scarcity and a greater focus on health will drive demand for products that offer convenient nutritional boosts for active consumers.
- Authentic storytelling and sustainability – Feeding a growing population with healthy and nutritious products, with the lowest possible environmental impact, is a priority for all producers and brand owners. FrieslandCampina Ingredients said consumer trust in some brands has begun to diminish as people look for ethical, sustainable options. Clean labelling and transparency regarding ingredients will be more important than ever in 2021, as power continues to shift to consumers.
“Right now, we’re seeing behavior and needs shifting faster than ever before,” said Vicky Davies, global marketing director, performance, active and medical nutrition.
“COVID-19 has brought health and wellness to the fore, and it will be essential for brands to keep in tune with these evolving concerns in 2021 and beyond. In our report, we aim to shed light on the trends set to shape the performance and active nutrition industry and its future. At FrieslandCampina Ingredients, we pride ourselves on our understanding of consumer interests and buying behaviors, so we are always rethinking how we can innovate with our dairy ingredients and continue to collaborate with our partners to create timely and relevant solutions.”