Trends That Will Drive The Food And Beverage Industry In 2014

By Sam Lewis

Natural highs, convenience, and foraged ingredients will influence manufacturers in the near future

RTS market research has assembled a list of trends that will be driving the food and beverage industry. For 2014, the firm believes the industry’s top five trends will include products that deliver a natural high, one-step convenience, foraged ingredients, health benefits accompanied by flavor, and next-generation proteins. The new research also reveals consumers continue to expect more quality, flavor, and value for their dollar.

Leading off 2014’s trends are products that provide a natural high. The firm states that the demand for food and beverage items that are free of caffeine but are able to delivery energy or relaxation is on the rise. The ingredients that are normally found in products of health food stores will soon be making their way to mainstream retailers’ food-and-beverage shelves. Food-and-beverage items like Brazil’s Wawi soda with Amazonian Guarana, and Oomf!’s Skinny Oats instant porridge with Guarana, and tea and berry extracts will be influencing the food-and-beverage industry in 2014.

The one-step convenience trend focuses on items that are easily prepared and cooked, but offer consumers the feeling of preparing an entire meal. These products aren’t to be confused with products that can be put straight into an oven or microwave. One-step convenience food products offer consumers a step (sometimes two) to prepare a meal before it is ready to be cooked. Products such as Uncle Ben’s Rice Time Korma — the sauce and rice portions are microwaved together, once heating is completed, portions are combined by the consumer — will be shaping the consumer food industry next year.

As the popularity of fresh, local, and seasonal produce continues to rise, products with foraged ingredients will also be popular. Consumers can expect to see food manufacturers bringing in locally grown and foraged ingredients in their favorite products in 2014. For instance, Heston from Waitrose’s Cauliflower Truffle Macaroni and Cheese ready meal will feature the convenience of a ready meal, and truffle grown and foraged in the U.K., Heston of Waitrose’s home country. Another company from the U.K., Sharpham Park, will make a wild mushroom and spelt risotta featuring mushrooms, garlic, and herbs from the U.K.

While consumers will still desire products that offer health benefits, even more so, they want the benefits accompanied by lots of flavor in familiar products. This trend will make healthy items seem more appealing in terms of taste, which will allow the products to reach a larger range of consumers. Be Real brand’s Hot or Cold Cherry Coconut Cereal is an example of this. The cereal is gluten-free — giving it an automatic nod of good health in consumers’ eyes — high in fiber, and flavored with the sweetness of cherries and coconuts.

Diets rich in protein are also growing in popularity, mimicking the trend of fresh, local, and seasonal produce. As the interest in high-protein diets increases, so will the number of consumers looking for familiar products that incorporate higher levels of protein. Intelligent Protein Snacks (IPS) has developed a potato chip replacement that serves this purpose. By making chips with corn flour and eggs, the product is natural, high in protein, and low in carbohydrates. This gives the consumer the peace of mind of getting the high protein, low-carb benefits they desire, while enjoying the convenience and taste of a potato chip.

RTS believes that no single trend can work by itself. Creating successful products involves playing off several trends to develop a product that services several consumers’ desires and needs simultaneously. By surveying trends in the many products available across all markets, RTS has accurately forecasted industry trends for 25 years. This year’s report is hard to argue with as all five upcoming trends seem to intertwine in relevance, making RTS’ claims that much more legitimate.