How are Food Industry Innovators Meeting Consumer Needs?

Said Smith, “Research into plant-based alternatives to traditional meat and dairy proteins has not only yielded products with better taste and nutritional profile but has also led to a huge boom in innovation in terms of formats and applications.”

·       Rebel Food (Ripple) - pea protein alt-dairy products.

·       Chickapea - chickpea and lentil protein.

·       Olyra – grain protein from spelt oat, looping barley and flaxseed proteins.

New Hope also takes a look at the top ten trends YOY among its Expo West exhibitors, and identified the following from 2020:

·       CBD /ECS

·       Multi-Stakeholder

·       Quest for Rest

·       Brain Health

·       Science First

·       Food Access

·       Responsible Packaging

·       Meal Kit

·       Waste Reduction

·       Organic

Renewal Mill turns a by-product of soy milk production into flourNew Hope Network

Said Smith, “Reducing waste has really become one of those rallying cries for so many brands and businesses in our industry, with brands coming up with clever, innovative ways to reduce and remove waste along all the different various steps of the supply chain.” Some examples Smith cited:

·       So Good So You - focuses on 100% renewable energy, 100% post-consumer recycled packaging, and also diverting more than 94% of facility waste from landfills.

·       Vive Organics - using ugly produce as ingredients for wellness shots with the goal of cutting down on waste by upcycling or reusing byproducts for food production.

·       Renewal Mill - upcycling okara pulp (a by-product of soymilk production) into flour.

Read: PepsiCo Accelerates Plastic Waste Reduction Effort

‘Responsible packaging’ that mitigates negative environmental impacts is another trend found within a ‘material optimization’ macro trend. “This could be using new materials, developing new technologies, changing the shape or size to allow for more efficient shipping, and then focusing on reusable, recyclable, or compostable options,” said Smith.

·       Flow Alkaline Springwater - has a goal to have 100% reusable, recyclable and compostable packaging by 2025.

·       Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs - decided to stick with post-consumer recycled plastic, with a take-back program where consumers send in cartons for reuse.

·       Alter Eco - the brand that launched the first compostable non-toxic candy wrappers.

Read: An Eco-Friendly Alternative to Six-Pack Plastic Rings

Lundberg practices carbon farmingNew Hope NetworkMaking agriculture commitments through supply chains and ingredient sourcing is another macro trend, with organic and regenerative agriculture falling within. “Organic is a base standard in the fight for good food. But brands are doing more by engaging in policy to strengthen standards, expand acreage, or showcase a deep understanding of the ecological journey to their organic efforts,” while regenerative agriculture “rebuilds, repairs, and replenishes our natural resources through ecological practices that challenge the limitations of the current sustainability paradigm.”

·       Numi Organic Tea - sources 100% certified organic teas from small holder farmers around the world that benefit farmers, the environment, and consumers.

·       Lundberg - a steward soil health and carbon farming, to sequester carbon and enrich the soil.

·       Clif Bar - investing in plant breeding research.

Smith said that two other trends are traceability and transparency, and that the “consumer demand for transparency has gone far beyond the mere ingredient list. Consumers today want to truly understand what it is they're putting into their bodies. Where does it come from? How is it made? What's in it? Who made it? Under what circumstances? How were they paid?”