The report, ‘Shaping the future of nutrition’, offers insight into the latest market and consumer research to help brands pinpoint areas for innovation and NPD in the active, performance and medical nutrition markets.
Against the backdrop of Covid-19, anxieties around health and well-being have never been greater, yet the company said research suggests consumers are tackling this in new and unexpected ways – including recognizing a link between personal and environmental health.
The first trend, FrieslandCampina Ingredients said, is planet-first nutrition.
It said 65% of consumers believe food and nutrition brands should do more to protect the planet. As consumers become more ethically and environmentally conscious, building brand trust is crucial. Transparency is non-negotiable when it comes to creating this trust, the company said, but brands will also need to make claims meaningful and tangible to stand out to consumers.
Resilience in an ever-challenging world: The pandemic created a rare, unifying experience for people all over the world and if one word sums up how people are feeling, it’s stressed, FrieslandCampina Ingredients said. In 2022, the company said people will want to recover and protect their futures by building more resilience, and this will be an issue of body and mind. It noted 60% of consumers say improving their general health and wellness is their main priority, with sleep, mood and physical fitness being top of the agenda.
The dairy cooperative’s ingredient arm said the future is flexitarian. In an effort to be healthier, it said consumers are increasingly incorporating plant-based ingredients into their diets alongside animal protein sources.
Holistic health starts in the gut. Balance is trending, according to the ingredients company, and for many consumers, holistic well-being is the ultimate goal in 2022, stating that, globally, two in three consumers recognize gut health is key to achieving overall well-being. FrieslandCampina Ingredients predicts a growth opportunity for food, drinks and supplement products that target trending health areas, like immunity or sleep, by including gut-boosting ingredients such as prebiotics.
The fifth trend is celebrating healthy ageing – as the global population continues to get older, consumers are rethinking what it means to age well. Consumers of all ages are proactively re-evaluating their health and diets, looking for healthy ageing benefits from everyday foods. FrieslandCampina Ingredients said 90% of ageing consumers are choosing food and drink over traditional supplements, creating a demand for new products supporting healthy ageing, aimed at a range of consumers across age brackets.
“Brands are feeling the pressure to keep up with to date with ever-evolving demands, as consumer behaviors continue to shift and be shaped by external forces,” said Vicky Davies, global marketing director, performance, active and medical nutrition.
“Covid-19 has put health and wellness concerns front of mind, both for the individual and for the collective global population. At the same time, the pandemic has sharpened focus on sustainability and how environmental health influences our current and future well-being. It is crucial for brands to embrace and steer these trends. At FrieslandCampina Ingredients, we are always exploring how to help our customers get the most out of their ingredients by empowering them to tackle pressing global issues. In our latest report, we’re shedding light on these trends so brands can help shape the future of a more sustainable, focused food, drinks and supplement industries.”