‘Clean Supreme’ tops food trends for 2017: Innova

Arnhem, The Netherlands – Growing calls for transparency throughout the supply chain are taking clean and clear label to a new level, food research data from Innova Market Insights suggests.

“Clean Supreme” and “Disruptive Green” lead Innova Market Insights’ Top Ten Trends list for 2017.

“Interest in naturalness and clean label continues to feature strongly,” according to Lu Ann Williams, director of innovation for the food trends research company. “It has become somewhat of a running theme through our trends forecasts in recent years. . . . This year, “clean and clear” is a theme weaving throughout the entire list, but is specifically the case for trend No. 1, ‘Clean Supreme.’ ”

According to Innova, the top five trends for 2017:

1. Clean Supreme: The rules have been rewritten and clean and clear label is the new global standard. The demand for total transparency now incorporates the entire supply chain, as a clean label positioning becomes more holistic. Trending clean supply chain claims include “environmentally friendly,” which has shown a CAGR growth of +72 per cent from 2011-2015 and “animal welfare,” which has grown at +45 per cent per year during this period.

2. Disruptive Green: As plant-based milks, meat alternatives and vegan offerings have rapidly moved into the mainstream, consumers are looking for innovative options to take the inherent benefits of plants into their daily lives. Even dairy companies are now leveraging the functional and technical benefits of plants in new product development, driving more variety and excitement into their category. Innova Market Insights has reported CAGR of +63 per cent for new product launches with a plant-based claim from 2011 to 2015.

3. Sweeter Balance: Sugar is under pressure, although it remains the key ingredient delivering the sweetness and great taste that consumers are looking for. The quest to combine taste and health is driving new product development, as the industry faces the challenge of balancing public demand to reduce added sugars and create indulgent experiences, while at the same time presenting clean-label products.

4. Kitchen Symphony: Italian Lasagna is no longer enough – we want Melanzane Aubergine Al Forno! The connected world has led consumers of all ages to become more knowledgeable of other cultures. As a result, there is growing demand for greater choice and higher levels of authenticity in ethnic cuisines. At the same time, pride in local and regional foods is also seeing an upsurge in some countries, with a resulting rise in availability and authenticity of local cuisine.

5. Body in Tune: Consumers are increasingly personalizing their own nutrition intake, making food choices based around what they think will make them feel better. They are also experimenting with free-from products and specific diets like paleo and low FODMAP. At the same time, consumers continue to increase their intake of foods and beverages with ingredients that they consider to be healthy such as protein and probiotics.

The other trends identified by Innova Market Insights are Plain Sophistication, Encapsulating Moments, Beyond Pester Power, Fuzzy Borders and Seeds of Change. All of the top ten trends will be discussed in a live webinar to be broadcast on Nov. 22 at 10 a.m. EST/4 p.m. CET). To register, click here.