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London, United Kingdom Posted 3 years, 1 month ago

8 Biggest Food Trend Predictions For 2021 & Beyond

Eight leading-edge food trend predictions for 2021-2022

International Food Trendologist, Liz Moskow teamed up with food innovation intelligence platform Spoonshot to predict and interpret the food trends that will impact menus, product development, and consumer behavior into 2021.

By leveraging Spoonshot’s massive data pool that processes millions of inputs daily, Liz Moskow predicts trends before they happen, rather than highlighting them after trend adoption has begun.

Spoonshot analyzes billions of data points, across 22 different types of data, spanning more than 12K long-tail data sources. These include scientific journals, niche food communities, and social commerce platforms. Spoonshot connects seemingly disparate dots between these data sets using AI and food science domain expertise to uncover innovation opportunities.

Given the huge volume of data examined and algorithmic connections made, Liz Moskow can predict and interpret food trends empowered with new levels of organic intelligence.

Welcome to the future of food

These eight leading-edge food trend predictions for 2021 are a result of this partnership. We’ve now updated them keeping in mind the impact COVID-19 will likely have on them. Seven of the eight initial trends made the cut, and we’ve replaced the one trend that didn’t make it.

SUGAR RUSH

The vilification of sugar is real! With continued mounting pressure from consumers to reduce product sugar content, CPG companies are rushing to find a new gold standard of sweetness. 

Both changes in FDA labeling requirements and food technology advancements are paving a path for two new approaches to sweetening. Sugar replacer, allulose is about to trend. Riding on the heels of the FDA’s decision to exclude allulose, a sweetener derived from wheat and certain fruits from the total and added sugar declarations on nutritional facts panels, allulose is alluring to product developers.

Taking a food tech approach, Nestlé and DouxMatok are focused on maximizing the efficiency of sugar to provide products with the same perceived sweetness but by using up to 40% less of it.

Look for both allulose and sugar reduction technologies to trend into 2021 and beyond.

COVID Impact

The pandemic completely knocked us off track in terms of healthy eating and living in its initial months. Inconsistent routines, lower activity levels, and stress saw consumers gravitate to comfort food and reap the consequences of this shift in behaviour. Over 3 in 4 Americans surveyed said they gained up to 16 pounds in isolation.

Now, however, most of them are re-prioritizing improving their diets, which will include cutting down on sugar. This will also drive the demand for sugar substitutes and new technologies in the sugar reduction space.

Product Examples

Allulose has started to expand into multiple formats – crystal form and liquid syrup – and is making its presence felt in multiple categories as a sugar substitute. Replacement products featuring a combination of allulose and sucralose as sweeteners will become more common. Meal replacement brand Soylent, for example, recently reformulated its range of drinks to include allulose, while Cocomels launched a sugar-free version of its coconut milk caramel candy sweetened with allulose and monk fruit, making it keto-friendly and free of sugar alcohols. 

The continued popularity of the keto diet will also likely give allulose a boost since the sweetener is keto-compliant.

In 2021, DouxMatok will be launching in the US an upgraded version of its “enhanced sugar” (a patented technology that makes sugar taste sweeter) that uses fiber as a  carrier instead of the previously used silica.

Nestlé in 2018 launched Wowsomes, a product featuring its new hollow sugar technology which reduced sugar 30%. In February 2020, the company announced that it had discontinued the line, perhaps highlighting that this product may have been ahead of its time. Despite the response to this chocolate product, the technology remains revolutionary and we can expect to see it being used in other products, targeting adults rather than children. 

In light of the renewed focus on healthy eating and weight loss at this juncture of the pandemic, expect greater interest in such technology.

GARBANZO: GOOD TO GREAT

The chickpea began its journey to greatness at some point in the early 2000s when hummus migrated from middle-eastern eateries and into deli sections across the US. Americans have continued to adopt chickpea-based products in many forms since and it’s still featuring among our top food trend predictions for 2021.

The experimentation happening now with both chickpea flour and aquafaba (chickpea soaking water) is the springboard for future chickpea-based trends. Flatbreads and crusts made from chickpea flour will migrate from Italy and France into American frozen food sections.

Look for socca flatbreads and fainâ based pizzas to be available in retail outlets near you. Dairy-free ice cream, macarons, and meringues made with aquafaba will also take a center stage of our food prediction trends for 2021 as consumers clamor for plant-based versions of their favorite sweets.

COVID Impact

As with most new trends, food service would have normally been the place to start such trends. However, as the pandemic forced restaurants to shutter and people to stay at home, we may see a leapfrogging of trends directly to retail. Chickpea flour, which is already used in many parts of the world, will become a coveted ingredient for consumers looking to regain their pre-pandemic health levels through homemade recipes.

Product examples

Currently, 1 in 3 launches in the US featuring chickpeas as an ingredient is from startups, but expect this to rise as innovation featuring chickpeas comes to the fore.

Product Examples:

Chickpea-based ice cream and cakes are finding growing appeal not just among those following a plant-based lifestyle, but also those looking for better-for-you options for an indulgent treat.

CBD ADJACENT

While there’s still a bit of confusion surrounding the legality of CBD, it hasn’t stopped the plant medicine from becoming a worldwide phenomenon.

For those still leery of crossing the legal line in search of a remedy for inflammation,  chronic pain, and anxiety, Copaiba may be the answer. Copaiba, a completely legal essential oil derived from the resin of the Copaifera tree contains terpenes that interact with the endocannabinoid system in the body to purportedly provide similar therapeutic benefits to CBD. 

Added sparingly to elixirs and edibles, copaiba has a woodsy, sweet flavor and aroma conducive to relaxation. Our food trend predictions for 2021 suggest you keep an eye open for copaiba.

COVID Impact

Copaiba’s growth is likely to have been stalled by the pandemic, which saw the natural and organic space focus on growing their core portfolio rather than on expanding into new ingredients. At the same time, the need for such ingredients is higher than ever before.

The WHO estimates that around 300 million people around the world suffer from an anxiety disorder, a number that is expected to only go up in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

People are dealing with high levels of anxiety, depression, lack of motivation, and stress due to unemployment, their financial situation, the economy, isolation, and other reasons related to the pandemic. Products, such as copaiba, can go a long way in helping them better cope.

In addition, the FDA has recommended new enforcement guidance for CBD. While no details are known yet, such legal issues will continue to plague CBD products, opening up the need for relaxation aids that come with less legal baggage.

So even though interest in copaiba may have waned a bit in light of the pandemic, we can expect to see a renewal in the coming year as people attempt to bring back calm into their lives.

Product Examples

DoTerra often showcases recipes that feature the use of its copaiba essential oil.

CLIMATARIANS ARE COMING!

Climate change is top- of- mind for food predictions for 2021. It seems the world is in dire peril and the time to change course is NOW! Vegans have been doing their part to combat climate change by avoiding meat for years, but a more comprehensive approach is coming.

This includes the elimination of all foods with a high carbon footprint; such as meat and cheese, eating only locally grown and seasonal foods, and avoiding products that exploit animals at risk from climate change. Foods to add to a climatarian diet would include algae, seaweed, pulses, grains and legumes, invasive species of plants, fish, and insects.

Diets with low environmental impacts are becoming all the rage. Interest in sustainable diets increased by 151.7% in the last five years and by 55.5% in the last year alone.

COVID Impact

The pandemic will force companies to shift their focus away from climate-friendly food innovation. Overall innovation has been stalled with many companies choosing to delay or cancel new product launches or development. The slowdown in global trade and production of related ingredients will have tempered innovation within the climate-friendly food space as well.

But the one thing that the pandemic has proved is that, if we’re careful, we can actually have a positive impact on the environment. Expect consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging to grow and product manufacturers to take up this cause.

Reducing carbon footprint and enhancing the sustainability of packaged goods, which ultimately will help slow down climate change, is going to be the lynchpin to attract the climatarian consumer. Upcycling packaging will also see a rise. 

Product Examples

This noodles product from Paldo in the US includes both chlorella and seaweed.

Silverfin Fish Cakes are made from US wild-caught Asian carp, an invasive species that is threatening the Mississippi River Basin, an innovative solution to protect this aquatic ecosystem.

CupCycling is said to be the world’s first recycling process dedicated to upcycling takeaway cups by turning them into papers and packaging.

 

 

Read the full article at: spoonshot

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