A recent report from Leatherhead Food Research predicts the 10 food and drink trends for 2010:
- Sustainability: Ecological and ethical consciousness in packaging, ingredient sources and energy resources.
- Reduced meat consumption: Meat flavors will be on the rise as meat consumption falls in an effort, among consumers, to reduce greenhouse gases.
- Fiber: Finding ways to boost consumer consumption of this key ingredient will bring fortified products to the fore.
- Simplified and local: Natural and locally produced food will gain ground, as will products with stripped-down ingredient lists.
- Convenience: As families shrink in size due to increasing numbers of childless couples, convenience will become a more desirable product feature.
- Natural, performance-oriented: The energy drink and food boom will continue, but with a shift towards more natural products.
- Brain health: In addition to energy, products that promote “sustained cognitive development” will continue to be of high interest, especially in the backdrop of the ageing population trend and increasing focus on children’s mental development.
- Exotic chocolate: Chocolate, benefitted from a boom in dark and premium varieties and is faring well during the downturn as an affordable treat. Sales are likely to be healthy in 2010.
- Ethnic foods, more Mexican and African: Ethnic food growth will continue, with new and exotic ingredients and flavors of Mexican and African cultures influencing the restaurant and retail food arena.
- ‘Time for Tea’ culture: The specialty tea boom will continue as product developers push the ingredient’s antioxidant properties.
