Gobal Food Trends

As part of a world tour "World Tour by SIAL" by the French Food Fair SIAL, 28 media from across the globe have determined three food trends in their regions. From these, the French retail expert, Olivier Dauvers, has distilled eight global trends for innovation in the food sector. Pro Carton is privileged to present them here.

The retail trade is developing at an enormous pace. Click & Collect, ordering on the Internet and convenient pick-up at a pre-determined location is expanding fast in the UK and France and is being tested worldwide. The super markets are looking for product lines to attract customers to their premises. Logistic providers such as "Amazon Fresh" are piling on the pressure. The price war is extreme as customers can compare prices at on site via their smartphones.

This is a game that can only be won by those offering added value. Not surprisingly, the food sector worldwide is searching for new, creative opportunities which offer competitive advantages. Despite all the local differences and different weightings, there appear to be eight global trends. Some are "old acquaintances", such as Convenience, Health, Premium, others are relatively young, such as Magical Ingredients, Home Cooking or Easy Way to Exotism.

Trend 1: Convenience

We have less and less time for our meals, yet our demands keep increasing. This is where manufacturers could score: they increase the value of their products by making preparation more convenient, thus saving time.

Trend 2: Health & Nutrition

This trend addresses the worries of many consumers with regard to the quality of their foods. Add to this the desire of being slim, healthy and young.

Trend 3: Made Local

Consumers have learned: what is produced in the region is fresher and therefore more healthy, it also consumes fewer resources and promotes the local value chain.

Trend 4: Magical Ingredients

Additives with "magic" properties are becoming more popular: from olive oil which allows attaining old age, via "Low carb" and vitamin or protein additives which promote resistance and stamina, to the substitution of poorly tolerated substances, such as lactate or gluten.

Trend 5: Premium

In saturated markets there is a longing for that something extra, that little luxury to indulge in, even if it is a little bit less sensible for a change, and is also affordable for smaller purse strings.

Trend 6: Cooking at home

Cooking at home is not necessarily less expensive, but people want to know exactly what they are eating. It is also rather chic to emulate the occasional TV star cook and impress others.

Trend 7: Easy way to Exotism

Our permanent search for things new leads us to experiment with different things but we soon encounter limits as the ingredients for unusual dishes are not always easy to find. Ready-to-use spice mixtures and convenience dishes bring the taste of the world into our living rooms.

Trend 8: Sizing

A lot of experimenting with dish sizes is presently en vogue: smaller packs for single households, perfect portions for eating in the office, on the park bench, in the waiting room, but also larger packs for the cost-conscious consumer.

What does this mean for packaging?

The packaging is decisive for the success of new trends and the corresponding products. Cartons already offer a variety of options. "This applies to functional areas such as ToGo, resealing, portioning, deep freezing, cooking in the microwave oven, etc., and this applies to the various pack sizes, from large packs for easy logistics to small volumes for single households", states Roland Rex, President Pro Carton.

"In addition, every innovation is connected to a more of information, a service which can be implemented best by carton packaging. A major study by Pro Carton has shown that packaging has become the most important information and communication medium for more and more products. Today, products have to sell without the classical point-of-sale more often – which is why it is even more important to showcase the packaging perfectly on the Internet to support the "Moment of Truth" in the home."

Sources: CASH, SIAL, Pro Carton Study