Plant-Based and Sustainability Lead 2020 Predicted Food Trends

What will 2020 bring in the food industry? Many sources are making their predictions. We looked at seven trend lists to find what’s at the forefront of 2020 food trends:

Fresh Direct
Whole Foods
Eating Well
Benchmark
Innova
Technomic
Specialty Food Association

Two trends made almost every list in some form: Plant-based and sustainability.

Plant-based
Innova believes the opportunity for mainstream plant-based claims is wide open. The trend taps into three concerns that are becoming more common: environmental impact of food choices, animal welfare, and the desire to eat healthier, according to Eating Well. Also, new plant-based technology means today’s meat substitutes can feel, look, and taste more like meat.

Whole Foods’ take on the plant-based trend is that the use of soy protein will decrease, as companies look to avoid top allergens. The market may see more innovative blends (such as grains and mung beans) to mimic the creamy textures of yogurts and other dairy products. Also, 2020 could see an increase in meat-plant blends.

In foodservice, Benchmark expects the plant-based trend to grow rapidly. Technomic believes foodservice operators “will need to look to new natural resources to keep menus exciting.” That includes using previously unused parts of familiar plants, such as beet greens, sweet potato leaves, and avocado blossom, to help reduce food waste.

A partially contrarian viewpoint comes from the Specialty Food Association (SFA), which thinks meat replacements might face a pushback, even as their growth will likely continue. “Consumers will begin to think critically about meat replacements, looking more closely at the ingredient lists, supply chains, water usage, and food safety.”

Sustainability
The SFA refers to sustainability-driven product development, noting that values-oriented consumers, especially Gen Z, consider a company’s values and production methods when deciding what to buy.
Mentions on lists of upcycling, regenerative agriculture, and biodynamic farming all fall under the umbrella of sustainability. Three sources specifically call out regenerative agriculture as a trend for 2020.

Technomic says to look for the foodservice industry to use more “resource-efficient, circular practices in the name of ssustainability – from hydroponic vegetable production to new ways of processing and distributing food leftovers.” It’s not only sustainability in food but also in packaging, with Benchmark noting that “consumers are demanding sustainability in all forms of packaging.”

On a related note, Fresh Direct noted that consumers have become more educated about the food supply chain, ingredients, and the environmental effects of food. As a result, transparency and traceability will continue to increase in 2020.

Article Source: Food Industry Executive. Click here to read the entire article.