Whether you are a retail store, manufacturer, ingredient supplier, or a foodservice operator looking to capitalize on the next food or beverage trend, having relevant data allows you to make better decisions that affect your bottom line. 

Data from Innova Market Insights suggest that the growing interest in plant-based protein sources and expanding awareness of protein’s importance for health and wellness are fueling the demand. This continuing trend has manufacturers seeking novel ingredients and pathways to provide protein to satisfy the demand.

The primary immune-supporting ingredient category is that of probiotics, those beneficial microbial organisms that confer some form of health benefit either directly or indirectly when ingested. With probiotics carrying the immune health banner, it’s no surprise that throughout 2024 interest in probiotics and health by both consumers and product makers rose beyond even those levels seen in 2023.

Editor’s Note: How is rice, a global ingredient staple, influencing new menu offerings and retail product development? For a closer look, Prepared Foods turned to Katie Ayoub, president of Katie Ayoub & Associates. She serves as managing editor at Flavor & The Menu and is a content strategist for the Flavor Experience, an annual conference for chain operators. Based in Chicago, Katie has been working in foodservice publishing for more than 25 years.