The global COVID-19 pandemic had a marked impact on consumers’ attitudes toward health. COVID took a heavy toll on people in poor health and consumers looked for quick ways to boost their health as a defense against the disease.

For the past few years, the Innova Market Insights list of Top 10 Trends has included a plant-centric trend. This acknowledges the growing presence of plant-based foods and beverages, as well as alternatives to traditional animal-based products. 

It’s no longer enough for dairy alternatives to simply be plant-based. Increasingly, new product development is focused on products that replicate the taste, texture and nutritional content of their conventional dairy equivalents.

Consumer research conducted by Innova Market Insights consistently shows that consumer definitions of natural and of clean label are very similar. Furthermore, many consumers believe that natural products also are organic.

In the United States, specifically, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 call for consumers to “limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars” to less than 10% of daily calories. Research shows the top sources of added sugars in the US diet include sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts and sweet snacks, sweetened coffee and tea, and candy.

Looking back on the past two years of a global pandemic, we see how a handful of megatrend forces are continuing to shape change in the world.

Texture’s impact also is not limited to mouthfeel. It is relevant to a product’s flavor, appearance and even a related auditory sound. For these reasons, it plays a strong role in the entire eating experience.

Innova Market Insights identified “The Sustain Domain” among Innova’s Top Ten Trends for 2020. Innova also included it among this year’s top trends and themed it as “Transparency Triumphs.” This recognizes the need for efficient communication of “ethical” and “green” credentials. 

Snacks represent a huge and diverse market as eating patterns have become less formal. Consumer demand for physical and mental energy boosts through the day continues to increase. In combination, these trends leads to growing demands for snacks with energizing properties.