Food Marketing & Technology 1/2022

Editorial
Trends for Twenty Two
There is a well known German comedy
sketch called ‘Dinner for One‘. It’s
about an old lady who enjoys a dinner
party with her friends, who have
unfortunately all died before her. The
butler plays the parts of the missing
guests and asks his mistress “The
same procedure as last year, Miss
Sophie?“ To which the answer is “The
same procedure as every year, James!“
When thinking of the food industry and
what trends are in the market, it often
feels the same way. Trends come and
go, but they mostly feel the same. In
times of covid and climate challenges,
the major trends in the food and
beverage industry centre around
health and sustainability issues. Other
buzz words include plant-based
nutrition and indulgence, as well as our
old favourite: convenience.
Products need to be ready to consume
at any time, provide nutrition and
added value for body, mind and spirit,
whilst tasting good and supporting
the environment. Packaging and
processing methods are also more in
the spotlight than ever before.
Our lifestyle has changed in the past
months. As more people work from
home, so they eat more at home. We
would expect this to lead to a more
balanced and healthy diet, but this
is not always the case. Consumers
want to find healthy and sustainable
products as easily as possible. More
often than not, they are ordered and
delivered by courier, either as fresh
ingredients or finished meals.
Plant-based nutrition is a perceived
answer to the problems around
global warming, as well as health
issues regarding meat consumption.
While there are arguments in both
directions, it remains true that the
consumer focus on plant-based foods
has shifted slightly to include added
benefits of vitamins and minerals.
Optimising the nutritional profile is an
ongoing project.
Indulgence will always be significant.
One constant in our diet, is that we are
always looking for something different.
This may be in a sensory experience,
whether taste, texture, smell or colour,
but also a need to be surprised or
challenged. Beverages are a popular
carrier for a new experience, with
combinations of sweet and creamy or
hot, sour and bitter finding a market in
the Millennial generation.
Ian Healey
Editor-in-Chief
Sustainability is a measure of corporate
responsibility which mirrors consumer
behaviour. The concept is growing
to cover the complete life cycle of a
product, farm to fork, and includes
packaging and use of resources in
processing.
The same procedure as every year?
Trends are, in fact, developing
gradually, so that what was important
five years ago is now a footnote and the
footnotes are becoming mainstream.
But it still has to taste good.
Sincerely,
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food Marketing & Technology • February 2022
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food Marketing & Technology • February 2022