10 Food Industry Trends To Look Out For In 2022

Men and women of all ages depend on food for survival. But today we have moved from a survival point of view to enjoying delicious food. YouTube and other social media are full of food posts that draw the attention of several million users. As a business owner in the F&B industry, you should know the food trends in 2022. It will help you adapt your brand to meet the demands of the age we live in. 

So, you must do food market research to generate food and beverage insights for your brand. To make matters simple for you, we have listed ten tips that you can check out.

Planet-friendly foods

Up until recent times, textbooks for students and public campaigns taught the importance of preserving the environment for future generations. The stress was placed on the individual, as they were expected to conserve resources as much as possible. But now, the spotlight is on businesses. Consumers only chose to engage with brands that prioritize the health of the planet. They expect brands to use renewable packaging materials and save Planet Earth. Brands can use eco-friendly badges and awards to show that their restaurants prioritize the conservation of resources. When you do food market research for food and beverage insights, you cannot escape the fact that people today prefer plant-based foods.

Veganism

Everyone who frequently updates them with food industry trends will know about veganism. Celebrities, influencers, and social activists advocate eating plant-based foods and avoiding meat for various reasons. They are unhappy with the way animals are slaughtered. This trend is not going away. People today prefer plant-based meat and foods and avoid dairy. Instead of cow milk, they prefer soy milk and coconut milk. They also want the footwear and clothing to be made solely from plants to avoid leather made from animal hides.

Reducetarianism

The name of this movement is quite difficult to pronounce, but the concept is not that complicated. Reducetarianism is a variant of Veganism. Whereas vegans advocate abstaining from meat and dairy altogether, reducetarians want to minimize meat and dairy intake. The latter consume more vegetables and cut down on meat. Rather than taking meat, fish, eggs, and dairy daily, they take it only once a week. They intentionally purchase meat and eggs from local farmers and are more conscious of meat intake. Seeing the popularity of this movement, we choose to include reducetarianism in the list of food industry trends.

Food Transparency

Today customers want to know the source of their food and their ingredients. They are aware of marketing gimmicks and do not blindly trust brands. Even if the label testified to the quality of the product, they want to double-check. They ensure that the products they buy uphold the guidelines of public health regulators. They also want to check if the food is grown locally or imported from some third-world country. Getting food and beverage insights is the need of the hour for businesses today.

Gut Health

Consumers now believe that gut health is the key to a peaceful and healthy life. The gut ecosystem is a balance between healthy microbes and harmful microbes. The goal is to feed the healthy microbes that produce beneficial vitamins and minerals. While customers are not well-versed in gut health, they are paying attention. That is why they consume more probiotics and fermented foods that supposedly boost gut health.

Food = Health + Beauty

Previously people ate food just for survival. Then came the fast-food chains and hotels, and people preferred taste over nutrition. Now the trend has reversed, and people today prefer healthy food. People also realize that eating healthy food is the key to glowing skin and beauty. They do not want to invest more in fairness creams and other adornments. They now choose to enhance their beauty through the food they eat. So they eat foods rich in antioxidants, omega-3s, probiotics, and bone broths.

Lockdown effect: Bigger breakfasts

The lockdown has pushed people to work from home. It has also changed their eating habits. People today have more time to eat leisurely before logging in for work. The reduction of commute times is also another factor. So, people today eat rich breakfasts and want to start their day with a full stomach.

Levantine Food

Foods from the Middle East are popular today, as customers have found their thing in the Levant. Middle Eastern and Turkish food like Shawarma, Falafel, and Urfa chili flakes get sold pretty quickly from the shelves. For some inexplicable reason, consumers have a craze for foods from the Middle East.

Meal-Kits

The pandemic has pushed people to cook at home. Restaurants have responded by launching meal kits that recreate the home experience. There are traditional comfort food meal kits and also ethnically inspired dishes. These kits appeal to customers who prefer homemade foods but are unable to make them for some reason.

Ultra Urban Farming

There is also the trend of growing produce using greenhouse systems. The plants are grown through sunlight and renewable electricity. Because of this, we see the rise of indoor farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics. All these practises aim at growing more produce while minimizing water, soil, and other resources.