Page 51 - FoodFocusThailand No.180 March 2021

SPECIAL REPORT

Tailored to Fit Mood: The Next Occasion
Personalized nutrition is in the With consumers increasingly investing in prioritizing their holistic health and
spotlight as consumers look for food well-being, product launches and technological applications are addressing how
and beverage options that fit their unique food and beverages influence the physical, mental and emotional aspects of health. New
lifestyles. Consumers expect a tailored approach mood-based product development is seeing staggering growth, as are labeling claims on
to eating, with technological breakthroughs, packaging. Adaptogens, found in herbal medicine for the claimed stabilization of
physiological processes, are also being used to develop the relationship between food,
constant new launches and exciting sensorial beverages and emotional health.
experiences providing the opportunity for
customized lifestyles to extend to food and Product Mashups: When Trends Collide
beverage consumption. Sophisticated Variety and multifunctionality within products on in-store shelves and online retail
personalized nutrition advice on functional foods platforms are proving to be successful, with consumers eager to discover new
is still expensive, but the emergence of tech and innovative products, formats and categories for all occasions. Hybrid
platforms allows for comparable customer innovation is enjoying sustained popularity as consumers favor food and beverages that
service via automation. The Innova Consumer broaden the dimensions of indulgence. Treat-based occasional super-indulgence and
Survey 2020 showed that 64% of global “permissible” indulgence, where consumers want taste indulgence but with healthier, guilt-
consumers have found more ways to tailor their free recipes, have gone up a gear as exciting flavor discoveries, category merging and
life and products to their individual style, beliefs brand collaboration offer unexpected creations.
and needs.
Modern Nostalgia
New Omnichannel Eating Local appeal, interest in traditional and regional foods and product origin remain
core demands of consumers wanting to try regional and international flavors.
As foodservice and retail domains While global trends get a local makeover, influencers and consumers will embrace
increasingly overlap, consumers can modern variations as regional favorites are brought into the contemporary sphere. New
eat what they want, when and where arrivals are set to revive, influence and attract new audiences. Brands will apply local twists
they want it. Consumers are seeking to familiar products to offer heightened sensory delivery through surprising and unexpected
convenience, richer experiences and accessible flavors, textures and formats.
indulgence. Traditional hospitality is getting
edged out, particularly with COVID-19 giving Age of the Influencer
consumers more time to stay at home and Storytelling, brand connection and shareable social media experiences reign
sharpen their own culinary prowess. Increased supreme in the food and beverage world, presenting brands with vast opportunities
home cooking is driving the use of convenient to showcase their innovations. Influencer endorsements are a strong strategy for
meal kits/starters and more sophisticated brands looking to bolster their exposure efforts. Influencer engagement will on the marketing
ingredients, resulting in new food experiences. menu to promote products in 2021. There will also be a gradual expansion of the diversity
The Innova Consumer Survey 2020 found 46% of influencers and a slow shift to more reliable and industry-specific influencers to drive
of consumers believe restaurant-branded trust and credibility.
products are a convenient way to attain the
restaurant experience and flavors at home.
Along with restaurant delivery growing,
consumers can now directly access many
specialty products that were previously only
accessible via foodservice.
In Tune with Immune
Ongoing anxiety stemming from
COVID-19 will encourage consumers
to prioritize their immune health into
2021. According to the Innova Consumer Survey
2020, six out of ten global consumers are
increasingly looking for food and beverage
products that support their immune health, with
one in three saying that concerns about immune
health increased in 2020 over 2019. Immunity-
boosting ingredients will play a significant role
in the coming year, while research and interest
in the role of the microbiome and personalized
nutrition as ways to strengthen immunity will
accelerate.
Nutrition Hacking
The use of technology to drive
functional food understanding,
nutrition advice and the
environmentally-conscious nature of products
is becoming more prominent. In 2021, consumers
will use technology to aid their search for
balanced formulations and improved nutrition-
based products. New product development and
software solutions will address demands for food
and beverage choices that contain enhanced
nutritional value as well as sustainability or
ethical impact.
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