Page 35 - FoodFocusThailand No.143_February 2018

SPECIAL FOCUS

Diet & Superfood Claims Spur Produce Gains: Consumers
increasingly focused on health looked to special diets and fresh
items over the 2011-2016 period. Trendy diets such as the paleo diet
and the raw food diet emphasize the healthy benefits of fresh fruits
and vegetables while appealing mostly to young people. However,
most healthy eaters tend to be older, as they have more age-related
health concerns. As such, Baby Boomers are a key demographic for
fresh produce purchases. Millennials tend to eat less well because
they are often too busy to prepare healthy meals, and their youth
theoretically comes with fewer health concerns.
“Fruits with natural sugars are marketed as a healthier alternative
to sweets such as cookies and cakes that may be eaten as a snack.
As snacking becomes more popular throughout the day, ready-to-eat
fresh fruits and vegetables represent an attractive option for many
consumers on diets as a replacement for sweets and other processed
snacks. Additionally, people looking to increase nutrient intake have
turned to foods deemed ‘superfoods’ as a way to stay healthy, which
has increased the popularity of produce such as avocados with both
the media and consumers alike,” says Sprinkle.

Exotic Flavor Profiles Heating Up the Market: Ongoing
multicultural changes in the U.S. led to tremendous growth in
the market for spicy foods over the past half decade. As adventurous
Millennials sought out new flavors, hot peppers became incredibly
popular. Chili pepper consumption grew 5% annually between 2011-
2016. Interest in “super-hot” peppers grew as some people took on
“pepper challenges”. Less spicy chili peppers such as jalapeños
gained more mainstream appeal as an increasing Hispanic population
and growing interest in Mexican and South American cuisine took
off, especially among Millennials. As young people acquired a spicier
taste, they used chilis more in cooking and shared their recipe ideas
online, further exposing people to the spicy trend.

Capitalizing on the Flexitarian Movement: Marketing
opportunities exist with meat-eating consumers who increasingly
identify as “flexitarian.” Vegans and vegetarians already eat a large
amount of fruits and vegetables, but flexitarians who can be persuaded
to eat more vegetarian meals or less meat overall will likely increase
consumption of fruits and vegetables to get the nutrients that would
be present in a serving of meat.

FEB 2018 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND 35