Three trends are identified by Mintel for 2024.
In 2024, customers should place more value on company transparency, Gen X-focused healthy aging, and convenient dining that optimizes consumption, per a Mintel analysis on global food and drink trends.
According to Jenny Zegler, head of Mintel food and drink, “We developed the 2024 global food and drink trends around an essential value proposition: food and drink must taste good, be worth the cost, and have reduced environmental and/or ethical impact, preferably without a higher price.” “We suggest how food and drink companies can support consumers in balancing their needs for pleasure and health, preparing themselves for longer, healthier lives, and gaining new conveniences from technological advancements through the trends.”
Companies that sell food and beverages should be open and honest in their communication, enabling customers to make knowledgeable choices about highly processed and processed goods. This trend is known as “trust the process” by Mintel.
By 2024, consumers will know about varying processing levels from reporting in the media, laws, and optional on-pack labeling with ratings. They might be drawn to minimally processed goods that highlight the advantages of food processing methods, like boosting nutrition, preventing the development of contaminants, and boosting sustainability. When buying food and drink goods, 34% of US consumers cited highly processed products as their primary worry, above flavor and price. This information comes from Mintel research.
Fresh baked goods and frozen vegetables may fit into this trend. For instance, Mintel provided shelf-stable cartons containing pasta sauces manufactured from recycled tomatoes cultivated in the United States to Matriark Foods. According to Matriark Foods, purchasing a carton of the sauce saves 50 gallons of water, 0.4 lb of veggies from landfills, and 1 lb less greenhouse gas emissions.
The 40s and 50s are when Gen X consumers fall into the “age reframed” trend. According to Mintel, brands could target these consumers by offering products for conditions like stress, mental health, and cardiovascular health. The American beverage company Elements of Balance offers a plant-based sleep aid that includes passionflower as one of its adaptogens. According to Mintel, 78% of Gen X US consumers (those born between 1965 and 1979) reported having trouble falling asleep.
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Convenience will become more prominent in the “eating: optimized” trend as technology simplifies grocery shopping, meal preparation, and cooking. By offering cooking instructions for a variety of appliances and product lines made to cook at the same time and temperature, brands are assisting consumers in making the most of their time. A vending machine being tested by Nestle SA DiGiorno produces hot, ready-to-eat frozen pizzas in under three minutes.
Conveniences like meal-planning apps and computerized shopping lists will become essential everyday tools thanks to technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) and personalized alerts may make it easier for customers to locate products or ingredients whether they are online, in-store, or traveling.