Source: FDL Food Data Proposition (ID: foodatlink)

Author: Ah Poke, Sweet Sauce

With the big health trend down, there are five hot health trends worth paying attention to: stress relief and sleep, gut health, regenerative agriculture, sustainable packaging and new mushroom products. ‍

Image credit: FDL Number Food Proposition

As of April 2022, the current epidemic prevention and control situation is still severe and complicated. After experiencing waves of epidemics, people's attention to health has increased significantly. In terms of dietary needs, according to the 2021 Nielsen survey data, about 80% of the respondents said that they will continue to pay attention to related issues after the epidemic is over. Healthy diet is not limited to a single type of demand for improving immunity, but also involves emotional sleep, intestinal health, beauty and beauty and other fields.

It can be seen that consumers' demand for health and diversification will undoubtedly promote the development and innovation of related functional products and raw materials in the food and beverage market. Then, in the second half of consumption in 2022, what health issues and areas will consumers pay attention to?

Recently, Presence, an American food industry agency, and SPINS, an intelligent food data platform, have researched relevant data on the shopping habits and product demands of health-conscious consumers, and have summarized five major new trends in the health field in 2022. Healthy, regenerative agriculture, sustainable packaging and new mushrooms.

According to the report, over the past few years, consumers have not only become more concerned about healthy eating and prioritizing their own health needs, but have also become more environmentally friendly and ecologically healthy. Tracy Miedema, vice president of business development at Presence, also said: "The new generation of consumers is more educated and more willing to try new things. So it is not difficult to find that in recent years, they have been actively seeking products that promote physical and mental health, and choose as much as possible. All-natural, food and beverages that provide nutrients to the human body and are environmentally friendly.”

This article will focus on the above five major trends in the health field, combined with domestic and foreign new product cases to analyze, hoping to provide some new ideas for the food industry's product development and promotion in the health field, and grasp the current trend of pursuing health.

sleep decompression

The epidemic is raging around the world, which invisibly intensifies the pressure that consumers face every day, especially in terms of mood and sleep. A study by the American Psychological Association found that nearly 78% of adults considered the novel coronavirus epidemic to be one of the major sources of stress in their lives, and more than 70% expressed concern that long-term stress and anxiety would affect to your own health.

In addition to adjusting their emotions through exercise and other means, more and more consumers hope to reduce anxiety and maintain mental health through functional products, so they have turned their attention to functional products such as various vitamins and nutritional supplements.

According to research data released by SPINS, the total sales of the emotional health supplement market in the United States from January to June 2020 reached nearly 400 million US dollars (about 2.58 billion yuan), compared with only 294 million US dollars in the same period in 2019 ( About RMB 1.901 billion), an increase of about 36%; from the sales data on Amazon's official website in 2021, it can also be concluded that the sales of vitamins and supplements increased by 43% year-on-year.

Based on the increasing demand of consumers for stress management, emotional control and sleep aids, food and beverage manufacturers around the world have been developing relevant functional raw materials and products in recent years, scrambling to seize the track of decompression and sleep aids.

According to the global new product database collected by dietary supplement manufacturer Pharma Linea, the proportion of health food and beverages involving stress reduction and sleep aids in the Asia-Pacific region will increase from 0.5% in 2018 to 1.1% in 2021. Similarly, in a 2021 health product report shared by Presence, the results showed that new products for stress relief and sleep increased by 30% year-on-year.

At present, the commonly used ingredients of decompression and sleep aid products on the market can be roughly divided into three types: plant extracts, such as Ashwagandha, saffron, chamomile, etc.; amino acids, such as GABA, L-theanine, lactoferrin, etc.; Compounds such as melatonin, magnesium-containing compounds, CBD, etc.

Example:

Bright Dairy and Bright Jiu Yi Jiu jointly developed and launched a new product "Yoge Companion". This new product adds functional ingredients turmeric, black wolfberry juice containing natural anthocyanins and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). It is reported that this product can decompress and increase energy for people who are in a state of high stress and depressed mood for a long time.

Image source: Bright Dairy

A sedative functional gummies called CBD Calm Gummies launched by American science and technology company CV Sciences in January 2022 is designed to allow people to quickly find peace in stressful days by eating gummies, the easiest way. This product contains high-quality hemp extract, fortified with clinically researched ingredients such as 10 mg of CBD, L-theanine and 5-HTP, and is made in a safe, non-toxic formula customized by prescribing physicians. At the same time, the gummies have a refreshing and delicious strawberry lemonade flavor, and organic cane sugar is added as a sweetener. This product is mainly used for daily stress relief, which is conducive to promoting positive psychological emotions in the human body.

Image credit: trendhunter

Japan's Suntory (Suntory) launched the sleep aid product "Quick Sleep Sesamin (Quick Sleep Sesamin)" on January 19, 2022. This product contains sesamin, which inhibits melatonin reduction, and theanine, which supports the regulation of nerves related to physical and mental health. It is reported that the product helps consumers sleep quality through two natural and healthy "plant powers", which can effectively reduce people's fatigue when they wake up. Additionally, the packaging features dark blue and yellow accents with day and night-themed illustrations, designed to highlight its powerful image of improving sleep quality and waking up.

Image credit: suntory-kenko

The Sleep Synergy Drink Mix, launched by CBDistillery in February 2022, is a solid drink for consumers who need sleep aids. The products are caffeine-free, and each bar contains not only 25 mg of CBD powder, but also powerful ingredients like valerian root, L-theanine and chamomile. The synergistic effect of these ingredients can help consumers relax physically and mentally and get a good night's sleep.

Image source: bevnet

gut health

Relevant research data shows that the gut contains about 60-80% of the immune system and tissues of the human body. If the gut is out of balance, it will lead to further immune health problems. Affected by the epidemic, consumers' attention to intestinal health has continued to rise in recent years, and the probiotics market, which is closely related to this, is also booming.

According to Presence consumption data, the global probiotics market will total $54.77 billion in 2020, and it is predicted that the probiotics market will grow steadily at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% from 2021 to 2028. According to the data of the Prospective Industry Research Institute, the global probiotics industry market scale has reached about 40 billion euros in 2021 and is still growing. It is estimated that by 2025, the global probiotics industry output value will exceed 77 billion US dollars, and China The market share will exceed 25%.

In the field of intestinal health, the probiotics industry has undergone a transition from "probiotics can live in the intestines", to using the name of probiotics and the number of probiotics as the basis for regulating intestinal functions, and then to the application of specific functional probiotics. From the perspective of gut health, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics all play an important role in the human body.

Image credit: FDL Number Food Proposition

Probiotics are widely used in various fermented foods, such as yogurt, tea and pickles, as a well-known component in the current intestinal microflora; while prebiotics are used to promote the reproduction of probiotics and provide nutrition. Auxiliary ingredients can also be found in dietary supplements or functional gummies on the market. The new generation of postbiotics is the general term for the beneficial bacteria that are processed by probiotics, including bacterial cells and metabolites. The lipoteichoic acid contained in them can protect the postbiotics from being damaged by acid, alkali and high temperature. Its stability properties include: Conducive to participating in product processing and manufacturing.

Example:

Chewing gum brand Chickles Gum will launch the first postbiotic functional sugar-free chewing gum Slim&Fit containing ADM BPL1 in February 2022.

It is reported that the postbiotic was developed by ADM, an international food manufacturer, and can withstand high heat treatment. It has been tested in a number of trials, indicating that the postbiotic raw material can promote digestion and effectively reduce abdominal fat.

Image credit: foodingredinentsfirst

Nestlé's new probiotic brand, Manshiyuan, launched the first "Resolve Your Probiotic Solid Drink". According to reports, the product consists of 6 kinds of "powerful" star probiotics, including Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, etc. The gastric acid survival rate of each strain is as high as 90%. 100 billion active probiotics.

In addition, the product is specially added with organic ingredients such as patented D-ribose, natural yacon fruit extract and phycocyanin, which can effectively improve the activity of probiotics, stimulate the growth of beneficial intestinal flora and inhibit harmful bacteria, which is conducive to intestinal health.

Image source: Manshiyuan official website

Unilever, which is also concerned about the potential track of intestinal health, announced in January 2022 that it will cooperate with Holobiome, an expert in intestinal microbes. It is reported that the project mainly studies neurotransmitter components and microbial species in the gut that communicate with the brain, aiming to further determine the specific components and interaction methods of these microorganisms in the gut, and will be added to food and beverage products as functional food ingredients in the future. in the recipe. The study is expected to continue throughout the year, with results expected by the end of 2022. 

regenerative agriculture

Driven by rapid economic development, modern agriculture continues to increase production, but the production methods behind it still have various fatal problems, such as fertilizer pollution, improper sewage discharge, crop pesticide residues, etc., which lead to the decline of soil fertility and soil erosion. , water eutrophication, etc., also cause damage to the natural ecological environment. According to estimates by soil scientists, at the current rate of soil destruction (decarbonization, erosion, desertification, chemical pollution), within 50 years, humans will face a reduction in the amount of arable land, resulting in insufficient quantity and quality of food supplies, ultimately endangering human health.

The development of regenerative agriculture is one of the most effective ways to solve the above problems. Regenerative agriculture, as the name suggests, refers to an industry that is beneficial to biodiversity, reduces carbon emissions, and promotes the harmonious functioning of living systems. It is mainly achieved through various crop mulching, composting, crop rotation, and increasing crop diversity for soil health. No pesticides and fertilizers are used in the whole process, allowing the land to gradually restore soil fertility in a natural way.

At the same time, according to a Nielsen consumer survey in 2021, today's consumers are more concerned about sustainable development or environmentally friendly topics than in the past three years. Among them, nearly half of American consumers said that they will decide whether to buy a brand's products based on whether the brand promises to protect the environment. In addition, according to SPINS data, since 2019, the attention of overseas companies to regenerative agriculture has also soared by nearly 138%. More and more food companies hope to restore the soil environment through regenerative agriculture. For them, the development of regenerative agriculture can not only ensure the supply of high-quality raw materials, but also establish a corporate image of "taking the initiative to take responsibility for the protection of the natural environment", thereby impressing people. Consumers to meet consumer demand for environmentally friendly products.

Example:

The US food company General Mills began to cooperate with farmer suppliers on regenerative agriculture projects in 2020, using 100% sustainable production methods for crop cultivation, and is expected to be able to grow on 1 million acres of soil by 2030 Breed oats, wheat, corn and sugar beets. In addition to providing the land, General Mills has also pledged $650,000 to support Kiss the Ground, a nonprofit environmental organization that guides farmers on how to make their land more resilient to harsh environments and how to keep soil "healthy" to reduce costs and increase revenue.

Image source: unsplash

Beverage giant PepsiCo also announced in April 2021 a new goal of “sustainable farming,” expanding regenerative farming practices to 7 million acres by 2030, and is expected to eliminate at least 3 million tons of greenhouse gases over the next decade Row. PepsiCo also advocates for the establishment of industry-wide standards and metrics for regenerative agriculture. Currently, PepsiCo mainly measures its progress towards its sustainable agriculture goals through traceability monitoring of the number of acres and people participating in the program, as well as the impact of five key outcomes. These include improving soil health and fertility, increasing carbon sequestration and reducing emissions, enhancing watershed health, increasing biodiversity and improving farmers' lives.

Image source: unsplash

sustainable packaging

As we all know, it takes hundreds of years for plastic to be completely decomposed, and during this period, its harmful substances will be dispersed in the surrounding environment, causing many adverse effects on the ecological environment, and ultimately endangering human, animal and plant life. .

With the prevalence of environmentalism, the society's awareness of the disadvantages of non-renewable food packaging such as plastics continues to increase, which in turn drives the growth of the sustainable food packaging market.

According to Reportlinker, the global sustainable food packaging market is expected to grow from USD 196.26 billion in 2021 to USD 211.56 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 7.8%, and the market is expected to reach a size of USD 280.1 billion in 2026 , the compound annual growth rate during the period was 7.3%.

In this environmental situation, consumers are paying close attention to the impact of food packaging on the environment and are choosing to buy products that are in line with their environmental philosophy. According to Presence, environmental waste from packaging remains a primary concern for environmentalists. Studies have shown that some of them even choose "edible" packaging to reduce waste generation, thereby reducing environmental pollution.

Driven by both social sustainability goals and consumer environmentalism, manufacturers have had to rethink packaging materials. According to Presence research, the use of returnable containers across the packaging supply chain has increased by 23% from last year, with aseptic cartons up 9% and glass up 2%. Presence believes that in the future food market, product packaging will largely influence consumers' purchasing decisions, and products that are packaged around "zero waste" will be very popular.

Example:

Home coffee sales have exploded over the past few years as Australian coffee drinking habits have changed dramatically due to the impact of the pandemic and restrictions imposed by lockdown orders. For Australian supermarket giant Coles, bagged coffee sales are up 20 per cent and coffee pod sales have soared by 30 per cent.

The sustainable packaging innovation comes at a time when coffee drinking habits are shifting and Coles has become the first Australian retailer to launch its own 'compostable coffee capsule' brand with the release of its own brand of compostable coffee pods. Coles Urban Coffee Culture Organic coffee capsules are made from cellulose and vegetable oils from organic compostable pods, which can be broken down in a home compost bin in about the same time as orange peel. These capsules are universal for use in coffee machines designed for Nespresso style coffee capsules and are certified by the Australian Bioplastics Association.

In addition to this, Coles also educates consumers by placing the Australian Recycled Label (ARL) on its own brand products, which now covers over 4,000 Cole products. In the World Benchmark Alliance's 2021 Food and Agriculture Benchmarks, Coles was ranked second for sustainable business practices by 62 food retailers globally and tops Australia's.

It is understood that Coles is implementing a "zero waste" strategy with its customers and suppliers, and Coles aims to achieve 100% of its own brand product packaging by 2025. Recyclable, reusable or compostable.

New mushrooms

Mushrooms as "fungi" are biologically different from animals and plants and belong to the "third world" of the food kingdom, but they have unique nutrients that provide nutrients common to both plant and animal food. USDA research shows that mushrooms can reduce calorie, saturated fatty acid, and sodium intake while also helping the body increase under-consumed nutrients, including fiber, potassium, and vitamin D.

Presence research shows that global mushroom sales in 2021 will increase by 16.1% compared to 2020 as natural retail channels continue to grow. At present, major foreign retailers are developing various new mushroom products, and mushrooms even appear in various food fields such as seasonings, ready-to-drink beverages, snacks and coffee. At the same time, supplements containing mushrooms as key ingredients are infiltrating people's diets in the form of capsules, powders, tinctures or teas.

A major reason for this is the prevalence of vegetarianism in the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries. In addition, different types of mushrooms have different health benefits, which is another reason for their popularity. For example, Presence's research found that certain varieties have been shown to stimulate the immune system, aid in healthy blood pressure management, provide powerful antioxidants, increase the body's focus, and support overall health, among other benefits. According to data released by Presence, the global functional mushroom market will reach US$7.98 billion in 2020, and the market size is expected to reach US$19.33 billion by 2030.

Image credit: FDL Number Food Proposition

Example:

Earth & Star recently launched a Super Multi-Mushroom Gummy (Super Mushroom Gummy) enriched with a variety of mushroom extracts. This Super Mushroom Gummy contains 2500mg of mushroom blend extract, including 10 kinds of mushrooms including Shiitake, Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps sinensis, etc.

It is understood that a variety of mushroom ingredients have multiple functions such as anti-stress, improving memory and concentration, supporting the immune system, intestinal and nervous systems, and anti-inflammatory.

In order to ensure a good taste, this Super Mushroom Gummy is designed with a sweet and delicious raspberry fruit flavor, and in appearance, the Gummy Candy is also designed in the shape of a small mushroom. In addition to this, the company also supports custom mushroom products such as mushroom coffee, mushroom chocolate, and more.

Image source: yahoo

Previously, a company called SuperMush has launched three functional mushroom supplement sprays that consumers can supplement by spraying them into their mouths. The three products in the series are Energy Mouth Spray, Daily Immune Mouth Spray and Daily Cool Mouth Spray, which feature Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps sinensis, Hericium erinaceus and other mushrooms to help maintain human health and regulate stress. The company says the range is well-flavored, with one scented with citrus and green tea, one with hibiscus, and the other tastes like cinnamon toast.

Image source: nutritionaloutlook

Epilogue

In general, the total market volume of healthy food in my country is huge, but the penetration is still not high, which also means that companies have unlimited opportunities in the healthy food track. Due to the relatively weak scientific and technological research and development capabilities, my country's functional food has certain restrictions on new forms of developers, and the ability to introduce new products is lacking, and industrial upgrading is imminent.

From the above trends, it can be seen that in the future, consumers will pay more attention to products that are beneficial to themselves and the environment. Among them, natural ingredients such as mushrooms and magnesium will become popular choices. Enterprises can properly consider the above five categories when opening products. The dimension meets the needs of consumers, and further expands the scope of the audience, so as to seek longer-term development.

Reference source:

[1] What are health-conscious consumers looking for in 2022? -newfoodmagazine official website

[2] Trend Forecast | Five Health Areas Worthy of Attention in 2022 - Food Research Institute FTA, by kariya

[3] How to save 300 million "insomniacs" and talk about the 100 billion business of "sleep aid food"? -FDL number food proposition, author: Ma Baiguo

[4] Bright launched a new product Yogurt: GABA and yogurt are combined, is decompression and sleep aid food a good business? -FBIF Food & Beverage Innovation, by Vivi

[5] The new darling of the raw material industry: How to make good bacteria better and food and beverages better after "dead bacteria"? -FDL number eclipse proposition, by Little Zhong

[6] General Mills takes the lead in farming, food companies focus on regenerative agriculture-Foodtalks official website

[7] PepsiCo announces regenerative agriculture target, projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 3 million tons over the next decade-PR Newswire APAC

[8] Coles launches its own brand of compostable coffee pods

[9] Next generation of mushroom supplement delivery systems