Mintel Names Five Key 2015 Food and Beverage Trends

Market intelligence company Mintel has released the five key trends set to impact the food and drink market in the United States in 2015.

As January draws to a close, many Americans find themselves in one of two categories: ditching their resolution or committing to a healthier lifestyle for the long haul. A look at the major food and drink trends occupying American dinner tables in 2015 tells the story of healthy lifestyles, “clean” ingredients, at-home gourmands, value consciousness and e-commerce specialty products, according to Mintel.

Utilizing research, data and trends from across Mintel’s extensive product portfolio, and expert analysis from Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovation and insight, and Jenny Zegler, global food and drink analyst, the research showcases consumers’ priorities and preferences with regard to food and drink products, as well as grocery shopping behaviors. The five overarching trends are:

• It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle. Consumers are shunning restrictive fads in favor of a more holistic wellness approach. These more open-minded, health-conscious consumers are keeping an eye on the long-term, which makes them less fearful of the occasional splurge.

America’s battle with an expanding waistline continues with diet and wellness listed first on the menu in 2015. While 56 percent of U.S. consumers reference dieting in order to lose or maintain weight, most consumers prefer to count reps instead of calories (83 percent). When it comes to dieting, high-protein diets are the nation’s favorite. However, according to Mintel research, “diet” has become a dirty word as consumers trade fad-eating plans for a more holistic wellness approach.

“These more open-minded consumers are keeping an eye on the long-term and are not afraid of the occasional splurge so long as it’s in moderation,” said Zegler. “This year, flexibility is key when it comes to eating and drinking habits, with consumers open to trying different healthy options.”

• Clean is the new green. Rather than the relatively intangible claim of being “good for the environment,” the new priority is transparency. This is creating a new flock of consumers who want to know more about ingredients, products and the companies that make and sell them.

More nutrients on the plate is key heading into 2015, but consumers are concerned with the ingredients in each mouthful. Twenty-two percent of U.S. grocery consumers would like to see improved labeling on packaging to help them easily identify healthier food products, and less than 38 percent trust what companies say on labels. Currently, 80 percent of U.S. consumers look for nutritional claims  when buying food, while over one-third (38 percent) look for products that are all-natural. Food origin is also quickly becoming a purchase factor with 35 percent of consumers seeking out products that carry a local claim.

“Simply and effectively communicating benefits is essential for consumers and a big trend this year,” according to Dornblaser, for Mintel. While “local” is a great buzzword, provenance lets consumers know where products originated. Additionally, “clean,” “simple” and “real” are all being used on labels to introduce natural, no additives or preservatives.

• Products as the professionals. Consumers want to cook like celebrity chefs but, for the most part, they don’t know how. This is creating a market for products, both at retail and for delivery, that cater to these aspiring gourmands by making home cooking easy, while still wholesome and high in quality.

Today, 26 percent of U.S. consumers claim to have advanced cooking skills, up from 20 percent in 2012. Forty-one percent consider themselves to have intermediate skills. For this reason, cooking has evolved beyond a chore, creating a market for products that cater to aspiring chefs by making home cooking easy, while still high in quality. Furthermore, an increased popularity for cooking has led to a high number of consumers owning small appliances.

• Death of the middle ground. Recession-scarred consumers are almost constantly redefining their definition of “value” by the occasion, category and more. Their ongoing search for good deals forces brands, as well as private labels, to choose between affordability or premium positioning.

One true constant for U.S. consumers is the ever-changing definition of value, with the only certainty being that value is not always just about lowest price. Instead, it can be private label in some scenarios and premium brands in other occasions or categories. In the year ahead, brands have to navigate between being affordable options or attainable luxuries in order to capture the benefit, not brand loyal shopper.

• Net’s Niche. E-commerce is now shaking up food and drink retailing. The Internet provides access to products from a range of companies that are designed to address specific dietary needs, personal interests and other distinct consumer needs.

E-commerce was an estimated $301.3 billion industry in the U.S. in 2014, yet, purchasing groceries online is still more of an intrigue rather than a habit. Thirty-one percent of men in the U.S. age 18 to 34 have bought groceries online in the past 12 months and would do so again, while only 21 percent of women in the same age bracket have done so.