Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • Newsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!

TECH FLASH

Top 10 food and beverage trends

Consumers show a growing interest in authentic and natural products.

By Debra Schug
Top 10 food and beverage trends
July 28, 2016

Knowing exactly what is and what is not in food and beverage products is of utmost importance for consumers, according to Innova Market Insights’ 2016 Top Ten Trends report. Products that have a clear label—meaning they not only use clean ingredients, but also include information on where the ingredients originated—are what consumers are seeking out. Organic products grew from 6 percent in 2013 to 8 percent in 2015, making the organic claim one of the fastest growing.

“Kroger’s newly introduced private label organic brand has done very well,” says Lu Ann Williams, director of innovation at Innova Market Insights and presenter of the Top Ten Trends session at IFT16 in Chicago on July 18. “If retailers continue to launch a product line, then that means it is selling.”

Another category of foods, the free-from group, has enjoyed continued growth. The report found launches of gluten-free positioned products have jumped from 5 percent in 2010 to 9 percent in 2014. Moreover, the advertising of these products has changed from highlighting the benefits to noting the ingredients they do not contain.

Here are Innova’s other top predictions:

-The Flexitarian Effect: More people are actively choosing to eat less meat, and that is creating more opportunities for alternative proteins.

-Processing the Natural Way: Demand for less-processed foods is creating a new buzz for older technology, such as fermentation, and more gentle technology, such as HPP.

-Green Light for Vegetables: Consumers are starting to get the message they need to eat more fruits and vegetables. Now, more plant-based products, such as super-premium juices, are meeting the ramped up demand.

-Creating a Real Link: Companies that have a genuine story to tell proving their authenticity are appealing to the emotional side of millennials.

-Small Players, Big Ideas: Small companies are dominating the thought leadership surrounding new food and beverage creations, spurring big companies to either imitate their ideas or buy them outright. 

-Beyond the Athlete: More products are appealing to the consumer’s desire for the healthy lifestyle, focusing on packing more protein per serving. 

-The Indulgence Alibi: Health-conscious consumers still want the excuse to have tasty foods and beverages; they just want to feel good about them as well.

-Tastes for New Experiences: Cosmopolitan consumers are driving the demand for global flavors and textures. 

KEYWORDS: consumer trends food and beverage industry trends food and beverage manufacturing

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Debra Schug was Editor-in-Chief of Food Engineering. She began her media career over a decade ago writing and producing broadcast news for both television and radio at the local and national level. She spent many years as the managing editor for two trade magazines in the oil industry and the research editor for an annual petroleum report. She has a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • 2025 Top 100 Food and Beverage Companies

    FOOD ENGINEERING’s 2025 Top 100 Food and Beverage Companies

    While sales were largely down under dynamic economic and...
    Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
    By: Alyse Thompson-Richards
  • Bottling machine

    How Optical and X-Ray Inspection Supports Bottling Safety and Quality

    By transitioning from legacy single-technology systems to...
    Food Safety
    By: Dan McKee
  • Bread baking in oven

    The State of Food Manufacturing in 2025

    Food and beverage manufacturers are investing in...
    Manufacturing News
    By: Alyse Thompson-Richards
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine
  • Newsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

The Campbell's Company logo

Campbell’s Terminates Exec Over Alleged Disparaging Comments

Frito-Lay logo

PepsiCo to Close Two Florida Facilities

alternative protein products

Alternative Protein in 2025: Key Trends and Technologies

State of Maufacturing 2025

Events

June 17, 2025

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ State of the Cold Chain

On Demand Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

July 23, 2025

Decarbonizing Process Heat: What You Should Know and Next Steps

On Demand Driven by climate goals, business risk, client interest, and resilience considerations, food and beverage companies are increasingly turning their attention to decarbonizing their production processes.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Related Articles

  • clean food trends

    The Top 10 Food Trends for 2017 from Innova Market Insights

    See More
  • Innova Market Insights

    Top food and beverage product trends 2018

    See More
  • Mead Johnson & Company Logo

    Food and beverage mergers and acquisitions trends

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • The 10 Principles of Food Industry Sustainability

  • food proces.jpg

    Food Process Engineering Emerging Trends in Research and Their Applications

  • Cleaning-in-Place: Dairy, Food and Beverage Operations, 3rd Edition

See More Products
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing