Consumers show a growing interest in authentic and natural products.

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.

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.

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