Making the most of megatrends

In the opening part of our Seizing Opportunities blog, we take a look at the megatrends which have had – and which will continue to have – the biggest impact on consumers and the food and beverage industry.

In our SIGnals blogs, we cover all the latest trends within food and beverage. Providing an in-depth look at the topics which matter most: today, and tomorrow. As a thought leader in this arena, we have chosen to focus on four key areas in order to help producers and manufacturers adapt and grow while taking into account rising global consumption, and a world where consumers demand healthy products that are convenient, easily accessible and sustainable.

The power of four

Of all the factors we have looked at over the years, we see the following four having the biggest impact: rising global consumption, health and convenience, food trust and transparency, and sustainability. It goes without saying that as the world’s population keeps growing – having more than quadrupled over the last century – demand for food grows with it. This is leading the industry to scale up manufacturing without sacrificing safety or quality.

This takes us onto dietary trends, with more and more consumers turning to healthy, “free-from” products. What new products are consumers developing a taste for, and how much are they willing to pay? We have already seen the emergence of plant-based dairy alternatives made from peas. So, what can we expect next? Widespread availability of algae protein drinks?

In addition, as the industry continues to find and create new and exciting products, it must also take trust and transparency on board. Nowadays, we expect our food and beverage products to come from “smart” factories, where every step of the production process can be accounted for. But, just how far will the industry have to go to earn consumers’ trust?

And, lastly, what role does sustainability play in all of this? Can the industry switch to a circular economy, and how will this determine what types of products enter the market next?

The best is yet to come

Throughout the rest of the blog series, we will explore each of the above megatrends and discuss their effect on the industry. On top of this, we will look at what role our packaging, technology, services and solutions will play in this constantly evolving reality, and what they could look like in the future.