FrieslandCampina Forecasts Key Nutrition Trends for 2024: Emphasis on Sustainability and Personalized Nutrition
Sustainable Future in Focus: FrieslandCampina Ingredients, renowned for its protein and prebiotic solutions, in their recently released Nutritional Trends 2024 report, spotlights five pivotal trends expected to shape the food, drink, and supplement industries in 2024. Amid a complex global environment, consumers are increasingly seeking comfort and control through nutrition, presenting unique opportunities for brands to foster healthier choices.
One of the foremost trends, Securing the Future, Sustainably, highlights the growing consumer demand for sustainable products. Although more individuals are adjusting their diets for environmental reasons, skepticism about the authenticity of environmental claims persists. Manufacturers are thus urged to back their sustainability assertions with solid, verifiable data to ensure lasting success.
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Tailoring Nutrition to Individual Needs: Another significant trend, Nutrition for All, points to the increasing awareness among consumers about their distinct nutritional requirements influenced by factors such as age, gender, genetics, and lifestyle. This awareness opens substantial opportunities for brands to create customized nutritional solutions catering to specific, and currently unaddressed, consumer needs.
Rise of Plant-Based Alternatives: The trend Alt Proteins Go Global reflects the mainstream acceptance of plant-based alternatives. As consumers, especially those following flexitarian diets, integrate more meat and dairy substitutes into their meals, the emphasis on innovation in plant-based products grows. These innovations should aim to match the taste and nutritional value of traditional products. The potential of alternative proteins, like those derived from precision fermentation, is also noteworthy, albeit needing myth dispelling and consumer education.
Holistic Gut Health Approach: The report also identifies the trend of Going Beyond via the Gut, acknowledging the connection between physical and mental health. Consumers are increasingly looking towards gut health solutions for overall well-being. Brands are encouraged to take a holistic approach to gut health, considering its impact on immunity, brain function, and muscle health.
Supporting Healthy Ageing and Recovery: The final trend, Ageing and Recovering Well, focuses on the older population’s proactive approach to health, emphasizing healthy ageing and maintaining an active lifestyle. Innovations in medical nutrition, incorporating muscle-boosting ingredients, are key to supporting recovery and overall well-being in this demographic.
Vicky Davies, Global Marketing Director at FrieslandCampina, underscores the importance of providing consumers with necessary nutrition amidst uncertainties. These trends demonstrate a growing consumer emphasis on managing nutrition as a controllable aspect of their lives, with a keen focus on environmental impact, sleep quality, and personal fitness goals.