The food industry is constantly evolving, with new trends emerging each year. A recent report from Kantar outlined the top ten food trends to watch in 2023. Retailers can use these trends to influence product selection, marketing campaigns, and customer engagement strategies.
- Plant-Based Foods: More consumers opt for plant-based alternatives due to environmental, health, and ethical reasons. Consider adding more plant-based options to your shelves, whether it’s plant-based meats, dairy substitutes, or ready-made meals.
- Sustainability: Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environment and are gravitating toward brands that prioritize sustainability. Highlighting products with sustainable packaging or ethical sourcing can help attract these consumers.
- Functional Foods: Foods that offer additional health benefits are gaining popularity. Think about stocking items enriched with vitamins, probiotics, or ingredients known for their health benefits like turmeric, ginger, and matcha.
- Ethnic Flavors: People are becoming more adventurous with their food choices. Incorporating international and ethnic flavors into your product range can cater to this demand.
- Hard Seltzers: The hard seltzer trend is showing no signs of slowing down. If your store sells alcohol, ensure you have a variety of hard seltzer options available.
- Snacking Evolution: Consumers are moving away from traditional snack foods in favor of healthier alternatives. Stock your shelves with options like protein bars, kale chips, and roasted chickpeas.
- Breakfast All Day: With flexible working hours becoming more common, consumers enjoy breakfast foods at any time. This opens up opportunities for retailers to promote breakfast items throughout the day.
- Foods for Gut Health: Gut health is a growing concern for many consumers. Probiotic foods and beverages, fermented products, and foods high in fiber can meet this demand.
- Reduced Sugar: In response to rising health concerns, many consumers are reducing their sugar intake. Consider offering sugar-free or reduced-sugar versions of popular products.
- Virtual Kitchens: As more consumers use food delivery apps, virtual kitchens are becoming more prevalent. Retailers could consider partnering with these kitchens to provide fresh, ready-to-eat meals to customers.
All things considered, staying aware of emerging trends and adjusting product offerings accordingly can give retailers a competitive edge. By providing what consumers are seeking, you can improve customer satisfaction, increase sales, and ensure your store stays relevant in a rapidly changing market.
TL;DR
The top ten food trends for 2023 include plant-based foods, sustainability, functional foods, ethnic flavors, hard seltzers, healthy snacks, all-day breakfast, gut-health foods, reduced sugar, and virtual kitchens. Retailers can leverage these trends to influence product selection, marketing campaigns, and customer engagement strategies.
