Premium by Nature: high quality products win

One of the top trends in the food & beverage market relates to Premium by Nature and increases the claims on high quality products. The claims on high quality products are increasing. The natural origin of food and ingredients has been raised to the new standard. The credo: Fresh, pure, authentic and preferably regional foods are no longer niche products: More and more people from a broad range of consumers prefer these products and leave inferior quality goods on the shelves.

“You are what you eat” - this much-quoted phrase is more relevant today than ever and has become part of a life philosophy for a growing number of consumers who live consciously and consume mindfully. With urban gardening and urban farming in the self-sufficient style, gardening on a small scale has become hip, especially among the younger generations.

You probably know it from your own experience: almost everyone grows their own herbs and tomatoes on the balcony today, and those who own a piece of land often spend the evenings growing old vegetable rarities and some fruit themselves. Preserving, DIY and homemade is on everyone's lips and if you browse the food blogs from March to September, you will mainly find homemade products made from fresh ingredients that often grow right on your doorstep in your own garden. And if they do not originate from the self-made brand, they certainly meet quality criteria such as freshness, organic or regionality.

Premium by Nature: The LOHAS are growing

“LOHAS” stands for “Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability” and for those people whose lifestyle is characterized by health awareness and health care and a focus on sustainability. In marketing, LOHAS are known as an own type of consumer and it seems that the proportion of this group is increasing. For the LOHAS, Premium by Nature does not only refer to food, but also to clothing, cosmetics, building materials and interior design.
In 2020, around 18.7 percent of the LOHAS in Germany represented the age group of 60 to 69. In the global population, the proportion of this age group was around 14.4 percent. In 2020, around 86.4 percent of those surveyed in Germany rated the statement "When it comes to food, I pay particular attention to the quality and not so much to the price". In the global population, this proportion was now around 38.1 percent.

Sources:
https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/982618/umfrage/umfrage-unter-lohas-in-deutschland-zur-altersgruppenverbindungen/
https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/988199/umfrage/umfrage-unter-lohas-in-deutschland-zum-einkaufslösungen/

Vegetables are popular - and stands for high quality products

Globally, 40 percent of consumers have taken a more proactive approach to health to ensure they stay fit and active well into old age. From a global perspective, 57 percent of consumers find vegetable protein sources attractive, in Europe alone it is 58 percent and in Asia-Pacific 56 percent. In addition, 73 percent of consumers worldwide say it is important that food and beverages are 100 percent natural. 26 percent look for organic products as well as the indications of origin on food and beverages.

Authentic, plant-based products are designed to promote health and natural beauty and also protect the environment. 60 percent of consumers worldwide are of the opinion that plant-based substances have a positive effect on health.

When introducing new beverage products, natural demands continue to be the focus. This is mainly due to the fact that natural and herbal ingredients make a product appear healthier in perception. 52 percent are of the opinion that it is better for the health when there are few ingredients in a product.

Sources:
FMCG Gurus / Trends 2020 by Austria Juice
Mintel, Lightspeed / Mintel, QQ Service Mintel, Base: 2,000 internet consumers aged 16+ in the respective country / Trends 2020 by Austria Juice

"Real" food for body and soul

Naturalness as a quality feature and driver in premium products is on the way from trend to mainstream. The trends in this area are diverse. Clean, Clear & True is about true food, which focuses on fresh foods as well as processed products that existed before the era of industrial food production and excludes highly processed products.

Quality is more important to the consumer than quantity - and seasonal, local products and product components can make their contribution.
At the same time, more highly processed foods and beverages with natural ingredients and the shortest possible ingredient lists are popular. The following applies to everyone: transparency with regard to ingredients and their origin as well as the supply chain and processes is key to gaining consumer confidence in products in the long term.

What is local is also good

Increased growth is expected in the local food sector. In addition to geographical proximity, consumers particularly appreciate the social and qualitative characteristics with regard to sales and production, which are often associated with organic foods and also play a role in the increasing trend of storytelling in the context of product marketing.
Rediscovering old varieties and less common varieties and using them in product concepts can be combined with the local food movement, as can the use of locally grown, originally exotic plants. It is quite possible that urban farming on a larger scale will also become an essential part of this growing trend in the future.

Herbs as natural talents

Food, drinks and perfect dishes are increasingly becoming coherent overall compositions. Each ingredient has its own special meaning for appearance, taste and effect on the body. The Natural Talents trend deals with the increasing use of herbs and botanicals as well as valuable ingredients that have already become more popular from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda. In addition to ginger, turmeric and ashwagandha, other plant components will find their way into beverages and food recipes. These serve the consumer interest in natural alternatives that can support their well-being through diet.

CONCLUSION:

Regional, authentic, genuine: This is the new standard that consumers have on products. 73 percent of consumers around the world say it is important that food and beverages are 100 percent natural. 26 percent look for organic products as well as the indications of origin on food and beverages. The LOHAS consumer group is expanding: By this we mean that group of the population who have decided on a conscious lifestyle and rely on quality from nature and sustainability in many, if not all areas of life.