The influence of weight-loss drugs and a related focus on consuming more protein and fiber will be among prime movers in food trends in 2025 and beyond, says market research firm Mintel. At the same time, consumers will seek unexpected "rule-breaking" food and drink that will help consumers treat and express themselves, says Mintel, consumers will pay even closer attention to how the foods they enjoy are sourced and produced.
How will this play out in the convenience services market? Consumers often ask for healthy convenience items, but sales data shows strong demand for less healthy alternatives. If these predicted trends are widely adopted by consumers, wise convenience services operators will modify product mixes to reflect buying habits.
Fundamentally Nutritious
"The emergence of GLP-1 weight-loss medication, such as Ozempic will inspire consumers to reevaluate the relationship between food and medicine," said Jenny Zegler, director of Mintel Food & Drink in a company release. "Starting in 2025, brands must streamline their health claims to the critical nutrients they contain. Simplified claims that highlight protein, fiber, vitamins and mineral content will appeal to people who are using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, as well as the majority of consumers who define their diets based on their individual needs and how food makes them feel.
"Expect to see an increase in nutrient-dense product innovations to improve short- and long-term health. The importance of getting the basic nutrition needed each day will be a widespread lesson that will exceed the reach and use of weight-loss drugs. Starting in 2025, brands will need to streamline packs overloaded with health claims to the critical nutrients they contain. Promoting well-known essential nutrients will also differentiate products in an age of nearly infinite access to information – and misinformation."
Rule Rebellion
"As society increasingly accepts imperfections, food and drink brands can target 'perfectly imperfect' consumers with innovation that breaks the invisible rules around food and drink consumption. Brands can lean into how consumers want to, or actually, consume food and drink rather than how they feel they 'should.' By supporting these rebellious tendencies, brands can help consumers feel more represented by the outside-the-norm food and drink choices available to them.
"In the next few years, brands will break the rules through less conventional solutions. The global innovation slowdown, juxtaposed with continued consumer demand for new foods and flavors will see brands collaborate inside and outside the food and drink industry to introduce greater novelty through taste, texture or aroma. In addition, brands will seek to break down continued social stigmas surrounding lesser-talked-about health issues, such as food and drink's connection with mental health management," continued Zegler.
Chain Reaction
"More frequent climate-related production challenges and geopolitical events are increasing consumers' food bills and awareness of how distant world events can affect their meal plans. In an increasingly volatile world, food and drink brands must clearly communicate how adjustments from local to global sourcing were made to benefit consumers. Cross-industry, multinational collaboration and scalable tech solutions will be required, but they are not without complications. More importantly, consumers will feel the consequences of these challenges personally, and brands must be ready with solutions.
"Looking ahead, more ingredients will be sourced from alternative and potentially more reliable growing regions, such as olive oil from Algeria or Peru. Brands can highlight the benefits of diversified sourcing, such as nuanced flavor variations. Meanwhile, many consumers' local-centric identities will be challenged to be more global through social media, immigration and travel," continued Zegler.
Hybrid Harvests
"A greater use of technology in food and drink production is inevitable to meet current food supply challenges, yet many consumers are not ready to embrace it. Technology will need to be integrated alongside traditional growing and production methods that are still integral as part of the wider solution to issues such as the climate crisis and feeding a growing population. Producers will need to tell consumers how nature and technology complement—or better yet, enhance—each other.
"Over the next few years, food and drink brands must prioritize how these technological advancements benefit the consumer first through better taste, greater nutrition, or consistent supply—and the environment second. It will be imperative that new technology is humanized, particularly AI. For example, German juice brand Eckes-Granini's announced its partnership with Microsoft in a video that drew attention to how technology makes a positive difference in their producers' lives, not just makes production more efficient," concluded Zegler.
