The past year has been unpredictable in many ways. However, that hasn’t stopped food companies from innovating and consumers from trying new products in 2020. If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic has only encouraged the rise of existing food trends and created new ones. Let’s review the biggest food trends of 2020.
The plant-based sector has boomed 31% in the past two years compared to 2% growth for the food industry as a whole. And, it's way beyond almond milk and black bean burgers - we’re now seeing non-dairy milks with a similar nutritional profile to cow’s milk, burgers and sausages that rival meat, and even vegan eggs that scramble like chicken eggs! All with a fraction of the carbon footprint as animal-based foods. In 2020, the PURIS Research & Development Team has grown to keep up with demand for plant-based foods, working on projects like meat and dairy alternatives. We’re dying to see what will be next in plant-based for a sustainable future.
Gut health has been in the spotlight for a few years, and immunity came to the forefront of nutrition considerations in 2020. With the link between the gut microbiome and improved immune function (about 70% of your immune system resides within your gut), consumers looked towards yogurt, kombucha, kimchi, and other fermented foods with naturally-occurring probiotics to promote health. Probiotics are also considered a functional food. Have you checked out our vegan yogurt yet?
CBD product sales are on the rise during COVID-19. Coincidence? As individuals have looked to food for comfort during the pandemic, they’ve also been on the hunt for functional foods – those generally identified as delivering additional benefits beyond basic nutrition. That could mean powerful antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, blood pressure-reducing properties from nuts, or even stress relief from CBD-infused products. Several of our Sports & Performance products contain functional ingredients like tart cherry powder for muscle recovery and L-theanine to promote sleep.
Sourdough bread, anyone? As COVID-19 forced many restaurants to close their doors, at least temporarily, millions in the U.S. found themselves cooking more meals from scratch. With extra time at home, spending time in the kitchen has become as much a new hobby as a necessity for many. If you're no pastry chef, we've done the heavy lifting for you with some of our gluten-free baking mixes.
What's in store for 2021 food trends? Stay tuned for our outlook on the next year.