News

SRG identifies natural/organic trends

31 May 2016

Sterling-Rice Group has identified what it says are the top nine natural and organic food trends that illustrate consumers' continued commitment to making natural and organic products a central part of daily life.

Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) has identified what it says are the top nine natural and organic food trends that illustrate consumers' continued commitment to making natural and organic products a central part of daily life. The firm has done extensive work in consumer insights, health and wellness, and all things culinary around the world.

As consumers continue to seek food options with maximum nutrition as well as an authentic connection with the food they eat, SRG believes that we should look for thefollowing trends to inspire menus and mainstream packaged goods in coming months:

+ Shape-Shifting Jackfruit: Boasting plenty of fibre and a meaty texture, this fruit is the meat alternative du jour. Look for it prepared in savoury sauces for tacos, sandwiches, and wraps.

+ Must. Have. Avo.: Taking the avocado craze to the next level, the green fruit-obsessed don't have to wait for ripening and can now get their avocado toast fix on the go with convenient formats like portable dips, mini meals, and salad dressings.

+ Purple Potato Blues: Boost your spirits and your antioxidants with heirloom purple potatoes and Peruvian purple maize. Showing up in products from breakfast cereal to crunchy chips, these purple beauties are taking the aisles in a colorful direction.

+ Meal Cups 24/7: The cup of ramen grows up. With a new look and contemporary flavours, today's meal cups are packing a nutritional punch and catering to our need for instant and wholesome mini meals – day or night.

+ Better Baking: As demand for delicious products made with better ingredients rises, consumers will see a slew of new baking products lining the shelves such as organic, natural, non-GMO, and Fair Trade Certified cake mixes, frostings, and food colourings.

+ Fomenting Ferment: This year, consumer interest in fermented, probiotic-rich foods expands beyond yogurt and kombucha. Now food companies are making it easier for consumers to add more cultured products with easy-to-use starter kits and new flavour profiles.

+ The Secret Side of Chickpeas: Think you know chickpeas? Think again. Packed with protein, these fresh and vibrantly green chickpeas are the base of new convenience meals and hummus dips and even vegan mayo.

+ A New Chew: In 2016, snacking will offer consumers a unique and exciting textural experience. From sun-ripened olives coated in crunch to toothsome and moist lupini beans, look for more snack options with a brand-new bite and sophisticated flavours.

+ Wrapping Against the Grain: No grain? No problem. With a new crop of tasty and flexible grain-free wraps made from almonds, coconuts, cassava, and even vegetables popping up for grain avoiders and allergy sufferers, it's a wrap.