1 Popular Product Category: Plant-Based Seafood
Spoonshot data shows that from January 2016 to April 2022, interest in alternative foods increased by more than 3.5 times. Among them, alternative meat increased by 4.3 times, alternative milk increased by 1.3 times, and alternative seafood increased by 12 times. Most of the plant-based alternatives on the market today are dairy and meat. Alternative fish and seafood are expected to be the next breakthrough in the plant-based space. Fish alternatives are even more pressing than meat alternatives.
Global fish consumption has doubled since 1998. A new study from Stanford University predicts that number will grow by another 80% by 2050. Compared with livestock and poultry, fish and seafood are generally considered a healthy food because of their low calorie, high protein, low cholesterol, rich unsaturated fatty acids and healthy ingredients.
But freshwater and marine fish populations are declining at an alarming rate. Due to overfishing, 90% of marine fish stocks are fully exploited, overexploited, or seriously threatened. 90% of predatory fish such as cod, shark, tuna, and swordfish have gradually disappeared from the ocean. Freshwater fish face similar problems, with a study by Global Conservation showing a 76 percent decline in migratory freshwater fish populations since 1970. Large fish weighing more than 30 kilograms were nearly wiped out in most rivers. The global population of giant fish (fish over 100kg) has decreased by 94%. In 2020, 16 freshwater fish species were declared extinct. Digging deeper into the reasons for the dramatic decline in fish and seafood populations, it comes down to rising global consumption, overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices, rising water temperatures as a result of climate change, and pollution.
Rising fish prices, and because of pollution, microplastics, and toxins are making their way into many types of marine and freshwater fish and then into our food chain, presenting an opportunity for plant-based alternatives. In 2021, plant-based seafood sales in the United States will reach $140 million, and there is still a lot of room for growth in the overall market.
In terms of specific categories, the sales ranking of plant-based seafood categories is shrimp, tuna, salmon, scallops, prawns, and squid. The main raw materials used are banana flowers, tofu, seaweed, seaweed, wheat bran, peas, mushrooms, jackfruit, and chickpeas.
On specific products, Cornish Seaweed Company and Jack & Bry announced the launch of the world’s first bread-free jackfruit and seaweed fillets. The fish fillets are vegan and made from cooked white flakes of jackfruit mixed with seaweed and marinated to accurately replicate the white, flaky texture of the fish and create an authentic seafood taste. The combination of seaweed and jackfruit has high novelty and high consumer acceptance. In addition, Mushroom + Seaweed Seaweed also has high consumer ratings and flavor ratings. Banana flower + seaweed is also a potential option. Banana blossoms can provide a fish fillet-like texture.
LongJohn Silver has partnered with Gathered Foods to launch plant-based seafood products Fish-Free Fillet and Crab-Free Cakes. It’s made with a blend of six legumes, including peas, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, fava beans and navy beans, and comes with a crispy wheat flour crumb. Fish-Free Fillet has a flaky white fish texture encased in crispy breadcrumbs. Crab-Free Cakes, on the other hand, have a crab-like lumpy texture and crab flavor, with added spices like bell peppers, green onions, and parsley.
2 Hot Innovations: Towards Clean Label Plant-Based
As food and beverages in the plant-based category continue to grow, consumers are demanding more from them, expecting them to be healthier and more environmentally friendly. Because of the huge differences in taste, texture, and nutrition between plant-based ingredients and animal-based ingredients, many companies use a plethora of highly processed ingredients, including preservatives, stabilizers, and various other additives to make plant-based alternatives more animal-like. But it also brings health concerns.
Taking vegetable eggs as an example, vegetable egg products usually require the addition of more than ten ingredients, including flavorings, stabilizers, thickeners, preservatives, and more. This can make it difficult for consumers to associate plant-based eggs with health. Some new plant-based alternatives have begun to try to solve this problem, using simpler ingredients to create clean-label plant-based alternatives, emphasizing that the products have no bad ingredients added. This is expected to be a major trend in plant-based alternatives in 2023.
Australia’s Fable Food produces a range of shiitake mushroom-based meat substitutes. It highlights a clean label, emphasizing that products are made from only identifiable ingredients and are free of preservatives, artificial ingredients, and GMOs. Shiitake mushrooms have a natural umami taste, have fleshy fiber, taste, and texture similar to animal protein, and are rich in nutrients, high in fiber, high in antioxidants, and contain vitamin B12, which is not found in most plants. It is an ideal meat Alternative raw material.
Plantcraft is an American startup that is positioning itself as the world’s first clean-label plant-based deli meat company. Its products, including bolognese and pepperoni, contain only eight natural ingredients, including green bananas, pea protein, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, grapeseed oil, nutritional yeast, herbs, and spices, and are free of major allergens and artificial ingredients. It also contains 8g of protein and 5g of fiber per serving.
3 Popular Health Category: Women’s Health
While there are plenty of health products for women, products for women-specific health issues have only recently started to emerge and are gaining traction. The year ahead will also see more related innovation spaces in the food and beverage space specifically addressing issues that arise at different stages of life for women.
3.1 PMS, physical pain
Premenstrual syndrome, referred to as PMS, refers to the repeated occurrence of a series of mental, behavioral, and physical symptoms in women of childbearing age 7 to 14 days before menstruation (ie, in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle). Symptoms disappear after menstruation. Because the mental and emotional disorders of this disease are more prominent, it is also called “premenstrual tension disorder” and “premenstrual tension syndrome”. Psychologically, it is usually manifested as weakness, easy fatigue, lethargy, mental tension, anxiety, depression, etc.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s “Mother of Life” can effectively suppress various symptoms of physical discomfort such as premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea, low back pain, cold syndrome, and anemia during the menstrual period. The main ingredients include angelica, chuanxiong, peony, Poria, atractylodes, Alisma, cinnamon, peony, rhubarb, peach kernel, ginseng, multivitamins, etc.
3.2 Pregnancy and infertility
Fertility is also a field of supplements that have received much attention in recent years, which refers to helping to improve the chances of conception by regulating hormones in the body. Deglycosylated soy isoflavones are a commonly used raw material in pregnancy products. Studies have shown that they can promote the production of cytokines called “LIF”, which are indispensable for implantation, regulate hormonal balance, and promote uterine blood flow. effect.
PREGM is a fertility support supplement launched by DHC, the main ingredients are deglycosylated soy isoflavones AglyMax, French maritime pine bark extract, Maitake mushroom extract Glythrin, reduced coenzyme Q10 and multivitamins (vitamin D, folic acid, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12).
3.3 Menopause syndrome
Women’s menopause mostly occurs around the age of 45-55. According to the United Nations World Health Organization, by 2030 there will be 1.2 billion menopausal or postmenopausal women worldwide. The global health supplement market for women’s menopausal symptoms is expected to exceed US$50 billion in 2025, with a CAGR of 16.4% from 2016 to 2025.
With the rapid decrease in the secretion of the female hormone estrogen during menopause, after the hormonal balance is destroyed, there will be menstrual disorders, hot flashes (flush, slight burning), pigmentation and wrinkles, palpitations, asthma, depression, insomnia, diarrhea, low back pain, Various physical and mental symptoms such as osteoporosis, dizziness, and immune system disorders.
THE FUCTIONAL CHOCOLATE is different from the common functional chocolate types and has launched chocolate for women’s health. The menopause formula ESTRO-G100® is added with Evening Primrose Oil, Red Clover Extract, Wild Yam Extract, Licorice Root Extract, Angelica Root Extract, Holy Berry, and Black Cohosh Extract. It has been clinically shown to reduce menopausal hot flashes by 65%, fatigue by 67%, and joint pain by 65% while promoting emotional balance, bone density, and energy levels.
4 Hot Sustainability Topics: Soil Health
Soil nutrient depletion is becoming a concern. 95% of food comes from soil, and soil degradation affects agricultural productivity and can lead to a significant drop in crop yields. In the past 150 years, half of the world’s most fertile topsoil has been lost. FAO estimates that one-third of the world’s soils are already degraded. If this problem is not addressed, it will reach 90% by 2050.
Among products with soil protection claims, the most common label on packaging today is grown using regenerative agriculture, which involves rebuilding organic soil matter and improving soil biodiversity and fertility. Regenerative farming models combine many techniques such as no-till low tillage, crop rotation, cover crops, the use of perennial crops, planned grazing, and more. There are already quite a few large food and beverage manufacturers investing in regenerative agriculture in their supply chains. In 2019, General Mills said it would convert 1 million acres to regenerative farming practices by 2030. In 2021, Nestlé said it would invest more than 1 billion euros over the next five years to advance soil regeneration across its network of farmers and suppliers.
Some startups are using novel methods to maintain soil health. VARIETAL is a biscuit manufacturing company that uses crop rotation to grow wheat and pulses. Crop rotations help return nutrients to the soil, primarily by increasing the biofertilizer content of different crop root structures without over-reliance on artificial fertilizers. Not only does this increase the biodiversity on the farm, but it also helps interrupt pest and disease outbreaks.
Snack brand Connect uses first-of-its-kind microbial nitrogen instead of synthetic nitrogen. Microbial nitrogen is fermented by microorganisms and can eliminate the harmful effects of various synthetic materials, is harmless to the soil, has no nitrous oxide emissions, and no nitrates enter the sewers.
5 Favorite Flavors: Indian, Global Spicy
Chaat masala and Global Spicy are the two main flavors that are likely to be popular in 2023. Chaat masala is a spice blend from North India made from dried mango powder, cumin, coriander, dried ginger, salt (usually black salt), black pepper, asafoetida, and chili powder. It is a staple flavor enhancer in many street foods in northern India, and can also be used in many flavor combinations in other food and beverages.
The ingredients of MALAI ice cream include dried hibiscus flowers, chaat masala seasoning (dried mango, black salt, cumin, salt, coriander, chili, cantaloupe, black pepper, ginger, citric acid), salt, lemon juice, chaat masala will increase the saltiness of the ice cream and umami, creating new flavors with multiple layers.
Lay’s has launched Indian Chaat masala-flavored potato chips. Masala Nimbu Lemony Soda is fortified with mint leaves, cumin cocktail powder, chaat masala, black salt, sparkling lemonade, and white rum.
Hot and spicy is another flavor of great interest to consumers, with consumers showing interest in complex hot and spicy flavors, including specific varieties of peppers from around the world, and different combinations of peppers. Below are some varieties of peppers that are of great interest to consumers.
