Consumer tastes and preferences are constantly changing. What food and beverage trends should food companies focus on to innovate in 2022? Recently, Alicia Enciso, chief marketing officer of Nestlé USA, outlined Nestlé’s food and beverage trend forecast for 2022 in an article. Innovative plant-based diets, the brunch revolution, global flavors, healthy snacks, and flexible online shopping will lead the food and beverage consumption market in 2022.
1 The plant-based boom is here to stay
More and more consumers are incorporating resilient plant-based diets as part of their daily diet. About 57% of U.S. households purchased plant-based foods in 2020. There are many reasons why consumers choose a flexitarian or plant-based diet. Especially among younger generations, promoting environmental sustainability is driving the popularity of plant-based foods. Data shows that a whopping 65% of Gen Z Americans want to adopt a plant-based diet, and 55% say they are more likely to buy eco-friendly products.
In 2021, Nestlé will launch a series of products in the plant-based field, including plant-based meat, plant-based eggs, plant-based milk, and plant-based creamers, among others. Among them, plant creamer is a focus that young consumers are paying attention to. Almonds and cashews are currently the main ingredients used in plant-based creamers, but the development of new alternative ingredients will be a driving force for this market in the coming years.
The plant-based creamer, which Nestlé launched in partnership with Starbucks this year, is a zero-sugar product that comes in two flavors: caramel and hazelnut. Made with a blend of almond milk and oat milk, it provides a rich and creamy texture.
Plant-based chicken is another focus in 2022, as it is consumed in greater quantities. Nestlé’s Mindful Chik’nStrips, launched in 2019, added several new flavors this year, including Korean BBQ-flavored shredded chicken.
MindfulChik’n Series Korean BBQ Style Shredded Chicken
Nestlé has also introduced plant-based egg and shrimp alternatives Garden Gourmet Veggie and Garden Gourmet Vrimp. Veggie contains soy protein and omega-3 fatty acids and can be sautéed, used in omelets and pancakes, or as a topping in cakes. Vrimp is made with seaweed, peas, and konjac.
2 The breakfast and lunch revolution
Remote work has changed many things in consumers’ lives. This includes how you connect with family and friends, how you go to work, and your food choices. Breakfast and lunch have changed dramatically over the past year. Compared with before the epidemic, more people began to eat these two meals at home after the epidemic.
With the growing interest in breakfast and lunch at home, these meals have become a battleground for innovation. Looking ahead to 2022, food companies need to ensure that these meals are served with the best options, rich in ingredients and nutrition, in this new space. In 2021, the performance of Freshly, which Nestlé invested heavily in acquisitions, will continue to grow. This is a fresh food delivery platform, which can provide more convenient, nutritious, and delicious meal solutions compared with other food delivery. Freshly recently introduced plant-based options and multiple serving formats. In 2022, there will be more innovations around meal ingredients and categories.
Nestle subsidiary Sweet Earth Foods launched a new line of instant breakfasts this year, offering 17-20g of protein per serving. The quick breakfast range includes three products: protein lover, southwest veggie, and Huevos Rancheros. Protein lover adds eggs, plant-based chipotle sauce, cotija cheese, sweet potatoes, peppers, and tortillas. Southwest veggie combines eggs, white pepper, black beans, cilantro, lime, brown rice, and cheese. Huevos Rancheros are made with eggs, plant-based chipotle sauce, cotija cheese, sweet potatoes, peppers, and tortillas.
Nestlé Health Science and Cinnabon also jointly launched the Carnation Breakfast Nutrition Drink, which contains 10 grams of protein and 21 kinds of vitamins and minerals. It aims to help consumers meet their daily nutritional needs and supplement calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, and other nutrients.
3 Try global flavors at home
For consumers, local restaurants are the gateway to world cuisine. But when the restaurant closed in early 2020, many were looking for ways to bring home their favorite international flavors. Social media is the driving force behind this trend. More and more content creators are sharing niche cuisine and authentic local flavors. Food and beverage companies can also innovate to meet these flavor needs. Sweet Earth has launched plant-based Chipotle Chik’n and Korean BBQ-style shredded chicken, and its Maggi brand offers home cooking with new and exciting international flavors through broths, sauces, and seasonings.
Freshly this year launched PurelyPlant, its first plant-based ready-to-eat line. It’s a fusion of global flavors, with Rainbow Harvest plant-based burgers, Indian Spiced Chickpea Curry, Enchiladas, Farmstead Veggie Baked Pasta, Buffalo Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese, and Middle Eastern Falafel. All products are plant-based protein blends made from pea protein mixed with vegetables, other legumes, and grains, gluten-free, and ready to eat in three minutes.
Nestlé also launched Mezeast, a new brand inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine. The Mezeast range consists of 11 products, including meal kits, seasoning bags, squeeze spreads, spreads and pastes. It is reported that the brand aims to bring together “the best tastes and flavors of the Middle East”, and the products are all created by Middle Eastern chefs, and the ingredients are also sourced from the Middle East, such as pomegranate, tahini, and coriander.
4 The attractiveness of healthy snacks to consumers
According to the Hartman Group, more than 35% of consumers say they eat more snacks now than they did a year ago. Consumption of snacks accounts for 48% of all food and beverages. In 2022, Nestlé will focus on attracting cross-generational snack consumers. And health and wellness functions will be the trend of snack innovation.
Nestlé launched Nut Butter Chocolate in October. It’s a frozen chocolate snack with ingredients including real chocolate and peanut, almond, and cashew butter, with less added sugar than other plant-based chocolates. Contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and is kept refrigerated to preserve freshness and flavor. Two flavors are available now: Brownie Almond Butter and Salted Cashew Butter, and a third, Raspberry Peanut Butter, will be released in early 2022.
A limited-edition mint-flavored mojito from After Eight, a Nestlé brand. Inspired by the classic Cuban cocktail, the product features a mojito and mint-flavored fudge and is finished with dark chocolate made from cocoa sourced from the Nestlé Cocoa Sourcing Program. It is reported that the product is made from 100% natural peppermint oil and is free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
