Reston, Va. (Dec 8, 2016) — With an eye toward the inaugural ProFood Tech (April 4–6, 2017; McCormick Place, Chicago), show partner PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, reports a 25 percent increase in vegetarian and a 257 percent rise in vegan global food and drink product launches between Sept. 2010–Aug. 2011 and Sept. 2015–Aug. 2016. PMMI explores the steadily growing consumer focus on health and wellness, as well as sustainability, in the association’s latest infographic “What’s Next: Food and Beverage Trends Impact Industry Growth.”
“Increasing consumer demand for more healthful foods and beverages continues to fuel the rise of organic, vegetarian and vegan products,” said Jorge Izquierdo, vice president of Market Development, PMMI. “Meanwhile, growing demand for convenient, on-the-go and single serve options underscores the need for brand owners to accommodate more active consumer lifestyles.”
In addition to their own health and wellness, consumers are also showing greater concern for the environmental impact of the supply chain — particularly, the 1.3 billion tons of food waste representing one-third of food produced for human consumption. Meanwhile, interest in greater packaging sustainability remains strong.
“Shifting consumer preferences for natural, healthy and Earth-friendly brands place new demands on the manufacturing operations of food and beverage processors,” Izquierdo said. “These companies must fine-tune product lines to accommodate new ingredients, implement alternatives to chemical preservatives and often build or modify lines for greater flexibility. Additionally, they must do it all while minimizing changeover times and learning curves for operators.”
