A flexitarian diet appears to have gained traction as consumers seek not to reject traditional red meat and dairy protein sources entirely, but to adopt a ‘plant curious’ approach to diets incorporating a greater portion of vegetarian meals.
Better breakfasts, flexitarianism, potato milk and the cannabinoid CBD are all touted as major food trends coming for 2022.
Latest survey work compiled by United Kingdom food magazine Specialty Foods has highlighted some key trends that could bring some upsides for quality New Zealand food exporters this year.
The clumsy phrase flexitarian is not a new one, but appears to have gained traction as consumers seek not to reject traditional red meat and dairy protein sources entirely, but to adopt a ‘plant curious’ approach to diets incorporating a greater portion of vegetarian meals.
The latest trends report from retailer Whole Foods Markets has highlighted a 156% increase in UK vegetarian food sales.
But it also notes consumers are still seeking out the highest-quality eggs, meat and dairy products when they are opting for traditional protein components.
In the meantime, the impact of covid on consumer habits has played into breakfast consumption, often amid early morning commuting rushes.
A shift in consumer grocery buying habits over lockdowns and more work being done from home has driven greater consumption of eggs for breakfast, up 68% more than the previous year. Bacon sales reported through Waitrose were up 25% also.
Here in NZ Kit Arkwright, new chief executive for Beef + Lamb NZ, said the body’s most recent work in November confirmed some of the shifts being seen in the UK were emerging here.
“In the first major lockdown in 2020 we were all about rediscovering cooking and good food. The next lockdown that mainly affected Auckland has had a focus on convenience, with greater purchasing of meal kits and pre-prepared foods,” Arkwright said.
He agreed NZ had probably also hit “peak meat” in terms of consumption, something borne out of Australian research in late last year that indicated NZ was among only five other countries in the world where meat consumption had dropped in the past decade.
Consumption here had dropped from 86kg per capita a year to 75kg per capita over that time.
Arkwright said this reflects a desire to keep cooking time to a minimum, as much as any preference for alternative meal types.
“If you walk down the aisle at Tescos, one aisle will be fresh meat, but three will be value-added prepared meals, and we could start to see more of that here. But meat can lend itself to those sorts of meal options too, and Kiwis do still enjoy preparing, cooking and eating meat,” he said.
He said given the increased protein options being presented to consumers it was incumbent upon industry groups to present a product capable of fitting into the different meal formats, integrating into the wider variety of cuisines that consumers are now drawing their meal references from.
Another food trend identified was the incorporation of non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) into food as an ingredient.
New regulations allowing its use in the UK have it being incorporated into functional food products, with claims on its calming effects, wellness benefits and preventative abilities for diseases, including diabetes.
The new rules for CBD use in the UK have placed that country at the forefront of regulatory standards in a market valued at £690 million (about $1.3 billion) last year. The UK is now estimated as the world’s second-largest consumer cannabinoids market.
This year will see the launch of Choc ‘n Chill, that country’s first ice cream with CBD as an ingredient.
Here in NZ, while hemp seed can now be used as a food ingredient, CBD is currently prohibited to be sold as food or used as an ingredient in food.
Coming on the back of surging popularity of the non-dairy milk market, which now includes oat and potato milk, is also being eyed as the next growth version.
A third of British consumers now use plant-based milks, forming a £400 million market in 2020, up 32% on the year before.
Over a third of that is spent on oat milk, having doubled in spend in only one year.
Potato milk is claimed to require 56 times less water than almond milk, but is currently limited in supply from one company, DUG.
However, traditional dairy products also appear secure, with 95% of consumers over 65 opting for it, and increased home cooking continuing to push up demand for traditional quality dairy products like clotted cream and cheeses.
The magazine also identified spicy South East Asian foods and eastern Mediterranean or Levantine food as recipe inspirations over the coming year.
