OMAHA, Neb., Nov. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The growth of
online grocery shopping and a preference toward craft foods,
fermented foods (think aged, cured or pickled foods like
sauerkraut) and smoked flavors rank among the top food trends for
2015, according to Supermarket Guru®, Phil Lempert.
Lempert, working closely with ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG),
predicts the most significant changes next year will stem from a
desire for bold-flavored foods that also offer health benefits, and
shifts in approach to supermarket shopping – both online and at
brick-and-mortar stores. Other trends highlight new eating
behaviors among Generation Z (those born after 1995) and boomers,
as well as new technologies that improve the ease of reading and
understanding of nutrition labels.
"The top food trends for 2015 indicate people's palates are
continuing to evolve and they are gravitating toward streamlined
grocery shopping experiences that are convenient for their
lifestyles," says Lempert. "In 2015, look for brands and merchants
to advance their product offerings and shopping amenities to meet
these demands."
Lempert's top food trends for 2015 include:
1. Grazing Golden-Agers: Ninety-one percent of
people say they snack daily, according to Nielsen. While
snacking is on the rise among all ages and genders, research shows
that snacking among consumers over the age of 65 could contribute
to additional years with a higher quality of life. We'll see more
boomers – those raised in the "three square meals a day" era –
employ a "grazing" approach to eating next year.
When boomers snack, they'll focus on foods rich in nutrients
like protein, fiber and Omega3s that can help promote bone health.
Other popular snack choices include plant-based proteins and whole
grains, like DAVID® Sunflowers Seeds and Orville Redenbacher's® Gourmet Naturals made
with with 100% whole grain popcorn.
2. Same-Day Delivery Not Just for City Clickers:
Grocery Shopping Goes 24/7: Online grocery shopping and
delivery has become a crowded space, with a host of services
competing for consumer attention. This trend allows everyone who
sells food and beverages to be in the same-day delivery business
without having to add additional operational infrastructure.
Once considered a luxury for those living in metropolitan areas,
revenue gains among food and beverage e-commerce/delivery service
indicate the trend will expand to mainstream consumers living in
both urban and rural areas next year. Previously, major e-commerce
players like Amazon would only deliver non-perishable items, but
Peapod, Fresh Direct, Amazon Fresh and Instacart make it possible
to have perishables like Healthy Choice® Café Steamers delivered to
your door in less than two hours. With this in mind, products will
evolve and become catered to online shoppers. More brands will
bundle multiple SKUs to create meal kits or offer pre-packaged sets
of multiple products.
3. Everything Smoked: Just when you thought the
bacon trend had cooled off, restaurateurs and at-home cooks are
continuing to turn up the heat. The demand for smoked foods has
risen as chefs begin to apply smoking and grilling to add some
sizzle and impart new flavor to other proteins and alternatives
like vegetables, butters, and even cocktails. And, with smokers
gaining in popularity in backyards across America, at-home cooks
are also experimenting with smoking non-traditional foods.
The increase in smoked foods is sparking an increase in enjoying
that smoky flavor year-round. For example, tomatoes are one of the
most popular non-meat items, and that fresh-from-the-grill smoked
flavor can now be found in Hunt's®Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes. In
2015, look for even more smoked flavors to emerge into your
favorite foods found in the grocery aisles, menus and recipes.
4. The Rise of Fermented Foods: 2015 will be the
year fermented foods – foods like yogurt, tempeh and sauerkraut
take center stage. These foods contain live cultures, or are
preserved in liquid so their sugars and starches can become
bacteria-boosting agents. After multi-year growth of gluten-free
foods and probiotics, many consumers have found their digestive
health improved. In fact, a survey from ConAgra Foods found that
nearly 50 percent of Americans have changed their diet to help
improve digestion, with nearly 20 percent doing so in the past
year.1
In 2014, we saw an expansion of gluten-free beyond the one
percent of the population that has Celiac Disease. This will
continue but also evolve into an increased focus on the consumption
of fermented foods as people continue to look for ways to aid
digestion. Increased knowledge about the impact foods have on our
digestive health will lead to significant changes in the way
consumers prepare food in 2015. Once toppings or side items,
fermented foods will become commonplace in meals throughout the
day.
5. Gen Z: Chefs Everyday: Millennials' passion for
food-related adventures is undeniable, but Gen Z, the demographic
group born after Millennials (1995 to present day), brings an
entire new set of food values to the kitchen table. Exposed at a
young age to more flavors and variety than previous generations,
Gen Z's collective attitude toward food is simplicity and health.
They tend to use stove tops rather than microwaves for cooking
meals and fresh ingredients to prepared foods. Research by NPD
Group indicates some of their favorite foods to cook include
eggs/omelets, hot dogs, potatoes and chicken, which they can "dress
up" with their own unique touch.
In 2015, look for even more brands to offer simple ideas to
elevate everyday foods. For example, breakfast goes up a notch when
replacing basic eggs with frittatas and quiche made with
EggBeaters® and fresh herbs and produce.
6. Craft Foods Make its Way into Kitchens
Everywhere: Typically associated with foods made in small
batches with specialized, local ingredients, major companies are
finding ways to produce craft foods in larger quantities. The
phenomenon of craft beer brought new excitement, flavors and sales
to the struggling beer industry: MillerCoors® and Anheuser-Busch
InBev are two examples of major companies that have made the jump
to more locally produced, limited distribution and sub-brands.
In 2015, look for this trend to extend to other beverages and
food, as Millennials in particular continue to seek unique tastes
and foods with authentic origin stories. Marie Callender's® Razzleberry Pie, made with
whole Oregon Marionberries and North American red raspberries, is
an example of a food that looks and tastes homemade but is found in
freezer aisles nationwide.
7. Nutrition Labels: No Longer Just on Packaged
Foods: As consumers want more information about their foods,
innovative devices like Prep Pad will soon offer this information
instantaneously. The Prep Pad pairs with an iPad app to calculate
the exact nutritional content of your meals, including the carbs,
fats, protein and calories by scanning the bar code of food
packages used as ingredients or the items on your plate.
Information about a food's ingredients, chemical makeup or
nutritional values will become more readily available and
commonplace in the supermarket and our kitchens.
8. Supermarkets Convert into Socializing Spaces:
Supermarkets have evolved from straightforward centers where
consumers could buy groceries to purveyors of lifestyle. Present
day supermarkets are developing a variety of services that help set
them apart and establish each outlet as an ambassador of niche
lifestyle trends. In the near future, we can expect
supermarkets to further specialize in order to present their
customers with a unique experience that showcases their personality
and philosophy toward foods – instead of presenting themselves
solely as vendors of goods.
A desire to be "all things food" to their customers, especially
singles, is positioning them as head to head competitors with chain
and local restaurants. Retailers today will build full-service high
quality restaurants as part of their brick and mortar operations.
Experienced culinarians, usually CIA trained chefs with many years
of experience, are offering unique dishes, local foods and
beverages. Cooking classes, events and seminars are giving
consumers reasons beyond a grocery list to step inside their
neighborhood store. Sampling is no longer a cracker or potato chip
on a napkin; stores have advanced and now have chefs like
George Duran cooking up Hunt's®
signature recipes for shoppers.
For more information about Phil
Lempert's Top Food Trends for 2015 Presented by ConAgra
Foods, visit www.forkful.com.
ABOUT PHIL LEMPERT
Known as The Supermarket
Guru®, Phil Lempert is a distinguished author and speaker
who alerts customers and business leaders to impending corporate
and consumer trends and empowers them to make educated purchasing
and marketing decisions. He is one of America's leading consumer
trend-watchers and analysts, serving as a spokesperson for ConAgra
Foods and making regular appearances on NBC
News' Today show and ABC's The
View. Lempert offers thorough food ratings, analyzes
trends in food marketing and retail and features health advice,
unique recipes, nutrition analysis, allergy alerts and many other
resources for consumers. Learn more about Phil Lempert at
supermarketguru.com.
ABOUT CONAGRA FOODS
ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG)
is one of North America's largest
packaged food companies with branded and private branded food found
in 99 percent of America's households, as well as a strong
commercial foods business serving restaurants and foodservice
operations globally. Consumers can find recognized brands such as
Banquet®, Chef Boyardee®, Egg Beaters®, Healthy Choice®, Hebrew
National®, Hunt's®, Marie
Callender's®, Orville
Redenbacher's®, PAM®, Peter Pan®, Reddi-wip®, Slim Jim®,
Snack Pack® and many other ConAgra Foods brands, along with food
sold by ConAgra Foods under private brand labels, in grocery,
convenience, mass merchandise, club and drug stores. Additionally,
ConAgra Foods supplies frozen potato and sweet potato products as
well as other vegetable, spice, bakery and grain products to
commercial and foodservice customers. ConAgra Foods operates
ReadySetEat.com, an interactive recipe website that provides
consumers with easy dinner recipes and more. For more information,
please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.
1The survey results quoted in this press release are
taken from a survey conducted by ConAgra Foods using Google
Consumer Surveys in October 2014. The
survey was answered by more than 1,000 pre-screened randomly
sampled internet users across the Google Consumer Surveys publisher
network. The average margin of error is +/- 4%."
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Erin Hulliberger, Edelman Public
Relations
erin.hulliberger@edelman.com; (312) 240-2989
Jenna Rice, ConAgra Foods
jenna.rice@conagrafoods.com; (630) 857-1498
SOURCE ConAgra Foods, Inc.