People change their thoughts about food constantly, and ingredient suppliers need to be aware of these cultural ebbs and flows. Consumers have changed their opinions on dietary elements like salt, sugar, fat, eggs, and more over the years. Ingredient suppliers have to be on top of these market trends to keep consumers happy with what’s on their plate.
Checking The Market Trends
Ingredient suppliers have to be aware of all the food market trends in order to appease customers’ choices. For example, the experienced ingredient supplier CCC Ingredients researches the food market and globally sources innovative ingredients to match consumer needs. They have adapted their portfolio to accommodate food trends dealing with dietary restrictions, sugar alternatives and GMOs.
Dietary Restrictions
Ingredient suppliers must comply with the flux of dietary restrictions that Canadians have. Whether consumers are following these restrictions for their health or for personal beliefs, ingredient suppliers need to keep them satisfied. Some examples of dietary restrictions that are present in the market include: gluten-free diets; low-fat, low-sugar, or low-carb diets; vegetarianism; and veganism.
Vegetarian and vegan diets are growing in popularity in North America, which means that alternative ingredients need to be offered. Vegetarian diets can include animal products, so compromises and alternatives are not as difficult to find. Vegan diets are more restrictive, requiring no animal products whatsoever, including eggs, dairy, and sometimes even honey. One of the most important alternatives for vegans and vegetarians is protein, which is typically found in animal products or by-products. Check out the ingredient portfolio at http://ccc-ingredients.com/ to see examples of meat-free proteins like pea protein, rice protein and soy protein.
Sugar Alternatives
With the average consumer becoming more health conscious, there is more demand for alternatives to traditional refined white sugar. The challenge has been to keep food products flavourful and delicious, while accommodating consumer desires. Ingredient suppliers are offering natural sweeteners as white sugar alternatives, like coconut sugar and stevia. Stevia is considered an excellent sweetener for people looking to lose weight or who are suffering with diabetes.
Non-GMO Products
It’s clear that consumers are concerned about health and wellness when it comes to their food. There has been a recent rise of distrust towards GMO products, so suppliers are putting their efforts in creating non-GMO ingredients. Consumers want natural, organic products that don’t feel nutritionally tampered or altered like a GMO (genetically modified organism). Suppliers have been releasing Non-GMO products with clean-labels to show they understand their consumers’ desires to be comfortable with what they eat.
The rapid changes in consumer diets have challenged ingredient suppliers to keep an eye on food market trends and to keep evolving their products. Suppliers have included protein alternatives on their portfolio to appeal to vegan and vegetarian consumers. They have added different sweeteners for those who want to avoid refined white sugar and be mindful of their health. They have also given products clean-labels to prove they are naturally sourced and not genetically-modified. Ingredient suppliers are finding new ways to appeal to their consumers, so that everyone is pleased with what they eat.
