Alternative proteins, such as those made from insects, algae and whey, will rise in popularity as more consumers search for meat substitutes, according to Innova Market Insights, which compiled the list.
“Soy has long been thought to be a sufficient vegan and affordable source of protein,” Innova said at the HiE show yesterday (December 2).
“Now, some experts are saying it falls short of being a high-quality protein – it may even pose health risks, especially to the thyroid,” it added.
Protein had decreased
Innova figures showed the use of soy protein had decreased by 20% since last year, while whey protein usage had risen by 16% over the same period.
Fruit-sweetened product launches had risen by 1.3% in the months to December 2014 compared with 2013, as manufacturers aimed to take advantage of consumer demand for no added sugar foods, it said.
The two emerging trends, known as ‘More in store for protein’ and ‘New routes for fruit’ were number six and seven on the top 10 list.
The first five top trends were revealed in November and included ‘From clean to clear label’ and ‘Convenience for foodies’, which were first and second on the list.
Number eight on the list was ‘A fresh look at frozen’, which was a rising area of interest as a result of supermarkets beginning to pay more attention to the merits of frozen foods, said Lu Ann Williams, director of innovation at Innova.
“Frozen food is one of those areas we are hearing a lot about,” she told FoodManufacture.co.uk at HiE.
‘Frozen in supermarkets is rising’
“The prominence of frozen in supermarkets is rising, whereas the past few years have been devoted to giving fresh produce more attention,” Williams added.
Manufacturers were advocating the benefits of frozen food by promoting how quickly produce such as peas and other vegetables, as well as meat and fish, could be frozen to retain their nutritional properties, she said.
“They are arguing that the nutritional values of frozen foods are superior to those on the fresh isles,” Williams said.
Meanwhile, food businesses should make better use of grains by manufacturing snack products with them to compete with the vast array of potato snack foods in the supermarkets, she added.
“Supermarket shelves are dominated by potato snacks, but one area I think food manufacturers should look into is making snack foods with grains,” which she said could be an emerging trend for 2016.
Top 10 food trends for 2015
- From clean to clear
- Convenience for foodies
- Marketing for millennials
- Snacks rise to the occasion
- Good fats, good carbs
- More in store for protein
- New routes for fruit
- A fresh look at frozen
- Own-label powers on
- Rich, chewy & crunchy
Source: Innova Market Insights