Recently the team from Corporate Essentials had a chance to visit Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore, Maryland. Among the all of the amazing products on display, it was fairly easy to recognize a few things stood out. Luckily, with many healthy snack suppliers in the New Jersey area, you won’t have trouble stocking your office’s break room with wholesome snacks.
According to the official Expo East Food Buyers Guide; “Clean is the new green. What’s old is new. ‘Food Tribes’ (Paleo, vegan and gluten free) continue to spread their influence. And conventional ‘don’t eat this’ dieting is being replaced by ‘do eat this’ lifestyle changes promoting nutrient-dense foods with transparent origins.”
According to natural food industry analysts, these 10 overarching themes driving consumer choice and product innovation in 2017, are likely to pick up even more momentum in 2018. So without further adieu, here is the list of the top food trends of 2018:
1. Pegan
Just three percent of consumers adhere to a “Paleo” diet (mimicking pre-agricultural ancestors by eschewing grains and legumes in favor of grass-fed meat and veggies). Another 3 percent are vegan, according to Nutrition Business Journal, eating no animal products at all. The two philosophies might seem irreconcilable.
But in reality, the most healthful diet may arise by cherry-picking the best from the two, says Dr. Mark Hyman, who coined the term “pegan.” “They both focus on real, whole, fresh food that is sustainably raised,” explains Hyman, director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine.
Both so-called food tribes also stress slow-burning carbohydrates, shun dairy-which has been linked to acne, eczema and gastrointestinal problems-and favor healthy fats, via nuts, seeds and oils. Yes, beans and grains are a sticking point (vegans eat lots: Paleo-followers eat none).
But pegans can compromise by eating small portions of beans and low-glycemic grains like quinoa, says Hyman. When it comes to meat, he recommends that if people eat it at all they eat it as “a condiment”-sparingly to add flavor. More than a dozen pegan, or “plant-based Paleo,” cookbooks have been released and companies are embracing the idea.
2. Free from
Forty-four percent of adults say food restrictions dictate what they eat, according to a 2014 Packaged Facts report. Consequently, the “free-from” market continues to thrive. Sales of foods labeled “allergen-free” climbed 23 percent in the past year, according to SPINS.
Meanwhile “gluten-free” sales rose 13.2 percent (a slight slowdown from the 20-plus percent rise each of the previous five years) and “certified gluten-free” increased 6 percent. Analysts predict “free from” will remain strong as consumers grow attuned to the myriad problems linked to food intolerances.
But it’s no longer enough to just take away a problem ingredient. You have to make sure what’s left behind tastes good and is good for you, says Amanda Hartt of SPINS. “Innovators are breaking away from hyper-processed replacements,” and using things like ancient grains which come with their own unique health benefits.
3. Fermented
With the healthy benefits of probiotics now widely accepted, consumers are looking beyond the yogurt shelves, toward heritage foods and beverages such as kraut, kefir and kombucha. “We are starting to think about bacteria in a very different way than we used to, and people are seeking different ways of getting good bacteria into their bodies,” says Kathryn Lukas, who founded raw, organic kraut company Farmhouse Culture in 2008.
Kraut originated 2,000 years ago in China and was often used on ships as an anti-scurvy tonic. It serves as both a prebiotic fiber, via the cabbage, and a potent dose of lactobacillus plantarum, via its fermented juices. It fell out of favor-in part because of its reputation as a limp, salt-laden condiment.
But thanks to vegan and raw enthusiasts, artisanal kraut is back. Meanwhile, sales of kombucha-a fermented tea that also dates back centuries-rose 42 percent in 2014 according to SPINS, as conventional giants the likes of Costco and 7-eleven added it to their offerings. Sales of the fermented milk drink kefir were up 61.7 percent.
4. Sustainable protein
Credit Paleo, crossFit or the mountain of science pointing to its diverse benefits (satiety, weight loss, energy, muscle building): Protein is still on a roll. But today’s offerings go way beyond a slab of steak or a whey powder shake. Sales of insect-based protein products are up 637 percent, according to SPINS. Products containing pea and rice proteins also spiked by double digits.
And Hampton Creek’s plant-based egg-substitutes in mayonnaise and cookie dough are making such a splash one competing company (Unilever) threatened a lawsuit. “Protein interest is definitely expanding,” says SPINS’ Masalski.
“Instead of just protein smoothies, companies are creating multipurpose proteins that are marketed in everyday products.” The conventional protein bar is also experiencing a makeover, with innovators heeding the call for more real meat.
5. Sprouted
Demand for nutrient-dense, low-allergen, easily digestible food has placed sprouted grains beans and nuts atop many nutritionists’ Top 10 list of ingredients to watch. With conventional grains, the outer hull can be hard to digest and many inherent nutrients remain locked away.
“Sprouting grains increases the availability of B vitamins, vitamin C, fiber, minerals and amino acids,” says Boulder-based nutritionist Rachel Begun, RDN. Sprouted grains have also been shown in some studies to be lower in allergens and easier on the stomach.
Until recently, the best way to get such benefits was via raw alfalfa sprouts. But new technologies have enabled companies to create shelf-stable varieties. Now a whole host of grains are being sprouted-from flax, chia and quinoa to oats, barley and rice- and showing up in everything from protein powder snacks.
6. Sugar replacements
While the war on fat may be over, the war on sugar is just revving up. New studies link excess consumption to everything from dementia to wrinkles and new proposed labeling changes could soon reveal just how much we’re eating. “Sugar will be under a big spotlight in 2016,” says Masalaki. “It could be a game-changer for the food industry.”
The Food and Drug Administration is mulling the idea of requiring companies to include on their nutrition facts panel the percent of daily value for added sugars, a number that could be shocker and dissuader for shoppers and lead food companies to reformulate.
Old-school chemical alternatives like saccharine are also under fire again, after a study published in the journal Nature suggested it adversely alters the gut microbiome.
And fructose-rich agave is getting flack for its tendency to convert to fat faster than other sugars. (Dr. Oz recently advised viewers to “eliminate agave from your kitchen and your diet.”) What’s left?
Zero-calorie stevia, mineral-rich coconut sugars and ultra-sweet monk fruit- a small, tropical mellon said to be 300 times as sweet as sugar without raising blood sugar much- are all gaining traction. And some companies are just making less-sweet food.
7. Coconut
Whether it’s used for its electrolyte-rich nectar and sugar, its fiber-rich-meat or its oil, rich in immune-boosting lauric acid, coconut continues to be a go-to ingredient. “It’s an extremely versatile product,” says Masalski.
“From alternative milk to body car products, you can use it in practically everything.” It was a particularly big year for coconut oil, with sales spiking 41 percent, according to SPINS. Coconut ingredients are also Paleo, vegan and gluten free.
8. Snackification
A whopping 94 percent of Americans snack at least once a day, according to a recent survey by Mintel, and half snack two to three times per say. That’s up from a few years ago, when only 64 percent said they snacked between meals.
We snack because we’re hungry. The good news: one-third of Americans say they are snacking on far healthier foods than they used to. That’s because they exist now. The recent advent of squeeze packs and pouches have led to a flood of healthy pureed snacks for adults and kids, companies are moving beyond the tired corn chip to satiate salt crackers, and savory snacks are in demand.
9. Superfruits and superfoods
The list of fruits, legumes and grains billed as “superfoods” is too long to list here, but a few standouts are shining in 2018. Sales of products containing the African superfruit baobab-said to have six times the C of an orange; twice the calcium as a glass of milk; and four times the potassium of a banana- have soared 200 percent in the past year, according to SPINS.
Cherry fruit supplements, shown in new studies to quell inflammation postworkout, spiked more than 300 percent. Billed as a miracle green that’s healthier than kale, moringa (a protein-rich, blood-sugar-stabilizing leaf from a tree in South Asia) is also showing up in bars and powders.
Meanwhile, sales of products containing the plant-based super-protein quinoa continue to grow by double digits, as supply problems slowly get resolved and the price falls. Up next: numerous companies have rolled out algae ingredients, touting the nutritionally dense microorganisms for their heart-healthy oils, vegetarian protein and rich antioxidant content. Algae brownies anyone?
10. Beyond organic
No discussion of food trends would be complete without a mention of the trend toward pushing quality standards beyond USDA Certified Organic, into areas like animal welfare, fair trade and- this is a biggie-soil conservation.
“I am a huge fan of organic but it’s time to take it a step further,” says Tom Newmark, a biodynamic farmer and founder of The Carbon Underground, an initiative to promote carbon-sequestration via soil conservation among farmers.
“The National Organic Program is not sufficiently focused on soil health.” Many companies are now providing information about farm working conditions, animal husbandry and soil conservation practices on their label.
If you’re looking for nutritious snack options for your New Jersey office, Corporate Essentials is the snack supplier for you. With many options that already fall into the above categories (with a very heavy focus on number eight), Corporate Essentials will keep your office both fueled and happy. You can browse Corporate Essentials’ selection of healthy snacks on the online catalog while staying in the know of each month’s featured snacks.
If you’d like more information on how Corporate Essentials can deliver snacks to your office, just like those mentioned in a recent USA Today article titled “Study: The key to happiness at work is free snacks,” simply click the link below to let us know.
