SugarCreek: Brandworthy Food Solutions

One of the most impactful trends in the food industry over the past several years has been an accelerated movement toward ethical sourcing. Consumers have demanded — and received — meats sourced only from vendors who treat animals humanely, offer sustainably-grown produce, and contribute to increased supply chain transparency.

But are food producers really acting "ethically?" If consumers weren't sending clear messages with their purchasing habits, would food companies care about such things, or are these merely short-term marketing ploys? Moreover — and sourcing aside — are producers still operating unethically in other ways?

These days, grocery shoppers want foods that are fresh, convenient, munchable and full of protein. So how can producers best address these food industry trends? Ready-to-eat (RTE) sous vide-prepped meals and snacks may be just what the industry needs to fulfill demand.

There's a lot of debate out there about whether the majority of people who buy gluten-free food have an actual medical condition that requires them to do so. But that hasn't stopped legions of consumers—led by Millennial foodies—from jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon, pushing stateside sales for those items from an estimated $5.4 billion in 2012 to over $8 billion in 2014.

According to a 2013 market survey, conducted by Monash University, 78 percent of those who buy gluten-free foods say they do so for some sort of health reason. And that has many food companies and restaurants rushing to meet demand for gluten-free products, especially as they vie for larger shares of that all-important, health-conscious Millennial consumer segment.

American food culture has undergone many unexpected and interesting shifts over the past several years. A quick look at some of the most popular food-related Internet searches sheds light on exactly how much our tastes have changed.

Although we continue to see a shift on the part of the American eating public toward more health-consciousness and toward maintaining budgets, our Google searches last year seemed to indicate that comfort food and dining out aren't quite on the outs. In fact, as the national economy has continued to pick-up, searches for restaurants topped those for recipes.

Organic. Gluten free. Cupcakes. Bacon on everything.

These days, when a new food trend first rises to popularity, there’s no telling if the innovation will flame out quickly or catch on and become not just a trend but a permanent addition to restaurant menus, packaged meals and dinners eaten at home.

We're moving into the new year and food pundits everywhere are busy making predictions about what the hottest food trends of 2015 will be.

There's no doubt that the US consumer foods market is undergoing significant changes, as eaters increasingly demand convenience, health and sustainability. Trends like natural foods, home sous vide cooking and gluten-free products have reshaped grocery markets and restaurants alike. And we have younger adults to thank.

Without a doubt, one of the hottest new trends in food service over the past decade has been the shift away from casual dining (think Applebee's and Chili's) and fast food, toward the hybridized "fast casual" concept (i.e., Chipotle, Five Guys and Panera).

But that's not where the story ends.

As we have previously discussed on this blog, your food packaging design can make or break your sales. Not only does your packaging have to preserve your product on the shelf and keep it safe for consumption, it has to play better to your targeted consumer segments' purchase motivations than every other item in the store. And given that American grocery customers have, on average, 1,000 times as many choices as items in their carts come checkout time, that packaging has to stand out.

Though there has not been any firm, published evidence linking the ingestion of "clean" foods made using genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), there has nonetheless been a significant public backlash against genetically-modified foods. That, in turn, has led to a clamor for farmers to refrain from growing GMO crops and to move back toward using crops grown by conventional means— and for food product manufacturers not to use any GMO ingredients in their supply chains.

The key to a good recipe—whether it’s destined for a restaurant dining room or a grocery store shelf— isn’t just picking out the right ingredients. You need the right packaging, too.  

And when it comes to food packaging innovation, being the best means more than just having the best looking package on the shelf—though that’s not to say appearance isn’t a critical factor in customer’s purchasing decisions. The best food packaging looks great and offers some new technique or technology that will help manufacturers, corporate chefs and home cooks alike keep their food fresher for longer. If you’re really good, your packaging also provides some additional benefit like a simpler way to prepare complex meals or a minimal carbon footprint.