Cognitive health top of mind as Prinova anticipates 2024’s food, beverage and nutrition “mega-trends”

Prinova has identified growing demand for ingredients for the mind as one of nine emerging food, beverage and nutrition “mega-trends”. In a new report on functional health trends, it also spotlights the increasing prominence of branded ingredients, and growing demand for “real foods”.

The leading provider of ingredients and premixes commissioned expert researchers to analyse patterns in retail and food service and to conduct social media listening. This allowed it to build a framework of nine macro-trends that will shape the industry in 2024 and beyond.

The report highlights the growing number of products containing adaptogens and nootropics, which it attributes to factors such as enduring concerns around performance, focus and “brain fog” in the wake of the pandemic. It also notes growing demand for natural sources of caffeine, such as yerba and matcha, as consumers seek “an antidote to boom and bust caffeination”. Meanwhile, ongoing talk about the stress of modern life, coupled with research on the importance of sleep and rest, has led to “an array of adaptogenic ingredients” being included in everyday food and beverage products.

The Prinova report also notes that “branded ingredients are emerging from the depths of the ingredient list, with logos making their way to the front of product packaging, “particularly in categories like plant-based and performance nutrition. Prinova’s range of branded ingredients includes enduracarb^® , a science-backed, slow-release ‘double sugar’ for endurance, and Bacopin^®, a bacopa monniera ingredient which, studies show, may help improve memory and attention.

Other mega-trends identified in the report include:

• ‘Real Food Rules’: A shift away from complicated ingredient lists as consumers embrace ingredients in their most natural, unprocessed form. This includes recognising the benefit of animal-based products again, including previously maligned elements such as full fat.
• ‘Hack my Health’: With growing interest in the way products interact with our genotypes, phenotypes and lifestyles, companies are increasingly offering personalised services to cater for unique needs.
• ‘Targeted Nutrition’: Consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional interventions they can make to improve their wellbeing at different life stages. More knowledgeable than ever, they are looking for products with detailed claims.

James Street, Marketing Director, EMEA & APAC at Prinova, said: “Consumers are looking to food, beverage and nutrition products to meet a growing number of needs. To identify where the opportunities are, and to help our customers create innovative, new products, we’ve created a future-facing framework that identifies the most important emerging trends. We’ve seen how consumers are looking for nutritional ‘hacks’ in areas like cognitive performance and emotional wellbeing, while also yearning for a return to products with ‘real food’ or ‘natural’ credentials. And our research also shows that manufacturers are recognising branded ingredients as one of the best ways to communicate science-backed benefits and bolster credibility.”

Discover the emerging trends in the full report: https://www.prinovaglobal.com/eu/en/resources/news/2024-and-2025-trends