Floating farms and smart diets: food and drink trends for 2030

Market intelligence agency Mintel has announced three key trends that will shape the global food, drink and foodservice industries over the next 10 years, in its Consumer Trends 2030 report. The predicted trends for the food and beverage industry include:

Change, Incorporated: Successful companies will be those that prioritise improving the health of the planet and its population.

“In the next decade, consumers will be hungry for leadership and demonstrable change on environmental issues, ethical business practices, public health and other important causes. Consumers will reward brands that take action and improve important societal issues. The companies that will win in the next 10 years will be those that fuel the new era of conscious consumption. Tomorrow’s conscious consumers will be looking for eco-friendly packaging and products, while also seeking guidance on how to make their diets more sustainable,” said Alex Beckett, Associate Director at Mintel Food & Drink.

Smart diets: Consumers will be able to utilise technology to construct hyper-individualised approaches to physical and mental health.

“Looking ahead, more consumers will be able to gain in-depth knowledge of their biology through personal health testing kits which will empower them to personalise their diet and health regimes. Analysis of these tools will inform consumers of the steps they need to take to address every aspect of their health, including brain and emotional wellbeing. As a result, in order to succeed over the next decade, brands will need to offer more personalised product offerings, develop smart home solutions and assist consumers in addressing mood and brain health,” Beckett said.

High-tech harvests: Consumer trust in food science and technology will increase, as these become vital tools to save the food supply.

“Science will interlace with the food supply chain to boost yields and combat climate change. Celebrating the sustainable, health and cost benefits of lab-grown food will be crucial in educating consumers about nature-identical alternatives. But the food and drink industry will be compelled to elevate the role of nature, and humans, in the storytelling of these new, modern solutions. Transparency of information is essential to building trust in a future where scientists play as integral a role as farmers. And championing the people behind the food — whether it is grown in a laboratory or a field — will remain a timeless way of building trust with consumers,” Beckett said.

Consumers are predicted to prioritise plants in their diets, with the plant’s health in consideration, too. From beer made with rejected cereal pieces to containers made from organic mushroom waste, food waste is predicted to enable more sustainable consumption and innovation. Consumers will also develop a better understanding of their bodies, through health testing services, artificial intelligence-enabled apps and increased personal data collection. Resultantly, consumers are also predicted to live longer. Brands will use science and technology to create new products, shorten production time and confirm trustworthiness. Global food insecurity will also be addressed by new ingredient growing regions in Africa and India, and agricultural innovations, like floating farms.

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