The Food Frontrunner Report 2023
The Food Frontrunner Report 2023
- Revealing the Future of Food
Together with portfolio Insightme, Nicoya has conducted consumer research on people’s journey from omnivorous to vegetarians, the obstacles they encounter and their preferences. We’ve also taken a deeper look into the trendsetters, ie the frontrunners within food and identified two groups that will lead new trends: “the Food Experience Frontrunners” and “the Healthy Food Frontrunners”.
The Flexitarian journey – from red to green
Discussions about dietary choices often get simplified into three categories: vegetarians, flexitarians and meat-eaters. Generalization like this risk to not capture the nuances of a rapidly evolving landscape, in this case in what stage people are on their green journey. By dividing consumers into groups based on their preferences and needs and by examining how these groups shift and expand over time, we can gain valuable insights into the direction in which our food systems are moving.
Looking at the journey from omnivorous to vegetarian lifestyles and mapping consumers' primary preferences for meat or vegetarian options and the appearance and texture of food, five distinct groups emerge that covers the entire spectrum.
Apart from one group exclusively choosing meat and another strictly vegetarian, the flexitarian category, typically seen as one group, actually subdivides into three unique segments; the Meat Bias, the Switchers and the Vegetarian Bias
Exhibit 1: Segmenting the consumer journey from omnivorous to vegetarian/vegan, three distinct flexitarian consumer segments emerge.
Dividing consumers into tighter groups emphasizes the importance of knowing your consumers, whether you are targeting meat-centric or veggie-centric as they differ in their preferences.
Further, the data was also compared with data collected two years ago, which showed that more people are identifying themselves as vegetarians. This growth in vegetarianism likely results from increasing disappointment with meat products and a rising awareness leading to more informed and deliberate dietary choices. Regardless of the reason, vegetarianism is on the rise, indicating a promising future for green food businesses.
Future Behaviour Starts with Today's Frontrunners
Market change is driven by consumer needs. To understand the future, one needs to find out which of consumers underlying needs and drivers that aren’t being fulfilled. To determine what will work or become a big seller in the food market, a great starting point is to understand the frontrunners.
Frontrunners within food are people characterized by a low adherence to traditions, a high tendency to try new things and notably influencing the food and beverage market. Recognizing the preferences of today’s food frontrunners is pivotal as they indicate the trends that will be important to your target group in 2-3 years. These frontrunners illuminate emerging trends and provide insights into the evolving preferences of the broader market. This enables proactive strategizing to align with future consumer desires, not just current preferences.
In our work, two frontrunners within food were identified: “the food experience frontrunners” and “the healthy food frontrunners of health”.
Exhibit 2. The food experience frontrunners are characterized by fearless and inspirational lifestyles, being curious and selective with their food and conscious about their health and well-being.
Exhibit 3: The Healthy Food Frontrunners are characterized by adventurous and ambitious lifestyles, being nutritious focused and trendy about their food and competitive and knowledgeable about their health.
The group of Food Experience Frontrunners prioritize enjoyment and are motivated by natural ingredients. This predicts a significant role for clean label products in coming years, with “clean label” meaning incorporating a variety of natural ingredients to create exceptional products, not just being synonymous with having fewer ingredients.
The group of Healthy Food Frontrunners value natural ingredients while also seeking functional benefits. This could create a challenge for food producers to combine cleanliness with functionality. Hence, there can be lucrative opportunities in adopting distinct positions – being either a brand synonymous with natural ingredients or a functional food tech brand, with in-between brands losing relevance.
Unlocking Future Food Trends with Frontrunner Insights
A deep understanding of the underlying preferences and shifting trends in consumer diets is more crucial than ever. By recognizing and responding to these shifts, businesses can develop strategies that resonate with current market preferences and are forward-thinking, keeping them at the forefront of an evolving food landscape. This approach ensures that brands not only stay relevant but also drive the transformation towards a more plant-focused future.
Curious to understand more of how The Frontrunner Report 2023 can be useful for your business? Contact: sara.arvius.heidenvall@nicoya.se