By swapping out undesirable ingredients from those grab-and-go products, health-conscious consumers can choose a nutritious and delicious snack they can enjoy wherever they may be heading. Freeze-dried ingredients provide the nutrient-dense goodness that consumers crave, with an extended shelf-life that makes a product easily packable—and snackable.
Here are three healthy and convenient food and beverage industry trends:
Many consumers don’t have the ability to purchase or prepare fresh and healthy foods, making the accessibility of convenient nutrition essential. A recent study found that 49% of consumers feel there is a lack of healthy frozen, convenience foods, showcasing the strong demand for healthy and long-lasting options2. By innovating an accessible and nutritious product, consumers who may struggle with food insecurity have an increased opportunity of consuming healthy foods. Freeze-dried ingredients, like spinach and leek, are great, long-lasting options to provide consumers with the key nutrients many are lacking.
2. Convenient Sustainability
One issue with convenience food and beverages is the use of non-sustainable ingredients and single-use packaging, deterring environmentally friendly consumers from purchasing. In fact, 55% of consumers said that they’re more likely to purchase a packaged food item if it includes a sustainability claim3. Food manufacturers can meet the demand for sustainable convenience by incorporating freeze-dried ingredients, which are some of the most sustainable ingredients available on the market due to their extended shelf-life and plant-based qualities.
Consuming convenience products is often a result of a busy lifestyle, making it the only available choice. According to a study, 55% of millennial parents say convenience is a top factor when deciding what food to buy so they often opt for snack or meal kits, which has resulted in a 2,900% year-over-year growth4. Beyond that, single-parent households in the United States purchase 14% more ready-to-eat foods than other households5. Providing nutritious on-the-go food and beverage options allows busy people to still consume healthy ingredients that fit their lifestyle.
Whether looking to help consumers with limited resources, those focused on sustainability, or even a busy parent or working professional, innovating on-the-go goodness creates opportunities for people to consume nutritious products instead of the traditional, unhealthy convenience products. Chaucer Foods’ freeze-dried and baked ingredient offerings provide a formulation solution that can help meet the needs of all individuals.
Looking for more industry-shaping trends, or expert innovation advice? Check out the Q&A with Brian Dudek, CEO of Chaucer Foods, Consumer Division, to learn more.
References:
“Convenience Food,” Statista. 2022.
“Consumers want to eat healthy but price remains a barrier, report says,” Food Dive. 2021.
“What Drives Consumers to Purchase Convenience Foods?” USDA. 2021.