Top 7 food and beverage industry trends (2024)

As we’ll see, consumers are becoming savvier about how and why their food is made. Gone are the days of avoiding labels and taking deep dives into the manufacturing and production processes. People are focused on sustainability, eco-friendliness, and all-natural ingredients.

Let’s break down these top seven trends, one by one.

If you pay attention to trendy social media pages, vegetarianism and veganism seem like they’ve taken over the world. You can’t scroll for more than 30 seconds before seeing some recipe or image of plant-based foods.

However, despite what social media tells you, the number of hardcore vegans and vegetarians hasn’t increased substantially. A recent survey showed that only 3% of U.S. adults identify as a vegan, which is only slightly higher than the 2% figure from 2012. That said, NielsenIQ search data shows that the term “vegan” is the second-most searched snack term, and the seventh-most searched for across all online grocery shopping websites. Unfortunately, most grocery stores don’t optimize for these terms, leaving consumers to fend for themselves accordingly. For example, “vegan” is unclaimed up to 76% of the time in the snack category, and 67% overall.

That said, it seems that many consumers want to incorporate vegetarian and vegan dishes into their lives without converting altogether. So, while the number of vegans isn’t increasing, the demand for plant-based food is. According to NielsenIQ, the demand for plant-based products increased 12% between 2020 and 2021. Likewise, meat alternatives saw an 11% jump.

Examples can include vegan cheese, meat-free “meats”, and alternative milk products. Cauliflower is especially having a moment, as people are using it for everything from mashed potato alternatives to pizza crusts.

Looking at a label isn’t enough—consumers want to know exactly how their food got from the farm to their plate. Factory farming is still prevalent, but most people want ethically sourced ingredients, particularly when it comes to meat. Free-range cattle and chickens are more desirable than those who grow up without green pastures and sunlight.

While there is still plenty of room for trial and error, most consumers want to see companies making a concerted effort to source everything as responsibly as possible. Ideally, you can put evidence on the packaging to illustrate your commitment to this mantra.

Some specific attributes that customers care about include:

• Biobased Packaging Claim Certifications
• Eco-Friendly Certified
• Reef Safe (i.e., seafood products)
• Biodegradable Packaging Claim Certification
• Fair Trade Claim Certification
• Sustainable Farming Certification

There are tons of similar attributes, all of which CPG manufacturers can get data for through the Byzzer platform.

Consumers pay attention to these attributes for both themselves and their dependents. For example, some shoppers want to make sure that baby food is healthy and sustainable, while others scrutinize pet food products the same way.

Dairy intolerance is pretty prevalent in the U.S., with over 30 million people having an allergic reaction to lactose in dairy products. Casein is a protein in dairy that can trigger an allergic reaction. So, some consumers need to avoid it at all costs. We’ve already seen the explosive growth of “natural” products, but now we’re shifting toward specialty-diet offerings as well.

What’s crucial to remember is that casein-free is not the same as dairy-free. A casein-free product can still have other dairy elements like lactose, so buyers have to know the difference. Overall, while dairy-free means there is no casein, casein-free doesn’t mean there is no dairy.

Today, we all have the combined knowledge of the world at our fingertips. This means more people are venturing outside their normal boundaries while still staying at home. The rise of home delivery meal kits like Hello Fresh and Home Chef shows that consumers want to make better dishes in their own kitchens. However, since the average person isn’t trained, they need guidance to ensure that they don’t make their food inedible.

Even if you’re not in the meal kit business, you can meet the demand for convenience by making it easier for customers. Pre-made or easy-to-make dishes are much more desirable, especially for those who work multiple jobs. Overall, the trick is blending convenience with everything else, such as sustainability and natural ingredients.

5. Sustainability

With climate change looming over everything, consumers want to know that their products are eco-conscious. Products made of recycled or repurposed materials are more valuable than single-use items. Plant-based plastics are also becoming more popular because they break down much faster than petroleum-based materials.