With the New Year fast approaching and a new decade upon us, we’re gearing up for some innovative and exciting shifts in the health food industry. Like us, we’re sure you’re always looking for new ways to improve your healthy eating habits and try new trends to be at the front of the game, so we’ve projected the top 5 trends we’re anticipating will dominate the 2020 market so you can get ahead and become a game-changer ahead of time!

 

1. Plant Based Revolution 

This year has without a doubt seen a tremendous rise in plant-based alternatives on offer – with the major grocery stores expanding their repertoire to cater for a growing flexitarian movement. It looks like the plant-based movement is well and truly here to stay, and while soy has primarily dominated this scene up until now, we’re anticipating a shift away from soy and toward meat and dairy alternatives that experiment with ingredients like pea, hemp, mung-bean and chickpea.

Get ahead: Check out the Bean Supreme ‘Black Bean & Beetroot’ Burgers from Coles and Woolworths 

 

2. Sustainable Choices

The growing interest in plant-based food goes hand in hand with the growing sustainability movement. Indeed, the Climate Change movement is likely to gain more and more momentum in the new decade, with consumers increasingly becoming concerned with the environmental impact of their food (dubbed their ‘foodprint’).  Companies will be under pressure to cater for an increasing demand from the mindful consumer for sustainable options, with a shift toward less packaging, more carbon-neutral processes and more eco-friendly, biodegradable alternatives. 

Get ahead: Happy Way, an Australian supplement company, have just launched the first biodegradable scoops in their protein powders –a first in Australia that we’re sure will be matched by competitors still using plastics. 

 

3. Fresh & Functional Snacks

 Our fast-paced, busy lifestyles aren’t losing momentum anytime soon, and the act of snacking is expected to become more practical, functional and healthy – with both a shift away from the cupboard to the refrigerator, and a growing focus on familiar, wholesome ingredients over those that are artificial, highly-processed, low-fat or nutritionally-void.  We’re expecting a rise of on-the-go, fresh, single-serving options that fill the gap between meals and remove the guesswork when it comes to picking a healthy option – think bite-sized salad pots, veggie & dip pots, fruit salads and smaller portioned, snack-sized ‘meals’.

Get ahead: Look out for the hard-boiled egg pots from the grab n’ go section in Coles and Woolworths. 

 

4. Alternative Flours & Grains

 Alternative flours and grains have already been on the rise for a few years now, but it looks like we’re set for new options coming into 2020, as well as more products incorporating these flours and grains into their own blends for pastas, ready-made meals, baking mixes and more.

Look out for flours & grains that are naturally gluten-free, sourced from fruits and even bugs (see our most interesting pick below!) and that come packed with fiber and a boost of protein – including banana flour, teff, sorghum, tigernut, and chickpea flour. 

Get ahead: Get game enough to try the new Macro Cricket flour from Woolworths!

 

5. Sugar re-haul 

Our evolving perception of nutrition, and the ever-growing awareness of the impact our diet has on our wellbeing, will continue to shape the health and wellness movement. They say only one food group is ever demonised at a given time – and refined sugar remains to be the key target for concern coming into 2020. We’re being made once again to really rethink our sugar consumption, and what we’re using to replace sugar with.

 While artificial sweeteners have long had their place as an alternative to the ‘real stuff’, it looks like the real ‘real stuff’ is going to make a comeback – in the form of more naturally-derived sweeteners and sugar alternatives.  Look for fruit-based sugar alternatives and sweeteners, such as date paste, pomegranate juice and monk fruit.

 Get ahead: We’re proud to be in the lead with this trend – check out our brand new Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener on the shelves as of now in Woolworths stores Nationally. 

 

What trend are you most excited for in 2020?