January 14 2016
By: Olivia Mitchell, Marketing Coordinator
The food and beverage industry is constantly changing with new trends and consumer demands. 2015 was no exception, filled with acquisitions, recalls and the emergence of new categories to keep up with consumers changing preferences. Will these trends flow into 2016? FoodDive’s associate editor, David Oliver, asked individuals in these industries what they predicted would be important to focus on in 2016.
From the responses received, Oliver compiled 12 key predictions. Of those key predictions, I believe the following are among the top items the food and beverage industries need to focus on for 2016:
- Transparency: Consumers will still want to know their products journey. Where the products came from and exactly what the products are made of. Becoming transparent will not only create trust with consumers but allow companies to have inventory insight to mitigate recalls.
- Health conscious consumers: Healthy food and beverages will continue to be a top priority in the coming year. According to IBISWorld, the number of health-conscious Americans is anticipated to grow including consumer’s discretionary income. Also, as consumers demand healthier snack options, producers need to become innovative and introduce a wider array of products. IBISWorld predicts the snack food industry will grow at a rate of 3.6 percent over the next five years with the introduction of new innovative concepts.
- Innovation: As mentioned above product innovation needs to be a priority to meet consumers changing demands but companies also need to look to innovate operations to ensure product is handled safely and efficiently. More and more companies are looking to automation technology to allow for full visibility and tracking of product throughout the entire operation.
The future is unknown but based on past events, predictions can be made to plan for the year ahead. What are your predications for the food and beverage industry in 2016?