OVERVIEW OF THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE MARKET

The concern with healthy eating gained even more prominence with COVID-19, either to take care of immune health and maintain weight in the face of decreased physical activities, as to deal with anxiety and improve mental and emotional health. 40% of Brazilians affirmed to have adopted somehow healthier eating habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. And 73% agreed that having healthy eating habits is just as important for mental/emotional health as it is for physical health. Those who adopted healthier eating habits during the pandemic are taking more vitamins and supplements, representing an opportunity for these categories. Despite this, the Brazilian in general still relates the maintenance of healthy eating habits to the preparation of meals at home using fresh and/or minimally processed ingredients. And helping them in this preparation, especially teaching options with a focus on immunity, is something that brands must do to gain space. In addition, the new labeling standard approved by ANVISA and the increased incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and hypertension, should bring sugar, sodium and fat back to the center of the discussion on healthy eating.

Another important issue is the concern with the contamination of food and drinks as well as their packaging. This has motivated 62% of respondents to sanitize food and drinks better and more frequently to make sure they are not contaminated.

Smart nutrition as the evolution of meal replacements. Meal replacements are well established, but historically focused on weight control or food for special medical purposes. Smart nutrition focuses on taking the meal replacement concept and developing it according to consumer needs with little time and a focus on convenience, who want optimized nutrition in an uncooked format;

Highlight on the benefit of post-COVID-19 smart nutrition;

The pandemic has raised consumer concerns about sustainable food, and despite the increase in home cooking, many consumers are likely to return to take-out meals in the post-COVID-19 world. Smart nutrition meets these two requirements, combining with an enviable sustainability profile in a convenient format;

Use smart nutrition to launch alternative proteins;

The smart nutrition consumer will be defined by science-based approaches to nutrition, making it a perfect consumer format and base for launching proteins cultivated in laboratory. Consumers in the younger demographic are enthusiastic about these ingredients, while start-up brands experiment with shapes and types of proteins in foods and beverages.

The evolution of shakes, meal replacements and proteins will bring the naturalness of the ingredients in substitution of vitamins and other synthetic additives of the products. Bringing the naturalness of the ingredients to provide functionalities besides just proteins, add benefits as an energy source, intestinal health, cognitive, soothing, immunity and antioxidants is the future. Another trend will be to bring flavors different from those already conventional, cocoa, vanilla and strawberry. Surprise your customers with new experiences and new textures.