Market Research Company Innova Market Insights says increasingly thoughtful and mindful consumers will lead trends in 2018.

Innova director of innovation Lu Ann Williams said, “Today’s consumer displays a high level of mindfulness about well-being and the environment. So it is no surprise that consumers are becoming increasingly mindful in their food choices, wanting to know what is in their foods in order to make decisions about health, sustainability and ethical issues.”

Innova Market Insights’ top five trends for 2018 are:

1. Mindful Choices
Consumers are more conscious than ever about making responsible food choices, and increasingly want to know what is in their food and how it is produced. Innova Market Insights research data indicates that one in two US, UK and German consumers read ingredient labels often and that seven out of 10 US and UK consumers want to know and understand ingredient lists.

2. Lighter Enjoyment
As consumers continue to look for ways to eat and drink more healthily, lightness in terms of alcohol content, sweetness, flavour, texture or even portion size is increasing its appeal, although definitely not at the expense of a familiar, high-quality and indulgent taste profile.

3. Positively Processed
As consumers become more concerned about naturalness and minimal processing techniques, the industry is reviving traditional processes such as fermented foods and cold-brew tea and coffee, alongside the development of new ones.

4. Going Full Circle
The notion of closing the circle is increasingly taking hold, with greater consumer expectation that companies and brands will be more resource-smart via developments such as tip-to-tail eating, innovative uses for food waste and more biodegradable and renewable packaging.

5. Beyond the Coffeehouse
While coffee is clearly trending among Millennial and Generation Z consumers, tea is also seeking to reinvent itself among the younger generations. With the taste and experiential associations of coffee and the healthy image of tea, the industry is increasingly using coffee and tea as ingredients and flavours outside the hot drinks and iced tea and coffee sub-categories across a wide variety of products as varied as energy bars, yogurt and jam.

The other trends identified by Innova Market Insights are:

6. Say it with Colour

7. Dining Out, In

8. From Snacks to Mini Meals

9. Ocean Garden

10. Bountiful Choice