Ingredient and premix supplier Prinova has identified that growing demand for ingredients to support the mind lead the company’s anticipated “mega-trends” from 2024, according to a new report it commissioned based on data from social media.
 
The new report on functional health trends also spotlights the increasing prominence of branded ingredients and growing demand for “real foods.”
 
The report highlights the growing number of products containing adaptogens and nootropics, which it attributes to factors such as enduring concerns around performance, focus, and “brain fog,” in the wake of the pandemic. It also notes growing demand for natural sources of caffeine such as yerba and matcha, as consumers seek an “antidote to boom and bust caffeination.”
 
Meanwhile, talk about the stress of modern life, coupled with research on the importance of sleep and rest, has led to adaptogenic ingredients being included in everyday foods and beverages.
 
Prinova notes several other trends in the report as well. For instance, branded ingredient logos are emerging on the front of packages, especially in categories like plant-based and performance nutrition.
 
Other “mega-trends” in the report include:

• “Real food rules,” which is a shift away from complicated ingredient lists as consumers embrace ingredients in their most natural, unprocessed form. This includes a recognition of the benefits of animal-based products, including previously-maligned elements such as full fat.
• “Hack my health,” which is a growing interest in the way products interact with our genotypes, phenotypes, and lifestyles. Companies are increasingly offering personalized services to cater for these unique needs.
• “Targeted nutrition,” in which consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the nutritional interventions they can make at different life stages. Consumers are more knowledgeable than ever and are looking for products with detailed claims. 

“Consumers are looking to food, beverage and nutrition products to meet a growing number of needs,” said James Street, marketing director, EMEA and APAC at Prinova. “To identify where the opportunities are, and to help our customers create innovative, new products, we’ve created a future-facing framework that identifies the most important emerging trends. We’ve seen how consumers are ​ looking for nutritional ‘hacks’ in areas like cognitive performance and emotional wellbeing, while also yearning for a return to products with ‘real food’ or ‘natural’ credentials. And our research also shows that manufacturers are recognising branded ingredients as one of the best ways to communicate science-backed benefits and bolster credibility.”
 
To learn more about these trends and others, such as “starts in the gut,” “state of mind,” “performance plus,” “the usual suspects,” “accessible health,’ and “healthy me, healthy planet,” Prinova’s full report is available here.