Healthy and Real Listed as Consumer’s Main Chose for 2010

New trends for food production and development for 2010 will include simpler foods with more natural ingredients, locally sourced products and better nutritional value, according to Innova Market Insights.

In a report released recently, the market research company said the recession has taken consumers back to “simpler times”, and food producers will have to head to this if they are to make it through the tough year ahead.

Anything natural in food and beverages is a winning ingredient for consumers in the western world, and locally sourced and fair-traded foods also score high for the trends of 2010.

Scientifically supported nutritional value and “functional foods” as opposed to more radical ingredients also rate high.

Health scares such as swine flu have made consumers more aware of foods that boost the immune system and anything that boosts energy levels are also a hit.

And a rise in allergy awareness means that foods that aren’t easy to digest or mild on the stomach are not making it on to plates like they were in the past.

Lastly, consumers are looking largely to purchase their own ingredients – the rise in home cooking shows has a lot to say about this – and authentic and extreme flavours, such as hot chilli, are also bought up like never before.