Business View Magazine | December 2019

11 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 OPENING L INES SPECIALTY FOOD ASSOCIATION TRENDSPOTTER PANEL PREDICTS TOP 2020 FOOD TRENDS F rom “Plants as Plants” to unexpected proteins and everything in between, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel predicts what’s coming up for specialty food in 2020. “As the specialty food industry hits a record year of growth with $148.7 billion in sales, we’re seeing that health benefits and sustainability concerns will continue to drive more food and beverage trends in 2020. But, there’s also room for fun, whether in the form of canned cocktails or global condiments,” said Denise Purcell, head of content for the SFA. Professionals from diverse segments of the culinary world comprise the SFA’S Trendspotter Panel. Here are the six trends they anticipate for 2020: • Plants as Plants: Meat Replacement Pushback Across retail and foodservice, plant-based meat alternatives are undeniably popular. Growth will continue, however some Trendspotters predict a consumer return to real fruits and vegetables. Consumers will begin to think critically about meat replacements, looking more closely at the ingredient lists, supply chains, water usage, and food safety, prompting renewed interest in plants as plants, according to the panel. • Sustainability-Driven Product Development: According to SFA’s State of the Specialty Food Industry Report 2019-2020, consumers, especially Gen Z, are values-oriented shoppers who look at a company’s values and production methods when making purchasing decisions. Upcycled products, those using ingredients that are normally discarded, are becoming more prevalent. Recent products to market have included tea made from discarded avocado leaves, frozen pizzas made with toppings from vegetable scraps, and whey beverages made from a left-over product from cheese- making. Biodynamic farming, a practice