Rockville, MD -With many consumers looking to get more protein into their diets, protein-rich foods have come to the center of food development, menu, R&D and merchandising discussions in the food industry. Packaged Facts recently published a report, Proteins – Classic, Alternative and Exotic Sources: Culinary Trend Tracking Series, analyzing the protein trend and charting the opportunity-scape of select, highly-relevant food and beverage profiles.
Rick Zambrano, Culinary Trend Tracking Series and Packaged Facts food research editor, discusses some key findings and developments with regard to high-protein formulation in the manufacturing, retailing and foodservice arena. With 62 percent of consumers making it a point of getting enough protein, the dietary trend is a gateway of increased opportunity for the food industry.
What’s with all the interest in protein?
Zambrano: There are several forces at work here. For sure, the Paleo, Primal and Atkins Diets sparked interest in protein-centric diets as ideal and a prioritization of protein as a path to healthy living. Protein intake is important in muscle growth so, it always was essential in the overall discussion, and it was of key importance for athletes. Dietary protein is needed for synthesis of body protein that is part of every cell, tissue and organ. Protein has been elevated in the mind of consumers when they think about nutrition, diet and eating habits.
Which foods did your Culinary Trend Tracking Series establish as ‘ones to watch’ when it comes to protein sources with viable opportunity within food development, retailing and foodservice?
Zambrano: We identified the following foods as potentially catalytic in driving new opportunities: macho and high-protein drinkable yogurt, almonds and nut butters, high-protein and better tasting snack bars, analogs for chicken protein and exotic meats.
With so much interest in functional foods, protein is at the top of the list. In fact, high-protein foods that serve dual functions are well-positioned: probiotic drinkable yogurt (digestive health), almonds (heart health, weight loss) and some snack bars (energy, relaxation).
Meat is an ideal source of protein. Why the emphasis on non-meat protein sources?
Zambrano: While meat is an ideal protein source, vegetarian protein sources are becoming more popular now that there are more appealing center-of-plate options. Analogs for chicken meat that have much better taste and texture are being introduced. The backdrop of vegetarians and flexitarians seeking great-tasking vegetarian sources of protein is highly-relevant and driving additional interest in nuts, nut butters and plant-based substitutes for the universal chicken egg. Packaged Facts survey analysis shows that 28% of consumers seek out vegetarian sources of protein. In our report, we also featured a company called Hampton Creek Foods and their “eggless-egg” products, both developed and in the pipeline, like Just Mayo, Just Cookies and Just Scramble. In August, Hampton Creek announced landing a wide-area distribution deal with Walmart stores.
It’s an exciting time to be involved in protein-rich food development, and certainly a good time to review specific business-building opportunities in emerging and popular sources of protein.
What are some recent developments along the protein front in foodservice or development?
Zambrano: There’s a lot in food development, merchandising and marketing around protein and a fair amount in the media. In the foodservice and restaurant space, there are recent and ongoing developments to note. Certainly Taco Bell made big headlines with its repositioning of the Taco Bell Cantina Menu as Cantina Power. It shows an alignment of restaurant menu items with what consumers are craving. The chain is making it easier for consumers to make decisions that align with their nutritional goals.
Panera Bread has long offered a Power Menu of its own through its AM Power, PM Power and Power Mediterranean bowl offerings. These menu items continue associating their protein content with strength and power, which is a clever marketing tactic. Several manufacturers and foodservice operators are using “power” and “protein” descriptors in product packaging and on menus, respectively, even making that part of the name in some cases. Oscar Mayer has its P3 Portable Protein snack packs. There is Special K with its Special K Protein Cereal, Protein Shakes and Protein Meal Bars.
Manufacturers are also associating products with protein in more subtle ways, like Hormel with its Rev line of a.m. wraps, which contain 13-16 grams of protein.
Of course, you’ll find high-protein claims on many products now, in places where you’d expect them, like Greek yogurt lines, snack bars, meal replacement bars and beverages and nut butters. But, you’ll also find them in places you may not, like in Chef Boyardee products, Mama Chia beverages and snack crackers.
What are some things to be on the lookout for in the near-term?
Zambrano: Look for more foodservice operators aligning menus around nutritional intake and functionality: energy, protein and digestive health and allocating more resources and menu space to health and wellness foods in general. Expect manufacturers to emphasize the duality, or multiple functional claims, of food and beverage products: protein+probitiocs, energy+protein, relaxation+protein, etc. Look for more indulgence in nut butters outside of the specialty/natural arena, more protein items matched with packaged produce and salad, increased use of superfruits and exotic fruits to drive even more appeal to snack bars and more manufacturers repositioning exotic meats and charcuterie for added convenience and more frequent consumption.
Expect high-protein formulations of ancient grain drinks and new versions of probiotic drinkable yogurt developed for and marketed to Latinos. Look for kefir to see increased competition from international equivalents, like skyr. There are additional, specific recommendations in our Protein Sources – Classic, Alternative and Exotic Sources: Culinary Trend Tracking Series report with insights and inspiration on the following food and beverages:
- Macho and high-protein drinkable yogurt. Yogurt continues to show strong growth in the wake of the Greek yogurt revolution, and Packaged Facts projects the U.S. yogurt market to total $9.3B by 2017. Niche segments such as drinkable yogurt & kefir and yogurt marketed to men are staking claim to their own share of the pie.
- Almonds and nut butters. Nuts have long provided cravable protein goodness, and new nutritional perspectives have positioned nuts, and especially almonds, high on the good and good-for-you list. The healthy positioning of almonds and the natural flavor and texture they provide make them an ideal source of protein for consumers. Nut butters, driven by convenience and portability, are ideal as more indulgent protein sources.
- Snack bars get heartier. High-protein snack bars are leveraging the rise of snacking and the healthful positioning of snack bars in the market.
- Analogs for chicken protein. Alternatives to meat are gaining ground as delicious foods in their own right, and not just as more nutritionally correct substitutes. Alternative protein sources, including the eggless egg, are foods to watch.
- Exotic meats as back-to-roots protein. Charcuterie is big and the salumi craft is holy ground within foodie culture. Wild boar is gaining popularity in fine dining restaurants as consumers explore new, less mass-produced sources of meat.
To learn more about the Culinary Trend Tracking Series, please click over to http://content.marketresearch.com/culinary-trend-tracking-series-main-page
To download our whitepaper on identifying food trends, click here: http://content.marketresearch.com/how-to-identify-food-trends-white-paper
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Source: Packaged Facts
