New Trends

Our innovation clusters Wagralim and Flanders‘ FOOD were part of the jury assessing the teams and their products. They have already identified 5 trends in the products developed by the young participants, trends that can also be seen today within our food companies.

1. The first trend is the search for solutions that meet the demand for more balanced and sustainably produced food. “Food companies are responding by investing in innovation to create a more balanced food offering without compromising on quality. In recent years, a great deal of attention has been paid to products containing less sugar, fat and salt, while we are increasingly opting for more fibre, for example through wholegrain products. We know that this is how we can have the greatest impact on public health,” Bart Buysse, CEO of Fevia.

2. The second trend is one that has been gaining popularity for some time: zero waste. Food companies are not only striving to use as little energy and water as possible in production, but are also increasingly investing in the reuse of materials and raw materials throughout their production processes. By-products from production are increasingly being given a “second life” as ingredients in new and innovative products. These products help reduce food waste and often provide nutritional benefits as well.

3. Demand for alternative sources of protein also continues to grow. “More and more consumers are looking for greater variety in their diets, which offers significant potential for our food companies. We are seeing companies invest in high-value local production chains, such as peas and wheat, enabling them to respond to consumer trends using locally sourced ingredients,” says François Heroufosse, Managing Director of Wagralim.

4. A fourth trend is the search for greater diversity: from biodiversity in our fields to variety on our plates. “New crops offer farmers more opportunities to diversify and pursue environmental objectives. At the same time, consumers are aware of the health benefits of eating as varied a diet as possible. It is striking that we bought more local products during the coronavirus crisis, which creates opportunities to develop diverse local supply chains,” explains Inge Arents, Managing Director of Flanders ‘FOOD. Around 2/3 of all agricultural raw materials processed by Belgian food companies are sourced domestically.

5. The fifth trend is “on-the-go” consumption. As a result of the coronavirus crisis, we started consuming more at home again, but there had been a clear trend towards eating and drinking more while on the go. We have less time and are looking for quick snacks, while at the same time becoming more demanding about what we consume. When we are on the move, we want solutions that are tasty, balanced and sustainably produced.