Delicious Insights: 2011 Hot Trends in Food

Food has exploded into the spotlight! Increasingly seen as more than just an everyday commodity, it is a huge influence on consumers' lifestyles. Food is vitally important to us, providing sustenance and pleasure – and it is also big business.

A Global Perspective

Our global consumer packaged goods team conducts regular research into the global perspective on grocery and food choices. No doubt, you may have seen some of their views on the topic.

In a recent study on food for kids¹, parents from around the world were given a list of benefits their children may receive from eating healthy foods and asked to rank which benefits were most important. On a global basis, healthy heart was ranked highest in importance, followed closely by reduced risk of disease later in life, better brain development and better immunity.

Another recent study showed that consumers from around the world value most those products that are a good source of vitamins². Consumers in the study were given a list of vitamins, minerals and supplements that could be found in food and beverage products and asked to rank which ones were most important for them to include in their diets. Vitamins were ranked highest in importance among global consumers – with protein, minerals, fiber, Omega 3 and antioxidants lagging behind. Probiotics, soy and folic acid were least important among the general population.

This clearly points to a global trend of wanting healthier, fresher foods. And food marketers had better be ready for it.

But what about Canadians? Indeed, our own research shows that we, too, are becoming more acutely aware of what goes into our food and our appetite for quality and taste is growing.

Meet the Foodie

In a survey conducted by Ipsos in August 2011 among 1,000 Canadians aged 18+, we asked consumers if they considered themselves to be a "Foodie" (broadly defined as someone who has an enthusiastic interest in preparing foods and a comprehensive knowledge or interest of world cuisines, spices, food trends and food preparation techniques).

The results showed that 3 in 10 respondents relate highly to being a Foodie. Close to half (48%) of respondents perceive themselves at the "middle ground", and 9% rate themselves as an Ultimate Foodie. That's a lot of love for food in this country. Taking a closer look at Foodies, this group combs through the ingredient label when buying products, much more so than a Non-Foodie.

Hot Food Trends

The consumer exerts a strong influence on food and beverage companies, providing direction on what is currently relevant on the grocery market shelves and also what the "next big trend" could be.

To that end, Ipsos in Canada is launching the Hot Trends in Food syndicated study. The study will look at which food trends resonate with consumers, who is buying (or not buying) what and see what is on the cusp as the Next Big Food Idea. Ipsos Social Media Listening capabilities will be integrated into the study to provide additional context and insights.

In addition, consultation with industry experts will provide an "insider" perspective on what's up and coming. This study will offer current information directly relevant to product development, marketing, and positioning.

Emerging Trends

We conducted a similar study in 2008. The data in that study also examined hot trends in food purchasing behaviour by Canadians with important insights for food and beverage product developers, marketers and advertisers.

What we found then was a growing interest by Canadians for products that contained whole grains, were high in fiber and were low in fat, low in sugar and low in sodium. That was three years ago. With much talk about local, organic and vegetarian meal options, how will these new trends rank on the plates and pallets of Canadians?

The 2011 Study

Ipsos is going back into field to measure the appetite of today's consumers. The 2011 study will provide subscribers with:

• Food Trend Tracking – to understand how the food trends Ipsos has been tracking have evolved over time.
• Hot Food Trends Interest Beyond Health and Nutrition – including interest in and usage of the latest Food App for their Smartphone.
• Purchase & Early Adopter Profiles – to better understand who is buying what, and also who is consuming these products within the household.
• What's Hot to Consumers Now? – plus input from consumers as to what they would like to see as the next big food trend.
• Morsels of Insights from Experts in the Food Industry – to garner ideas you can leverage for product development and marketing.

To learn more about the 2011 study, please contact:

Sandy Janzen
Vice President, Ipsos Reid East
416.572.4464 * [email protected]

¹Healthy Foods for Kids--What Do Parents Want?
²Getting Vitamins from Food and Beverages is First Priority for Consumers