10 Food Trend Predictions for 2022
Culinary Technology journal, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), has released its predictions for the trendiest food trends in 2022. Here’s what they’re predicting over the next 12 months:
Alt-Meat Consolidation
In 2022, the alt-proteins industry appears to be primed for a flurry of mergers and acquisitions. It’s a classic build-it-or-buy-it scenario, with upstarts in the plant-based and cellular markets looking to fast solidify their first-mover advantage, while traditional behemoths invest to hedge against seemingly unavoidable market upheavals.
Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, among the plant-based front-runners, have been amassing capital in preparation for big moves. Meanwhile, major meat producers such as Tyson and Cargill have invested in cellular protein startups such as New Wave Foods, Memphis Meats, Aleph Farms, and Future Meat Technologies.
—Editor-in-Chief Bill McDowell
Discriminating Consumers Will Get Choosier
Concerned about the impact of specific food groups (meat, dairy, sugar) on their health, a growing group of health-conscious consumers will embrace dietary changes, opening up more opportunities for the next generation of plant-based foods, lower-sugar offerings, and other healthy lifestyle products. The trend will be fueled by aging baby boomers who are dealing with medical issues and nutritionally aware millennials.
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Executive Editor Mary Ellen Kuhn
Upcycling on the Upswing
Although the notion of upcycling food waste has been around for a long time, food manufacturers should expect it to grow more prominent in the future years. Companies are exploring new revenue streams from outputs that were previously considered trash as increased commodity costs continue to put pressure on bottom lines. Dole Sunshine Co. created Dole Specialty Ingredients in October with the goal of repurposing fruit side streams and unutilized fruit components into high-value natural goods such as enzymes, extracts, seed oils, and fibers. As a result, other businesses will follow suit.
Senior Digital Editor Kelly Hensel
More Milk Alternatives
Plant-based milk has grown in popularity as a result of its health and nutritional benefits, as well as its clean label qualities and environmentally friendly nature. In this highly competitive area, where oat-based products recently outsold soy to grab the No. 2 spot in sales, expect an avalanche of new launches. While consumers have taken to pea-based products, a slew of new formulations based on beans, chickpeas, barley, hemp, and flax will continue to redefine and extend the milk-alternative market.
Associate Editor Margaret Malochleb
Smarter Era for Food Processing
Processors are looking for ways to adapt their operations to be more digitally integrated as we continue to talk about the “New Smarter Era for Food Safety.” However, this raises concerns about potential data breaches and a lack of capacity to fulfill future workforce requirements. As digital tools promise better efficiency, safety, and sustainability in the food processing industry, there will be increasing interest in the smart use of sensors, data, and AI models with high prediction capabilities.
—Ziynet Boz, Processing Contributing Editor