Food production/consumption has always been a key topic in all economies. Wondering what’s the next food trend for 2021? We have gathered some ideas and thoughts from the industry expert and work out this food trend list. Here are HKTDC’s top 6 food trend predictions for 2021.
1. Plant-Based Meat
As more consumer are interested in plant-based diets, the plant-based meat is expected to be a new food trend in the future. According to a report by Global consulting company A.T. Kearney’s, it claimed that by 2040, ‘the meat we eat will not come from animals and 60% of them will be replaced by plant-based meat’. ‘It is also expected the plant-based meat market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.4% from 2020 to 2027’. We predict that this trend will keep growing and become a new range of meat alternatives.
2. Pea Protein
People nowadays are looking for better lifestyle with a focus on health and wellness, therefore the demand for pea protein is increasing. Talking about pea protein, it is a high-quality protein and a great source of iron, it can also aid muscle growth, weight loss and heart health. Therefore, pea protein has become a popular alternative to whey-based protein powders in post-workout drinks and are welcomed by many gym goer.
3. Edible insects
Eating insects has been part of Asian cultures for quite a while and this trend is now start spreading to some of the western countries. Products like cricket chips, earthworm flour start to appear in supermarkets and some restaurants even start serving up creative dishes made with edible insects too.
4. Fruit and Vegetable Jerky
Can you imagine vegetable and fruit can also come in jerky-style? With the new technology and skill, even vegetables can be served as jerky-style. It’s time to start preserving vegetables like meat and we can enjoy these fruits and vegetable in a new special way.
5. Upcycled Food
According to the Upcycled Food Association, they defined upcycled foods as ” upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment.” to put it in simple terms– making the most of your food. Now, many food companies have start addressing this problem and find way to reduce food waste. Some examples like Kazoo, a snack company is making tortilla chips with upcycled corn germ. Another company named The Ugly Pickle Co. are making pickles from “cosmetically-challenged” cucumbers that would otherwise be discarded.
6. Eat at home
COVID-19 has changed everyone’s eating habit. During the pandemic, many of us are required to do home-office, we no longer had our breakfast on our commute. Restaurants and bars are also forced to close at night or operate with certain restrictions, thus consumers are more used to staying at home and spending more time to prepare food at home. Many expect this trend to stay for a while even the social distancing measures have been removed.
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