Food trends are constantly changing as a result of information and education about our food available via the internet.
The biggest food movements or trends currently are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan and raw vegan has been more popular. Alex Stefan founder of Oomami, the world’s first social-marketplace and logistics company for small food producers explore the new ways of a healthier lifestyle.
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Foods of 2020 are beginning to simmer and as they mature into shelf-ready products we take a guess as to which ones we think will take centre stage.
1. Local Produce, farmers markets, and online marketplaces
Local produce markets have grown dramatically in popularity over the last decade and are typically a weekend ritual where we engage with growers and taste amazing produce. However, when we make our mid-week supermarket runs only 18 cents of every dollar from the products sold in chain supermarkets goes back to those who produce them. This will change though, with online marketplaces that enable food producers to sell directly to consumers, skipping the middleman. This may help boost food producer’s incomes, reduce waste, encourage us to shop seasonally and better connect with the origin of our food.
2. Lab-grown meat
With an increased awareness of animal welfare issues and the understanding that the future of the planet is in our hands, and climate change is recognised as a serious threat, turning to lab-produced “meat” will soon be available at a store near you. To produce lab-meat, stem cells from an animal are cultivated to produce a meat-resembling product. The benefit of lab-meat is that there are no animal welfare issues as such, and, water and land requirements are reduced, methane gas emissions from the livestock industry, which are the number 1 emitters of greenhouse gasses worldwide are reduced, and the need for land clearing for the production of animal feed is also reduced. By 2020 we could start to see lab-meat as a mainstream option on our menus, but the question is, would you eat it?
3. Plant-based meats
As veganism grows in popularity within Australia and worldwide there is we are seeing higher demand year on year for plant-based options of typical meat dishes. Big commercial food companies and a number of start-ups have cottoned on to this trend and are offering plant-based burgers and a whole host of products, something you would never think to be possible 5 years ago. With 25% of the world population being either vegetarian or vegan and Australian statistics showing an increase in the number of none meat eaters increasing from 5% in 2010 to 11.2% in 2016, the plant-based meat market is expected to grow to $140 billion in the next 10 years, which means more mainstream food outlets, supermarkets and restaurants will be making this a permanent offering.
4. Milk
The dairy industry has revolted against the use of the word “milk” to denote the category of a product that uses non-animal sources to create milk. But really, we have been using traditional diary labels for a lot of products that are in fact not animal-based, such as peanut butter and coconut milk, but you don’t see anyone jumping up and down over that! We’re starting to see more and more alternative milk options in cafes and supermarkets which we expect will only grow.
5. Medicinal Cannabis
We’re not talking about the mind-altering cannabis, but CBD which is known as cannabidiol and is not psychoactive but rather produces anti-psychoactive effects. CBD has been shown to be beneficial for individuals suffering from anxiety, mobility disorders, and epilepsy. Medicinal cannabis is not fully legal in all states of Australia but we predict it may be in 2020.
6. Gluten-Free
Thought you were already spoilt for choice when it came to gluten-free foods? In the Asian Pacific, Australia consumes the most gluten-free products, which is set to grow 11.2% annually by 2020. The most typical product we know to be gluten heavy is bread and pasta, however, gluten can be found in many other foods such as sauces, spices, pickles, lollies, dressings, ice-cream and more. What was once a small shelf of coeliac-friendly foods in supermarkets has expanded to aisles catering to gluten-free. These products are also less processed than they used to be and rather than adding fillers healthier ingredients are becoming the norm.
