Vegetarianism may not be the largest trend in the food industry at present, but surprising numbers of young people are opting to go meat-free, while an aging population has its own reasons behind avoiding meats.
How much of a market is there for vegetarian products? A 2009 Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) survey found about 1% of American consumers identify themselves as vegan, roughly a third of the number who regard themselves as vegetarians, but the group’s 2010 survey found a surprising amount of vegetarians among Americans between 8-18.
Danisco has taken natural food protection one step further, by converting its entire MicroGARD® and NovaGARD® ingredient lines to “gluten-free,” in response to growing consumer demand.
The top claims in global sauces and dressings include reduced-calorie, natural and non-allergen, while mustard, garlic and Caesar ranked as the top-three flavors.
The dairy category saw growth in low-/no-fat claims, and allergen concerns, pre-/probiotics and vitamin/mineral fortification proved key to new launches.