NCFIL Director’s Report: 2020 Predictions

Welcome to our first NCFIL Briefing. We will post bimonthly reports offering information about facility activities, plant-based ingredients and foods updates, food industry trends and entrepreneurial tips.

A Fruitful Start  

2020 is off to a promising start. So is NCFIL. Following NCFIL’s November ribbon cutting ceremony and open house, we received considerable publicity. That translated into an overwhelming number of phone calls and requests via our website for follow-up. We are diligently responding to all the outreach. 

Concurrently, we had two setbacks in our organization: our Pilot Plant Manager resigned to pursue other interests, and we identified pilot plant engineering issues that must be corrected before we finish equipment installation, commission the plant, and undergo inspection by a regulatory agency. With that said, our product development lab and test kitchen are operational and have been quite active.

2020 Predictions

This time of year many respected publications and knowledgeable individuals make industry predictions. They forecast flavor and packaging trends as well as speculate which cuisines will be hot and which products consumers will seek. By following these trends closely, we can advise clients in various categories trends to consider and trends to ignore.

Here’s what we know: 

• Consumers will continue to desire a greater variety of plant-based foods, especially in categories replacing traditionally animal-sourced products. These include alternatives to dairy, processed meats and eggs. 
• Seafood is buzzing as the next category to interest consumers with plant-based alternatives. Food scientists are working harder to improve protein isolation and flavors.  
• Private sector investment will increase this year as witnessed by the $161 million Memphis Meats just secured from players like Cargill and Tyson. 
• More public funding should be available for academic researchers working in plant-based proteins after the US government encouraged research in this area.
• Consumers are becoming more aware of regenerative agriculture and will be seeking products from companies improving their use of land and animal management. 
• Sustainability will move from being a buzz word to actionable specifics. Food processors deliver on reduction of waste and decreased greenhouse gas emissions. 
• Flour is being made from numerous agricultural commodities, especially if they are gluten-free.  The consumer will be able to find novel sources of protein and fiber from these flours. 
• Foods from West Africa are trending as the consumer’s palette continues to seek novelty.
• Children’s foods will receive considerable attention as food companies address their needs from a nutritional and sensorial perspective.
• The beverage category will see a rise in zero-proof drinks. All the flavor of a cocktail without the alcohol (and in some cases far fewer calories).  
• Hemp-derived CBD will still make headlines in the coming year, attracting newer consumer segments.  

Check back next month to learn about the state of food entrepreneurship. We welcome your feedback and perspectives on these briefings.