01 In times of uncertainty, consumers crave a sense of agency over their lives. Food, drink and foodservice brands need to help consumers feel empowered to make confident decisions that protect their health and the health of the planet. Feelings of precariousness and financial insecurity both created and exaggerated by the pandemic mean that consumers are looking for a sense of control. At the same time, the continued spread of misinformation is making it harder for consumers to carry out the necessary research to make informed decisions. Therefore, consumers need clarity, transparency, flexibility and options to make decisions that suit their individual changing needs and circumstances. They want to know about ingredientsboth what's excluded and what's included, and whybut also about efficacy to be sure that products deliver on what they promise. The consumer desire to be 'In Control' of food and drink decisions is both more microscopic, which addresses individual concerns, and telescopic, which encompasses decisions that have a wider impact on the community, nation or the planet. COVID-19 has made us consider our food and drink choices more closely. We study ingredients, look to maximize the positive benefits both for physical and emotional wellbeing, and scrutinize for the absence of ingredients and processes that we consider could be bad for us. Considerations around 'we' are now much more extensive and inclusive. Issues such as the pandemic and climate change have broadened our horizons and there is a deeper reflection on the ethical and environmental impact of the food we eat, both at a local level and for the good of the planet and its citizens." Consumers will weigh both personal and collective concerns DAVID FAULKNER Director, Mintel Food & Drink As consumers continue to deal with feelings of precariousness and financial insecurity that were created or exaggerated by the pandemic, they are more in need of a sense of control. After a period of lockdowns and mandates, empowerment will come from being able to make one's own decisions. In food and drink, consumer expectations have grown beyond stories and detailed claims; in 2022, consumers will want to see trustworthiness and measurable progress on health, environmental and ethical commitments. The slowdown in activity during the pandemic also gave people time to reflect on their values. Shoppers will consider how their purchases contribute to protecting their health and/or the health of the planet and everything on it. 2 Source: Mintel Reports Brazil, Food & Beverage Packaging Trends, 2021; Mintel Reports UK, COVID-19 and food and drink: A year on, 2021; Mintel Reports US, Food Packaging Trends, 2021 of Brazilian consumers would be encouraged to scan a QR code on a package if it provides more details about the product/brand. of UK consumers say the COVID-19/coronavirus outbreak has made it more important to buy British produce. of US grocery shoppers say clear nutritional information (eg calories, sugar content) is important on food packaging. NOW Consumers want transparency across food and drink categories and claims Consumers are seeking clarity and transparency to inform their decisions and suit their changing needs and circumstances: 3 Help consumers regain control of their health Consumers will be looking for clear and reliable guidance that a product will meet their ingredient preferences, moral values and/or health priorities. Amidst a global health crisis, many consumers want more control over their wellbeing. Consumers' needs for protection will increase the demand for products that help both short- and longterm health goals. Immune health will continue to be a sought-after food and drink claim. The stress of daily life in a pandemic has caused many people to turn to comforting food. In 2022, more consumers will be seeking guidance and products that help them reach their goals to eat healthily and manage their weight. Convenient healthy food and drink will appeal to people like the 45% of Japanese adults who say a busy lifestyle makes it difficult to eat healthily. Interest will increase for personalized weight management products, too. Source: Mintel Reports Japan, Flexitarian and plant-based food trends, 2021 of Japanese adults who say a busy lifestyle makes it difficult to eat healthily Celestial Seasonings Daily Wellness Organic Infusion (Mexico) Source: Mintel GNPD NOW 4 Be accountable for environmental and ethical commitments Mintel predicts that consumers will expect more transparency about a brand's climatefriendly and ethical commitments. Brands can add accountability with third party verification or measurements via rating systems. However, consumers recognize that it will take time to build a more environmentally friendly and ethical food system. Brands that miss targets or have low ratings can earn trust with honest admissions and transparent plans for improvement. More Than Cashews includes a QR code to scan to meet the farmer (Kenya) Source: Mintel GNPD La Fourche Organic Italian Olive Oil has a B Eco Score (France) Source: Mintel GNPD NOW 5 Commit to honest and thorough communication with consumers Going forward, companies will be expected to provide updates on progress related to long-term or transitional policies. Even more trust will be won by providing verified information, such as claims certified by thirdparty organizations. Enabling consumers to take more control will be made easier with personalized preferences in apps and smartphones that filter claims to spotlight what matters most to the individual, such as ingredients or ethical claims. These personalized settings will foster relationships between companies and consumers that could extend to better transparency around pricing. Consumers were predicted to want more details on how companies determine pricing in Mintel's 2021 Global Food and Drink Trend Quality Redefined. Transparency will be needed if commitments to healthy, environmentally friendly or ethical policies result in higher retail prices. Transition Juice supports farmers during organic conversion (France) Source: Mintel GNPD NEXT 6 Standardise and measure climate and ethical commitments Make the concept of carbon footprint more tangible In the next few years, brands, retailers and governments have opportunities to collaborate and create standards that make it easier for consumers to understand environmental claims. Sustainably-minded consumers will be looking for products that include details about how agriculture, transport, processing and other factors contribute to the carbon footprint. Consumers also will want more details about whether offsets or actual reductions in emissions were used to achieve carbonneutral or -positive status. Measure the impact of ethical programs Consumers will be looking for tangible, measurable ethical commitments in areas such as animal welfare and fair pay. Indeed, 31% of Thai shoppers would like online stores to have a feature that highlights ethical brands. Detailed ethical measurements will reassure consumers that brands are making a difference and reduce the need to confirm claims with their research. To make it even easier, ethical claims can be standardized across industries, akin to Fair Trade certification. Source: Mintel Reports Thailand, eCommerce, 2021 of Thai shoppers would like online stores to have a feature that highlights ethical brands. Source: fairtradecertified.org NEXT 7 WHAT BRANDS AND MARKETERS NEED TO KNOW The food, drink and foodservice brands that stand out will be the ones that help consumers feel empowered to confidently make choices that protect themselves and their families. Brands will need to be honest and accountable about their ongoing commitments to people and the planet. Interested in speaking with a Consultant about how this trend applies to your business? Get in touch. 8 Mintel Food & Drink Expert-led, premium intelligence solution for the industry. Continuous, forwardlooking intelligence Across 35+ food and drink categories Product innovation across 86 markets Consumer insights covering 35 markets Global analysts Direct access to experts in science, retail, category, packaging, ingredients, and trends Technical foresight Concepts Packaging Flavours Ingredients Patents Regulation and labelling Textures and formats You also get access to: Mintel Reports: In-depth reports covering food and drink categories across nine markets. Mintel Trends: Macro trends backed by 300 observations a month and consumer data across 35 markets. Mintel GNPD: 40,000+ innovative FMCG product launches every month across 86 markets. Mintel Market Sizes: Per capita spend for 60 consumer goods categories across 34 markets. Mintel Menu Insights: Food trends from 8,000+ menus across 1,500 outlets every quarter in the US. Helping you make better decisions faster with: Insights and analytics Expert recommendations Robust predictions ENJOYMENT EVERYWHERE 02 Having endured lockdowns, consumers are eager to break out of their confines and explore, play and embrace novel experiences. Consumers will be seeking joyful products that amplify the flavours, colours, textures, aromas and interactivity that food and drink can provide. Feelings of precariousness and financial insecurity both created and exaggerated by the pandemic mean that consumers are looking for a sense of control. At the same time, the continued spread of misinformation is making it harder for consumers to carry out the necessary research to make informed decisions. Therefore, consumers need clarity, transparency, flexibility and options to make decisions that suit their individual changing needs and circumstances. They want to know about ingredientsboth what's excluded and what's included, and whybut also about efficacy to be sure that products deliver on what they promise. Consumers need joyful respites amid the anxiety and stress from the pandemic and other crises. Going forward, consumers will have a newfound appreciation for occasions when happiness, fun or playfulness can be found in everyday items and activities. Food, drink and foodservice have increasingly served as outlets for the comfort and creativity that consumers were craving during the pandemic's slowdown. Some consumers have gained new cooking, baking and drink-making skills that they can come back to when they need to play, create or impress. In the coming years, brands have an opportunity to make sure meals, drinks and snacks are not boring. Consumers will be seeking products that amplify flavours, colours, textures, aromas and interactivity to create moments of happiness or memorable experiences. Source: Mintel Reports India, Chocolate Confectionery, 2021 of Indian chocolate consumers say they eat chocolates to treat themselves, 43% to improve mood and 43% to reduce stress. 11 Help consumers play or escape with food, drink and foodservice experiences In the next 12 months, food, drink and foodservice brands can help consumers find joy and escape their everyday worries, stress or boredom. Fun will be essential amid the ongoing threat of COVID-19, financial stressors and divisive current events. For consumers who remain wary of venturing outside their homes, brands can provide opportunities for playfulness at home. Meal kits, digital cooking classes and gamified recipes can make mealtimes more fun. Brands will also need to consider their unique positioning and target audiences when creating joyful innovations. There is a broad spectrum to consider, such as low-priced treats for budget-conscious consumers, affordable luxuries like shareable seafood boils, or expensive experiences for people who are willing to spend more to treat themselves. HelloFresh partnered with Babbel for a Spanish cooking class event (US) Source: Babbel via Facebook NOW 12 NOW Brands are delivering enjoyment in China and Japan Social media is a critical force for driving playful food and drink content and activities in APAC. Snack to pair with ice cream An easy-to-use, yet playful, ice cream and snack pairing went viral on Chinese social media in 2021. House Tongari Salted Vanilla Flavor Corn Snack was developed as a snack that goes well with Lotte Coolish Vanilla ice cream (Japan). Source: Mintel GNPD Salty take on a creamy treat Koikeya has introduced an imitation of maritozzo, an Italian sweet bread that is stuffed with cream. The imitation has fresh cream sandwiched between Koikeya Okhotsk Salt & Rock Salt Potato Chips (Japan). Source: Mintel GNPD Creative with coffee concentrate Disruptive instant coffee brand Yong Pu launched concentrated coffee liquid (Yuzu flavoured Flash Brew Coffee) for consumers to play with coffee and create their own drink recipes (China). Source: Mintel GNPD 13 Multisensory products and gamified elements can make food more fun Consumers will be open to food, drink and foodservice that engages more of the senses to trigger emotional connections. Emotional resonance can be created with elements such as colour, texture and aroma, as noted by the 2021 Global Food and Drink Trend Feed The Mind. The rising popularity of gaming and esports presents opportunities to 'game-ify' everyday activities like cooking to make them more fun. Brands also can bring game features to life to reach the growing audience of people of all ages who play video games. Call of Duty fans, for example, inspired the creation of a new wine from Argentina. Foodservice also can join this trend, as shown by collaborations between local restaurants in Southeast Asia and miHoYo, the creator of the popular games Tears of Themis, Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact, to create game-themed experiences and game-inspired food. Winemaker Anfibio Vinera created a wine found in the game Call of Duty and named it Wine of Duty. Source: Mintel GNPD Minecraft Creeper Crunch Cereal is inspired by the popular game (US) Source: Mintel GNPD NEXT 14 NEXT Food, drink and foodservice brands have the opportunity to go beyond mere game sponsorship to become part of the integral fabric of the gaming experience. Create digital spaces to connect gamers within games, allowing them to sharpen real-world skills like cooking and baking with bake-offs and competitions, or running virtual, branded restaurants. Give them free rein to create recipes and menus, providing valuable insight for future product development." AYISHA KOYENIKAN Associate Director, Mintel Food & Drink Consider the opportunities to join - or escape - the metaverse Brands also can join the gaming trend by creating a virtual presence within popular games and platforms. 37% of US adults who played video games in the three months to July 2021 would like to see food and drink sponsorships in gaming. Along those lines, US restaurant chain Chipotle opened a virtual restaurant within the Roblox game in 2021. In the coming years, gaming will evolve from individual virtual worlds into a fully immersive metaverse, or a combined network of physical, augmented and virtual realities. The blend of 'real' and virtual worlds will give people the ability to live and express their brand loyalty both as their physical selves and as online avatars. 15 WHAT BRANDS AND MARKETERS NEED TO KNOW Consumers will be seeking joyful products that amplify flavours, colours, textures, aromas and interactivity. Brands will need to explore how to add fun elements in both the "real" and virtual worlds. Interested in speaking with a Consultant about how this trend applies to your business? Get in touch. 16 Mintel Global Consumer Understand and compare consumers across 35 markets. WHAT IT IS Mintel Global Consumer allows you to uncover the differences and similarities in behaviour and attitudes across consumers in the 35 markets that generate 85% of worldwide GDP. WHAT IT COVERS Our research examines the fundamental themes that influence consumer choice and change, as well as more specific attitudes towards food, drink, beauty, personal care and household care. Break into new markets by understanding what local consumers want and why. Grow in your current market by identifying which global trends you can apply locally. Create segmentation strategies by understanding distinctions between key target groups. 01 02 03 HOW IT HELPS Consumer behaviour across 35 markets Bi-annual survey of 35,000 people Covers 85% of worldwide GDP FLEXIBLE SPACES 03 Retailers, restaurants and brands can create multifunctional and meaningful spaces where consumers can connect, shop and eat in-person or online. Companies will creatively use food, drink and foodservice venues as forums where consumers can spend time, express themselves and meet new people. Feelings of precariousness and financial insecurity both created and exaggerated by the pandemic mean that consumers are looking for a sense of control. At the same time, the continued spread of misinformation is making it harder for consumers to carry out the necessary research to make informed decisions. Therefore, consumers need clarity, transparency, flexibility and options to make decisions that suit their individual changing needs and circumstances. They want to know about ingredientsboth what's excluded and what's included, and whybut also about efficacy to be sure that products deliver on what they promise. During the pandemic, consumers' living rooms became gyms, bars turned into vaccination sites and online retailers built brick-andmortar showrooms. This left consumers craving both support and flexibility from a wide range of resources, including the places where they shop and eat. People will continue to invest in their homes to make them multipurpose spaces for living, working and entertaining. Outside the home, retailers, restaurants and brands will get more inventive with their physical locations and online presence. Source: Mintel Reports UK, Pub Visiting, 2021 of UK adults who visit pubs/bars and are employed or going to school full-time say being able to book a quiet space in a pub/ bar would encourage them to work/study there more often. Starbucks opened a store in Japan with individual work spaces Source: starbucks.co.jp 19 Build multi-use spaces for consumers at home, away from home and online The home will continue to be a sanctuary for many people in the next 12 months. Consumers will consider the use, value and aesthetics of appliances and brands that will be out on display. Meanwhile, retail's primary function is expanding beyond just selling products. Cafs will be alternatives to offices for business meetings, while grocery stores will host trivia nights or birthday parties. Companies also can expand the services offered in their office space by offering seamless pickup of online orders or becoming recycling hubs. Physical stores will become venues where consumers can see, taste and touch products - and then purchase them to be delivered to their homes later. These experiences will reshape restaurants, retailers and branded pop-up shops into venues that foster deeper connections between consumers and brands. NOW Source: Mintel Reports Canada, Meal Planning and Preparation, 2021 of Canadians who are responsible for cooking would like more tools that show them how to put a meal together when shopping. 20 NOW Redefine approaches to space and selling See a DTC brand in person US direct-to-consumer (DTC) olive oil and vinegar brand Brightland opened a pop-up store in New York City for the 2021 holiday season. The store hosts special events and provides a venue for consumers to sample Brightland products, which are usually only available for sale online. Source: brightland.co Retail brand opens virtual restaurant Retail food brand Fazer partnered with delivery service Foodora to open a virtual restaurant chain in Finland. The menu of Fazer Street Food features high-quality, inventive burgers, hot dogs and other street food staples that are available for home delivery through Foodora's app. Source: Fazer Group Wellcome to the world of food Supermarket chain Wellcome opened Hong Kong's largest supermarket. The new 50,000 square feet store features 23 zones, 15,000 products from different global origins, and an in-store food 'street' that gives shoppers a chance to sample international cuisines. Source: Inside Retail Asia 21 Create places where people can celebrate their identities and meet likeminded individuals NEXT We know consumers are seeking a deeper connection with other people based on their passions, from sports to gaming to a shared love of a food or drink brand. Brands are beginning to supply both online and real-life spaces for these like-minded individuals to come together and cement these interests as a core part of their identities." MELANIE ZANOZA BARTELME Associate Director, Mintel Food & Drink In the coming years, consumers will seek a variety of physical and virtual spaces where they can celebrate the myriad of elements that make up their identities. Companies can create inclusive spaces that are designed to unite passionate fans or to meet the needs of niche audiences. Legacy food, drink and foodservice brands have an opportunity to embrace this trend by opening new concepts like pop-up shops or online environments where they can connect with a more diverse consumer base. These new concepts will also be forums where brand fans can meet one another, which is an opportunity predicted in Mintel's 2021 Global Food and Drink Trend United By Food. These physical and virtual branded spaces will be home to their 'microcommunities' of passionate fans. 22 NEXT Build welcoming spaces where people can make new connections Combine passion and products Brands with loyal followings can serve as points of connection between groups of people. These interactions can help to bridge the divisions that people perceive in society today. This can be similar to Heineken's 2017 Open Your World ads that brought people of opposing viewpoints together over a beer. Source: adweek.com Reinforce representation Brands can open unexpected spaces where they celebrate niche or underrepresented groups. Some Chinese brands have used co-branding strategies to link with communities that are niche yet active. Tims Coffee partnered with Tencent esports to build a flagship Tims Coffee store that also has an esports competition area in Shenzhen. Source: dailyhive.com Be open Food and drink often are conduits for fostering connections. Restaurants, retailers and brands can create multifunctional spaces that serve multiple uses. Source: Mintel Reports China, Hot Pot Dining, 2021; Mintel Reports UK, Pub Visiting, 2021 of Chinese adults agree that hotpot dining is a social event. of UK adults who visit pubs/ bars would be interested in attending social events such as book clubs at pubs. 23 WHAT BRANDS AND MARKETERS NEED TO KNOW Companies will creatively use food, drink and foodservice venues as forums where consumers can spend time, express themselves and meet new people. Inclusive spaces will be designed to connect brand fans and celebrate niche audiences. Interested in speaking with a Consultant about how this trend applies to your business?

• What future foodservice trends stood out to you?
• Do you have other ideas not mentioned in the document regarding the future of the foodservice industry? What are these and why do you think we are moving in this direction?
• How would you tie in past trends with future trends listed in the document?