Issues, trends and challenges facing the food and drink industry – forecasts to 2014

Table of contents

Inevitably, the global economic downturn that made an impact in 2008 is covered in the report. The credit crunch/recession will continue to rage in many countries throughout 2009, and is expected to influence consumer purchasing habits, food and drink sales and innovation over the next 12 to 18 months at least.

This report considers food and drink NPD and other vital branding, marketing and sales strategies in the context of the following challenges, issues and trends expected to influence over the next five years:

1. Climate change
2. Global economic downturn
3. Obesity and diet-related illnesses
4. Food safety and consumer trust
5. Evolving consumer demands influencing NPD: the simplicity trend

Aims of the report
The primary objective of this report is to provide a snapshot of the current issues, trends and challenges in the global food and drink market and to offer the reader just-food's analysis of likely implications each issue will have on new product development and marketing.

Our investigation of the current market has helped us provide forecasts and predictions for trends, challenges and influences on the horizon to 2014 based on primary and secondary research.

The report analyses growth strategies implemented by multinationals and smaller players that can be used as a starting point for future strategy development. NPD in key markets including Europe, North America and Asia is investigated to provide insight into competitor activity, best-practice growth strategies and potential opportunities for innovation. just-food has analysed a selection of the major challenges/issues and trends in order to better understand the future direction of the food and drink market.

Following the introductory first chapter, Chapter 2 begins the report identifying climate change as a major issue facing the industry.

‘Food miles’ was a poignant catchphrase in the food and drink industry three or four years ago, but in 2009 consumers perceive the environment as a more far-reaching issue. Food miles are a part of, but not the whole problem. This chapter brings the issue of climate change and its impact on the food industry up-to-date, looking at the focus on carbon footprints and NPD and marketing around this issue.

Companies mentioned include Tesco, PepsiCo, Aurora, Walkers, Innocent, Wal-Mart, Casino, Pudding Lane.

Chapter 3 Global credit crunch
No two recessions are the same so companies that are reviewing past activity and making direct comparisons, i.e. between the 1990s and now, will find it difficult to make assumptions. Forward-thinking functional companies are already planning for the recovery, as well as how to deal with the inevitable decrease in frequency of purchase of more premium products during the recession.

This chapter looks at case examples of companies struggling to market product lines in this downturn (eg, the UK withdrawal of Nestlé's functional smoothie range, Boosted), discusses key issues such as the lack of consumer confidence and looks at regional prospects for 2009, private label and fluctuating raw material prices.

The chapter also looks at brand strategies bucking the trend and proving succesful in the downturn.

Companies mentioned include Nestlé, Fonterra, Ajinomoto, LDC, Lännen Tehtaat, Innocent, Natra, Super de Boer, Ocado.

Chapter 4 Obesity and diet-related illness
This chapter considers recent moves by the food and drink industry, government interventions, and industry-wide strategies that are likely to become more commonplace over the next five years in relation to diet-related illness and obesity. Topics covered include: government intervention, 'fat tax', and nutrition labelling.

The chapter concludes by providing diet-related food and drink market value forecasts for US and Europe, from 2008 to 2014.

Chapter 5 Food safety
Globalisation of the food and drink industry has led to a rising number of international recalls and outbreaks as the food supply chain grows longer and longer. At the other end of the scale, there are ongoing concerns of the possibility of bioterrorism and economic/chemical terrorism that would have a huge impact on food safety on a global scale. On a smaller scale, however, local food is not without its food safety challenges. This chapter reviews recent food safety issues and suggests how companies can be best-placed to tackle this potential issue.

Companies mentioned include KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver’s and A&W (all owned by Yum! Brands Inc.), Britvic, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo.

Chapter 6 Evolving consumer demands: Focus on simplicity
The food and drink industry must strive to keep up with consumers’ changing needs, shopping and purchasing patterns and spending habits. Reflecting the major challenges and issues highlighted in this report (climate change, the global economic downturn, weight management and food safety), just-food predicts ‘simplicity’ to be a hugely influential trend for branding, marketing and NPD strategies to 2014.

Simplicity will be a major trend in the food and drink market over the next year because consumers are looking for brands that have been stripped back to basics and that will offer real, genuine and honest values.

This chapter looks at the drivers of brand simplicity, and offers suggestions for how manufacturers and retailers can achieve it. It also reviews the simplicity trend in food and drink packaging.

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Read more about this report with just-food's research article here