Consumer demands and expectations have changed a lot over the past couple of years. Whether it’s demand for more nostalgic flavours or healthier and greener ways to indulge, dairy suppliers will need to take note of what their customers are after in order to stand out from the competition.
This blog from Freshways outlines a few of the main trends that are set to dominate the dairy industry this year.
Health and wellbeing
Consumers are increasingly focused on health and nutrition, particularly at the start of a new year as we all attempt to stick to our New Year’s resolutions. Therefore, people are eager to find dairy and dairy-alternative products that will help them meet their wider health goals, whether it’s better nutrition or weight loss or gain.
As a result of this demand, dairy suppliers now face the challenge of increasing the nutritional value of their products. Many might choose to do this through creatively incorporating fruits and vegetables, vitamins or other superfoods into their newest innovations such as ice cream balls or interesting dairy-based smoothies and juices.
Staying on top of this trend could not only help suppliers boost their products’ nutritional qualities but also help to entice new customers and retain existing ones by introducing exciting new products.
Flavour
Another trend that is likely to shape the dairy industry in 2022 is a preference for unique and diverse flavours. While the pandemic encouraged a return to nostalgic, traditional flavours, a survey of 2021 trends revealed that many consumers are also now becoming more adventurous in their cooking and food consumption.
This provides dairy suppliers with another opportunity to develop their products by introducing bold and exciting flavours that appeal to consumers’ changing tastes. To use just one example of how they could do this, innovative berry blends and flavours such as cranberry or blueberry can easily be added to yoghurt and milk products in order to satisfy customers’ need for new flavours.
Environmental responsibility
Many of us are now embracing a more sustainable lifestyle, for a wide variety of reasons, so it’s unsurprising that this will have an impact on what consumers want out of their dairy products in 2022. As we lean towards food and drink products with transparent, ethical, and environmentally responsible origins, it’s never been more important to embrace sustainable practices throughout the supply chain.
This could not only be beneficial for the environment but for dairy suppliers’ businesses as well – it has been reported that 30% of consumers globally are willing to pay a premium price for sustainably-sourced products.
For both traditional and exciting dairy products, look no further than Freshways. We stock a wide range of products that are responsibly sourced and always of exceptional quality. From cheese and butter to juice and bread, we’re sure to have what you need to keep your customers happy throughout 2022 and beyond. For more information, contact us now.