Rise In Consumer Health And Sustainability Concerns Drives Food And Beverage Trends

Reston, Va.; Dec. 8, 2016 — With an eye toward the inaugural ProFood Tech (April 4–6, 2017; McCormick Place, Chicago), show partner PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, reports a 25 percent increase in vegetarian and a 257 percent rise in vegan global food and drink product launches between Sept. 2010–Aug. 2011 and Sept. 2015–Aug. 2016. PMMI explores the steadily growing consumer focus on health and wellness as well as sustainability in the association’s latest infographic “What’s Next: Food and Beverage Trends Impact Industry Growth.”

“Increasing consumer demand for more healthful foods and beverages continues to fuel the rise of organic, vegetarian and vegan products,” said Jorge Izquierdo, vice president of Market Development, PMMI. “Meanwhile, growing demand for convenient, on-the-go and single serve options underscores the need for brand owners to accommodate more active consumer lifestyles.”

In addition to their own health and wellness, consumers are also showing greater concern for the environmental impact of the supply chain—particularly, the 1.3 billion tons of food waste representing one-third of food produced for human consumption. Meanwhile, interest in greater packaging sustainability remains strong.

“Shifting consumer preferences for natural, healthy and Earth-friendly brands place new demands on the manufacturing operations of food and beverage processors,” Izquierdo said. “These companies must fine-tune product lines to accommodate new ingredients, implement alternatives to chemical preservatives and often build or modify lines for greater flexibility. Additionally, they must do it all while minimizing changeover times and learning curves for operators.”

To help food and beverage processors find the solutions they need to adapt their production lines, ProFood Tech will offer a wide range of processing technologies and educational programming. The new, biennial show, powered by three of the world’s top trade show leaders—PACK EXPO, Anuga and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA)—ProFood Tech is the only food and beverage focused event in North America that will cover all sectors, including the baking and snack, dairy, frozen foods, prepared foods, meat, poultry and seafood industries. The show will bring together more than 6,000 attendees to view innovations from 400 of the world’s top food and beverage industry suppliers across more than 150,000 net square feet of exhibit space. Additionally, the ProFood Tech Conference Program presented by IDFA will address market changes, trends and regulations with a 36-session program.

For food and beverage companies based in the eastern United States, PACK EXPO East 2017 (Feb. 27–March 1, 2017) will return to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia to serve as the industry’s premier trade show experience in the region. The show will bring together 400 suppliers of packaging innovations and more than 7,000 attendees from a variety of industries.

Registration for ProFood Tech and PACK EXPO East is now open. Visit www.profoodtech.com or www.packexpoeast.com to register.

To view more of PMMI’s infographics, visit the following links:
• Breaking Down Sustainable Packaging
• What’s Cookin’ in Food Packaging (Corresponding executive summary of PMMI’s full report available here.)
• The Food Safety Modernization Act: On Your Mark…Get Set…Comply! (Corresponding executive summary of PMMI’s full report available here.)

About PMMI
PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, represents the voice of more than 750 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials as well as providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry. We work to advance a variety of industries by connecting consumer goods companies with manufacturing solutions through the world-class PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows, leading trade media and a wide range of resources to empower our members. The PACK EXPO trade shows unite the world of processing and packaging to advance the industries they serve: PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Pharma EXPO, PACK EXPO East, EXPO PACK México, EXPO PACK Guadalajara and ProFood Tech, launching in April 2017. PMMI Media Group connects manufacturers to the latest solutions, trends and innovations in processing and packaging year-round through brands including Packaging World, Automation World, Healthcare Packaging, Contract Packaging, ProFood World and Packaging + Processing OEM. PMMI Business Drivers assist members in pursuing operational excellence through workforce development initiatives, deliver actionable business intelligence on economic, market and industry trends to support members' growth strategies, and actively connect the supply chain throughout the year.