Catering to “the adventurous consumer” is key for the 2019 food and beverage market—no doubt the same is true for cosmetic consumers, as this refers to consumers set on new discoveries and experiences.
The connected world has led consumers of all ages to become more knowledgeable of other cultures, contributing to 35% growth of “discovery” claims from launches in 2017 versus 2016, according to Innova Market Insights. Following, the firm discusses this and additional trends in foods and beverages; parallel insights are provided from the cosmetics side.
1. Discovery: the Adventurous Consumer
The food and beverage industry is focused on satisfying the adventurous consumer. Consumers are moving out of comfort zones to explore bolder flavors and multisensory food experiences. There is also a focus on heightened sensory delivery, often combined with an element of the unexpected.
Transforming textures and multisensory cues... sound familiar? Not to mention interest in exotic ingredients from different regions, or traditional, herbal and folklore botanicals.
2. The Plant Kingdom
Mirroring demand for natural cosmetics, the market for plant-based materials shows no signs of slowing, and companies and brands are greening up their portfolios to attract mainstream consumers.
For many food and beverage consumers, going plant-based is about achieving a healthy and sustainable balance between meats and vegetables, rather than adopting an all-or-nothing way of eating. Perhaps for cosmetics, this means accepting a balance of both natural ingredients and synthetics, with proven efficacy; although great strides have been made toward improving the functionality of naturals.
3. Alternatives to All
As more consumers pay attention to health and sustainability, replacements have been developed for D5 and parabens in cosmetics, among others. In parallel, replacement foods and ingredients are on the rise.
Health remains the number one reason consumers buy food alternatives to bread, meat or dairy; in fact, one in two U.S. consumers report this driver. The search for alternative proteins, for example, has resulted in a rise in the use of black beans, lentils, peas, rice, nuts and seeds, chickpeas and even insects as protein ingredients for foods.
4. Green (Sustainable) Appeal
Aligned with cosmetics, the food and beverage industry also is driven to provide solutions to meet customer expectations around sustainability. This leads corporate strategies, product and packaging initiatives, and even socially supportive supply chains. It also includes waste reduction through upcycled ingredients, post-consumer recycling, improved biodegradability and new technologies such as compostable capsules and vegetable inks. Much of the same is seen on the cosmetics front.
5. Snacking: the Definitive Occasion
For most food and beverage consumers, snacking is a part of daily life and always has been. What is changing, however, is the way they think about snacking and what is considered a snack. Snacking is no longer the optional extra but the definitive occasion. It is a central focus of innovation across all food and beverage categories, with a 10% average annual increase in global food and beverage launches making a snacking claim between 2013 and 2017.
Perhaps the closest parallels in cosmetics are purchases made for a given occasion. Mary Kay's Rusty Wright, director of global brand marketing, described this as "wardrobing" in a recent interview. "Mascara 'wardrobing' [is] a beauty expectation—customers no longer wear just one mascara, they buy for different occasions and also layer multiple mascaras."
Another relatable cosmetic scenario may be one-off occasions of sampling, sample products and virtual apps to "try on" new looks.
Additional Insights
Innova Market Insights for food and beverage consumers include:
6. Eating for Me—Relatable in cosmetics to embracing aging gracefully and supporting inclusion and diversity in product offerings;
7. A Fresh Look at Fiber—Choosing cosmetics with added health/wellness benefits;
8. I Feel Good—Similar to item 7, above, with new evidence linking feel-good properties of product application with actual skin care improvements;
9. Small Player Mindset—the Indie Beauty explosion; and
10. Connected to the Plate—getting closer to the source of cosmetic ingredients and their social impact.
For more information, visit the Innova Market Insights website.
