Reinventing Food, DTC: the VIP square, Chic chips…
On the Spotlight
🌟 Marije Vogelzang: reinventing food.
While many researchers call themselves "food designers", Marije Vogelzang doesn't see it that way, for her, food is already beautifully designed by Mother Nature. That's why the Dutch researcher claims to be an "eating designer" on her website, whose mission is to explore the art of eating.
Her "Fake Meat" project is a perfect example. While in vitro meat is gaining notoriety and substitutes-based on soy or seaweed are flourishing, many of these types of products take the form of chicken legs, ground steak or nuggets. So many imitations of what you can find in the butcher's aisle... The problem? As soon as the notion of "copy" exists, the connotation of a product changes. In other words, the authentic value of the original is more valuable than the ersatz. For Vogelzang, the value of these alternatives lies in the ability to develop new narratives. Is PDO black ham from Bigorre renowned for the quality of its pigs? No problem: the researcher imagines a bestiary based on vegetable proteins.
"The fantasy animals I created have a habitat, lifestyle, and diet. These factors influence the design and taste of the meat. For example, the Ponti lives in empty volcanoes and nibbles on the ashes of the volcano. Therefore the meat of the Ponti is delicately smoked (...) The Herbast, on the other hand, lives in the herbal fields of southern France and needs to camouflage itself for protection against predators. The square-shaped animal grows herbs on its skin like fur and therefore the meat of the Herbast is naturally pre-seasoned."
It’s a sense of fiction that Marije Vogelzang does not hesitate to develop in her other works. According to several scientific studies, a person needs to taste a product an average of seven times before assimilating its flavor. However, getting someone to taste a new food — especially a vegetable — can be a nightmare for the youngest... The researcher wanted to make this process more playful. Her idea? To propose that the children use their teeth to create " vegetable jewels ".
Thus, by molding shapes with their mouths, the little ones taste again and again. The first workshops seem to have been fruitful as the parents of the young participants have reported positive results on their children's diet. This example is reminiscent of the work of "sensory food designer" Laila Snevele, whose board game subconsciously encourages children to choose fruits and vegetables over candy.
👀 DTC : the VIP square
In 2015, the studio Lernert & Sander — commissioned by the Dutch newspaper deVolkskrant — delivered its food version of cubism. In 2017, it was Cédric Grolet's turn to offer his own version of this artistic trend with his pastry Rubik's Cube. Since then, it is clear that the phenomenon is industrializing in an astonishing way. Let's focus on four geometry-loving brands.
Daily Harvest. Launched at the beginning of the year, this subscription-based meal service is surprisingly well packaged: "Mylk" comes in the form of frozen triangles and cubes to which you simply add water to obtain your drink. The interest is obvious, between saving space, the anti-waste dosage and long shelf life.
Squareat. Although at first glance these small blocks can be confused with meal replacements, that is far from being the case: each Square is composed of 100 per cent natural ingredients prepared at low temperature in order to preserve the nutrients, without adding preservatives. The brand communicates authentic flavors, revisited in an original and concentrated format. The cherry on the cube? An eco-responsible positioning: the squares are vacuum-packed in a BPA-free biodegradable bag and come in a compostable cardboard box designed to optimize space.
Slice of Sauce. Spotted on crowdfunding platforms a few years ago, the brand made the news again earlier this year on the American reality show Shark Tank. Slice of Sauce intends to reinvent the way ketchup is consumed by presenting it in the form of thin square sheets to be slipped into sandwiches,a concept that can be adapted to any sauce, literally.
Herb & Lou’s. With their colorful packaging, these small frozen cubes are designed to give your cocktails a boost. The concept is also appealing to other beverage categories as brands like Teaspressa offer variations to energize your champagne glasses, your beer mugs, as well as your squash latte and your hot chocolate. A new ritual?
Worth remembering. The cube format inspires a variety of geometry offerings, including Tea Drops, heart or star shaped tea leaves, Waterdrop water tablets and Cometeer, frozen coffee pods that are all the rage across the Atlantic with millennials and GenZ.
🎄Hood Food: what gifts under the christmas tree?
While food remains a staple of the holiday season, what trends are likely to emerge this year? We looked at Google queries around the world to observe the latest must-haves that, as of 2020, have shown signs of growth.
Boxes and snacks are hot. The query "snack gift basket" was typed into Google 12.1K in December 2020, more than double compared to December 2019. Same for "snack box gift" which, with its 22.1K queries in December 2020, represents 20 times more than in 2019! In general, food box subscriptions are also on the rise with 33.1K requests in December 2020 vs. 18.1K in December 2019. In this context, it is not surprising that the offer is growing, like the very healthy My Snack Box (France) or the curation offered by Pop Up Grocer (USA). The phenomenon has not left the world of mass distribution untouched, with Whole Foods Market taking advantage of editorial content on its blog presenting its 10 food trends to market an associated box. Two weeks after its launch, the offer was already sold out.
Personalization, a proven strategy. Although it can take on many different forms, food customization is on the rise. From Shanty cookies to personalized M&Ms, the pace is accelerating... even more so at the end of the year. For example, Cadbury bar packaging can now be customized with the message of your choice while the query "Personalized chocolate" alone has been searched 40.5K times in November and December 2020, almost double compared to November and December 2019. For DIY enthusiasts, you may be interested to know that there are also molds and cookie cutters modeled from a photo of a close relative and 3D printed. This brand on Etsy has sold over 3,000 of them.
But also... Out of inspiration? Maybe you can add a vegan hamper to your Christmas list, as this type of product generated 33.1K requests in December 2020, double the number in 2019. In any case, the uncommon remains a good option as "unique food gifts" generated 5.4K searches in November 2020, not counting the many semantic variants.
Strong Signals
⭐ 2021 innovations, 2022 must-haves?
Foodboro, a community dedicated to food trends, has just launched a contest to elect the most innovative brands of 2021. If the lucky winners have not yet been revealed, could the nominees inspire new food routines for 2022?
Starting in January, you can support your sports resolutions with a few sips of Superfrau!, a functional drink formulated from the whey obtained during the fermentation of yogurt and cheese, which is usually thrown away. Here, the brand infuses it with natural flavors to make a fizzy beverage, rich in nutrients and electrolytes. A great pairing for your After Bar, a CBD-based vegan bar designed for recovery after exercise. During your lunch break, you may be tempted by the Chinese street food of Xiao Chi Jei. Or maybe you'll opt for a dish topped with Enspice herbs — enriched with vitamins and minerals — or Howl at the Spoon artisanal coulis, or even Lolli probiotic dressing. Running out of time? You can always switch to the Undressed salad bar. For dessert, get ready to try True Scoops blender ice cream with a pack of Faves — low sugar fruit climate candy— or a slice of bread topped with Banzo Butter, a chickpea spread. Or why not a bowl of Oats in Coats fruit and vegetable oatmeal sprinkled with Off Limits cereal glitter. All of this with a cup of Atomo coffee — a seedless coffee born from a unique upcycling process — and a Mosh bar for your brain, guaranteed 100 per cent Zen attitude.
🍠 Chips get adventurous, healthy and upcycled.
The savory snacks market size is expected to develop at a high rate of 4.50% from 2020 to 2025. It is projected to arrive at a market worth of USD $168.46 billion before the end of 2025. The market comprises chips and its variations, whether we're talking about traditional, premium or flavored versions which continue to nibble their way into the market through three major categories
Vegetable chips: Radishes, parsnips, carrots, lentils, chickpeas, kale, beets ... the offer is plethoric, such as Eat Real, which boasts 40 per cent less fat, while being vegan and free of gluten or additives. Stemming from raw food, the raw chips made from dehydrated vegetables are also booming, as well as their DIY alternative thanks to the TikTok communities' craze for air fryers. Another example is "mushroom jerky", a variation of beef jerky made with mushrooms. These new kinds of “chips” have seen their popularity explode since their presentation on Shark Tank at the end of 2020. The brand of the moment? Pan’s Mushroom Jerky.
Healthy chips. The term is quite generic for a segment that is renewing itself and taking different forms. Less salt, low-fat cooking methods, alternatives to potatoes, organic or even "keto" recipes... the range of possibilities — and flavors — is vast. In France, Too Good, distributed in supermarkets, offers soy and potato snacks that are popped and not fried. Also noteworthy is the proliferation of protein-rich chips for athletes.
Sustainable chips. Often linked to healthy eating, this category combines two strong arguments. Several brands stand out: Good Fish, for example, offers wild salmon chips that are rich in protein, omega 3 and marine collagen, a star component of beauty food. Good Fish falls into the category of so-called "upcycled" offerings by using the skin of the fish that, under other circumstances, would have ended up in the trash. The brand relies on a product made in very few steps and on salmon from responsible fisheries. Spudsy, on the other hand, markets snacks made from sweet potatoes that have been removed from the market due to their imperfections. Let's also mention the seaweed chips from 12 Tides, which donates 1 per cent of its profits to the restoration of kelp forests in California.
What’s next ? In addition to the notion of sustainability, we should soon see the emergence of a range of so-called "functional" chips. And this, even if the argument seems somewhat contradictory with this type of product ... could we soon see chips to overcome hormonal disorders? Or enriched with adaptogens or CBD for a more zen mind? All bets are off.
Weak signals.
🍃 When scraps feed the competition
While 811 million people suffer from hunger, 17 per cent of the food produced worldwide is wasted. A terrible paradox that the UN calls to fight in the name of food security and sustainability. While governments are increasingly regulating this through concrete measures — such as the Garot Law in France — several companies have decided to tackle this issue themselves. Too Good to Go, for example, connects its users with food professionals — grocery stores, bakeries, restaurants — to offer unsold goods at reduced prices. A leader in the market, this application has been downloaded more than 500K times last November on iOS alone.
"Nothing is lost, everything is transformed": a mantra increasingly present in the minds of consumers. On Reddit, the subreddit r/zerowaste dedicated to waste valorization has 658K members, double the number it had a year ago. On this social network, more targeted conversations are emerging, such as the r/noscrapleftbehind subreddit where 10K members share their recipes. Among the latest topics, there is a broth contest using leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Last March, IKEA Canada also unveiled The Scrapsbook, a collection of 50 free-access anti-waste recipes, including an amazing cake made from banana peels. Among other signals, let's mention the craze around influencers like Anne-Marie Bonneau, aka @ZeroWasteChef, who has 192K followers on Instagram and is making the news with her recycling tips.
Food designers like Elzelinde van Doleweerd are also passionate about the subject. In the Netherlands, the most wasted foods are bread, dairy products, vegetables and fruits: as part of her "Upprinting Food" initiative, the expert has developed a concept to transform these leftovers into new products and new flavors thanks to a 3D food printer.
Tomorrow, will we eat the leftovers from the day before sublimated by this type of process? The Australian restaurant Re and its zero waste menus have made this leap.
🍏 Fruit and vegetable stickers: To be or not to be?
In France, in February 2020, the anti-waste law was adopted in favor of a more sustainable economy. Among the objectives: the end of disposable plastic, the reduction of waste and efforts in recycling. In this context, the ban on non-compostable stickers on fruit and vegetables sold in France should come into force on January 1st.
Although many manufacturers are cringing at the approach of this deadline, the European Union has approved the use of iron oxides and hydroxides to apply laser markings without penetrating the skin of the plants for several years. Companies such as Laser Food in Spain have developed their offer in this niche. But for organic purists, the chemical nature of this process is disturbing. In the Netherlands, Eosta — the European market leader in fresh produce — has launched its own "natural" laser tattooing system.
Does this mean that stickers will disappear completely? Not necessarily, as a new generation of stickers with anti-waste properties is developing. For example, Ryp Labs ― formerly StixFresh ― has developed stickers that extend the life of fruit by targeting specific diseases. "Just as lavender exhales its scent from a distance, our stickers release secondary metabolites to create a protective barrier around the fruit," explains Moody Soliman, the brand's founder. For its part, Apeel has patented a vegetable and biodegradable "second skin" film: sprayed on the vegetables, it doubles or even triples their shelf life. And sometimes, the sticker can be connected, as The Nudge Tag reminds the consumer of the need to use such and such a product as its expiration date approaches.
Short stories from the bar counter.
The ice creams from around the world are booming. As seen in the media Magma: Vegan, low sugar, boosted in collagen or CBD, revisited versions of "night food" ... Ice creams are far from having said their last word and are now betting on exoticism to seduce. You’ve heard of mocchi? Get ready for the arrival of Kulfi. Based on spices such as cardamom or saffron, this Indian ice cream is renowned for its digestive properties and generated an average of 151K search queries per month in 2021 ― double the amount from three years ago ― with peaks of 301K last March. Mexican paletas are also gaining traction, as is Es Doger, a dessert from West Java that is halfway between bubble tea and ice cream.
Meal services are starting to segment. The American company WeTheTrillions offers customized meals based on the microbiota to better respond to different health problems. For about $200 a week, it is now possible to have meals delivered that are specifically designed for periods, fertility, menopause, anemia, irritable bowel syndrome and diabetes. Health considerations, ease of access, personalization: a winning trio on the plate.
Delli releases its beta. A marketplace and community platform that intends to contribute to the "increasingly blurred divide between the dining room and the restaurant, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic." The interface also aims to enhance communities and local businesses by offering limited edition drops for restaurant chefs and home cooks.
The Defictionalization Continues. The independent film studio A24 has just launched Horror Caviar, a book of recipes and essays inspired by horror films such as Midsommar, The Shining and The Witch. Even more original, the book "Leaked Recipes" compiles 52 recipes linked to the biggest email leaks in contemporary history.