The health and wellness food market has well and truly moved into the mainstream. It’s projected to increase to 812 billion in US dollars globally in 2021. And there are no signs of things slowing down.
So what’s behind this seemingly unstoppable momentum?
One reason is that consumers are becoming more and more aware of the risks of a sedentary lifestyle and hectic schedules. Consequently they want products that support healthier lifestyles, while being convenient and delicious. In other words, they want it all!
More Options, More Choice
One example of this increasing demand being met by manufacturers is the huge boom in plant-based products – the second most common reason people give for buying these is because they want to be healthier.
Not only that, but there’s plenty of variety.
You can now buy plant-based versions of many popular comfort-food favourites, such as spaghetti Bolognese, chicken curry and macaroni cheese as well as more exotic (yet delicious) options like, believe it or not, meat-free haggis.
This sort of variety can be found right across the health and wellness food spectrum.
And foods like this have become a firm favourite with parents who are prioritising healthy, nutritious foods for their families – and yes, this includes pets too, who can now be given grain-free and sugar-free treats.
Another factor in driving more health-conscious consumer decisions has been COVID-19, which has motivated people to think more about how what they eat can help strengthen their immune systems.
Because of this, people who may not normally take an interest in healthy eating are now eager to try healthier options. And once they start to experience the benefits of a cleaner diet, it’s a habit that they’re unlikely to break in the future.
Offer convenience as well as health
Manufacturers have a perfect opportunity to give their customers an easy way to get a quick win into their day, by offering them something that not only tastes good but also does them good.
How?
By making them feel as though they’re working towards their healthy goals, even if they haven’t quite reached them yet!
So when you’re developing your healthier product options, don’t just consider what you’re leaving out, like most “free from” options, but look at ways to add nutritional value.
Anything extra your product contributes toward health and wellness will add to that “feel good” factor that’s a big part of consumer decisions. And when you offer consumers an easy “win-win” that allows them to indulge in a tasty snack while making a healthier choice, you can be sure it’ll be noticed.
More and more, consumers are demanding transparency in on-pack nutritional information. This is the driving force behind the rolling out of food labelling initiatives like the “traffic light” scheme in the UK and “Nutri-Score” in Europe.
People want to know exactly what they’re getting, in a quick and simple way that doesn’t require them to spend hours of reading time in supermarket aisles! The days of misleading labelling and hidden ingredients are disappearing fast.
Manufacturers can no longer simply call a product healthy – they have to show that it’s healthy.
Which makes your choice of ingredients more important than ever.
Source natural ingredients – your customers will thank you for it.
Natural ingredients are more appealing than ever these days. Today’s consumer understands that artificial ingredients can be potentially harmful and strongly favours natural choices. Sourcing the right ingredients means you can offer shoppers that sought-after clean label that drives purchasing decisions.
When it comes to healthy food and drink, the more nutritional boxes you can tick, the stronger the wellness proposition of your product. Which means that the ingredients you select are most important than ever. It’s vital that they’re natural, nutritious, and taste good.
Saltwell’s range of natural low-sodium salts is an ingredient that fits the bill perfectly.
Saltwell is a wholesome natural sun-dried sea salt, which tastes just like salt, but has 35% less sodium. Not only that, but it also has healthy levels of potassium – a vital nutrient not found in traditional salt.
In summary, Saltwell allows manufacturers to offer great flavour, lower sodium and, as a bonus, a good source of potassium for added label appeal.
So if you’re looking for a way to bring down sodium levels in your product, take a good look at Saltwell. Your customers will thank you for it.
Get in touch to learn more, or request a sample for your business.
