Healthy meals are a priority for health conscious people who want to live a healthier lifestyle in the future.

When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need - Ayurvedic Proverb

The present COVID crisis has taught us a lot, and one of the most important lessons many Indians learned quickly during the 70-day lockdown was the importance of adopting a healthy eating lifestyle. Because restaurants and other food outlets were closed during the lockdown, the bulk of the populace abandoned the concept of eating/ordering junk food in favor of healthier options. Consumers today are increasingly health-conscious, and they recognize the importance of sufficient nutrition and hydration for the human body to thrive. Eating healthier foods is often considered as a way to prevent future health-care costs. People who follow a well-balanced diet have stronger immune systems and are less likely to develop chronic illnesses and infectious disorders, including COVID-19 infection. Consumers are increasingly eating healthier meals that include more locally sourced ingredients such as fruits and vegetables. They are balancing their calorie intake with calorie expenditure, avoiding processed carbohydrates and salt, and increasing their vegetable consumption.

Simultaneously, they’re paying more attention to products with information on their packaging concerning the status of natural/environmental claims, such as third-party certification bodies for fair trade and non-GMO. For health and environmental concerns, more people are changing their diets to incorporate more plant-based meals. More people are becoming flexitarians, or vegetarians who consume meatless meals on a regular basis. Veganism is also gaining popularity. From customized healthful beverages to locally sourced whole grains, breakfasts enriched with vegetables and legumes, vegan options, chef-inspired children’s fare, and meatless options, the health and wellness trend is quickly gaining traction, with increased presence on quick-service menus and grocery store shelves. Foods that promote health and well being are in high demand. The top five groups cited by consumers as being in high demand are:

• Vegetables and fruits
• Seafood and fish
• Dairy products
• Poultry and meat
• Herbs, spices, & other ingredients

However, the research suggests that individuals are increasingly identifying foods and their components with specific health benefits, such as:

• Bone health need calcium and vitamin D.
• Reduced risk of heart disease by eating whole grains
• Antioxidants can help protect you from free radical damage.
• Probiotics are beneficial to the digestive and immunological systems.
• Omega-3 fatty acids are important for children’s cognitive development

COVID’s New Trends

Retailers and their food supplier partners are working together to address customer demands in regard to this pandemic concern as health and wellness turns into a major lifestyle shift rather than just a trend. The industry’s overall goal is to help consumers strike a balance between enjoying their favorite, often indulgent foods — cookies, candy, and salty snacks come to mind as prime examples — and making significant changes to improve their overall health, such as eating sensibly and starting a regular exercise routine.

Value-added Products: Improved home cooking and the use of brands with a diverse range of value-added products. Tea companies (green tea and white tea), natural spices, and brands that sell organic vegetables and fruits have all seen a significant increase in demand. 

Vegan and healthy food brands: By 2021, a large percentage of consumers will have switched to vegan and organic foods. With COVID still on the market, this percentage will rise, and consumers will develop a habit of using it. The desire and need to be more careful of what they consume will lead to an increase in ‘vegan exclusively’ products. Many small businesses have sprouted up across the country to promote plant-based products, foods, and other items. Gourmet Street Food: After COVID, the desire to consume street food will be diminished. When consumers consider eating street food, they will be reminded of the importance of hygiene and cleanliness. As a result, numerous gourmet street food businesses will emerge in the organised sector, offering outstanding flavour, hygiene, and delivery convenience.

Gourmet Street Food: After COVID, the desire to consume street food will be diminished. When consumers consider eating street food, they will be reminded of the importance of hygiene and cleanliness. As a result, numerous gourmet street food businesses will emerge in the organised sector, offering outstanding flavour, hygiene, and delivery convenience.

Today’s consumers are looking for:

• Foods that are nutritious
• Nutritional advice
• Dietary restrictions
• Organic / natural / local
• Foods that are free of allergens

The shifting dynamics of the food industry are undoubtedly impacting supermarkets’ role in offering meal options for today’s consumers. More and more supermarkets are discovering that their stores are the ideal location for spreading health and wellness messages to their customers. Consumers are currently looking for health and natural products. While most grocers are committed to merchandising more natural and organic offerings in departments like produce, meats, fish, deli, bakery, and meal kits, the health, beauty, and wellness (HBW) categories provide retailers with additional opportunities to expand and highlight their ongoing efforts in those areas. These categories are seen as high growth potential across all retail sectors. However, their expansion has been stymied in the food retail sector.

Emergence of New Comers

As a result of the increased demand, there has been a significant increase in the number of new players in the health and wellness area. In the last five years, the rise of India’s organic food business has paved the way for new entrants into the health and wellness market. The organic food industry has been able to reach out to potential customers in Tier II and Tier III cities because to the growth of the e-commerce sector. Second, with free/ low-cost Internet access, an increasing number of people are learning about the benefits of health and wellness brands. Here are a few elements that have contributed to the expansion of the food industry’s health and wellness sector.

• Government strategies such as “Make in India” and “Startup India” are designed to meet the growing population’s massive demand for food.
• Increase in the purchasing power of consumers.
• Even at the local level, all branded food materials are available.
• Changing patterns of behavior
• Snacks & Beverage Products That Are Good For You

Consumers’ desire for better-for you snacks develops in tandem with their interest in better nutrition. The addition of new and redesigned items in the central store, as well as across the perishable food areas, reflects buyers’ need for snacks that support a healthy (or at least healthier) lifestyle, as well as their demand for products that represent the hectic parts of that lifestyle. Gluten-free, organic, clean-label, whole grain, low-calorie, omega-3, and vitamin-and mineral-fortified snacks are in high demand. Furthermore, today’s consumers, particularly young folks, are thirsty for beverages that provide convenient, portable nourishment in addition to refreshing them. Traditional carbonated soft drinks are still the most popular liquid refreshment beverage, although they’re losing market share and volume. Previously only available on the shelves of health food and specialty food stores, products like are now making their way into mainstream supermarkets at a faster rate than ever before, as retailers seek to meet consumers’ demand for new beverages with fewer and more natural ingredients, lower calorie profiles, and added health benefits.

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CHEF VARUN MISHRA
Assistant Professor (Culinary Educator)
Chandigarh College of Hotel Management & Catering Technology
Landran, Mohali (PUNJAB)