1 - What is personalized nutrition?
In the field of nutrition, today’s consumers are taking their well-being into their own hands by seeking out and demanding targeted health solutions aligned with their requirements. Research indicates that 71% of consumers globally find the concept of products customized to their individual health needs to be very or somewhat appealing.[1]
New scientific advances and research insights are being used to help specific consumer groups make healthier choices throughout all life stages. This scalable opportunity is about delivering personalization by identifying demographic groups and creating functional food and beverage products that will appeal to these specific groups.
2 - Shift from reactive to proactive
Many consumers are proactively changing their health and nutrition habits to holistically manage and maintain well-being, or avoid certain ailments altogether. Research shows that 42% of consumers say they would proactively seek out products that improve their health.[2]
3 - Transition from good/bad to what’s right
Today’s well-informed consumers understand the relationship between nutrition and well-being. They are less inclined to passively accept generalized assumptions about whether certain products are good or bad for them. Instead, they are using the wealth of information available to them from the internet, nutrition professionals and even lifestyle influencers to make their own informed choices about what to consume based upon what they feel is right for their own health.
4 - Self-care
Many consumers now take a DIY approach to health and nutrition – something that is facilitated by access to technology. This trend for ‘self-care’ means people are developing a sense of ownership and responsibility for their diet and nutrition.
5 - Individual goals
Increasingly people are becoming goal-oriented, setting health and wellness targets that are achievable and aligned to their personal needs and desires. Because of this, one-size-fits-all propositions are no longer appealing. Personalized products aligned with their goals will resonate most with these consumers.
6 - Bridging the gap between interest and purchase
General health and well-being is consumers’ most sought-after benefit, according to research, with 89% saying they would be interested in a food or beverage that delivers this.[3] Behind this, the top health benefits are as follows:
- Immune health
- Digestive health
- Heart health
- Bone and joint health
7 - Navigating around barriers to purchase
There are multiple factors and barriers creating tensions that determine whether or not a shopper makes a purchase.
8 - Overcrowding
With so many brands and manufacturers innovating in the nutrition category, store shelves are overcrowded, making the choice of products overwhelming. Careful product differentiation will ensure a functional food or beverage brand stands out from the throng.
9 - Lack of trust
Research into the nutrition and performance beverage category found that only 15% of consumers believe that these products deliver on their promised claims.[4] In the dietary supplement category, a similar study revealed that almost a quarter of consumers are skeptical that these products do what they say.[5] For nutrition brands, this means it is essential to use ingredients backed by scientific proof of efficacy and ensure this is communicated in a way that consumers can easily understand in order to convert interest in a product to a purchase.
10 - Taste and nutrition
Consumers expect functional foods and beverages to deliver on taste as well as nutrition, but aren’t always satisfied with what they get. Fortifying a product with a functional ingredient may have positive effects on nutrition but result in a detrimental impact on the taste and texture of a product. To keep consumers coming back again and again, it is crucial to delivering a pleasant taste, texture and overall experience.
11 - Branding is the secret ingredient
A straightforward way to enhance a product’s proposition is to use branded nutritional and functional ingredients in the formulation that complement the product’s overall brand promise and positioning. Branded Ingredients can help manufacturers deliver a clear value proposition that breaks through barriers to purchase.
12 - Value proposition
Branded ingredients are well-placed to communicate a premium positioning to consumers as long as the supporting research delivers the intended health benefits.
13 - Proof of efficacy
A branded ingredient that is backed by peer-reviewed clinical evidence is crucial to developing trust and brand loyalty. Highlighting published research that demonstrates the benefits of the ingredient will help educate consumers to make informed choices.
14 - Safety
Using branded ingredients that comply with safety standards can help manufacturers feel confident in adding these ingredients into their formulations and can also help reassure consumers.
15 - Education
Educating the industry and consumers about an ingredient’s value, benefits and research is especially important. Once brand recognition is established for an ingredient, consumers will return to make repeat purchases and even seek out the brand in other food, beverage and supplement products.
Using a branded probiotic backed by strong clinical evidence proving efficacy and safety is an effective way to build trust, loyalty and a solid platform for personalization. Easy to formulate, GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) is a probiotic that can offer personalized digestive health benefits in a variety of everyday food and beverage applications, that go beyond traditional applications such as yogurt. GanedenBC30 is a well-researched ingredient supported by more than 25 published papers demonstrating its positive effects on digestive and immune health.
Download the white paper to learn more about emerging opportunities for manufacturers of functional food and beverage products.
[1] GlobalData, Global Consumer Survey, Q3 2016
[2] GlobalData, Global Consumer Survey, Q3 2016
[3] GlobalData, Global Consumers Survey, Q4 2015
[4] Mintel Nutrition & Performance Drinks – US, 2018
[5] Mintel, Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements – US, September 2017
