Trends snapshot: What’s influencing food and beverage choices in our key markets

Staying across consumer trends is essential for understanding how food and beverage preferences are evolving, and for the Australian macadamia industry, it offers important insights into how macadamias can help meet the needs of consumers in both domestic and export markets.

We recently explored international food and beverage trends as a precursor to new macadamia usage and attitude research that will be released in 2025¹. Focusing on China, Japan, South Korea, India, USA and Australia, we examined how health, wellness and consumption patterns are continuing to evolve, influencing the food and beverage purchase decisions in some of our key markets. Here’s a look at what we discovered.

Trend #1: Supercharged Choices

From functional beverages to protein and fibre fortification, consumer demand for nutrient-dense products is not waning anytime soon.

Drinks that provide specific health benefits, such as enhanced immunity, gut health, or mental clarity, continue to grow in popularity, with ingredients like adaptogens, nootropics, prebiotics and probiotics commonly featured in these products. This market segment is particularly prevalent in the USA, Japan, South Korea and China, and rapidly growing in Australia and India.

Protein and fibre are having big moments in the spotlight with consumers seeking to increase their intake of these nutrients, particularly in the USA and Australia, with Japan, South Korea and China following closely behind. Food and beverage products fortified with protein and fibre are answering this call, with plant-based protein sources such as pea protein continuing to be popular along with more novel sources such as algae and insects.

Trend #2: Next Gen Plant-Based

The plant-based market is starting to mature, with innovations in texture, flavour and nutritional profiles of meat, dairy and seafood alternatives. Products that mimic whole cuts of meat, such as plant-based steaks or fish fillets, are gaining popularity, especially in the USA and Australia, followed by China and India.

Lab-grown meat is one of the most significant and innovative trends in the food industry, with the potential to revolutionise how we produce and consume animal protein. Its introduction in select restaurants and retail outlets via products such as cultured chicken nuggets, beef patties and even seafood targeted early adopters and sustainably minded consumers. While this has yet to gain prevalence outside the USA, the lab-grown meat market is still expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 21% over the next decade².

Trend #3: Flavours Without Borders

Consumers are increasingly adventurous, seeking out global flavors and fusion cuisine. Ingredients and dishes from regions like West Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East are becoming mainstream, with a focus on authentic preparation methods and spices. This is more prevalent in the USA and Australia and is developing in Asian countries such as Japan.

Fermented foods like kimchi, miso and sauerkraut, along with preserved foods like pickles and jams, are enjoying a resurgence as consumers embrace traditional methods of food preservation for their flavour and health benefits. This trend is stronger in South Korea, Japan, China and India, markets which have strong cultural traditions. In the USA and Australia, we see these trends developing more through adoption from other countries.

Trend #4: No Compromise Convenience

Convenience is still king, but there’s a growing expectation for high-quality, nutritious ready-to-eat meals and ready-to-drink beverages. Consumers want products that offer restaurant-quality experiences at home or on the go that save time and still represent value for money. This is most prevalent in the USA, Japan, South Korea and Australia and is developing quickly in other markets including China and India.  

Subscription-based meal kits and grocery delivery services are evolving, offering more customization, sustainable packaging and diverse menu options that cater to specific dietary preferences and lifestyles. The USA leads the way in this space followed by Australia, Japan, South Korea and China.  

Trend #5: Health-Aligned Indulgence

As consumers become more conscious of health, they also recognize the need for personal indulgence and pampering which transcends categories and activities including food, beauty and wellness.

When it comes to food and beverage products, shoppers increasingly look for small perceived health benefits in indulgences such as cakes, cookies and chocolates. This could be healthy ingredients like nuts and seeds, keto friendly, gluten-free, lactose-free or trans fat-free formulations. The American, Australian and Japanese markets lead the way in this space.

In beauty, this trend manifests as premium product purchases and spending on self-care and pampering offerings such as beauty and wellness spas or products with benefit-led special ingredients such as peptides, vitamins and macadamia or lychee oil. South Korea, Japan, USA and China are leading this.

Trend #6: The Conscious Evolution

Consumers are increasingly prioritizing eco-friendly products and ethical practices. The movement towards sustainability is not just a niche preference but a global shift in consumer values which has seen a 71% global increase in Google searches for sustainable goods since 2016³.

Brands are responding by integrating sustainable practices into their core values and product offerings including eco-friendly packaging, upcycled ingredients, sustainable farming and sourcing, and carbon footprint reduction. These shifts are more prevalent in Australia, USA, Japan and South Korea.

Trend #7: The Influence Economy

Social media is the new destination for searching for information, consumer reviews and recommendations on which products to buy. More than 63% of the world’s population⁴ now uses social media and spends an average of 2.38 hours⁵ on it each day.

Influencers, content creators, experts and brands are using social media to build their communities, grow their customer bases, and create platforms where they can engage in conversations across different channels and in various ways, be it visually, conversationally or in real-time. This approach allows them to foster stronger, more interactive relationships with consumers, and is most prevalent in India, China, USA and Australia.

The USA has seen the rise of ‘doc-fluencers’, with doctors becoming influential as a source of wellness information. Many physicians have amassed large followings on social media, and consumers in this market say they are influenced by doctors’ recommendations regarding mindfulness, sleep and overall health⁶.

The implications for food and beverage brands

As trends continue to shape the food and beverage industry in our key markets, it’s clear that consumers are more discerning, health-conscious and value-driven than ever. They want products that tick all the boxes when it comes to taste, health and convenience and their appetite for compromise is rapidly diminishing.

Brands that can develop innovative, sustainable and premium products will be well placed to capitalise on current consumer sentiment and the Australian macadamia industry is committed to supporting manufacturers seeking natural, sustainably produced ingredients that deliver exceptional taste, texture, health benefits and versatility.

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