Changing food consumption patterns, fast-paced lifestyles, and growing emphasis on healthy living drive the worldwide cereals market. With change in consumer perception about healthy and environmentally safe food grain production and consumption, companies are increasingly focusing on specialty and organic food products, the research shows.
Cereals are well positioned to meet the needs of society due to their nutritious, convenient, varied, and relatively inexpensive attributes. Taste, health, and convenience are expected to drive changes in consumption of cereals and cereal products in the future years.
Growing global population and increasing consumer preference for healthy foods is set to drive the demand for grains such as corn, wheat, oats, and rice. Approximately one third of the world population invests in cereal products, with majority of the consumers located in the US and European countries.
The US, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Spain, and the UK are the leading Cereal Products markets, in terms of both production and consumption of cereals. Approximately one third of the world population invests in cereal products, with majority of the consumers located in the US and European countries. Growing awareness about their nutritional benefits and convenience, cereal products are fast becoming preferred choice of snacks and breakfast among the Asian consumers.
The breakfast cereals segment has grown to be a multi-billion dollar business worldwide. Sales in the past few years have been spurred by the introduction of a wide variety of products to suit all ages and lifestyles. The growth of this segment is dependent largely on the changing consumer needs and desires. There has been an increasing emphasis, particularly in the developed countries such as the US, Germany, and the UK, on healthy living. This trend has led to the strong growth of breakfast cereals market in the recent years. Despite being a convenience food product, breakfast cereals have been facing strong competition from alternatives such as convenience and on-the-go-eat cereals, and cereal bars, the research suggests.
Rising commodity and energy prices, shift in consumer preference for healthy foods, concerns regarding gluten and acrylamide content and market maturity and saturation in most developed countries worldwide are areas of serious concern which put the immediate future of the cereals market in jeopardy. Rising concerns about the alarming increase in obesity and other health related problems has compelled manufacturers to finely scrutinise the nature of ingredients before using them in their products. In a bid to win over the increasing tribe of health conscious consumers, manufacturers of late have begun focusing on the strategy of product reformulation through use of healthier alternatives such as sterols, probiotics and super-fruits in place of the harmful hydrogenated fats and oils containing trans-fatty acids.
Source: Global Industry Analysts
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