‘Natural’ has become a popular claim associated with new products hitting the market, as manufacturers utilise the trend to establish their own innovation in this popular market place.
However, it seems being natural is not quite enough to compete with the big players any more. Not only do they need to be completely natural, free from potentially harmful artificial additives and/or E numbers, they also need to be functional.
The botanical trend is now travelling in the direction of enhanced well-being at lightning speed. Botanicals that can offer an effect of relaxation, energy, digestion, vitality or a combination of functional benefits is becoming more of an expectation, rather than an advantage.
Global demand for natural botanicals is projected to increase 8.9% annually to $7.3bn in 2015, and naturally derived herbal and botanical extracts will experience some of the fastest growth among the major nutraceutical ingredient groups, according to research published by Freedonia Group.
Natural botanicals can be seen as a top choice for preventative health, which makes beverages with natural ingredients such as this an attractive option for health-conscious consumers. However, it’s not just health-savvy consumers that are becoming aware of the beauty in botanicals.
The expectation that a beverage can help with common health concerns and everyday ailments is now more common than ever. So, while the reasons for wanting a ‘natural’ product may differ from person to person, the increase in popularity is going in the same direction: upwards.
Sustainability is now high on the list for companies thriving in the food and beverage industry. This, perhaps, may be the biggest struggle in terms of the longevity of botanicals. Many of the botanicals that are described as medicinal tend to be rarer in terms of numbers, and more likely to be cultivated from perhaps less sustainable harvesting processes.
The UK has been hit hard this year in terms of harvesting and the food supply due to extreme weather conditions, and these unpredictable changes can affect botanical availability.
The future success of botanicals will depend on changing consumer demand, the continual changes in legislation, disruptive weather patterns and manufacturers’ ability to develop methods to adapt to these potential challenges.
Going ‘au natural’ with innovation may have once been perceived as the simple and most natural path for manufacturers to venture down. Yet, it seems there may be more hurdles than once thought.
Despite this, the trend seems to be gaining strength and momentum in the present market place. With most popular trends, if the consumer demands it, the market will provide it, despite minor bumps in the botanical boom.
Rebecca is editorial assistant of FoodBev.com
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