As the US finishes celebrating Independence Day and all things American for another year – here, Mintel’s Senior Food and Drink Analyst Germany, Katya Witham, takes a look at how food trends from across the pond could signal the next big thing to launch in Germany’s food and drink market…
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has been used in traditional Asian cooking for generations, but has only recently begun to gain real popularity in Western markets, particularly in the UK and US, facilitated by the success of coconut water sparking interest in coconut-based products. The product has significant growth opportunities in the German edible oil market, where consumers are increasingly concerned about their health and are turning to alternative oils. In fact, almost a fifth of German consumers bought nut oils in 2014. Some examples of coconut oil that we have seen in the German market are Dr Goerg’s organic and fair trade extra virgin coconut oil, Lff’s organic coconut oil and Vitaquell’s cold press coconut flavoured oil.
What next for coconut oil in Germany?
Demand for coconut oil is likely to grow in Germany and could be set to shift from natural health stores to more mainstream retail channels, fuelled by changing attitudes to fat and consumers seeking products that provide ‘beauty from within’. This is further boosted by positive news stories about the consumption of low-processed saturated fats.
Cold Brew Coffee
In the US market, so-called cold-brew coffee is causing considerable hype – with launches rising dramatically. Some example of launches we have seen in the US are Chameleon’s Cold-Brew black coffee, Tumeric’s bullet brew Turkish coffee and High Brew Coffee’s Fair Trade Arabica coffee. With the to-go coffee sector thriving in Germany, driven by consumers growing desire for instant energy, the product is likely to appeal. This is particularly the case for the 54% of Germans who find drinking iced or chilled coffee appealing.
What’s next for cold brew coffee in Germany?
While Germany’s ready to drink coffee sector is flourishing, brands need to look for a way to differentiate themselves from the uniformity of the current offerings – and cold brew could be the answer to this. Plus, it is only really a question of time before cold-brew coffee gains a bigger profile in Germany’s coffee house sector and also migrates into retail – capitalising on it’s ‘hip’ credentials.
Seaweed Snacks
Seaweed as an ingredient in salty snacks and other foods is especially familiar in Asia, where it is found in a wide range of categories from soup to tea. Seaweed has soared in popularity in non-Asian regions in recent years, particularly the US where it is increasingly championed as a ‘superfood’. As German consumers become increasingly health conscious, nutritionally rich foods like seaweed are getting more attention. With snacking increasingly taking the place of regular meal consumption, and with obesity rising, consumers demonstrate a strong demand for snacks which are flavourful, yet at the same time healthy and nutritious. A third of German consumers would like to see a wider variety of healthier snacks and almost a quarter would like to see a wider variety of natural snacks.
What’s next for seaweed snacks in Germany?
Seaweed is rapidly becoming more acceptable in the Western snacking market, not only as an ingredient, but as a snack on its own. Given its impressive nutritional profile, it is well worth the attention of savoury snack manufacturers operating in the German market. The snack might find higher acceptance when positioned in areas where health is more of a priority than in the traditional crisps sector, such as in the healthy nuts and snack mixes aisle. Brands are recognising the potential of the product, with launches including Yakso Oragnic World’s seaweed java crisps and Sempio’s BBQ flavoured crispy seaweed snacks.
Katya joined Mintel as a Senior Food & Drink Analyst in 2014, based in the London office. With a dedicated field of focus on Germany, Katya draws on her comprehensive knowledge of this market to identify and explore the major trends across various FMCG categories and provides insights needed to successfully navigate the German market environment. Katya brings over seven years of expertise in market research and grocery industry, including regular field research trips in Germany and hands-on experience from her previous role in the strategic development of private label at METRO Group.
