Trend potential in the smoothie menu

06-Jun-2019 - Germany

While sugary juice drinks suffer from an unhealthy image, smoothies are currently the trend. This can be explained by the positioning focus on nutrient density, saturation and functional benefits that balance the intrinsic sugar content of the beverages. Smoothies therefore fulfil all the criteria that are important for today's foodies when selecting a snack. According to Mintel research, most Germans are looking for a snack that gives them both pleasure and health benefits. In recent years, smoothie brands have therefore increasingly relied on plant ingredients such as nuts, seeds and plant milk products. While the claim "rich in protein" has become a popular positioning aspect in this context, in our opinion the claim "healthy fats" still offers trend potential in the smoothie menu.

The pursuit of a healthier lifestyle motivates consumers to include more vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains in their diet. The dilemma: Due to a more hectic everyday life, there is also an increased demand for food that can be easily integrated into a regular daily routine, which is why the industry is concentrating on the development of practical and nutritious snack drinks. Young Germans in particular are interested in such an offer, as a Mintel study shows. A quarter of 16-24 year olds are interested in fruit juices, juice drinks and smoothies with protein-rich ingredients such as nuts or seeds. As a result, the market is experiencing the rise of a new generation of smoothies with plant and protein-rich ingredients.

Emphasize healthy fats and oils from vegetable ingredients

Unsaturated fats are believed to protect against heart disease and help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, which is increasingly recognized for their health benefits. Among these healthy fats, the avocado plays an important role in the food industry - after all, the fruit gained its reputation as a superfood thanks to its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids. Looking at vegetable-based smoothie introductions, the avocado as a flavor component - albeit still in small quantities - has grown in recent years. On a broader European level we were also able to observe exciting product launches with coconut, walnut and rapeseed oils. Overall, however, only a few of these launches currently refer to 'healthy fats' on the front of their labels.

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Within the niche segment of "snack smoothies", seeds in particular have moved into the limelight in recent years. Among the stars in this category are, for example, chia and linseed, although basil and hemp seeds are also slowly gaining ground. Although most smoothies usually mention the proteins they contain in their claims, manufacturers are now also beginning to take advantage of healthy fats for their product positioning.

Interesting smoothie launches that contain and promote healthy fats and oils:

The Organic Avocado, Spinach & Hemp Seeds Superfood Meal Smoothie from TruVibe Eat Clean (USA) consists of cold-pressed juice and contains unsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as 15 grams of plant proteins.

The Omega-3 Cold Pressed Smoothie from The Fruit Lab Good (Netherlands) is made from apples, chia seeds, raspberries and beetroot. Cold pressing preserves the nutrients, taste and freshness of the ingredients. Since Chia seeds are a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids, each bottle contains 1.1 grams of these fatty acids.

The Body & Future smoothie (Czech Republic) consists of blueberries, pumpkin and mandarins and has been refined with walnut oil and gingko extract.

bottom line

With the trend towards plant-based eating habits and take-away snacks, snack drinks are ideal for providing nutrition to health-conscious consumers in a practical way. Little wonder then that this product category has been the focus of beverage innovation for several years now. Manufacturers who want to take their smoothie range to the next level should stress the healthy fat content of avocados, seeds, nuts and oils. The growing awareness of the health benefits of unsaturated fats, as well as a number of interesting product launches, indicate that we can look forward to more exciting innovations in the snack beverage category in the future.

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

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