Easter has long been associated with eggs, but now sustainability and health claims are transforming the tradition. Innova Market Insights data reveals a 13% rise in plant-based egg launches from 2020 to 2024, as brands innovate with vegan alternatives such as scramble substitutes, poached options, liquid egg replacements, and even reinvented traditional egg recipes.

According to data from Innova Market Insights, the Soft Drink and Hot Drink categories with functional health claims grew by 8% from 2020 to 2024, with coffee leading innovation. Functional coffee launches surged 29%, while iced coffee grew 21%, driven by consumer demand for more than just a caffeine boost. The fastest-growing functional claims were added iron, immune support, and oral health benefits.

Innova Market Insights data indicates a growth in ethical claims for food & beverage launches globally from October 2019 to September 2024. Bakery (13%) was the leading category for eco-friendly launches, with Hot Drinks showing 11% growth and potential for innovation.

Brands are harnessing color and nostalgia, reviving limited-edition flavors in bold pink and red hues to spark desire and exclusivity. From ruby chocolates to cherry-infused carbonates, seasonal reinventions transform familiar treats into irresistible Valentine’s Day indulgences.

From October 2019 to September 2024, vegan product launches grew by 10% globally. Key highlights include bakery products, which accounted for 11% of vegan launches between October 2023 and September 2024. Notable growth categories over the five-year period include meat pastes and pâtés (+185%) and other soy/tofu products (+73%).

Lightweighting is a good starting point as it means less raw material, less energy, less logistics and so forth. Then, the end of life brings into the picture a very important thing: recyclability. And as the plastic waste problem is one of the biggest challenges the globe is facing, the packaging should be made of renewable materials that do not contribute to the plastic waste,” she says.  

“As a new player in the packaging material business the biggest challenge is to get the attention of the brands and them to see the full potential of our materials. Wine packaging is only one application. For example, the soft structure of our materials means that they can also be used to pack scratch-sensitive products like TV sets.

Innova Market Insights data indicates growth in vanilla ingredient use for food and beverage launches, with a 3% average annual increase from October 2019 to September 2024. Bakery and Confectionery were the most launched categories with vanilla, while its use in Sauces and seasonings increased by 38% over five years.

Innova Market Insights data reveals a 6% rise in food and beverage launches featuring texturizers from October 2019 to September 2024. The bakery category leads in the use of texturizing agents, while meat substitutes show rapid growth, with a notable 30% annual increase over the five-year period.

 Innova Market Insights data indicates an increase in Christmas themed launches over five years with 10% average annual growth from October 2019 to September 2024. Largest share of these launches was in Confectionery (40%), with Soft Drinks showing fast increase of 42% in five years.