Consumers are now more than ever aware of the ways that their buying habits impact their health and wellness, and this is driving a major shift in the food industry. In sharp contrast to the trends of past decades, shoppers are increasingly turning to healthy options, often intentionally decreasing consumption of meats and other high-fat foods in favor of plant-based alternatives. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) became a face for the health food movement in 2017 with the company’s purchase of Whole Foods, signaling a bellwether for the food industry as a whole. With Whole Foods’ most recent predictions for 2021’s food trends, the plant-based alternatives rage looks all set to continue. Major grocers like Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) have been updating their product lines accordingly, while health food producers like United Natural Foods Inc (NYSE:UNFI) and Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) have made huge gains in this disrupted food market and this environment is helping innovative new companies like Else Nutrition Holdings Inc. (TSXV:BABY) (OTCQX:BABYF) establish themselves in their market niches like baby formula.
Else Nutrition Holdings Moves Infant Nutrition to the Plant-Based Market
Else Nutrition Holdings Inc. (TSXV:BABY) (OTCQX:BABYF) is an Israeli-based company specialising in plant-based infant nutrition. The company has developed a 100 percent plant-based, non-soy, non-dairy baby formula, which launched in stores and online in the United States in August. The company has been endorsed by pediatricians and nutritionists and in a market environment where consumers are increasingly focused on the nutritional value of their products, the company has a real opportunity to thrive in today’s food industry.
Else Nutrition has entered the plant-based foods market at a time when these products are exploding, and for good reason. Lowering one’s consumption of animal products has been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers and strengthen the immune system, among other health benefits. Consumers are turning to increasingly plant-based diets across the broad, and by starting with infant formula, Else is giving parents the opportunity to continue these habits with the most important food buying decisions they make.
In the company’s recent corporate update, Else Nutrition noted their efforts to work with retail brokers and the company’s distribution partner to bring Else products into more American stores. So far, Else products have been listed in four small and one large US retail food chains, covering a total of 380 stores in the United States, and the company expects its products to be on store shelves in Q4 2020. Else also launched its products for direct-to-consumer online sales via Amazon in September. In October, the company announced that it has successfully completed the second manufacturing run of its products, with a third manufacturing run to be commenced in November. This third run is planned to be three times larger than the second run, which was itself two times larger than the first.
The Food Industry is Increasingly Focused on Health Food
Amazon.com, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AMZN) Whole Foods has been conducting research on the biggest trends in the health food market for 2021. According to the company, growth in functional foods rich in probiotics and essential vitamins will likely continue into next year, so Whole Foods plans to have a renewed focus on ‘superfoods’ like broths, adaptogens, and fermented foods and beverages. Like Else Nutrition, Whole Foods has also recognized the potential for these foods for infant nutrition, so the company is looking to expand its options in the baby food aisle.
On October 18, Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) announced that the company will add more than 50 plant-based products to its lineup. These include plant-based non-dairy cheeses, meat alternatives, oat milk, ice cream, and more. Many of these products will be part of Kroger’s Simple Truth Plant Based brand.
United Natural Foods Inc (NYSE:UNFI) is North America’s largest publicly-traded wholesale distributor of organic groceries. According to Yahoo Finance, the company has seen a huge tailwind in 2020 largely due to consumers making healthier choices in the wake of the current global health crisis.
Since 2017, confectionery company Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) has been working to improve the nutritional profiles of its snack food offerings. These measures have included reducing sugar, saturated fats, and sodium in their products. As the market becomes more health-conscious, Mondelez is one of the brands looking to be associated with ‘mindful snacking.’
Whereas North American consumers of past decades were often unconcerned about the nutritional impact of their buying habits, and the product offerings of the day largely reflected this, health food is overwhelmingly the direction the market is headed in going into the 2020s. Companies like Else Nutrition Holdings Inc. are positioning themselves to be key players in the new health-focused food industry.
For more information about Else Nutrition, click here.
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