New food trends: the differences between vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians

In recent years we are witnessing a rapid multiplication of new food trends. At the beginning of 2023, for example, there was a lot of talk about Yaupon, a sort of holly from which a drink with a delicate flavor and rich in caffeine is made.

We at Ipas monitor all the trends, but we select those that have an effective response from the public and that are of real interest to the food industry. In fact, many years can often pass between the birth of a trend and its confirmation in consumption. And when the time is right, companies find cheese-based food preparations or vegetarian or vegan alternatives in Ipas.

So let’s see the relatively innovative types of consumption, which have established themselves and have become driving forces in consumption, therefore strategic for the food industry.

The love for organic

The focus on organic products resists, driven by the interest in sustainability and by the sharing of the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. In fact, we recall objective 3 Health and Wellbeing and number 12 Responsible consumption and production.

Among the products for conscious eating, the Ipas range also includes organic food preparations, which reformulate traditional products with raw materials of biological origin for every type of application.

More and more vegetarians and vegans. Let’s clarify the differences

In general, vegetarians choose a diet without meat and fish, but they also eat animal products such as eggs and dairy products. In fact, Ipas vegetarian products are free from ingredients of animal origin and allow the food industry to reach this segment of the public as well.

Vegans tend to exclude all foods of animal origin, feeding only on plant-based products. In this case, the Ipas Research & Development department has created a range of products made with rennet of non-animal origin.

There are many food industries that choose to evolve together with consumer tastes and find all the answers in Ipas. In fact, many companies have realized the importance of a broad offer, capable of responding to the needs of individuals.

The galaxy of flexitarians

Consumers are increasingly eclectic and many adopt a flexitarian food style. The term comes from flexible + vegetarian and indicates those who tend towards a vegetarian diet, but occasionally consume animal proteins.

This type of consumption is part of the macro trend of healthy and conscious eating, which for many food companies can constitute a parallel range or an integration of the offer. Ipas offers new products with low fat content, without melting salts and other additives.