The Taste Tomorrow study, a comprehensive, worldwide survey gathered from nearly 11,000 consumers in 25 countries, has revealed Puratos’ unique findings on perception and behavior in the baking, patisserie and chocolate sectors, with insights specific to the Canadian market. The study was executed in collaboration with Insites Consulting.

Four key global observations:

The Age of Abundance: People believe more food diversity, more variety, more on-the-go solutions, more availability, more ready-made solutions and other positive opportunities are coming their way, compared to three years ago.
66 percent of the consumers in North America expect to have more food diversity

49 percent of consumers in Canada believe food will be more diverse by 2025

52 percent of consumers in Canada believe food will be more innovative by 2025

25 percent of consumers in Canada believe food will be tastier by 2025

Food under Pressure: More does not necessarily mean better. Food health and quality are clearly under pressure. Among North American consumers, Canadians are among the most pessimistic.

19 percent of consumers in Canada expect food to be of a better quality by 2025

22 percent of consumers in Canada expect food to be more natural by 2025

Health: Lost in Translation: People are bombarded with messages through all kinds of channels about what is and what isn't good for them. Still, detailed consumer knowledge is very limited and beliefs are often built based on perception rather than on facts.

31 percent of consumers in Canada are convinced that gluten can cause digestive problems for the majority of people (below regional average)

My Sustainability: People realize they are throwing away more bread than they would like. A large number of consumers strive to stop this waste by storing products in their freezer. Canada scores below the North American average when it comes to throwing away bread and high above the North American average when it comes to storing bread in the freezer.

45 percent of consumers in Canada store bread in the freezer on a weekly basis, which is 30 percent more compared to the regional average

16 percent of consumers in Canada store their pastry in the freezer on a weekly basis

Consequences of four observations:

Make Today, Own Tomorrow – New Consumer Rules

Consumers are optimistic about more diversity, more on-the-go solutions, more availability and more ready-made solutions. But at the same time, they fear the future of food to be less healthy, less fresh, less natural, less qualitative and more expensive. This leads to a clear and strong preference for more control, knowledge, customization and general empowerment.

Reading labels and looking for clearer labels: 62 percent of Canadians read labels.

If the consumer can freeze it, they can control the freshness.

If it comes from the earth, consumers have more trust in the products (grains, seeds, dried fruit and nuts).

The Baked Goods Triangle: Freshness, Healthiness & Taste

How does this all apply to the baking, food and manufacturing industry? When it comes to choosing bread, pastry, patisserie and chocolate, people above all want to check three things: Is it fresh? Is it healthy? How tasty is it?

Route to innovation:

Customization, building on the classics and communication are keys for future innovation.