Loblaw lists Canada’s new food trends

Plant proteins, turmeric and meal kits feature high among the important food trends expected to be seen in Canada in 2017.

Based on its own data and input from experts, Canada’s largest retail chain, Loblaw, has released a list of the main ways the country’s food landscape is likely to change in the year ahead.

Under the marketing tagline ‘Taste the New Next, Loblaw predicted the following five themes will be the biggies for Canadian kitchens:

The New Conscious Consumer
Canadians will put the vegetable first and enhance their meal with smaller portions of proteins that are sustainably sourced. Consumption of alternative proteins, such as insects and plant-based proteins, will increase, and Canadians will also change the way they cook as they look to reduce food waste through root-to-stem or snout-to-tail cooking. Demand for responsibly sourced food and information on certification will grow.

The New Mindful Foodie
Canadians will be more conscious of what they consume and why, aiming to eat in a way that promotes physical and mental health. They will place more value on spices and ingredients serving a dual purpose, additive-free and raw foods such as seaweed, and simple ingredients that create great tasting food.

The New Home Chef
The home chef will be a weekend food warrior, embracing slow cooking, preserving and canning and keen to try new recipes and ingredients. But during the week, meal kits – which allow a touch of personalisation without all the prep – and delivery services will be even more popular.

The New Connected Shopper
Online solutions – from pre-order to same-day delivery – will increase in popularity as Canadians visiting recipe sites and sharing food related content look to purchase recipe ingredients. Retailers need to respond by also providing inspiration in-store, via apps and through eCommerce.

The New Canadian Cuisine
Turmeric especially but also other international flavours and spices such as togarashi and za’atar will increasingly make their way into Canadian homes. Turmeric is already growing in popularity and being used more creatively in restaurants and even in cocktails.

Garry Senecal, president of the market division of Loblaw Companies Ltd said the Toronto-based group aims to keep innovating and engaging its customers “in new and unique food experiences.”

“With the introduction of the Loblaw 2017 Canadian Food Trends we hope to start a national conversation about what Canadians are eating and how we can continue to inspire our consumers’ creativity and adventurous spirit when feeding their families,” he said.

Loblaw Companies Ltd is Canada’s food and pharmacy leader, with more than 2,300 corporate, franchised and associate-owned locations, including more than 1,050 grocery stores.

Read the full list of the Loblaw 2017 Canadian Food Trends here: Taste The New Next: Loblaw Challenges Canadians to Try Something Unexpected in 2017