Food trends in 2012

By Hubert Cormier

Every new year brings new trends. The food industry is constantly evolving and new products regularly appear on supermarket shelves. Contemporary ad strategies are developed, and we progressively embrace new ideologies. In the past decade, we’ve adopted organic foods, reusable bags and functional foods (foods to which a functional ingredient is added, such as omega-3 enriched eggs or orange juice with added fibre). What food trends does 2012 have in store for us?

First, the market share of organic foods is expected to grow. Did you know that Liberté offers several certified organic products, including milk, Greek yogurt, flavoured yogurts and the Svelte line? By buying organic, you’ll be consuming foods of unparalleled quality that were manufactured using a special process to preserve the organic properties of the final products.

In 2012, natural foods are also set to take centre stage. And keep an eye out for locavores, who are gaining in numbers and prefer locally-grown goods. In Québec, a wide variety of local products is available year-round. For fresh local foods of exceptional quality, it’s always best to buy from neighbourhood grocers, butchers, fishmongers and cheese shops rather than supermarkets.

Another trend for 2012 is to focus on health and wellbeing. Consumers want products with the shortest possible ingredient lists and without any additives. Liberté’s plain Greek yogurt contains only two ingredients: skim milk and active bacterial cultures. It’s a great choice for those who want to keep things simple!

Eating well is always a priority. There is an abundance of local products and seasonal fruits and vegetables (including root vegetables such as yellow beets, Jerusalem artichokes parsnips and celery root) and healthy comfort foods. Cut out the salt to rediscover the natural tastes of the foods you eat.

Finally, my advice to you is to keep your healthy habits and always remember to enjoy what you eat! It’s time to broaden our environmental conscience and make enlightened choices. Which trends do you think will be all the rage in 2012?