Just a few decades ago, eating was something else. In the middle of the last century, Spain was very different and households were not in a position to afford many luxuries, apart from the fact that the offer that the average citizen could access was not even remotely similar to what exists today. Eating was more of a matter of necessity and enjoyment or health were secondary concepts or did not count at all, apart from the fact that the information available to the consumer was scarce. He ate what there was.
However, consumer habits have changed substantially in recent years. Without a doubt, the concern about maintaining a healthy lifestyle through a better and more balanced diet, something that was not even considered so long ago, is one of the most significant changes. Nowadays, the consumer is more aware of what they buy and eat and wants to be informed and know the properties of what they eat, its origin or its production processes, so that they can choose more natural foods, with such a reduced list of ingredients. as possible, but without ever forgetting the enjoyment.
A clear example of this is the figure of the nutritionist, almost non-existent until relatively few years ago. According to the Miguel de Cervantes European University, these professionals must be able to “guide people’s diet and nutrition in accordance with the principles of health protection and promotion, disease prevention and dietary-nutritional treatments.”
To satisfy these new demands, innovation is emerging as a key element: according to the Kantar Innovation Radar, in 2023 more than half of Spanish brands increased their level of innovation, going from 39% in 2022 to 53%. % in 2024. According to Kantar, innovation not only helps connect with the consumer but also helps boost the economy, since successful innovations also impact the overall consumption of the category by 15%. A benefit, therefore, for the consumer, who gets a product that adapts to their needs, and for the brand, which increases its sales.
According to the Fooduristic’22 report, the food of the future will be traceable, transparent, safe, healthy, tasty and personalized, among other things. In fact, this change is already happening and we now have a kind of hybridization between the diet of previous generations and new technologies that are transforming what we eat and how we eat it.
Innovations can arise for different reasons: perhaps offering a more practical format or perhaps seeking much more disruptive evolutions that create something that did not exist until then or that improve what already exists. An example of new formats is the case, for example, of Campofrío’s ‘Salchiloncha’, which is made with the same formula as sausages but in a sliced format, so that its use can totally change to be integrated into a sandwich or used as an additional ingredient in wraps or pizzas and thus meet the demands of new consumers.
Proteins are fundamental macronutrients in a healthy diet and their contribution is essential for the development and repair of muscles and tissues. According to the ANIBES study by the Spanish Nutrition Foundation, 16.8% of the diet of Spaniards corresponds to proteins. And given the demand for protein from a population aware of its heavy weight in the diet, companies are innovating in that direction. Examples of this trend are new high-protein products such as the ‘Snack’In mini fuet high in protein’, an innovative proposal designed for consumers with an active lifestyle that helps maintain the necessary energy throughout the day. New categories have also emerged based on alternative proteins such as the Better Balance line, or nutritious meat, dairy, vegetable and fruit snacks such as Snack’In for You, modifying the way in which the snack is taken and allowing for combining enjoyment and nutritional balance. .
In the search for more natural foods, the elimination of additives has become one of the brands’ ambitions. In this sense, the project developed by Navidul stands out, which has created an exclusive process that allows the elimination of additives or artificial preservatives from its cured ham, reducing the list of ingredients to two: ham and salt. This formula, which constitutes a milestone in the sector, maintains the flavor, texture, aroma and quality standards of one of the most iconic foods in Spanish gastronomy.
Along the same lines, Campofrío has achieved a nutritional improvement in another of the iconic Spanish foods, chorizo, reducing its fat content by 30% but retaining all the properties of the original product. This has been achieved by reducing the content of fats and saturated fats and replacing them with vegetable fats.
In short, eating habits are changing and the industry has to adapt to consumer demands if it wants to stay afloat. Information about nutrition is available to anyone and when it comes to filling the cart we are increasingly demanding. The products we purchase to feed ourselves must meet our expectations and manufacturers, while maintaining traditional products, know that they need innovation to offer what the public demands.