Functional botanicals

Functionality in the context of food and beverages has been an ongoing trend for the past few years. Over 2020, it has gained momentum and it strongly influences consumer behavior today. In addition to functionalities such as energy and beauty, last year saw an increasing amount of upcoming products focusing on immune support and stress & sleep management – and the trend continues!

The immunity trend is here to stay!

In 2020 the market for immune-boosting products grew faster than ever, with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 39.6%. Consumers rely in particular on the power of plants when making their purchase decision. Indeed, 61% of Germans believe botanicals have medicinal benefits for consumers, according to Mintel. A global evaluation underlines the growing importance of various botanical ingredients in new food and beverage launches.

Global: non-alcoholic drinks launches with immunity claim,
% of most active herbal/spice ingredients, April 2017 – March 2020

Source: Mintel/GNPD 2020

Plants that are particularly popular are ginger, turmeric and cinnamon, which are well known from trend beverages such as Golden Milk, an Ayurvedic based hot drink. In addition, classics such as chamomile, fennel and peppermint continue to be consumers’ all-time favorites. As immune boosting properties are fundamental for today’s consumers, botanicals such as elderberry are gaining ground. As a great source of vitamin C and antimicrobial tannins, elderberry is traditionally used for colds and flu symptoms (e.g. sore throats). It is fair to assume that product launches featuring botanicals with immune-boosting properties will gain importance in the future.

Stress & insomnia – a vicious circle

Stressful times often lead to insomnia, which in turn leads to stress again – a vicious circle. Consumers are therefore demanding products that use ingredients such as plant-based adaptogens to reduce stress and promote sleep at the same time. In the tea sector, many products already have a supportive effect on falling asleep with the help of herbal ingredients. Recently a great variety of products helping consumers to cope with stress and insomnia have been launched in the RTD and CSD category. According to Mintel, product launches with the label “stress-reducing” have doubled in the period November 2019 – October 2020 compared to November 2015 – October 2016. Besides well-known botanicals, e.g. chamomile and lavender, new products with adaptogens such as ashwagandha and tulsi are on the rise to meet consumer’s needs today.

People want to support their body functions with functional products even more during these unusual times. In addition to restful sleep and support of the immune system, intestinal health is progressively becoming the focus of attention in the sense of a holistic approach to health and wellness. By tradition, fennel, caraway and chamomile are often used to support digestion. In combination with probiotics, they are said to have positive beneficial effects on the immune system as a whole.

Would you like to learn more about these and other botanicals and their many uses regarding functionality? Feel free to contact us: sales@martin-bauer.com