As part of the cruelty-free movement, consumers are increasingly demanding cage-free eggs from producers. These preferences don’t merely apply to whole eggs purchased for personal use at home but for eggs used in manufactured food products as well.

These days, the terms “clean label” and “label transparency” are everywhere. Both are major trends in the food and beverage industry, and both are in high demand by consumers. Though hotly debated among food scientists, the Clean Label Project has made consumers more aware of what should be on ingredient lists and, just as importantly, what shouldn’t.

Arguably, nothing has dominated the food industry more than clean label initiatives in recent years. Consumers are driving the trend, with 53% of adults saying they’re purchasing more natural foods for their families.

Because of the availability of online resources, consumers can research product claims and ingredients like never before, and they want to know more than what is or isn’t in a product. They also want to know where ingredients came from, how a product was produced, whether animals were harmed in the making, and the impact on the environment.

Grocery stores in the U.S. throw out 43 billion pounds of food every single year because of spoilage or products that have surpassed their sell-by dates. That’s an immense amount of waste, and it doesn’t include food thrown out by restaurants and consumers.

Yogurt has long been a go-to ingredient for many manufacturers, and the consumption of yogurt has consistently grown year over year. In 2017, the market topped $8.8 billion and is expected to reach $9.8 billion by 2022.

There are multiple forms of whey protein ingredients on the market, each appealing to a variety of food manufacturers and consumer groups for their unique applications.

Just as there are many forms of whey protein, there are different methods used to manufacture the products. While the vast majority of whey protein originates from cow’s milk, the process it goes through to get to its final concentrate form can vary from one manufacturer to the next.

Fresh yogurt is a popular ingredient for health-conscious consumers, and sales are expected to continue climbing for the foreseeable future. But many food manufacturers find it challenging to incorporate yogurt into their formulations because it requires a specific type of permit, has a relatively short shelf life, and has risks of contamination that other products don’t.

More than half of all U.S. consumers say they consider protein content when buying food for their households. The form of protein they choose varies widely, from meat, cheese and yogurt, to protein concentrates used in sports beverages, supplements and snack bars.

One of the fastest growing segments among protein ingredients is the plant protein market. Despite its growth, however, plant proteins fall short of their more traditional counterpart, whey protein, when it comes to overall nutrition, functionality and digestibility.

Some food trends have come and gone while others have become mainstream. 2019 will be an exciting year for the food and beverage industry, and consumers will reap the benefits with healthier, more natural formulations that offer unique flavor profiles. While some food trends may not seem revolutionary or new, they have continued to evolve from previous years and will greatly influence the food industry as we move into 2019.

Here’s a look forward at the 2019 food and beverage trends to help food manufacturers position themselves for success in the coming year and beyond.