 As the calendar prepares to turn over to a new year, a glimpse of what might be coming in 2022 can be seen by looking at trends that impacted the food and beverage industry during the past 12 months.
For the second year in a row, COVID-19 stood out as a major theme. The pandemic influenced how venture funds and other groups invest in nascent sectors including cell-based meat, compostable plastic, large greenhouses and better-for-you beverages. It also impacted how and when people eat, with breakfast seeing a rebound as shoppers spent more time at home and less commuting to work or dining out.
Despite the prevalence of the pandemic, the food and beverage industry saw the emergence of other trends during 2021, including a slowdown in the once fast-growing hard seltzer market, a surge in the number of plant-based chicken offerings and a red-hot IPO market — although most of the companies going public recently ended up trading below their listing price.
The sector also witnessed an uptick in CPGs building new plants or expanding older facilities in order to keep up with demand as well as manufacturers testing a range of sustainable packaging options to minimize their ecological footprints.
2021 was truly a pivotal year that will shape the future of food. During these unprecedented times, we appreciate your support as we made sense of the biggest stories that defined the year. As we enter into 2022, we ask that you consider sharing our newsletter with your teammates and colleagues, to help them stay more informed in the new year. Share this link to get them signed up: https://www.fooddive.com/signup/insiders/?signup_referred_by=60a5c3aa567ee621a1070bb0.
Food Dive hopes you enjoy our list of stories that cover some of the most popular trends this year.
 Christopher Doering
Senior Reporter, Food Dive
Twitter | E-mail Deep Dive Coca-Cola, Nestlé and General Mills are just a few of the CPGs to announce hikes as they face a jump in expenses for ingredients, manufacturing, packaging and transportation. |
Deep Dive Pandemic-related increases in consumption and a revitalization of CPGs are leading to more big facility construction projects, but challenges in staffing and supply chain may cloud the industry's growth. |
Deep Dive While employers prioritize adding people who can pivot across multiple jobs, prospective employees are placing more value in what companies stand for before they accept a job. |
Deep Dive With more people at home, a less hectic pace has boosted demand for sausage, waffles and cereal — a shift food manufacturers are confident will stick around after the pandemic. |
From upcycled barley straw cartons to paper soda bottles, manufacturers are testing a range of options to minimize their ecological footprints. Here are some of the most novel approaches. |
Deep Dive With Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods entering the space and new options filling freezer cases, the potential for the poultry analog suddenly seems limitless. |
Deep Dive In 2020, the number of court cases from consumers claiming that food and drink companies deceived them hit an all-time high, according to statistics compiled by law firm Perkins Coie. |
A review of 13 companies that have gone public since July 2020 through traditional IPOs or mergers with SPACs show all but one of the listings are trading below where they first came to market. |
Deep Dive Despite the abrupt warning by Truly maker Boston Beer in July that it overestimated demand, many predict further growth in the category and a few major players to eventually dominate. |
At a session at last week's Future Food-Tech virtual conference, leaders from venture firms and finance said while much of the strategy is the same, the target is becoming more defined through careful choices and the advent of SPACs. | | |
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