Alternative products, wellness, and sustainability are driving innovation in food and beverage, according to a Spoonshot’s Game-Changers 2022 report.
Spoonshot used their AI, #foodbrain, to analyze the innovativeness of more than 7,000 startups in the retail food and beverage space in more than 130 categories. Innovativeness was measured using criteria such as novelty of ingredients, product claims, health benefits, marketing messaging of the brands, brand engagement rates, and consumer reviews.
The report highlights the 25 most innovative products. Here are the top 5:
1. Reveal
These ready-to-drink beverages are brewed from upcycled avocado seeds. Each bottle has a brew from the equivalent of two seeds, saving them from landfills.
2. Mikuna
This plant protein powder has ancient grain choco as its main ingredient. Mikuna is free of lectin, an anti-nutrient that is often responsible for bloating and digestive problems.
3. Grounded
Grounded Foods’ plant-based cheese alternative is made with hemp seeds and imperfect cauliflower. These ingredients allow the product to be nut-free, dairy-free, and soy-free.
4. Natural Heaven
Natural Heaven’s rice, noodles, and pasta alternatives are made with heart of palm as the main ingredient. The products are derived from peach palm in South America and grown with sustainable agricultural practices.
5. rae
rae produces functional chocolates as part of their supplements, which are non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegan. The 60% cacao dark chocolates include probiotics and stress-relieving ingredients and are 40 calories apiece.
