Food Personalization, Trend or Fad?

Personalization in Food

As an increasingly popular trend, personalization also translates into the food industry; especially as emerging technologies make it more accessible and practical to implement.  Tools such as online surveys, big data and at-home DNA testing are facilitating companies to gain a better understanding of consumer’s (individual) needs. Other technological advancements such as machine learning can help a shopper by providing recommendations to select the appropriate product, followed up with 3D printing and automated factories that can handle production. With consumers looking for more personalization food & beverage product offerings, and modern technologies making it viable and accessible, new companies are starting to emerge to try to capitalize on this trend.

Applying modern technologies to a healthy lifestyle

One current example of personalized food is where DNA testing is used to develop a consumer profile. Besides the DNA testing, lifestyle choices, genetic biomarkers and biometrics can be bundled to create an extensive consumer profile. Based on the individual test results, recommendations can be made on eating habits that match the needs of the tested individual to encourage healthy eating.

Demand for personalized diets is rapidly growing due to the spread of new diets and affordable at-home testing health diagnostics. Combined with the growing attention toward food allergies and intolerances, personalized food is gaining popularity.

New companies are introducing solutions such as personalized meal plans, including tailored meal plans to specific diets and cooking habits through integrating nutritional data from health tracking devices. All of this to provide a personalized nutrition advice to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Improving customer experience

But the personalization does not just apply to healthy nutrition. On the other side, customization of foods and beverages is also used to provide consumers with a more personal experience. For instance, restaurants that are increasingly offering customers the option to build their own dish like a burger or frozen yoghurt.

Finally, even beyond the actual food, packaging is now also being exposed to the trend of personalization, where personal names or messages are included to generate a closer engagement with products and brands.

As the benefits of personalization are becoming clear, the trend is spreading quickly through emerging technologies across different applications within different food & beverage offerings.

Despite the potential, customizing product offerings on a large scale requires different business systems to work together impeccably. Inform yourself about the world’s foremost food solution to allow your business to capitalize on this growing trend.