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NATURALLY RETAIL FROM PAGE 35 DRAKES ASPIRES TO BE ‘LEADERS OF RANGE’ Drakes Supermarkets, according to Director John-Paul Drake, will continue to expand its already “huge” range of natural and organic products. “We want to be the leaders of range,” he said, “but in particular, we want to be known to be at the forefront of trends. “Organic is becoming more mainstream now, and we know that every category needs to have a quality offer to increase and improve our customer offer. Our customer base is diverse. The younger market in particular is more aware of the benefits of natural and organic products and seeking these products in our stores.” As the appeal of natural and organic becomes more mainstream, Mr Drake says people are willing to pay a little more than they would for the everyday product, but not a huge premium. “Packaging needs to be simple with clear call-outs of the product and where they are sourced from, something that will entice people to switch to a natural or organic version of what they would normally buy,” he said. “Most importantly, if you’re going to sell a product for its health benefits, the credentials need to match the claims. Our customers are more educated now and are looking at the back of the pack for the fine print. Gluten free is a key example of this: people thought GF was healthy until they realised the additives to make the food flavoursome outweighed the GF benefits. ‘No numbers, no additives’ will be the future. Sustainable packaging is also a must.” H2COCO CONSIDERS FUNCTIONALITY H2coco, according to founder and CEO David Freeman, envisions a healthier fridge and pantry in every household. The company hopes to help achieve this, he says, by empowering people’s lives with convenient better-for you beverages. Mr Freeman believes consumers are wanting more out of their purchases, so they’re continuing to look for healthy convenience with added benefits or functionality. “I urge all retailers to talk to their suppliers, or even us, and find out about the future and what consumers are willing to pay a premium for,” he said. “In 2020, we have a big push towards functionality, so you’ll start seeing \[H2coco’s\] ranges get upgraded to include various functionalities, from beauty, gut health, protein, energy and more.” MUSHROOM FOR MEAT ALTERNATIVE AT FABLE Consumers are demanding healthy, sustainable and ethical alternatives to meat from animals, says Fable Food Co CEO Michael Fox. “This rise in consumer demand,” he said, “has seen food companies investing in creating delicious meat alternatives made from plants (and in Fable’s case mushrooms). These products now have incredible taste and texture and can easily be substituted in for meat from animals, so consumers are making this change in their diets.” Mr Fox says consumers still love the taste and texture of meat from animals, but are open to replacing animal derived meat if such appeal can be replicated. “Food companies are focusing on the higher volume meats first,” he said. “So, minced beef, sausages, burgers and chicken have all been the first products to be replicated. “In Fable’s case, our Chief Science Officer Jim \[Fuller\] grew up in Texas and loves the taste of slow cooked meats. Jim worked for 10 years as a fine dining chef, then studied chemical engineering and agricultural science, majoring in mycology \[the study of fungi\]. Jim has used his scientific understanding of mushrooms, coupled with his culinary expertise, to create Fable, which can be used to replace slow cooked meats like pulled pork, braised beef and beef brisket.” Naturally Good 2020 has been postponed due to the spread of COVID-19. New dates will be announced soon. This year’s expo will feature more than 370 exhibitors and 15 presentations showcasing the “hottest” products and trends. The Business Summit will be held ahead of the expo. Aimed at manufacturers and brands in the natural and organic space, the summit will cover consumer strategy, capital raising and ecommerce, as well as upcoming trends and insights in 2020. 36 RETAIL WORLD APR, 2020