Category
Lifestyle
Protein Personalization
Trend cluster
Category
Date-Sweetened
Brands sweeten food and beverage products with dates.
4.9
Trend score
Trend
What is the Date-Sweetened trend?
Date-Sweetened: Date-sweetened snacks and beverages are increasingly popular as brands look to reduce the amount of refined sugars they use. Products in this space include everything from canned coffees to chocolate bars.
Insight
The consumer insight behind the Date-Sweetened trend
Consumers today are more aware of what ingredients might be harmful to their health when consumed in excess. However, with diet culture now adapting to be more flexible and body-positive, they're more likely to prioritize "responsible" indulgence rather than restricting themselves altogether. Brands that help consumers do this will be increasingly relevant in the food and beverage space.
Trend themes
Themes within the Date-Sweetened trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Healthy indulgence
Consumers are looking for better-for-you options that offer indulgence without compromising their health, creating an opportunity for brands to create products that prioritize responsible indulgence over restriction.
02
Clean label
Consumers are seeking out products made with simple, natural ingredients, with a particular focus on natural sweeteners like dates, highlighting the opportunity for brands to offer a clean-label variant of existing products.
03
Direct-to-consumer
Brands are using a direct-to-consumer model as a way to reach consumers seeking out healthy snacks and beverages, offering an opportunity to eliminate middlemen and create loyal, personalized relationships with customers.
Industry implications
What the Date-Sweetened trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Food and Beverage
The food and beverage industry can use date sweeteners to add a healthier, natural option to replace refined sugar that appeals to health-conscious consumers.
For
Confectionery industry
The confectionery industry can use date sweeteners to create healthier snack options that appeal to the growing number of consumers who are looking for indulgent and healthy treats.
For
E-commerce
The e-commerce industry can use D2C models to create personalized relationships while reducing costs and creating a seamless customer experience.
Workshop question
How is your brand catering to consumers' desire to indulge responsibly?
Trend signals
Trend signals for Date-Sweetened
Trend score 4.9 out of 10, from popularity 73%, activity 60%, freshness 16%.
Popularity73%
Activity60%
Freshness16%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X
- Boomer
Market
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
Evidence
Examples of the Date-Sweetened trend
12 featured examples from Feb 26, 2020 to Feb 29, 2024CategoryLifestyle
DTC Clean Label Chocolates
Simply Gum Launches All Natural, No-Frills Chocolate Line, Simply Candy
Companies can innovate by offering natural and simplified ingredient lists within the traditional chocolate industry.
CategoryLifestyle
Clean-Label Coffee Beverages
Pop & Bottle Mocha Oat Milk Latte is Sweetened with Dates & Coconuts
Innovation opportunity: Develop clean-label coffee beverages with functional ingredients and oat milk.
CategoryLifestyle
Date-Sweetened Chocolate Bars
Bon AppéSweet is Vegan-Friendly with Zero Added Sugar
The confectionery industry could explore creating healthier alternative chocolates using natural sweeteners like date to cater to health-conscious consumers.
CategoryLifestyle
Date-Sweetened Chocolate Bars
The Conscious Bar Makes Decadent, Naturally Sweetened Chocolate Bars
Manufacturers in the health snack industry have a chance to disrupt the market by creating and improving products that cater to health-conscious consumers seeking natural alternat…
CategoryLifestyle
Date-Sweetened Frozen Desserts
Mud Ice Cream is Made with Four to Five Simple Ingredients
Companies in the food and beverage industry can capitalize on the growing demand for dairy-free and clean label frozen desserts to expand their product lines and cater to health-c…
CategoryLifestyle
Date-Sweetened Plant-Based Chocolates
Bon AppeSweet's Better-for-You Treats Use Few Ingredients
Confectionery industry needs to adapt to changing consumer preferences towards healthier and plant-based alternatives.
CategoryLifestyle
Plant-Based Fudge Treats
Ancient Fudge is Made with Organic Cacao That's Sweetened with Fruit
The food and beverage industry can tap into the growing demand for plant-based desserts and naturally sweetened snacks to create innovative product offerings.
CategoryLifestyle
Balancing Plant-Powered Bites
Cinnamon Crunch by Rootless Supports Healthy Hormone Levels
The food and beverage industry can explore opportunities in the plant-based nutrition trend by creating products that support hormone balance, similar to Rootless' Cinnamon Crunch…
CategoryLifestyle
Date-Sweetened Chocolate Chips
Just Date's Minimal-Ingredient Chocolate Chips Boast No Added Sugar
Opportunities for innovation in the food and beverage industry to create healthier, more natural alternatives to traditional products.
CategoryLifestyle
Sweet-Inspired Chocolate Bites
Frooze Balls Adds Two New Flavors to its Lineup
The health food industry can capitalize on the popularity of protein-packed energy balls to create new products and expand their market.
CategoryLifestyle
All-Natural Pinole Chips
Bob's Natural Created "Snack Fuel" with Corn Flour, Chia Seeds & Dates
Bob's Natural is disrupting the food and beverage industry with their all-natural Pinole Chips, offering a unique and nutritious snacking experience.
CategoryLifestyle
Southern Dessert-Inspired Cakes
Beatrice Bakery Debuts the New Grandma’s Southern Pecan Cake
The bakery industry can explore the creation of southern-flavored dessert offerings to cater to consumers' desires for nostalgic tastes and unique experiences.
