Farmhouse Culture fermented products

The of fermentation has captured consumers' attention.
 

Fermentation frenzy

The ages-old process of fermentation has again captured the consumer’s attention, Ms. Dornblaser said.

“We have seen so much expansion and talk about fermentation and fermented foods,” Ms. Dornblaser said. “In the past it was all about sauerkraut, but today it’s about sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and other types of fermented foods.”

Consumers may associate fermented foods with digestive health and clean and simple product formulations, she said. Additionally, consumer awareness of fermentation is driven by continued interest in yogurt and beer, she said.

Kimchi and kombucha
Generally, younger consumers are more likely to buy kombucha or kimchi.
 

Generally, younger consumers are more likely to buy kombucha or kimchi, while older consumers show preference for sauerkraut, according to Mintel.

“If you’re looking at a process, say fermentation, that’s quite old, and looking to modernize that and bring that up to date, think about how you do that, what kind of product you do that with, based on who you want to appeal to,” Ms. Dornblaser said. “If you want to appeal to those younger consumers, go for kombucha and kimchi … but if it’s for an older consumer group, sauerkraut is going to appeal to them much more.”