Food Industry innovations and consumer acceptance of new technology are surging because of the coronavirus (COVID-19). One area that has seen dramatic changes is online, with market researchers around the world saying the pandemic has pushed e-commerce five years into the future.

For example, Amazon said at the end of July that quarterly online grocery sales had jumped 200% year-over-year and that demand was still “super high”. Food companies also are testing their own direct-to-consumer (DTC) e-commerce options. In the US, PepsiCo, Inc. launched PantryShop.com and Snacks.com during the year, two DTC e-commerce platforms that feature the company’s portfolio of products.

In AU, One DTC e-commerce online platform was created or Enebbe.com. Its vision is to offer a selection of better, healthy locally sourced speciality foods through online purchasing. Even if we have new devices that allow to benefit from online convenience, trends and innovation or choices are intensifying in the market. Without joining Social Media groups or other content related websites; surfing that accelerated digital growth would be difficult for buying new food sources i.e. dramatic shift to online grocery during Covid period.

Older consumers are the fastest-growing adopters of e-commerce this year.

It is difficult to predict if such behaviour will last but new lockdowns may prove otherwise. People are making investments in in-home meal preparation by buying items like pasta machines, bread makers, sandwich presses, pizza ovens and soda machines.

We believe that restaurant home cooking #eatinghome will provide a different lifestyle. Finding the products with special benefits or unique flavours will remain a challenge to change our habits.

Online specialty food products are consumed in several ways and being popular such as Cumquat Desert Limes Marmalade or Sugar Free Rosella Jams or new Jaboticaba Jelly may be a breakout star in 2021 + full range of Chipotle BBQ or spicy Chutneys + Roast Capsicum Relish + the rise of Pro/Prebiotics featuring functional benefits for the guts (microbiome) or immune health. Adding more specialty foods into diets is a key goal for some consumers for the coming year. We expect to satisfy with biggest list with a total of 145 products (95% AU ingredients) or Quality, Health and Sustainable 4-Star Selection from enebbe website. The food routine days are over!