Fermented Food for a Healthy Gut Pic credits: GMVozd on Unsplash
Pic credits: GMVozd on Unsplash
Fermented foods are trending and involved everywhere in the food industry these days: on recipe books, social media and grocery stores. The growth rate is significant. However, the trend isn’t all new. Humans have been fermenting foods and beverages for thousands of years, and modern consumers are finally realizing why.
Fermentation is a process that leads to a chemical change in the food making it easier to digest and enhances the availability of nutrients. Certain components in the food break down and probiotics are created. This process can change the taste, aroma, and texture of the food. Perhaps most important is the effect on the food’s nutritional value. Fruits, dairy, seeds, and other whole foods can be enhanced through fermentation to offer consumers greater nutritional benefits including probiotics and prebiotics. Eating fermented foods regularly can improve digestive function and nutrient absorption, positively affect mood, and support other holistic health.
As fermented foods grow in popularity, health food blogs and lifestyle influencers continue to enhance common knowledge about fermented foods like kimchi and yogurt. Let’s talk about some of the most commonly known fermented foods.
Many fermented foods are fairly familiar and incorporated into regular meals. Others are popular condiments or delicious treats. Even so, people may not know all the benefits of what they’re eating.
One well-known fermented food is yogurt. Yogurt can be a condiment, a meal, a snack, or an ingredient for creamy dishes. This fermented food has many nourishing qualities including high protein content.
CleverMama¹ makes yogurt pudding treats that are seriously nutritious. Each serving is rich in calcium, protein, and more vitamin and minerals. These snacks are great everyday go-tos to satisfy a sweet tooth with amazing ingredients that are actually good for you. CleverMama pudding treats are the number one leading high-end pudding brand with top sales in China, and you can stock up on crowd-pleasing flavors like Strawberries² and Cocoa Cookies³.
Kimchi, familiar to all, falls under the fermented vegetables category. Sometimes relegated to the condiment category, kimchi is full of nourishing ingredients. It transforms a dish, bringing more flavor, often a spicy kick, and always a boost in nutritional value. Korean-style Napa Cabbage Kimchi⁴ promotes gut health with lactic acid bacteria and boasts antioxidant and anticancer effects. It also combats heart disease and promotes numerous other benefits. This product and others like it could serve as an appetizer or an addition to a main dish.
Lastly, let’s talk about miso. Miso is a soy-based fermented food that serves as a stock or base for many common dishes. It can also be incorporated as a topping or condiment to add those fermented benefits and some salty, tangy taste to a snack or meal. Alongside its fermentation-specific benefits, miso is a great source of protein.
Kimchi Consumption Is on the Rise
Let’s focus on one rapidly growing fermented food trend and what you need to know as a retailer. While kimchi is easy to make at home, prepared kimchi is growing in popularity around the world and sales are rising.
According to Technavio research, “The global kimchi market has the potential to grow by USD 2.39 billion during 2020-2024.” The projected CAGR during that period is 8%.
The number of producers for packaged kimchi products are growing as well. Suppliers vary in style and presentation. They offer conventional and organic kimchi with diverse flavor and ingredient options to meet a varied market.
Business Wire⁵ suggests that, “To make the most of market opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.” Retailers small and large will want to pay attention to challenges around product recalls and capitalize on the health benefits of kimchi and other fermented products.
At Trustana, we’re following the trends to ensure retailers have access to quality food and beverage products when they need them. We’re here for small-scale retailers looking to increase healthy food options like yogurt, kimchi, and other fermented foods.
Trustana offers wholesale Korean food like Napa Cabbage Kimchi⁶ as well as a variety of brands and styles from all across Southeast Asia. We make wholesale purchases cost-effective and simple for small and medium businesses. Reach out to us today to find the next new food for your shelves, and stay on trend in the competitive landscape.
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