Non-GMO Popularity Is Spreading To Food Service

Non-GMO. Organic. The Non-GMO Project Verification. We’ve talked about this already, haven’t we??

If you are a natural food manufacturer, the discussion about the non-GMO trend is probably getting redundant now… You’ve switched to non-GMO ingredients, or you’re at least working on it. You’ve compared non-gmo vs. organic prices. You’re done with your Non-GMO Project Verification.

But if you are in the food service industry, your answer is probably different. Half of you reading this right now are saying, “What?? Non-GMO? All my customers care about is getting the lowest price!” The other half of you, however, are nodding along saying, “Yes!! I've started to get questions about non-GMO products, especially oils!”

While the non-GMO trend has completely saturated the manufacturing sector at this point, the food service sector is always slower to keep up. Right now, we are right at the brink of non-GMO and organic products beginning to permeate more and more of the food service sector. Is your company prepared?

The Non-GMO Trend Is Moving To Food Service

If you are a sales person in the food service sector, or you do anything related to product management and merchandising be aware – this non-gmo trend is coming for you!

In just the last six months, the number of distributors (vs. manufacturers) contacting us about organic and non-GMO oils has increased exponentially. If your a distributor, now is the time to start looking into these items and setting up a potential supply chain for when your customer’s come calling.

Don’t be left in the dust by your competitors!

How Popular Is The Non-GMO Trend In The Natural Food Manufacturing Industry?

Right now the manufacturing industry is in the following stage of non-GMO permeation, on average:

• Many manufacturers have switched away from conventional ingredients that use GMOs.
• Most manufacturers have completed their Non-GMO Project Verification for their lines.
• If they are bringing a new product to market, it is automatically being Non-GMO Project Verified before being released.
• Many manufacturers are considering expanding new product lines for clean, organic, or non-GMO exclusive products.
• Being non-GMO is a baseline prerequisite to get a product into Whole Foods Market now. Their requirements have become a benchmark for the organic and natural foods sector, so if you want to sell your product in Whole Foods (or target any of the natural foods crowd) you’ll have to play by their rules.  Long story short, everyone already is.

How Popular Is The Non-GMO Trend In The Food Service Industry Right Now?

Right now the food service distribution industry is in the following stage of non-GMO permeation, on average:

• Sales reps have been getting more and more inquiries about non-GMO products over the last year.
• Sales reps are sharing and learning: they are finding out about the different types of ingredients available,
• comparing all of the non-GMO options with their customers and analyzing pricing.
• The trend setters are beginning to buy non-GMO products as a counterpart to their current conventional lines.
• Interest from mainstream and broad line distributors has greatly increased in the last six months.

In Conclusion

This review above “takes the temperature” of the interest in non-gmo products in each industry. It also gives you an idea of where the market stands, and allows you to think ahead about your ingredients depending on the market that you serve.

Long story short, get ready for the importance of non-GMO and organic ingredients to increase. If you haven't focused your energy on sourcing those products yet, it would be a good idea to start.

The non-gmo trend is officially on the move from the manufacturing industry to food service!