NEXT: Natural Products Industry Forecast 2015 Reveals Pivotal Macro Forces Shaping the Future of the Consumer Products Landscape

BOULDER, Colo., July 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- New Hope Natural Media and Sterling-Rice Group today announced the unveiling of NEXT: The Natural Products Industry Forecast 2015, which identifies and details the macro forces, trends, opportunities, companies, brands, products and people defining the natural marketplace today and helping to shape the future of this growing consumer products landscape. With all new content and growth projections built out through 2019, this report builds off the insights featured in our previous NEXT Forecast reports and serves as the definitive guide to where the natural, organic and healthy products market is now and where it is headed.

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As is detailed in the NEXT Forecast 2015, continued strong growth is expected for natural products, as the natural industry moves to claim a larger piece of the overall consumer packaged goods pie. According to NEXT Forecast estimates, U.S. consumer sales of natural, organic and healthy products are forecasted to expand 64 percent from $153B in 2013 to $252 billion by 2019. This is a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%, which is more than double the projected growth rate of mainstream consumer packaged goods.

"The natural products market is a true bright spot in the world of consumer packaged goods," said Carlotta Mast, Senior Director of Content & Insights and Chief Author of the NEXT Forecast 2015.

"This report is a valuable resource for any manufacturer, supplier, retailer, investor, or service provider that wants to tap into the growth potential of natural, organic and healthy products."

A convergence of forces is helping to propel natural products industry growth. Following are the top three macro forces shaping the future of natural food and beverage; dietary supplements and ingredients; and natural beauty, personal care, household and pet products, as identified in the NEXT Forecast 2015.

• INNOVATION AT THE EDGES: The dramatic success story of Suja, the 2-year-old cold-pressed juice company poised to make $50 million in 2014, is emblematic of where innovation can be found in today's food and beverage world. For the most part, the true innovation that will fuel future growth is flowing from the "little guys" such as Suja versus the large, traditional CPG players.
• ANCIENT WISDOM: Consumer hunger for nutrient-dense ingredients is growing, even as new markets develop along the fringes of this motif. The proliferation of "ancient wisdom," coupled with new beliefs about what constitutes good food and how it is made available to more people, is creating new opportunities for everything from bug protein-packed nutrition bars to plant-based egg alternatives that cost a fraction of their conventional counterparts.
• TECHNOLOGY TO THE RESCUE: We've entered the era of "food tech," and with it, the prospect of bringing the best of culture and science together in closer harmony with consumer packaged goods. The influence of Silicon Valley on natural products will be direct and dramatic in the coming years. In addition, social media and mobile technologies continue to play central roles in the wave of transparency washing over our food system.

The remaining seven macro forces and the 21 trends and 21 opportunities shaping the future of natural, organic and healthy products can be found in the NEXT Forecast 2015. Now available for $1,995, the full report includes:

• The Executive Summary and 10 Macro Forces
• The Food and Beverage Chapter (includes 9 category influencers, 7 category trends, 7 category opportunities, and a category market performance overview and forecast to 2019)
• The Supplements Chapter (includes 7 category influencers, 7 category trends, 7 category opportunities, and a category market performance overview and forecast to 2019)
• The Natural Living Chapter (includes 7 category influencers, 5 category trends, 5 category opportunities, and a category market performance overview and forecast to 2019 for Natural Beauty, Personal Care and Household Products. This chapter includes a bonus section on Natural Pet, with 2 category trends, 2 category opportunities, and a category market performance overview and forecast to 2019)
• The NEXT Trend Ingredients, Claims and Certifications Chapter (which marries New Hope's NEXT Trend product data from Natural Products Expo with the NEXT Forecast team's qualitative insights and expertise)
• The Design Trends Chapter (includes micro and macro brand design and packaging trends in the natural and organic space, as identified by SRG)
• The NEXTY Winners profiles (given out in conjunction with our NEXT Forecast research, these winners represent the best of the best in food and beverage, supplements and ingredients, and beauty and natural living)

New Hope Natural Media researchers are available for interviews about the macro forces, data, trends and opportunities presented in the NEXT Forecast 2015.

About New Hope Natural Media
New Hope Natural Media is the leading media resource and information provider for the natural, organic and healthy products industry, with print, in-person/event, and e-business products and services.

About Sterling-Rice Group
Headquartered in Boulder, CO., Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) is a nationally recognized brand-building firm specializing in consumer insights, business strategy, innovation, advertising and design. SRG promotes the growth of living well brands that make people's lives healthier and happier, and has been creating positive impact for 30 years. SRG is a recent AdAge Small Agency of the Year, and has been named by Outside Magazine as one of the Best Places to Work for the last three years in a row. Visit srg.com for more information.

SOURCE Penton