london
English, Spanish, Castilian
As a passionate advocate for the foods industry, I stay attuned to emerging trends, with a special interest in the health space. I engage in thought leadership and foster deep conversations, empowering clients with insight to navigate and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.
María is Industry Manager for dairy products and alternatives and cooking ingredients and meals. She provides global expertise and forward-thinking insights, identifying latest product developments and key market trends within these industries. She has a particular interest in health and wellness trends and plant-based dairy alternatives.
María drives the content and quality of Euromonitor’s global industry research for dairy products and alternatives and cooking ingredients and meals. She advises clients across these industries around category dynamics and innovation, and is part of Euromonitor's Passport Plus programme. Maria has previously worked in academia as a researcher within the Nutrition Division of the Complutense University, Spain (2012-2015).
Hybrid lifestyles mean consumers are spending more time at home, and the cost-of-living crisis is putting pressure on disposable incomes. These trends bring opportunities to meal kits, as they are premium offerings in a retail context but are more affordable than traditional foodservice options, thus making them an attractive choice for consumers in a post-pandemic world.
As demand for health and wellness solutions continues to rise, functional foods are gaining traction. However, there has been a notable shift from narrow functional benefits to a more holistic approach that considers the wellbeing of both body and mind.
Innovation is crucial to reverse volume decline and to build added value in the dairy industry that consumers are willing to pay extra for. This includes developing new products that meet changing consumer preferences, such as healthier and functional offerings as well as plant-based alternatives.