Nearly 60 percent of U.S. consumers say they are more concerned about animal welfare, specifically as it relates to the food supply, than they were just a few years ago, according to a groundbreaking new report by Packaged Facts, a leading market research firm.

Most U.S. consumers believe livestock should be treated humanely and slaughtered in the least painful way possible. Key concerns include how animals are housed, fed, and handled. Antibiotic use is another top issue.

Packaged Facts is a premier source of market information for top industry decision makers in the food and beverage industry. Packaged Facts reports are frequently quoted in leading news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Forbes Magazine, and the Associated Press, in addition to many trade journals.

So far this year, Packaged Facts has released four new market research reports on the food industry that are packed with current insights to help drive business growth.

Packaged Facts, a leading consumer research firm, just released a new report 2017 Forecast: Culinary Trend Tracking Series. It takes an in-depth look into little-known food trends that are expected to take off in 2017.

Here are five international foods featured in the report that are on “the edge of the culinary world.” These trendy foods have not yet become mainstream items, but are poised for rapid growth.

As consumer spending and corporate profits increase, more households and businesses will host catered events such as wedding receptions, luncheons, and trade shows. 

A variety of organizations — including schools, senior living facilities, and hospitals — will also turn to contractors to outsource on-going foodservice needs. Professional contract caterers help free up organizations to focus on their core strengths and cut costs, rather than running meal programs on their own.

The global contract catering market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4% from 2016-2021, according to recent industry analysis conducted by Azoth Analytics.

Oprah Winfrey certainly hasn’t given up on dieting yet — she just revealed that she’s lost “over 40 pounds” on Weight Watchers as part of the company’s latest advertising campaign, sending shares soaring.

But for the U.S. weight loss industry as a whole, the numbers may not be quite so promising. The U.S. weight loss and diet control market totaled $65 billion in 2015, according to a report by Marketdata Enterprises Inc, a market research publisher that has tracked the diet market for 28 years. Flat to low growth is expected in the future.

The U.S. frozen food market is forecast to reach $72.98 billion by 2024, according to a recent study by Grand View Research.

Despite overall market growth, sales have remained tepid in recent years. Frozen food brands face ongoing challenges, as consumer preferences shift and competition increases.

The food and beverage industry is undergoing major shifts as U.S. consumers gravitate toward natural, whole foods diets.

Shoppers are scrutinizing nutrition labels more closely, opting for groceries made with fewer, simpler ingredients. Although gluten-free foods are still a hot item, consumers are increasingly aware that gluten-free doesn't always mean guilt-free.

Meanwhile, the popularity of meal kit delivery services continues to soar, as more and more companies roll out subscription offerings for consumers seeking convenient home-cooked meals.

Read on to learn more about these trends.

Grocery retailers in the U.S. face fierce competition. There’s no shortage of retail channels vying for business — including supermarkets and discount stores, wholesale clubs, drug stores, natural food stores, farmers markets, and online delivery services.

How do these different retail channels measure up in the eyes of consumers? And with so many options available, how can retailers stand out from the competition and keep customers coming back? 

The research firm Packaged Facts addresses these questions in the new report Natural and Organic Foods and Beverages in the U.S., Fifth Edition, which includes data from a proprietary Packaged Facts National Consumer Survey conducted in July-August 2016. 

You may be eating one right now. And you’ll probably eat a few later on today. In fact, many health experts recommend consuming multiple servings of these foods each day.

So put down that cereal, pasta, pizza, sandwich, or organic/whole grain/quinoa snack chip that you’re eating, and let’s talk about … grain-based foods.    

Shipments of grain-based foods from US bakeries and factories are forecast to reach $110 billion in 2020, representing annual increases of 2.0% from $99.8 billion in 2015. Population growth will drive demand for such foods, since many of these products serve as dietary staples.

Today’s consumers are looking to fill their grocery carts with food made from clean, natural ingredients. As a result, big brands are modifying their products in hopes of winning over health-conscious consumers, and the baking aisle is no exception.  

“A trend that has really burst out in the last year is what I’ve been calling the ‘better baking trend,’” explains Kara Nielsen, a food trendologist and professionally trained baker. “This makes a ton of sense, when you consider a lot of the baking mixes, jarred frosting, and other items in the baking aisle are very family centered. Kids are the main consumer in many cases.”