5 Trends Shaping Food + Beverage
Want to add sizzle to your brand strategy? After delving into the latest culture reports, social listening data, and industry predictions, a few exciting themes emerged. Discover some of my favorite Food and Beverage trends for the year:
Trend One
Cafe core
Making a cup of coffee is among the most cherished and intricate rituals. Consumers are looking for ways to elevate their coffee experience at home. This trend encompasses not only the quality of coffee but also the ambiance and rituals associated with café culture. From investing in specialty equipment to creating cozy coffee nooks and incorporating stylish accessories, consumers are seeking to mimic the vibes of their favorite cafés. The cafe core trend also underscores a shift towards valuing the sensory and social aspects of at-home consumption.
Pinterest is seeing a surge in searches for:
Coffee bar styling (+1,125%)
Kafe aesthetic (+820%)
Coffee station decor (+145%)
Trend Two
Neo-Hedonism
What do you get when you combine a longing to escape with the need for more approachable delight? Welcome to the neo-hedonism era. From tropical flavors to nostalgic treats to innovative sensorial experiences, consumers are embracing pleasure in their food and beverage purchases.
88% growth in conversations around unique products and experiences designed to enhance sensory experiences. (Source: Diageo)
75% increase in consumer conversations about a greater perceived availability and access to luxury goods (Source: Diageo)
Trending search terms on Pinterest include: pineapple mocktails (+70%), crushed pineapple upside down cake (+50%), coconut aesthetic (+35%), Hawaiian sheet pan chicken (+35%), and tropical chic decor (+110%)
Escapism cocktails are on the rise such as the Margarita (32%), Daiquiri (27%), and Passion Fruit Martini (21%) (Source: Bacardi)
Trend Three
Culinary Cocktails
Bartenders are mixing up a fusion of culinary flavors at many of the top cocktail bars — from shepherd's pie to caprese salad and even pancakes. These innovative libations evoke nostalgic memories of favorite foods, offering consumers a unique and multisensory journey with each sip. From savory concoctions that evoke the essence of a gourmet meal to sweet treats reminiscent of childhood desserts, these culinary cocktails are redefining the boundaries of mixology and gastronomy.
Drink in some savory nostalgia at spots like:
Trend Four
Dopamine Packaging
In times of uncertainty and crisis, consumers look for ways to add joy to their lives. Often referred to as the “feel-good” chemical, dopamine controls feelings of pleasure and reward. Brands are starting to leverage the psychology of color more prominently in packaging with bold, fun, and colorful designs like recent rebrands from Jello, Fanta, and 7UP.
When consumers encounter products packaged in a way that stimulates their dopamine levels, they are more likely to experience a heightened sense of desire and urgency to make a purchase. Additionally, dopamine packaging can create a memorable and positive product experience, increasing the likelihood of repeat purchases and fostering brand loyalty.
Trend Five
Minimally Processed
It’s been a long journey for transparency in food manufacturing. From artificial ingredients to sustainable practices to provenance fraud, consumers are spending more time learning how their food is made. Mintel predicts the next global consumer concern will be around ultra-processed foods with 34% of US adults saying highly processed is a top concern (aside from price and taste) when purchasing food or drink.
While most consumers won’t go cold turkey on processed foods, expect a demand for “better for you” (BFY) products with clear communication around processing. Forbes found that BFY products outperformed the rest of the market by almost 10 percentage points in the last three years and represent nearly $80 billion in annual sales.
Want to explore how you can apply these trends?
