According to Nick Fereday, executive director and senior analyst, food & consumer trends, at Rabobank International:
What’s hot?
- Alternative proteins: From cricket flour to plant-based proteins (rice, pea)
- Ancient grains & sprouted grains: From chia and quinoa (technically seeds) to sorghum, millet and amaranth
- Chips that aren’t made from potatoes: Chips made from beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, rice
- Coconut: From coconut meat to coconut oil and coconut water
- Craft Soda: Dry, less sweet soda is in
- Ginger and turmeric: Gaining momentum in foods and beverages
- Gluten-free: Still going strong, “but surely close to its peak”?
- Meat jerky: Part of the wider interest in protein (Click HERE and HERE for more on meat snacks)
- Tea: Hot, cold and kombucha
- Water: Artichoke (click HERE), caffeinated, ionized, and olive oil…
- Snack bars: Paleo, fresh (in the chiller), bars for pregnant women…
- Snack balls/bites: “Are balls the new bars?”
- Raw: “Raw everything. Minimally processed.”
- RTE popcorn: “Well beyond the fad phase”
- Pouches: “Not just for babies …”
- Aussie-style yogurts, kefir and cottage cheese packaged like Greek yogurt: Click HERE
- B corporations: Many more B corps spotted (click HERE for details)
- Plus…. Dark chocolate, hot dips and sauces, small batch ice cream
Not so hot…
- Kale: “Adieu, kale chips.”
- Greek yogurt: “Getting rather passé”
Watch Nick on camera talking about the ready-to-eat popcorn category HERE.
Check out our trend-spotting galleries from Expo West: DAIRY, SNACKS, & BEVERAGES.
Watch more videos from the show:
Plant waters: Maple water, artichoke water, cactus water