Top 5 Food Trends for 2018

January 08, 2018

What food trends will resonate with consumers’ preference and wallets this year? Predictions for the top food trends for 2018 are in from chefs, food companies, analysts and many more.

We culled our picks for the top 5 food trends for 2018 from the Whole Foods, Pinterest and the “Supermarket Guru” forecasts.

1: Technology

Technology is impacting both the food we eat and the way we shop for it.

“Supermarket Guru” Phil Lempert named “technofoodology” in his trends forecast for 2018, writing that “technofoodology and artificial intelligence are the best things to ever happen to a grocery store”  in his trends forecast. This includes smart, in-home gadgets that allow you to speak to it to order items. These voice-enabled smart speakers are expected to be in 55% of all U.S. households by 2020.  Lempert predicted as it becomes increasingly easier to purchase staple food items, physical grocery stores will remain relevant through offering fresh items.

Technology came up twice on Whole Foods’ top 10 trends predictions. It came up in the “high-tech goes plant-forward” trend. Technological advances are making it possible to manipulate plant-based ingredients and proteins, which are finding their way into new products on store shelves and in recipes. New production technologies are also “revolutionizing all things puffed, popped, dried and crisped.”

Whole Foods’ “popped and puffed snacks” trend correlates with Pinterest’s “air fryers” trend. Air fryers subvert the traditional, deep-fried approach to snack food and instead uses air to fry foods. (You can read a Buzzfeed review about them here.) Pinterest listed healthy recipes, low calorie recipes and party food ideas among its “targetable interests” for this trend prediction.

2: Transparency

“Transparency is the currency of trust in our digital age,” Food Marketing Institute said in its 2017 Grocery Shopper Trends report. 77% of consumers want product information about food safety standards and 70% want clear labeling. Consumers want transparency about animal welfare practices, fair labor, ethical sourcing and processing methods—and consumers hold grocers almost as accountable for providing this information as manufacturers, according to FMI.

Consumers want to “the real story behind their food, and how that item made its way from the source to the store,” Whole Foods said in its transparency trend prediction. Whole Foods named GMO, Fair Trade and animal welfare standards as three areas consumers look for transparency.

Lempert touched on transparency in two of his trends for 2018. He mentioned it in his mindfulness trend prediction. Consumers are reading and understanding more food labels, Lempert said. There is an increased interest in the body-mind connection and how food choice factors into it. Lempert also said it was important to use advertising that tells the truth, “especially about nutrition.”

3: Health

52% of consumers list “healthy” as the most important food attribute.

There was a 36% increase in product launches with brain health claims, Lempert said while outlining his neuro nutrition trend prediction. Not only are U.S. consumers getting smarter, but they are now interested in brain health, Lempert said.

Consumers will want more than brain health. Plant proteins saw a 417% increase in saves on Pinterest in 2017. It’s listed as Pinterest’s No. 4 food trend for 2018.

Protein powders, ground turmeric powder and energy-boosting powders matcha, maca root and cacao are added to smoothies, lattés, nutrition bars and baked goods, according to Whole Foods’ powder prediction for 2018.

4: Taste from Multicultural Flavors

Flavors from all over the globe are making their way into American consumers’ food choices, both Whole Foods and Pinterest predict for this year.

Moroccan food, Korean condiments and Ghee are three of Pinterest’s 10 food predictions. Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is used in both Indian and Pakistani cultures.

Middle Eastern dishes and ingredients are going mainstream, Whole Foods predicts. Dishes like shakshuka, grilled halloumi and lamb will appear on more menus. Pomegranate, eggplant, cucumber, parsley, mint, tahini, tomato jam and dried fruits are the trending Middle Eastern ingredients.

5: Tactile

Lempert named “tactile” as the most impactful trend this year in his prediction forecast. He described a multisensory approach to both products and the in-store experience as a food retailer’s “secret weapon.” Consumers want to connect with their food both intellectually and physically, he said. Lempert pointed to the unboxing trend and rise in ASMR-food-related videos being posted online. People create videos that are created to trigger Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or evoke a psychological and/or physical response to stimuli such as the sound of someone chewing or crinkling.

Puffed and popped snacks are rising in popularity, Whole Foods predicts. Food items such as puffed rice clusters and Brussel sprouts chips are part of this trend. Another trend appealing to the senses from Whole Foods is the bubbly beverage trend. Flavored sparkling waters that fizz, sparkle and/or bubble are an evolving beverage category, according to Whole Foods.

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