Better-for-You Beverages
"Consumers are starting to lean into better-for-you beverages, especially in the alcohol category. New trends will include natural wines, a surge in ciders (all are naturally gluten-free), more penetration in beverages with lower alcohol volume such as ciders and session IPAs, non-alcoholic spirits like Seedlip and digestive well-enhancement alcoholic beverages such as Kombrewcha." — FreshDirect
Pacific Rim Flavors
"Flavor inspiration from the Pacific Rim (think Asia, Oceania and the western coasts of North and South America) are popping up in grocery stores and restaurants as people continue to explore more of the world through their palates. Ingredients like longganisa (a Filipino pork sausage), dried shrimp, cuttlefish and shrimp paste are on restaurant and home menus that span from breakfast to dinner, while vibrant tropical fruits such as guava, dragon fruit and passionfruit are making their way into colorful smoothie bowls and cocktails." — Whole Foods Market's global buyers and experts
Image via Whole Foods
Shelf-Stable Probiotics
"New strains of probiotics such as Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 and Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 are making more shelf-stable applications possible. Wellness-focused brands are making it easier to get more probiotics in your day by adding functional probiotic ingredients to your pantry staples through products like granola, oatmeal, nut butters, soups and nutrition bars. Some standouts include Effi Probiotic Chickpea Granola." — Whole Foods Market
Image via Whole Foods
Faux Meat Snacks
"Mushrooms, like king trumpet, will play a key role here, flexing their flavor and texture powers in tasty jerky, 'pork' rinds and 'bacon' snacks to offer up a satisfying crunch. To try the trend, check out Snacklins Cracklins Without The Pork, Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. and Pig Øut Chipotle Pigless Bacon Chips." — Whole Foods Market
Image via Whole Foods
Eco-Conscious Packaging
"Dozens of like-minded brands in the OSC2 Compostable Packaging Collaborative have pooled their efforts to make important advances in flexible product pouches. Some companies are making commitments to ban straws, while brands like Whole Foods Market are setting up regional pilots to test recyclable straw-less sipper lids made from PET, without increasing the plastic content of a lid/straw combination. Expect to see an emphasis on reusing, with more produce departments going BYOVB (bring your own vegetable bag) and traditionally single-use packages going multi-use, like multi-use (and compostable!) food wraps made from beeswax, as well as waxed canvas or silicone alternatives to the usual plastic storage bags that can be used for sandwiches and snacks." — Whole Foods Market
Image via Whole Foods
