10 Top Food Trends
An insider's report from the Fancy Food Show
Ever wonder how your local gourmet shop ends up stocking that fabulous new vinegar, or why suddenly yuzu (a Japanese citrus fruit) juice is all the rage? The buzz starts at trade-only Fancy Food Shows where buyers for specialty shops and some supermarkets flock to sample deluxe food products. By sizing up trends—such as smaller portions and exotic spice blends—and tasting, tasting, tasting, these "shoppers" determine the products you see on the shelves.
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Be on the lookout for these 10 trends:
1. Single-Serve Portions
No one wants the temptation of a large box of chocolates or cookies. One solution is to offer luscious, high-calorie/high-fat foods in smaller portions. Chuao Chocolatier's ChocoPods, for example, are small chocolate bites to nibble with after-dinner coffee.
2. Fruity Additions
Thanks to fruit's fresh, healthful image, you'll soon be seeing a wide range of products from passion fruit vinegar and white peach brownies to clementine olive oil. Fig & Olive Spread, Sauce & Dip from Jimtown Store combines salty and sweet in an appealing, fruity duo. Pomegranate is still making an appearance but mango and blueberry are the current hot fruit flavors.
3. Fruit, Front and Center
Fruit also has a starring role as a snack food. Grab-and-go fruit packs cater to health-minded noshers. Crispy Green Inc. packages freeze-dried apples, apricots or peaches in single-serve bags. Peeled Snacks products are a blend of dried fruits and nuts.
4. Sensitivity to Dietary Needs
Aware of the growing number of people with food allergies or intolerances, companies are providing special indulgences suited to their needs. Cornmeal or garbanzo beans are replacing flour in snack chips. One manufacturer, Mary's Gone Crackers, LLC, is substituting the nutty flavors of whole-grain brown rice, quinoa, flax and sesame seeds for wheat and gluten in its cracker line. Cherrybrook Kitchen uses only peanut-, dairy-, egg- and nut-free ingredients in pancake and fudge brownie mixes.
5. Exotic Spice Blends
Exciting seasoning mixes deliver both a flavor boost and a lower-sodium alternative to the salt shaker. Africa was the inspiration for a new spice line from Vanns Spices, Ltd. that includes the palate-teasing Qalat Dagga, a mixture of allspice, ash berries, belladonna, black pepper, cardamom, cassia, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, lavender, mace, nutmeg and more. Grill Shakers from The Spice Hunter, in hickory or roasted garlic varieties, give meats an intense flavor finish without adding POINTS® values.
6. Nuts and Peanuts
Thanks to research on the potential health benefits of nuts, food companies are giving them special attention. Peanuts are especially popular this year, and the hotter the better. Chipotle chiles, cayenne pepper and lime are showing up in ingredient lists for flavored nuts. Dave's Smokin' Nuts from Dave's Gourmet have a chipotle barbecue flavor.
7. Minted Beverages
Common soft drinks are losing their fizz, being replaced by old-fashioned beverages and drinks with refreshing flavors. Mint, with its cool image, is showing up in bottled still water and lightly-sweetened carbonated water. Watch for brands such as Metromint, Hint and Snow.
8. Boning Up on Chocolate
Calcium-fortified chocolates capitalize on concerns about osteoporosis. Depending on the brand, the products deliver 400 to 500 milligrams of the mineral, plus vitamins K and D. Ecco Bella's Health By Chocolate line introduces the Beautiful Bones Bar while Thompson Brands' Adora chocolates are one-bite calcium supplements.
9. Specialty Cheeses
Cheese lovers never had it so good. Some dairies are breaking with tradition to create imaginative combinations such as cheddar flavored with Rogue Ale Chocolate Stout and goat cheese bundles covered with hoja santa leaf, which gives the cheese a mint and sassafras accent.
10. Yogurt
Rich, thick European-style yogurt is captivating a cultured audience. No wimpy versions here. Instead, dairies are promoting exciting tastes like the sheep milk ginger yogurt from Old Chatham Sheepherding Company and Lifeway Foods' pomegranate kefir.
Next Steps
Read about why meeting your dairy requirement is so important in the Science Center's article, Health Benefits of Dairy Foods. Then stock up on some fancy cheeses and thick yogurt at your local specialty food store.
Subscriber Highlight: Looking to spice up your daily menu? Give our Meal Ideas a try.
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