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New Taste Trends

Sophisticated sweets, savory yogurt and bolder burgers are just three of the inspirational food trends to watch for in 2014, according to Campbell Soup’s Culinary & Baking Institute.

2014 Top 10 Food Trends

1. Brazilian Cuisine – Rio de Janeiro will bring the country’s seafood stews, grilling techniques and local ingredients into the culinary spotlight when it hosts the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

2. Food Waste Awareness – Root-to-leaf cooking, repurposing leftovers and composting food scraps at home are all gaining traction with consumers.

3. Fresh Juices – Craving better-for-you balance through “juicing,” the health-conscious are “going green” to refresh and recharge.

4. Sophisticated Sweets – Spices, botanicals and fresh takes on fruit are hitting the dessert scene.

5. Yogurt Goes Savory – Greek-style yogurt is showing up in savory, non-spoonable applications, such as condiments, baked goods and snacks.

6. Beverage-Inspired Flavors – The bar has inspired the kitchen, and barrel-aged, bottled and brewed flavors have moved beyond public house glasses into everything from hot sauces to barbecue.

7. Bolder Burgers – America’s iconic sandwich is changing with the times—with new buns, unique burger patty options like chicken, lamb, elk and brisket and a range of toppings—all redefining what a burger is.

8. Fermentation – The appeal of enzyme-enhanced foods; a growing appetite for tart and intense flavors; and chefs’ interest in the chemistry behind umami flavors all converge in this powerful culinary movement.

9. New Jewish Deli – While their menus are firmly rooted in tradition, modern twists—such as vegetarian options, sustainably sourced ingredients and even Jewish-Asian Global Fusion—are the freshest ideas to hit this revived deli scene.

10. Regional Mexican – There’s growing interest in exploring all things local and regional, both at home and abroad, and Mexico’s regional culinary traditions continue to inspire. Campbell chefs are eager to explore culinary legacy of each region in Mexico, to understand the cultural heritage behind Oaxacan mole sauces, tomatillo-pumpkin seed sauces from Puebla, Guadalajaran pozole stews and crispy tortilla panuchos from the Yucatán. Of course, there also are endless varieties of chile peppers that deliver both flavor and heat.

Source: Campbell’s Culinary & Baking Institute, “2014 Culinary TrendScape” report

Sophisticated sweets, savory yogurt and bolder burgers are just three of the inspirational food trends to watch for in 2014, as identified by Campbell’s Culinary & Baking Institute (CCBI), a global network of highly-trained chefs, bakers and culinary professionals at Campbell Soup Company.

These and other findings are the focus of CCBI’s first-ever “Culinary TrendScape” report, a professional assessment not only of what people are eating now, but what is trending for the coming year. Officials say the “2014 Culinary TrendScape” report is part of Campbell’s culinary monitoring and tracking system that identifies and categorizes the most impactful food topics and follows them as they evolve through six distinct stages, from the discovery phase, like fine-dining restaurants and cultural hot spots, to universal appeal and international availability.

The report also builds on how American tastes are evolving as a result of global influences and greater awareness about sustainability and nutrition. The methodology is inclusive of a wealth of research from chefs all over the world, other professional culinary sources, and industry partners to help identify emerging trends. Some examples include Brazilian cuisine and the growing popularity of fermentation, which is making its way into everything from sodas to sourdough pancakes.

“We see Americans being more adventurous with their food choices: bolder burgers, new takes on pastrami, and other old-world Jewish deli favorites and beverage-inspired flavors,” says Thomas Griffiths, CMC, vice president, Campbell’s Culinary & Baking Institute. “As chefs and bakers, we are naturally inspired by emerging niche food trends that help keep us creative in the kitchen. What fascinates us at Campbell is how these trends have their own lifecycle, from emerging taste discoveries in South America to Japanese-inspired burgers popping up in middle-America restaurants.”

Monitoring and understanding trends is an important part of the research at CCBI to anticipate consumer changes in taste and to deliver the next generation of products that delight consumers.

“The goal in delving into these insights is to inspire culinary innovation as consumer tastes and demographics change rapidly,” says Griffiths.

He notes that CCBI chefs venture out on culinary immersion tours around the world, observing and reporting on what they see as the latest trends and then tracking developments across different aspects of food culture. Tracking trends as they evolve through distinct stages helps CCBI chefs stay ahead of the culinary curve.