Every year major food publications, data researchers, and even grocery stores publish their best predictions about upcoming food trends. iTi Tropicals decided to dig into these published predictions and identify some of the major themes we saw throughout. One thing everyone seems to agree on? Tropical fruit ingredients can make food and beverage products shine!

#Trending: Plant-Based Products

The negative effects of the production and consumption of meat on both the environment and on consumers’ health has become a popular reason many people are reconsidering meat altogether. In fact, many people are reducing the amount of meat they consume, or they are eliminating it from their diets completely.

Because of this consistent trend, the plant-based diet is not only here to stay, but may also continue to increase in popularity as 2018 unfolds. To appeal to vegan, vegetarian, and health-conscious customers, consider coconut cream as an ingredient in your products. Coconut cream is non-dairy, and can be easily substituted in many foods that use traditional dairy. Try it in sauces, ice creams, soups, creamers, whipped cream and even condiments like mayonnaise.

#Trending: Clean Eating

Maybe you’ve been scrolling through your Instagram feed or perusing popular health and wellness blogs, and you’ve come across the hashtag #CleanEating. This popular term coincides with the increase of consumers who are becoming aware of “added” ingredients in food products. Many people now actively seek out products with fewer ingredients (that they can easily pronounce) and with natural labels.

iTi Tropicals offers 100% fruit products that are as clean label as they come! Try acerola in place of ascorbic acid for a natural source of vitamin C. And don’t stop there. Use dragonfruit to color your products a brilliant pink in place of artificial dyes.

Check out our commitment to non-GMO and organically sourced fruits HERE.

#Trending: Food with Function

Functional ingredients are becoming commonplace in food products. Citing specific benefits that your products will provide—such as offering naturally lower sugar, hydration, or increased energy—will help those products stand up against the competition. In 2018, we will continue to see more trends like the popularity of green tea, adaptogens, pre- and probiotics, protein, omega-3, herbs, and botanicals in products.

Tropical fruits can be incorporated for both the functional benefits they provide and their unique, powerful and sometimes unfamiliar flavors. For example, iTi Tropicals açaí is loaded with antioxidants, our guava delivers Vitamins A and C, and iTi coconut water has an abundance of electrolytes.

#Trending: Mocktails

Dry January, or “Dryuary” is a term you may see popping up in food blogs and on menus. This theme of consuming less or no alcohol will continue throughout 2018.  In place of traditional cocktails, consumers are seeking flavorful beverage substitutes when out at bars and restaurants.

Tropical fruits have an exotic taste and pair well with sparkling water to give a hint of sweetness and acidity.  Bartenders can mimic cocktail flavors using tropical fruit juices like passionfruit, coconut water and mango in combination with fresh herbs and botanicals to create sophisticated and delicious mocktails.

Reach out to the iTi team to sample some of our products and see “What’s Possible with Tropical” in 2018!

Visit HERE for more information.