Bold color can power new food and drink products that help consumers connect, explore culture, and find comfort in challenging times, new research from GNT Group shows.

As people worldwide navigate instability and digital overload, shared eating and drinking occasions are becoming a joyful way to come together, express identity, and feel grounded. This shift is transforming the look and feel of food and drink, putting color at the center of experiences that feel more social, expressive, and emotionally resonant. 

GNT’s new “Gather Together” report explains how consumer behavior is changing and shows how natural shades can inspire new products that reflect their desire for shared, sensory-rich moments.

“People are looking to food and drink for connection, comfort, and creativity – and color helps spark those moments,” says Dieuwertje Raaijmakers, Marketing Communications Specialist at GNT Group. “People are looking to food and drink for connection, comfort, and creativity – and color helps spark those moments. Gather Together shows how brands can tap into this momentum using plant-based shades that resonate with how consumers want to eat and share today.”

The Gather Together analysis highlights four new trend directions, each supported by an inspirational color palette to help guide new product development:

• Joyful Unity celebrates communal eating in familiar or reinvented spaces, expressed through warm, hearty shades inspired by seasonal, nourishing, and comforting dishes.

• Cultural Celebration reflects rising interest in regional authenticity and hyper-local flavor exploration, characterized by bold, saturated tones rooted in culinary heritage.

• Sensory Escape showcases surreal, multisensory food experiences that offer a break from routine, with unconventional, mysterious, and futuristic hues.

• Branded Bites highlights the rise of hybrid brand collaborations, from retail cafés to limited-edition snacks, using fresh citrus and floral tones to create uplifting visuals.

In addition to the Gather Together report, GNT is offering category-specific guidance, prototype concepts, and application support across beverages, confectionery, dairy, and bakery.

“We want to make it easier for brands to turn insight into compelling visual experiences,” adds Raaijmakers. “EXBERRY offers a complete spectrum of plant-based, sustainable color shades, helping manufacturers bring these trends to life in the food and drink consumers love to share.”