2025 Food and Beverage Trends

RSS

US consumers certainly lead the world in snacking! A solid majority of consumers we surveyed in the US say that they snack at least once a day and frequent snackers in the US far exceed the global average. 

In any industry, you rely on data to help you make the next bold business move. 
Whether you are a retail store, manufacturer, ingredient supplier, or a foodservice operator looking to capitalize on the next food or beverage trend, having relevant data allows you to make better decisions that affect your bottom line. 
So you gather all the data.

Whether consumers are using GLP-1 medications, transitioning off them, working toward natural weight management, or simply focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, these products are tailored to meet a variety of needs.

To meet the demand, culinary experts and registered dietitians from Chartwells K12 used their insights from serving 2.2 million meals a day to students at 4,500 schools across the country to identify the top 10 food trends for kids in 2025, proving that when it comes to food, kids are ready to think outside the lunchbox.

Generic brands get an upgrade and private labels take off offering affordable, accessible, and competitive products. Brands enter delivery partnerships to meet consumers’ need for immediacy. 

In 2024, consumers navigated a challenging economic landscape, balancing financial constraints with a desire for health-focused innovations. The year underscored a "value mindset," as shoppers sought ways to stretch their budgets without sacrificing their priorities.

Whether you are a retail store, manufacturer, ingredient supplier, or a foodservice operator looking to capitalize on the next food or beverage trend, having relevant data allows you to make better decisions that affect your bottom line. 

Data from Innova Market Insights suggest that the growing interest in plant-based protein sources and expanding awareness of protein’s importance for health and wellness are fueling the demand. This continuing trend has manufacturers seeking novel ingredients and pathways to provide protein to satisfy the demand.

The primary immune-supporting ingredient category is that of probiotics, those beneficial microbial organisms that confer some form of health benefit either directly or indirectly when ingested. With probiotics carrying the immune health banner, it’s no surprise that throughout 2024 interest in probiotics and health by both consumers and product makers rose beyond even those levels seen in 2023.

Editor’s Note: How is rice, a global ingredient staple, influencing new menu offerings and retail product development? For a closer look, Prepared Foods turned to Katie Ayoub, president of Katie Ayoub & Associates. She serves as managing editor at Flavor & The Menu and is a content strategist for the Flavor Experience, an annual conference for chain operators. Based in Chicago, Katie has been working in foodservice publishing for more than 25 years.