2025 Food and Beverage Trends

Cargill: Trends 2026

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0500

At the center of it all: seeking. But today’s seeking goes far beyond physical health. Consumers are increasingly looking to food and beverages for emotional balance, comfort, self-care and connection — while also redefining value through a benefits-driven lens after years of inflation.

Datassential Expands Global Menu Tracking

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Datassential’s Global Launches platform now tracks new items across Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, revealing how trends and flavors localize around the world. The tool offers cross-market comparisons, multilingual insights and historical data to help brands spot opportunities and plan smarter launches.

GLP-1 Users Poised to Drive 35% of Food, Beverage Units by 2030

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0500

New data from Circana reveals that GLP-1 households are rapidly altering US food and beverage spending, favoring higher-protein, higher-fiber options while reducing purchases of sugary, carb-heavy items. With users projected to influence more than a third of all retail units by 2030, retailers and manufacturers face a growing need to adjust product mixes and marketing strategies.

Prepared Foods Honors 2025 Spirit of Innovation Award Winners

garrisonr@bnpmedia.com (Robert Garrison) — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Prepared Foods’ 2025 Spirit of Innovation Awards recognize excellence in new product development across retail, foodservice, and alternative channels. From authentic flavors to functional benefits, this year’s winners exemplify how trend insight, creativity, and collaboration drive industry innovation.

Innovation: The Why Behind the Buy

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Great innovators look beyond trends to uncover the deeper “why” behind consumer behavior. At SRG, that means blending cultural immersion, emotional insight and AI-powered tools to turn inspiration into lasting impact.

Five Ways to Jumpstart Food & Beverage Innovation

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

After a slower year for innovation, food and beverage R&D teams have a fresh opportunity to reset their approach. Mattson outlines five proven strategies—from looking beyond the aisle to building for scale—that help brands launch products that last.

Three Ways to Build a Stronger Edge in 2026 Innovation

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In an era of data overload, real advantage comes from clarity, not volume. By spotting trends early, uncovering the details that drive them, and integrating teams from insight to execution, brands can innovate faster and smarter in 2026.

Rethinking Innovation: The Power of Revisiting 'Old' Ideas

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0400

In a landscape where most new launches fail, innovation doesn’t always mean starting from scratch. By revisiting past ideas with fresh data and intent, brands can uncover faster, lower-risk paths to growth and renewed relevance.

Functional Fungi Fuel Next Wave of Food Innovation

luann.williams@innovami.com (Lu Ann Williams) — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

As consumers seek mental wellness and sustainable nutrition, brands are turning to these versatile ingredients for their functional and sensory appeal.

Five Shifts Defining Food and Beverage Success in 2026

mario@illuminategrowth.net (Mario DiFalco) — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0400

As 2026 approaches, food and beverage brands face rising pressure from inflation, tariffs, and tightening competition. Discover five decisive shifts that can help your brand move faster, think clearer, and lead with confidence.

Introducing Innovation Month: A Deep Dive into the Future of Food & Beverage

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

The next wave of food innovation is here. Dive into the ideas, ingredients and strategies that will define what’s next for R&D, brands and product developers. Join the movement and explore Innovation Month.

Startups Win Big in Blueberry Innovation Contest

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0400

The US Highbush Blueberry Council awarded $30,000 to two emerging brands at its inaugural Blueberry Boost Accelerator Pitch Competition. Pluff claimed the grand prize for its high-protein mousse dessert, with Bonny earning runner-up honors for its prebiotic fiber powders.

Chicago Venture Summit Draws Sold-Out Crowd for Future of Food Innovation

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

From Fortune 500s to emerging founders, the sold-out Chicago Venture Summit is showcasing the region’s growing influence in food, sustainability, and innovation. A new Future-of-Food Waste Forum signals where the next wave of opportunity is headed.

Dietitians Stand Firm as America’s Most Trusted Nutrition Messengers

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0400

In an era of mixed messages and nutrition overload, Americans are turning to evidence-based experts over online voices. New IFIC findings reveal why RDNs are poised to shape the national food conversation.

Innovation, Investment and Shifting Consumer Signals Drive Food and Beverage Momentum

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Strategic moves across the food and beverage sector—from testing and dairy-free innovation to new leadership, market research and manufacturing scale-ups—signal where growth is headed next. Developers, retailers and suppliers now face a market reshaped by wellness trends, shifting consumer trust and rising expectations around functionality and speed.

Generational Power Shift Redefines the Retail Future

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0400

A massive transfer of buying power is underway, and the next generation of consumers won’t shop—or spend—the way their parents do. Brands that fail to realign now risk losing relevance as millennials, Gen Z and even Gen Alpha gain economic control.

AI Ups the Stakes for Faster, Smarter Food & Beverage Innovation

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Starday, SPINS and Magnum/NotCo are demonstrating how AI is moving beyond trendspotting to hands-on innovation, execution and speed. Product developers who ignore these shifts risk falling behind the brands already using AI to outpace the market.

Banza Earns CleanScan Certification for Pesticide-Free Products

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Banza has become one of the first US brands to receive The Detox Project’s CleanScan certification, confirming non-detectable levels of glyphosate and 400+ pesticides across its finished products. New packaging features QR codes linking directly to lab results, raising the bar for safety, sourcing and consumer trust.

Mars, Unreasonable Group unveil 2025 Unreasonable Food cohort

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

The 2025 Unreasonable Food cohort brings together entrepreneurs tackling critical food system challenges. Backed by Mars and Unreasonable Group, the ventures aim to scale innovations that reduce emissions, advance nutrition, and build resilience.

Chartwells reveals 2025 campus dining flavor forecast

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Chartwells Higher Education’s 2025 Fall Flavor Forecast highlights the top trends driving campus menus. Social media recipes, global inspirations, and bold smoky flavors are redefining how students eat this semester.

Protein Remains Top Nutrient as Consumers Demand More in 2025

luann.williams@innovami.com (Lu Ann Williams) — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Protein may be the darling of every product pitch, but new data suggests the category’s momentum may be nearing saturation—and that emerging consumer demands could upend today’s formulations. Are brands innovating strategically, or just chasing claims in a marketplace that’s about to shift?

Confidence in US Food Supply Hits Historic Low, IFIC Survey Finds

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

As consumer concern over food safety rises, IFIC’s latest surveys uncover a widening gap between personal confidence in purchased foods and trust in the US food supply. Experts say clearer messaging on ingredient safety and recalls could help rebuild trust.

FMI Launches GroceryLab to Advance Tech-Driven Grocery Innovation

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

The launch of GroceryLab comes at a pivotal moment, as FMI’s The State of Technology report reveals that food retailers and suppliers invested more than $10 billion in technology in 2024, signaling the industry’s commitment to innovation.

Brightseed Research Finds Nearly Half of US Adults Now Identify as Bioactivists

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

The updated findings revealed that 45% of US adults now identify as Bioactivists – proactive, health-conscious consumers who see health as a foundation rather than a fix, and who are increasingly seeking products with proven health benefits.

FMI Report Shows Shoppers Embracing Mealtime Routines

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

More than two-thirds of shoppers are forming new routines this fall centered around their food habits. More than half of Americans plan to prepare more meals at home, dine at more consistent times and prioritize shared meals.

Conagra Unveils Future of Snacking 2025 Report

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

The report identifies five key trends that are shaping snacking behaviors and influencing how consumers navigate an increasingly diverse snack landscape. While focused on the US market, the report also covers relevant global snacking trends and behaviors.

HHS and Education Dept. Push for Mandatory Nutrition Training in Medical Schools

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

The effort is part of the Trump Administration and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda, which prioritizes prevention and reducing chronic disease through improved diet and public health measures.

IFMA Forecasts Moderate Growth for Foodservice Despite Economic Uncertainty

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0400

IFMA anticipates a slowdown next year in menu inflation, or what many in the industry cite as the key reason for declining orders of meals prepared outside the home. The association expects food costs to rise by 3% next year, compared with the 3.9% it projects for 2025.

Rethinking Innovation in an Unstable Supply Chain Era

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Because today’s supply chains are so deeply interconnected, what might once have been a localized issue now ricochets around the world, turning isolated disruptions into cascading headaches of increasing scale.

SKU Unveils Eight Emerging Brands for Fall ’25 Accelerator Track

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Each brand will be matched with a hand-picked mentor team of top CPG leaders, founders, and investors who all are dedicated to help them successfully scale their business.