Assisted by professional trend-spotters and global buyers, the Whole Foods Market company has identified the top food trends in flavours, ingredients and appetites for 2017.
Wellness tonics, botanical or cider-based drinks, by-products and purple foods, such as purple vegetables, and a variety of berries, thought to contain high levels of nutrients and antioxidants, are among the top food trends predicted.
Trendy seasonings will include kava, tulsi, turmeric, stress-reducing herbs, such as maca and ashwagandh, and Japanese condiments like miso, sesame oil and plum vinegar. Japanese cuisine is also inspiring the use of seaweed as a vegetable.
Gluten-free noodles, made from quinoa, lentils, chickpeas or kelp, and spiralised veggies are increasingly popular as part of the clean-eating flexitarian movement.
A further trend identified is the use of by-products, such as whey, and the use of coconut (sugar, flour, oil) in processed foods and beauty or cleaning products.
In the personal-care sector, products combining skincare and make-up that don’t require special brushes or tools to apply will also be popular.
Trends in consumer behaviour include the 'make some, buy some' approach, which involves using precooked ingredients or oven-ready meal kits to fast-track a home-cooked dinner. Saving money and reducing food waste were also identified as significant trends for the coming year.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Martha Sparrius. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
