The Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel navigated thousands of specialty food products showcased by more than 1,100 exhibitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center. After great deliberation through countless products, 10 overall trends have emerged from the 2023 Winter Fancy Food Show.
"Products that make home cooking more convenient and restaurant-quality are in demand, whether meal starter kits, distinctive salts or butters, condiments from around the world, or foods from different global regions available as frozen entrees," said Denise Purcell, SFA's vice president, resource development. "Sustainability and health in balance are top trend themes too, with foods and beverages that use upcycled or regeneratively grown ingredients, as well as better-for-you indulgences from tempeh, water lily seed, or bean snacks to alcohol-free cocktails," she added.
The Winter Fancy Food Show Trendspotters included Patsy Ramirez-Arroyo, food & sustainability consultant, @PatsyRamirezArroyo, (Puerto Rico); Nicole Brisson, executive chef, Brezza and Bar Zazu, @ChefNicoleBrisson (Las Vegas, NV); Jonathan Deutsch, PhD, CHE, CRC, professor and director, Drexel Food Lab, @drexelfoodlab (Philadelphia, PA); Kantha Shelke, Ph.D., CFS, IFT Fellow, principal, Corvus Blue LLC, @Kantha (Chicago, IL); Kimberly Lord Stewart, food and health content specialist, @kimberlylordstewart (Berthoud, CO); V. Sheree Williams, founder, The Global Food & Drink Initiative, editor and publisher, Cuisine Noir, (Oakland, CA), @cuisinenoirmagazine.
Top 10 Trends, 2023 Winter Fancy Food Show:
Full details are below:
1. Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Culture
Alcohol-free beverages are dominating in the ongoing cocktail trend, giving consumers sophisticated, well-crafted, and flavorful options in elegant packaging, equal to their traditional counterparts. "Truly alchemists, combining active plants, adaptogens, and nootropics to create unique alcohol-free cocktails," notes Trendspotter Patsy Ramirez-Arroyo. Women- and diverse-owned companies are taking the lead in innovation in several products. Examples include:
2. Fermented for Function
As consumers gain understanding of the importance of digestive health to overall well-being, fermentation in new uses is creating healthful value-adds to foods and beverages. "The trend extends to pickles, beverages made with koji, sauces and adaptogentic plants," says Trendspotter Kimberly Lord Stewart. Examples include:
3. Honey Is Hot
A new batch of honeys is hitting the market featuring adaptogen infusions, forest-grown varieties that are sustainably harvested, and hot flavor profiles showcasing different spices. Some of these products "combat climate change and support local enterprises," says Trendspotter Kantha Shelke. Examples include:
4. New Packaging Form and Utility
Innovative packaging that addresses portability and convenience, as well as creative ways to consume traditional products, is leading innovation from meal cups to tea discs to freeze drying products like candy and salsa. "The freeze-dried format allows for convenience and ease, which allows it to be enjoyed almost anywhere. The way they also did the freeze drying kept the flavor, delivering an authentic experience," says Trendspotter V. Sheree Williams. Examples:
5. Starters, Bases, Kits, and Shortcuts for Convenience
Convenience in at-home cooking is a top 2023 trend, according to the Trendspotter panel, as consumers have ambitions to keep up their pandemic-era home cooking but lack time. The Winter Fancy Food Show brought several meal starters, sauce starters, frozen meals, and other shortcuts to the forefront. Several options are also helping consumers create recipes without a lot of prep or ingredient purchases. Examples include:
6. Pantry Without Borders
Trendspotters saw a crop of condiments, sauces, oils, and seasonings that help people enjoy global and regional tastes at home as a top trend for 2023. That held firm at the Winter Show where the trend also extended to snacks, cookies, beverages, and other grocery staples. Many of the products representing the trend are from "farm to table, family-run small business and showcase superior ingredient use," says Trendspotter Nicole Brisson. Examples include:
7. Sustainable, Upcycled, or Regeneratively Grown Ingredients
The health of the environment continues to be a top consumer concern and they align themselves with brands who take it seriously. This is opening the door for more products that are responsibly grown or produced, ethically sourced, use upcycled ingredients, or contain sustainable packaging. Products range from plant-based sushi to a new spirit made from upcycled whey. "This farm-to-flash spirit was developed by a food scientist as a sustainable way to use whey without going to waste," says Trendspotter Shelke. Examples include:
8. High-Quality Meal Prep
Exhibitors at the Winter Show showcased several products to help home cooks prepare meals with restaurant-quality ingredients. Products ran the gamut from croutons to smoked and sea urchin butter—with high-end flavor use and a little indulgence as a common goal. Examples include:
9. Health in Balance
While the past few years, especially, have put health and immune system boosting foods top of mind, consumers still want to indulge. Better-for-you snacks and treats continue to dominate.
10. Beneficial Beans (and Lentils)
From crisps to snacks to seasoned varieties to new to-go packages and pouches, beans such as black, pinto, and fava, as well as lentils, dominated at the Winter Show as protein alternatives and better-for-you chip options. Some products such as South African Chakalaka are "diverse owned and new ideas on the market," said Trendspotter Jonathan Deutsch. Examples:
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) has been the leading trade association and source of information about the $175 billion specialty food industry for 70 years. Founded in 1952 in New York City, the SFA represents manufacturers, importers, retailers, distributors, brokers, and others in the trade. The SFA is known for its Fancy Food Shows; the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage for 50 years; the Trendspotter Panel Show reports and annual predictions; the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report and Today's Specialty Food Consumer research; the SFA Product Marketplace, where buyers discover new products, network and connect with SFA members; SFA Feed, the daily source for industry news, trends and new product information, and Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association Podcast.
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