Top 10 Food Trends 2018

By Bruce Drinkwater, StormBrands.

The Top 10 Food Trends To Expect Next Year

We often find ourselves working with entrepreneurial clients who are looking to create a differentiated offer, targeting the latest trends in food and drink.

As we are all striving to eat healthier, reducing our consumption of fatty, sugary and processed foods, innovation has never been more key for manufacturers and consumers.

Below are the top 10 food industry trends we predict for 2018:

Flower Power

The use of botanicals in food and drink is rapidly increasing far beyond tea and gin.

Rose lattes have already become available in many cafés across the world, but 2018 is set to see herbal ice cream and snacks or chewing gum. Just like with any trend, it all starts in stores like Whole Foods and with their current selection of hibiscus lollies or lavender granola, what’s not to say you’ll soon be able to get your hands on lilac scones in your local Tesco?

A Sprinkle Of Health

The habit of sprinkling a healthy addition to meals or drinks is becoming more and more popular. From cultivated spirulina powder to boost a smoothie, to flax and chia seeds mixed in porridge, from whey protein and hemp protein to pea protein, or even Alchemy’s Super Blends Sport Elixir to aid recovery.

Pop It Or Puff It

The traditional crisps market value and volume are forecast to grow less and less by 2019, despite the endless range of flavour options available, as we look for alternatives to snacks with high-fat content. It is no surprise then, that healthier-perceived popped products, like popcorn and puffed products including rice, lentil, and pea-based alternatives, are proving so successful especially as the choice of flavours continues to expand.

For example, whilst PepsiCo. still holds the lead on UK’s potato crisp sector, the avalanche of successful brands offering alternatives, such as Hippeas, Propercorn or Popchips, has seemingly prompted the International manufacturer to introduce their own range of pea & bean sticks – Off The Eaten Path.