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What's the Next Big Food Thing?

Written by RetailWire Staff

Everyone has their own perspective. When it comes to food trends, predictions are wide-ranging.

For The Hartman Group, it's all about health.Transparency and ethics from producers and retailers are recurring themes. Consumers are increasingly linking added sugar to a range of ailments and illnesses. Health demands are also behind the increased interest in gluten-free products and cultured foods and beverages, perceived to support digestive health, provide enhanced immunity and reduce "chronic inflammation." Whole grains, Omega-3s, probiotics and botanicals are believed to achieve "proactive wellness."

Hartman even predicts growth in "culinary botanicals" (hemp and cannabis) for pain management and as ingredients for sweet snacks and carbonated soft drinks (CSDs).

In retailing, Hartman reckons premium private label will be much in demand, but with "inspirational" rather than "transactional" packaging. Marketing will address variations in families, including stay-at-home fathers and LGBT parents.

"Fresh" will expand everywhere with snacks displacing traditional mealtimes (not breakfast) while "New Guard" candy is ditching high fructose corn syrup, GMOs, trans fats, artificial colors and ingredients.

Edible casings from companies like WikiCell will mimic fruit's natural skins to support the trend toward sustainable and reduced packaging.

"Supermarket Guru" Phil Lempert agreed with many of Hartman's results, especially increased awareness of wasting less, and eating healthily with greater consumption of non-meat protein. Mr. Lempert expects to see growth in snacking with a correct combination of portion size and nutritional value complementing breakfast as the most important meal. While predicting more singletons and men in the kitchen, Mr. Lempert didn't echo Hartman's predictions regarding male roles in family situations.

Overall, transparency and traceability were an acknowledged business cost. For consumers, "bottom-line integrity" was declared the bottom line.

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