Five overall trends have emerged from the 2024 Winter Fancy Food Show.
“The Winter Fancy Food Show gave participants an advance look at the year ahead in specialty foods. Thanks to our Trendspotters, as well as many other experts and influencers who joined us in Las Vegas, our Show provides crucial insights and forecasting at the start of the food industry’s annual cycle. Trends at last month’s Show included comfort foods from around the globe prepared using plants rather than animal-based ingredients; fruits as part of a snacking occasion and a prevalence of the Japanese citrus fruit yuzu, in particular; and elevated takes on classic favorites,” said SFA President Bill Lynch.
The Winter Fancy Food Show Trendspotters included Patsy Ramirez-Arroyo, food and sustainability consultant, PG Consulting Group, LLC; Jenn de la Vega, chef, stylist, cookbook author, trends expert, Randwiches; Jonathan Deutsch, professor and director, Drexel Food Lab; Jeanette Donnarumma, producer, cook, recipe developer/tester, food lover, content creator, party-planner; Sarah Lohman, culinary historian, author, and public speaker; Chef Clara Park, claraparkcooks.com, chef, teacher, consultant and writer; Wendy Robinson, program manager and senior buyer, Market Hall Foods; Kantha Shelke, Ph.D., CFS, IFT Fellow, Corvus Blue LLC; Cathy Strange, Ambassador of Food Culture, Whole Foods, V. Sheree Williams, publisher, Cuisine Noir, and founder, Global Food and Drink Initiative.
Top 5 Trends, 2024 Winter Fancy Food Show:
Plant-Based Passport Flavor innovations abound as global comfort foods appeal to vegan and vegetarian audiences with plant-based ingredients. Said Trendspotter Clara Park of a plant-based spicy bulgogi spotted on the Show floor, “The plant-based innovation on a very popular Korean beef dish allows more accessibility for diners. Vegetarians and vegans can now enjoy the flavor of Korean barbecue, hurray!” Examples:
Aki Foods plant-based pork tonkotsu
Ibiden Bussan Co Ltd animal-free shrimp
Masaru Foods plant-based tonkotsu broth
Jayone Foods plant-based spicy bulgogi
Prime Roots x Three Little Pigs Black Truffle Koji-Pate
Sobo Foods Plant-Based “Pork” and Chive Dumpling
Sunday Supper Mozza Fritto
Xinca Foods Four Loroco and Cheese Pupusas
Yuzu Japanese citrus fruit yuzu was “everywhere” at the Winter Fancy Food Show, flavoring foods from a variety of categories, including drinks, ranch dressing, soy sauce, and candied dried fruit peels, said Trendspotter Jenn de la Vega. Added Park, “Everyone loves lemon and citrus. But how you make it new again is with the Japanese citrus, yuzu.” Examples:
Domoto Food Yuzu Kosho
Kankitsu Labo Yuzu Sherbet
Maeda-en Yuzu Sherbet
Moshi Yuzu Sparkling Beverage
Upcycled and Upscaled Ugly fruits and byproducts that would otherwise end up in landfills are getting a glow-up in upcycled specialty products that have been further elevated by high-end packaging that looks good and is often sustainable. “For upcycled brands, the packaging will ideally match the sustainability-focus of the product,” said Trendspotter Jonathan Deutsch. “As sustainable packaging gets more sophisticated and affordable, brands can align their better-for-the planet mission beyond the product to include the packaging.” Examples:
Pressed Juicery Cold Pressed Juices
Rancho Meladuco California Grown Dates
Wheyward Spirit Whisky
Fruits as Snacks Whether enjoyed on their own, elevated with an indulgent ingredient, or used in an inventive way, nature’s candies are breathing new life into snacking occasions. “We’re seeing a push away from highly processed foods and a return to fruit as snacks,” said Trendspotter Deutsch. Examples:
Kankitsu Labu Dry Candied Citrus Peels
Liko Lehua Guava Butter
Lolly’s Frozen Grapes
Shizuoka Crown Melon
Sun World AUTUMNCRISP® Grapes
New Takes on Classics Many of the new products on the Fancy Food Show floor “combine innovation with a classic twist,” said Trendspotter Patsy Ramirez-Arroyo who cited Acme Smoked Fish Lox in a Box as an example. “Taste the elegance of fancy Lunchables featuring smoked salmon, cream cheese, or avocado paired with crackers.” Examples:
Cookies con Amore Glutenetto gluten-free cookies
Acme Smoked Fish Lox in a Box
Tempesta Artisan Salumi Wagyu Pastrami
Unha’s Asian Snack Box Spicy Carbonara Tteokbokki
Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co. Rocket Pop
Continuing to Trend
Non-Alcoholic Comes of Age Spirit-free cocktails and mixers with sophisticated flavor profiles in upscale vessels are elevating dry drinking occasions. “Dry January used to be a thing, but more and more people are embracing the lifestyle behind the month and therefore restaurants and bars need to go beyond soft drinks,” said Trendspotter V. Sheree Williams. “Tilden and a few other brands are trying to tap into this growing market with innovative flavors and textures that make the drinks go beyond juice.” Examples:
RSRV Collective Amari Kensho Cocktail
Mixly Cocktail Co. premium mixers
Tilden Tandem non-alcoholic cocktail
Nuanced Heat “Consumers are getting a lot more nuanced when it comes to how they’re using heat,” said Deutsch. “Do they want fruit-forward or roasted or spiced kind of heat? Now it’s more about the nuance and the right chili pepper for the right product. I’m so happy manufacturers aren’t dumbing down heat for mainstream Americans. I tasted some really spicy things and I think people are up to the task of trying them.” Examples:
Chili Royale Hot Sichuan Sizzle Chili Crisp
Grumpy Ginger Malaysian Red Curry Paste
Hot Mama Salsa Chili de Arbol Chili Oil
KRS Garlic Chili Crisp
Tari Peruvian Everything Sauce
Mushrooms “Mushrooms! Mushrooms! Mushrooms! An ancient clean label flavor booster for the specialty food aisle,” said Trendspotter Kantha Shelke.
High Country Fungus Magic Mocha, Magic Chai, and Magic Coco
Terreland Shiitake Chips Wasabi
Kuze Fuku & Sons Matsutake Shoyu
Meat the Mushroom SHROOMACON
These trends and more will be on full display at the 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show, which features thousands of specialty food and beverage products from around the world, educational and event programming, and networking opportunities. The Show runs June 23-25 at the Javits Center in New York and is open only to qualified members of the specialty food trade, industry affiliates, and media. For more information, click here.
About the Specialty Food AssociationThe Specialty Food Association (SFA) was founded in 1952 and is the not-for-profit trade association of the $207 billion specialty food industry. Representing more than 3,800 businesses worldwide, SFA champions industry participation and success for a diverse community of makers, buyers, importers, distributors, and service providers by developing resources, information, education, and events that celebrate innovation and inclusivity. SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows as well as the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. The SFA also produces the e-newsletter SFA News Daily, the Trendspotter Panel annual predictions and Fancy Food Show reports, the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report, Today’s Specialty Food Consumer research, and the Spill & Dish podcast. Find out more online and connect with SFA on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
SOURCE Specialty Food Association
By signing up you agree to receive content from us.Our newsletters contain tracking pixels to help us deliver unique content based on each subscriber’s engagement and interests. For more information on how we will use your data to ensure we send you relevant content please visit our PRN Consumer Newsletter Privacy Notice. You can withdraw your consent at any time in the footer of every email you’ll receive. Mit Ihrer Anmeldung erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, Inhalte von uns zu erhalten.Unsere Newsletter enthalten Zählpixel, die die Lieferung einzigartiger Inhalte in Bezug auf das Abonnement und die Interessen der einzelnen Abonnenten ermöglichen. Weitere Informationen über die Verwendung Ihrer Daten im Hinblick auf die Zusendung von relevanten Inhalten, finden Sie in unserer PRN Consumer Newsletter Privacy Notice. Ihre Zustimmung können Sie jederzeit in der Fußzeile jeder erhaltenen E-Mail widerrufen. En vous inscrivant à la newsletter, vous consentez à la réception de contenus de notre part.Notre newsletter contient des pixels espions nous permettant la fourniture à chaque abonné, d’un contenu unique en lien avec ses souscriptions et intérêts. Pour de plus amples informations sur l’utilisation faite de vos données en vue de l’envoi des contenus concernés, nous vous invitons à consulter la politique de confidentialité disponible à partir du lien suivant PRN Consumer Newsletter Privacy Notice. Vous pouvez à tout moment revenir sur votre consentement par le biais des informations situées au bas de chaque e-mail reçu. Регистрирайки се, Вие се съгласявате да получавате информационно съдържание от нас. Нашите бюлетини съдържат проследяващи пиксели, които ни помагат да предоставяме уникално съдържание въз основа на ангажираността и интересите на всеки абонат. За повече информация относно начина, по който ще използваме Вашите данни, за да гарантираме, че Ви изпращаме подходящо съдържание, моля, направете справка с нашето Уведомление за поверителност на потребителския бюлетин на PRN. Можете да оттеглите съгласието си по всяко време в долния колонтитул на всеки от имейлите, които ще получите.