The Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel recently released what it predicts will be the hottest specialty food and beverage trends for 2024.
Here are a few highlights from the panel:
- Innovative beverages sales are growing faster than food products, so expect to see more single-serve, non-alcoholic carbonated and non-carbonated beverages; coffee, tea and broth with functional ingredients; beverages that add energy, clarity, focus or a calming effect; beverages with less or no sugar, salt or artificial sweeteners; beverages with herbs, tropical flavours and botanicals.
- Cellular protein will grow in popularity next year, and so will plant-based seafood.
- Peach as a flavour and ingredient will get a boost in 2024, in jams, teas, condiments, and baked goods.
- Calabrian chili peppers will appear more often in pasta sauce, hot sauce, cured meats, snacks, relish, and hot honey.
- Tahini will continue to appear outside of Middle Eastern dishes, including in milk shakes, coffee, cookies and pastries.
- Soup is hot thanks to the popularity of TikTok recipes, so expect to see more soup, broths, soup starters and mixes.
- Black sesame, ube and milk tea will pop up in unexpected products and formats, including in baked goods, beverages, and snacks.
- Consumers are still excited by global flavours, heritage traditional foods, regional foods and ingredients.
