Specialty retailers can expect to see new takes on peanut butter, protein-packed jerky and smoke in unexpected places in new product offerings this year, according to a panel of trendspotters who made their predictions after combing the aisles at the Summer Fancy Food Show earlier this month.
The following are the top five trends from the show:
- Spread the Cookie Love – Dave’s Gourmet’s Oatmeal Cookie Butter, Gooey on the Inside’s Fluffernana Cookie Butter and Amoretti’s Graham Cracker Natural Cookie Spread.
- Smoked Signals – Quin’s Smoked Cola Gum Drops, Rick’s Picks’ Smokra and Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery’s Smoked Chocolate Chips.
- Bourbon Boosted – Batch’s Brown Sugar Bourbon & Pecan Ice Cream, Brooklyn Brine Co.’s Spicy Maple Bourbon Pickle and Bourbon Barrel Foods’ Bourbon Smoked Sugar.
- Chew on This – SlantShack Jerky’s Bronx Brewery Pale Ale Jerky, Ocean Beauty Seafoods’ Wild Salmon Jerky and Field Trip Jerky’s Crushed Chilies No. 19 Turkey Jerky.
- Modern Matcha – The Republic of Tea’s Matchia, Teapigs’ Organic Matcha and Ito En’s Matcha Love ready-to-drink tea.
Other trends spotted include modern mayonnaise, even more twists on popcorn, new takes on yogurt – such as beet and sheep’s milk – and a next wave of seaweed snacks. Trends from past Fancy Food Shows with staying power include coconut, Sriracha, ancient grains, healthier snack chips and innovation in gluten-free items.
The Specialty Food Association trendspotters are Faith Durand, executive editor, TheKitchn; Nancy Hopkins, senior deputy editor, Food and Entertainment, Better Homes & Gardens; Ariel Knutson, assistant editor, TheKitchn; Greg Morago, food editor, Houston Chronicle; Kara Nielsen, culinary director, Sterling-Rice Group; Charles Passy, reporter, MarketWatch/Wall Street Journal; Denise Purcell, editor, Specialty Food Media; David Sax, food journalist, author of “The Tastemakers”; and Tina Ujlaki, executive editor, Food & Wine.
