FreshDirect, a Northeastern U.S. fresh food grocer, announced its top food trends for 2020. The trends list was curated by FreshDirect's in-house team of specialists.
“By working directly with farmers, fishermen, artisans and producers daily to source high-quality, great tasting food for our customers, FreshDirect has a unique vantage point into the latest food trends,” said Scott Crawford, Chief Merchandising Officer, FreshDirect. “It’s an exciting time in the food and beverage industry, and our trends offer just a ‘taste’ of some of the innovations taking place right now in the marketplace.” Some of the mentioned trends are summarized below.
Plant-based foods
Plant based foods continue to evolve and expand into more categories. In 2020, cauliflower will remain a top gluten substitute and oat will continue to gain traction as a creamy alternative milk to mix into your morning coffee. 2020 will bring new developments in and further solidification of organic, plant based, meat and cheese.
Regenerative agriculture
Regenerative agriculture is a relatively new concept aimed at combating the strain that traditional farming practices put on the earth. Increasing the soil quality and fertility of the land not only helps the environment, but also allows the animals raised there to be healthier and happier. When you buy meat from farmers that practice regenerative agriculture, you are using your wallet to vote for better animal husbandry practices and more economically and environmentally sustainable farming practices.
On-the-go food and snacks
When you are increasingly busy, you don’t always have time to cook. Consumption of on-the-go snacks continues to increase, while traditional meal preparation seems to lose more ground due to busy schedules. While snacks of the past can be unhealthy, the snacking of tomorrow consists of bite sized superfoods, healthy snack kits and subscription boxes.
Functional beverage and gut health
Functional beverages and gut health continue to drive food choices in today’s consumer market. The trend is expanding into snacks as well. As consumers explore special diets and move toward smaller eating occasions (away from traditional meals), they’re often looking for snacks and drinks that pack more of a nutritional punch. 2020 will see an increase in both new functional beverages and snacks.
Transparency and traceability
Consumers have become increasingly educated on the food supply chain, ingredients and the environmental impact of what they eat. Because of this, many brands are introducing source traceability into their packaging so that consumers can learn exactly where certain ingredients are sourced and how they’re harvested. It is expected to see further traceability and transparency for brands as this trend grows in 2020.
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