Tastes change – often quickly and sometimes quite drastically. Nowhere is that more evident and relevant than in the world of food and beverage. What might be in one year can be out the next. So, what food trends are moving to the front burner for 2023? Whole Foods Market has its latest food trend predictions.
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Tea Party
"Yaupon is a holly bush found in the Southeast U.S. and happens to be North America’s only known native caffeinated plant. Indigenous Americans brewed it into herbal tea and prepared it as a 'black drink' consumed during purification rituals. With its mild, earthy flavor and unique benefits, yaupon has become increasingly popular."
Photo courtesy of UF/IFAS
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No More Food Waste
"TikTok creators are exploring ways to use leftover nut and oat pulp at home, and we’re now seeing an influx of brands begin to innovate in the space too. By upcycling by-products like oat, soy and almond pulp, brands are creating new products for the modern baker."
Image courtesy of TikTok
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Produce Steps in for Pasta
"First it was chickpea pasta, then cauliflower gnocchi. And who could forget zoodles? Now there’s a new crop of plant-based pasta alternatives to help us all up our veggie and fruit intake, with ingredients like spaghetti squash, hearts of palm, and even green bananas."
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Save the Dates
"The dehydrated fruit often referred to as “nature’s candy” is having a major renaissance as a sweetener—not only for at-home bakers, but also in the form of pastes and syrups, and hidden in everything from ketchup to overnight oats."
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Kelp Wanted
"Kelp grows quickly, doesn’t require freshwater or added nutrients, and is nutritious and versatile in food products—we’re seeing it in noodles, chips, fish-free 'fish' sauce and beyond."
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Eco-Friendly Packaging
With an increased consumer demand for sustainable food, packaging companies are expanding into recycled options.
"Climate consciousness is more relevant than ever, and as a result, brands are working to improve the impact of food and beverage production."
Photo courtesy of Warner & Warner
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Oil Change
"Avocado oil is finally going mainstream in packaged products across the board. It has some big positive attributes—including high oleic fatty acid content and a high smoke point—to thank for its popularity. Taking the place of other oils like canola and safflower oil in snacks, mayonnaise, ready-to-eat meals and more, avocado oil is sure to stick around."
Click here to see Whole Foods' entire food trend predictions for 2023 list.
Now in its eighth year running, a collective of Whole Foods Market team members – including local foragers, regional and global buyers, and culinary experts – has compiled trend predictions. According to the Austin, TX-based company, the annual list is “based on decades of experience and expertise in product sourcing and studying consumer preferences, as well as in-depth workshopping with emerging and existing brands.”
Among some of the emerging trends: upcycled pulp from plant-based milks; new plant-based alternatives for pastas; more ingredients like farmed kelp; product labels that include sustainability efforts; and more.
Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, Chief Marketing Officer at Whole Foods Market, says the trends predictions are an educated look at where they see both product innovation and customer preferences are headed. “We anticipate seeing these trends in the food industry at large, on dinner tables, in lunch boxes, and on our store shelves,” she says.
Scroll through the photo gallery above to check out some of the top food trend predictions for 2023.
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What do you think of Whole Foods’ food trend predictions for 2023? Leave a reader comment below.
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Paul Rusnak is the Senior Online Editor of American Vegetable Grower, American Fruit Grower, and Greenhouse Grower magazines, all Meister Media Worldwide brands. He is based in Northeast Florida. See all author stories here.
