NEW YORK, USA — The Specialty Food Association Trendspotter Panel tasted its way through the 66th Summer Fancy Food Show in search of products gaining prominence in the specialty food industry. The Show, which took place June 12-14 at the Javits Center in New York City, had over 1,700 exhibitors featuring specialty foods and beverages from around the world.
“The specialty food marketplace has grown into a $175 billion industry fueled by the creativity of the producers of these foods and beverages,” said Denise Purcell, SFA’s vice president, content & education.
“That innovation was on display at the Summer Show with our Trendspotters highlighting unexpected twists on classics, reconceived packaging options, better-for-you indulgences and comfort foods, global flavors, and growing interest in sustainability and ethical production.”
The Summer Trendspotter Panel included Melanie Zanoza Bartelme, Mintel; Mikel Cirkus, Firmenich; Jenn de la Vega, Put A Egg on It; Jonathan Deutsch, PhD, CHE, CRC, Drexel University; Victoria Ho, SherpaCPG; Lindsay Leopold, Martha Stewart (Marquee Brands); Patsy Ramirez-Arroyo, Homera Caribbean & LATAM; Stan Sagner, Founder, We Work for Food, LLC – Consultancy; and Kantha Shelke, Ph.D, CFS, IFT Fellow, Corvus Blue LLC.
Top Trends from the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show, according to the Trendspotter Panel
- Surprising Sips
- Packaging Innovations
- Vegetable Chips
- Sustainable and Ethical Choices
- Alternative Comfort Food
- Peppers Are Hot
- Play with Your Food
About the Trends in the coffee and beverage industry
Surprising Sips Beverages with unexpected flavors and ingredients from spicy sodas to coffee made of figs to drinks spiked with everything from alcohol to sparkles.
- Don Pablo bourbon-infused coffee
- FigBrew Figgee coffee alternative
- Moshi Sparkling Uji Matcha
- Ouli by Dona Chai Spice Soda in flavors like peppercorn
- Reveal Avocado Seed Brew
- Runamok Maple Sparkle Tonic
- Shrubbly, shrub made with lightly sparkling water and aronia berries
- Sunboy Spiked Coconut Drinks with 5 percent alcohol
Some of the trends in packaging
- Packaging Innovations Single serve, compostable, increased portability with decreased mess are just some of the trends in packaging seen at the Summer Show.
- Happy Grub Squeezable Instant Pancake Mix in a self-contained bottle; add water, shake, and dispense into the pan
- InPact Wenap & Clean scented towel hand cleaners in flavors like breadcrust, rosemary, basil and fennel, “Bridging personal care with flavors/food, ‘foodcare’ trend,” said Mikel Cirkus.
- Occo spices in single use half-teaspoon aluminum pods
- PCS Gourmet Foods Sauerfrau Squeezable Kraut
- Rufus Teague Can-O-Que BBQ Sauce
- SugarRoti spices, single use compostable pouch
- Whipnotic flavored whipped cream in a spray can with flavor pod embedded in the nozzle.
