2020 Winter Fancy Food Show Trends
SAN FRANCISCO: Among the new trends observed at the Winter Fancy Food Show were functional teas, quick noodles, and international sauces. Held in San Francisco on January 19–21, the exhibition showcased over 80,000 products from 1,400 exhibitors.
According to Denise Purcell, head of content at the Specialty Food Association, “we’re seeing that health benefits and sustainability concerns will continue to drive more food and beverage trends in 2020 as the specialty food industry hits a record year of growth with $148.7 billion in sales.” “But there’s also space for enjoyment, whether it’s with international condiments or canned cocktails.”
The Winter Fancy Food Show, now in its 45th year, is “busting at the seams,” according to Phil Kafarakis, president of the Specialty Food Association, which organizes the occasion.
“In just three years, we’ve gone a long way,” Mr. Kafarakis remarked. We weren’t really in the mainstream of eating… However, we now want the food business to acknowledge us as the location where food is shaped going forward.
According to research from the Specialty Food Association and Mintel, almost three out of four customers buy specialty food products, which can be characterized as premium, made in small amounts, or boasting authentic recipes and high-quality ingredients.Sales in the specialized market are driven by beverages, snacks, and plant-based foods, claims Mintel. Goods with diet-related claims, like those that are high-protein or low-sugar, are also popular.
Fans of the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet will find a lot of products on exhibit at the Winter Fancy Food Show, including hot sauce and hot dog buns. Keto claims were widely displayed on snack foods, baking mixes, frozen desserts, nutrition bars, confections, spreads, and coffee creamers.
Tapping into the oat craze
Oat milk is still becoming more and more popular, making appearances in new non-dairy food formulas where formulations based on cashews, coconut, or almonds used to rule.
The oat milk frozen desserts by Van Leeuwen, an ice cream brand based in Brooklyn, N.Y., come in flavors including caramel cookie, mocha latte, brown sugar chunk, and dark chocolate peanut butter swirl. At the exhibition, HP Hood L.L.C., a dairy processor located in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, showcased its latest venture into creating frozen treats using oat milk under the Planet Oat brand of non-dairy milk.
Los Angeles-based Califia Farms has introduced unsweetened oat-based creamers with flavors including vanilla and hazelnut. Single-serve oat milk in chocolate, vanilla, and blueberry flavors as well as unsweetened oat-based creamers in hazelnut, vanilla, and chai spice flavors were introduced by Elmhurst Milked, L.L.C., located in Elma, N.Y.
In Sonoma, California, Miyoko’s Creamery has introduced a spreadable cultured oat milk butter that is the first of its type. Oatzarella, a dairy-free cheese substitute produced from steel-cut oats and extra virgin olive oil, is available from Rucksack Foods in Washington.
Oat milk chocolate bars are being introduced by Indianapolis-based Endangered Species Chocolate. There are three types of dark chocolate: rice crisp, sea salt and almond, and dark chocolate.
“Where we take our new product lines is really determined by our consumers,” Endangered Species Chocolate’s head of innovation Whitney Bembenick stated. “We observed the increasing popularity of milk substitute goods and realized we had to meet consumer demand. We considered every alternative, including almond and coconut milk, but nothing quite matched the smooth, creamy flavor that oat milk offered. We knew we had found something that would fulfill every requirement for a better and more delicious plant-based milk chocolate bar as it had a flavor that was most similar to cow’s milk and had the health advantages of oat milk.
Developing International Cuisines
Among the internationally inspired condiments introduced during the exhibition were an Irish tomato relish and a Korean kimchi aioli. Improved ramen and quick noodles in the Singaporean and Indonesian culinary styles were also on display.
According to Ms. Purcell, “the trend of global cuisines with a regional focus definitely continues.” “There are products on the market that are primarily inspired by or made from traditional foods found in the Caribbean and southwest Asia.”
A Chicago startup called Niloofar created a trail mix application with Persian flavors and ingredients that included pistachios, white mulberries, figs, and golden berries. The company introduced their line of Persian-style almonds, flavored with saffron, sumac, and Persian shallots. A new business in the Bay Area called Oyna Natural Foods served kuku, a Persian-style frittata cooked with organic vegetables, herbs, and garbanzo flour and eggs.
Burma Love Foods, located in San Francisco, specializes in Burmese cuisine, which is a blend of Chinese, Laotian, Indian, and Thai ingredients. Products include a Burmese crunchy mix, a spicy fermented tea leaf dressing, and a fermented tea leaf aioli.
“International seasonings and sauces are becoming more and more popular, particularly from countries like Burma and Cambodia,” Ms. Purcell stated.
You may also like:
Food security in emerging nations: issues and remedies
Are drinks the secret to increasing cannabis use among consumers?
Managing the lack of labour for mushroom picking
upcoming plant-based
Tomato jerky, avocado puffs, popped water lily seeds, and lotus root chips were among the specialty foods on display at Winter Fancy Food.
According to Ms. Purcell, “plant-based is taking some different directions.” “A shift away from lab-grown meat substitutes and toward a renewed emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and whole foods themselves is what our Trendspotter Panel is forecasting.”
Some businesses introduced shelf-stable plant-based meal starters and mixes that could be mixed with water or veggies to make patties or crumbles, offering convenience and customization to the sector. Just-add-water plant-based burger mixes made with brown rice, oats, lentils, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, veggies, garbanzo flour, and spices are available from Great Life by Lucinda in Depoe Bay, Oregon. Only texturized pea protein is present in the shelf-stable plant-based crumbles from Longeve, Los Angeles. Chicago-based Urban Accents created three internationally-inspired versions of their soy-based Ground Veggie Meatless Mixes: chipotle street taco, honey barbecue sloppy joe, and sweet black garlic Korean barbecue.
San Francisco-based Urban Cheesecraft creates cheese and sauce blends without dairy that may be tailored to include a base of white beans, almonds, seeds, or vegetables.
“We are witnessing either novel protein sources or surprising methods of enhancing protein intake through vegetables or legumes,” Ms. Purcell stated.
Black beans, red lentils, potatoes, and cassava are used to make grain-free churro-style snacks, like an example from The Daily Crave in Folsom, California. Beanfields in Los Angeles introduced Vegan Cracklins, a product made with beans, cassava flour, and chickpea protein, while Outstanding Foods in Santa Monica, California, introduced Pig Out Pigless Pork Rinds, which are created with pea protein. Spicy nacho and chile lime are among the flavors.
According to Beanfields CEO Arnulfo Ventura, “we’re trailblazing and creating new sub-segments in food and snack along the way.” “Vegan Cracklins represent our first product launch outside of chips, and we are very happy to announce this.”
Upcycling becomes more popular
Brands at the exhibition showcased edible cutlery, tea, confections, and ice cream pints in environmentally friendly packaging. Regenerative agriculture and sustainable sourcing and manufacturing processes were showcased by multiple companies.
According to Ms. Purcell, “we’re seeing more and more product development driven by sustainability.” “That can refer to plant-based, repurposed food items or containers.”
One product that used recycled materials was a new brownie mix from Renewal Mill in San Francisco. It was produced with okara, which is the pulp left over after making soymilk and tofu. Co-founder and chief executive officer Claire Schlemme stated that the company intends to collaborate with oat milk producers to turn the residue into a useful and nutritious ingredient.
Defatted sunflower seeds, a byproduct of the extraction of vegetable oil, are used by Planetarians, of Palo Alto, California, in their high-protein, high-fiber snacks.
Cucumbers, squash, and carrots that are bruised or malformed are used to manufacture pickles and condiments by Ugly Pickle Co. in San Mateo, California.
It’s tea time.
The ready-to-drink, leaf, and bagged teas that were showcased at the event appeal to both tradition and wellness. Thai tea concentrate, South African rooibos tea, and Egyptian hibiscus tea were among the examples. A variety of teas in bottles contain mamaki leaves, which are grown in Hawaii and taken out of volcanic soil.
“There are a lot of different takes on tea—functional, sparkling, and some authentic global recipes—but tea is a mature category,” Ms. Purcell stated.
The Sea Cliff, New York-based company Vegan Rob’s, which produces puffy snacks, has unveiled a range of functional bagged teas with components like hemp, ginseng, ashwagandha, and kava root. The goal of the goods is to alleviate depression and anxiety.
Sweet Slumber tea, a blend of valerian root, chamomile, hops, lavender, and lemon balm leaf, was introduced by Oakland, California-based Numi Organic Tea.
According to Ahmed Rahim, the chief executive officer and co-founder of Numi Organic Tea, “ingredients like valerian root, lavender, and chamomile continue to trend and grow in popularity given their natural, effective relief from stress, anxiety, and insomnia.” “For this reason, Sweet Slumber contains these ingredients, which can aid in relaxation and restful sleep at the end of the day.”