The Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel navigated thousands of specialty food products showcased by nearly 1,100 exhibitors from January 19-21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Guided by the SFA’s 2025 Trend Predictions, the Trendspotters assembled a diverse collection of products from which seven overall trends have emerged.
“The first Show in the industry’s annual cycle, the Winter Fancy Food Show establishes key emerging trends for the specialty food and beverage market each year. The 12,000 participants who joined us in Las Vegas in January got an exclusive preview of how specialty food makers are responding to shifts in consumer preferences and values,” said Bill Lynch, SFA President. “The Trendspotter Panel came away with exciting findings that range from Instant Global Gratification to the impact of small farms and Hawaii as Terroir. I look forward to seeing how these trends show up across the industry in 2025 and beyond.”
Top Seven Trends, 2025 Winter Fancy Food Show:
Established Trends
Girl Dinner 2.0: Snacking remains a strong trend, and the Show featured diverse snacks, including vegan, high protein, functional, luxurious, and crunchy. "Wellness and quick, healthy snack focus will continue to inspire us all,” said Trendspotter Cathy Strange of Whole Foods. “Energy, digestion, sweetness, craving, nutritional impact are key "ingredients" that support each of us elevating the true you.” Said Trendspotter Mikel Cirkus, “It’s the snap, crackle, and pop of snacks gone wild, and the munchie aisle is rising to the occasion in very creative ways to meet the demand.”
Instant Global Gratification: As predicted for 2025, specialty food makers are reacting to consumer cravings for quick and easy meals from around the world. "Life moves fast, and so do today's consumers—but their tastes are more sophisticated than ever,” says Trendspotter Jeannie Houchins. “Specialty food makers are stepping up, offering grab-and-go and quick-prep options that bring bold, authentic flavors from around the world right to their hands."
Yes, Chef: "Whether through flavorful marinades like the Zesty Shwarma sauce by Beituti or the flavor hacks from Fine Foods Marketing, home chefs have tons of options to inject their food with exciting flavors. The addition of one of these pantry items to a sheet of roasted vegetables and chickpeas or as a marinade for protein will upscale your dining experience at home,” says Trendspotter Summer Thompson. “One of the most frequent comments I encounter from our customers is "I want my food to taste like a restaurant." These overtly umami-packed items elevate your baseline level of flavor when you're showing off your new techniques in the kitchen. They also take away some of the edge when you are trying out new methods for cooking – faith in the ingredients is the basis of all good recipes.”
New Trends from the Show
Beverages: Bubbly and Beyond "As a foodie who loves her “bevvies’” I was very excited to see how far the beverage industry has come in offering customers a wide variety of products to fit their tastes,” said Trendspotter Patranya Bhoolsuwan. “I have always veered towards interesting Asian flavors that also provide health benefits, like the Roasted Green Iced Tea by Ito En. And I love seeing more non-alcoholic products that are catering to a growing market of people who are extending their “dry” streak beyond January. I am sure they are celebrating over offerings like the Jøyus Non-Alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignon. I love the innovation, and low calories too? It's a win-win!"
Dairy and Non-Dairy Delights: “The dairy aisle has more to offer than calcium, vitamin D, and creaminess. In the case of cheeses, exciting mix-ins and never-before paired flavors like Maaz ginger, Marieke Gouda with fenugreek, and Snowdonia Pickle Power amplify mouthfeel and give you the sensation of having more than just a bite of cheese. In the past, extra mix-ins hid the sins of low-quality products, but when you enhance quality milk, it can only get better from there,” says Trendspotter Jenn de la Vega. “That doesn't mean every great product needs extra flavors; the new classics are here to stay, like Vermont Creamery's cultured butter. The world of dairy alternatives has turned a corner on quality and innovation. Forca Foods MILKish watermelon seedmilk utilizes often thrown out watermelon seeds to make a tasty, new, sustainable beverage, while RIND has found a way to use traditional cheese affinage to make a vegan aged Alpine style Swiss. It's an exciting time to explore the diversity of dairy and what it could be!”
Hawaii as Terroir: "Hawaiian farms have their own unique, rich terroir - for produce but also animal production too. Hawaii's brands are leveraging the origins of Hawaiian farming, which some may say is underutilized in CPG. Hawaii is thought of for its pineapple and not the meats especially. I see that changing," said Matt Rodbard.
Small Farm, Big Impact: "If you're delivering a craft, hand-made product, then it only makes sense to pair that with an ethical brand,” says Trendspotter Sarah Lohman. “Consumers are interested in transparency and morality in the brands they buy from. And a memorable story makes the mission travel further, and the food tastes better!"
The Winter Fancy Food Show Trendspotters included Patranya Bhoolsuwan, Emmy Award-winning journalist & founder and CEO, Patranya Media LLC; Mikel Cirkus, Sr. Director, Global Foresight & Design, dsm-firmenich; Jenn de la Vega, chef, stylist, cookbook author, trends expert, Randwiches; Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., CHE, CRC, professor and director, Drexel Food Lab, Drexel University; Jeannie Houchins, global communications executive; Sarah Lohman, food historian, and author; Matt Rodbard, Editor in Chief, TASTE; Cathy Strange, Ambassador of Food Culture, Whole Foods; Summer Thompson, Senior Buyer, Market Hall Foods.
These trends and more will be on full display at the 2025 Summer Fancy Food Show, which features thousands of specialty food and beverage products from around the world, educational and event programming, and networking opportunities. The Show runs June 29-July 1 at the Javits Center in New York and is open only to qualified members of the specialty food trade, industry affiliates, and media. For more information, click here. To view the full list of trends, click here.
