In a world where convenience meets health “Girl Dinner, Functional Foods, Upscaling at Home” are only some of the few trends the Specialty Food Association (SFA) predicts for 2025. This evolution in dining culture presents a brilliant opportunity for businesses to cater to the consumer’s needs. Wanna know about how to enhance your products? Check out our bulk catalog to explore high-quality ingredients that can elevate your offerings and align with these emerging trends!
Trendspotters of taste!
The SFA gathered 20 experts on the matter from diverse segments of the culinary world to capture all the trends. The result? A list that will for sure influence the industry this upcoming year:
- Girl Dinner 2.0: A trend that started as a silly joke on TikTok and now has its very own song (you know you heard it), snacking isn’t going anywhere. “Most US consumers eat traditional meals every day, but snacking is on the rise. Savvy food and drink brands will help consumers see the products they make as suitable for however consumers choose to eat them. Think pizza cupcakes for lunch, jianbing for dinner, and dumplings as a snack.”, predicted Trendspotter Melanie Bartelme.
- Instant Global Gratification: Globalization is in every aspect of life and the food industry won’t escape it. We can see it every time we go to the grocery store or scroll through Grubhub. Frozen soup dumplings, ready-to-eat Chicken Tikka Masala, just to name a few.
“Convenient to heat-and-eat or mix-and-make formats of authentic global foods will add flavor adventure to consumers’ snacks and meals,” said Trendspotter Kara Nielsen. “Frozen Japanese ramen and dumplings from around the world; nutritious Indian dosa pancake mixes, and flavor-packed traditional Thai simmer sauces are examples.”
- Michelin stars at home: Have you seen that guy that whips up the fanciest dinners for his wife in his kitchen? (@pov_husband) Well, according to the experts, he isn’t the only one who’s choosing the comfort of his own home over a restaurant. “Restaurant visits may decrease in favor of restaurant quality meals at home thanks to some great home cooking equipment along with more access to top products such as Japanese Wagyu, truffles, and fine oils and cheeses. A splurge to be sure, but still a fraction of the cost of a restaurant meal,” said Trendspotter Jonathan Deutsch. “With inflation hitting our pockets at the store and especially restaurants, people, especially those with families, will once again return to cooking fresh meals with cultural and flavorful twists,” according to Trendspotter V. Sheree Williams.
- Functional foods, Natural Enhancements: Trendspotter Sherin Ali called out “the growing demand for food that helps people stay sharp and balanced…Consumers are increasingly seeking foods that support mood, mental clarity, and overall wellness, especially as conversations around focus and neurodivergence grow.” Think of pouring Mānuka Honey over your granola parfait to protect your body from bacteria, cool right?
- Bring up the spice: Chillis are today more than ever a trend, you can find them on many different foods and it’s not really about the heat anymore. “But gone are the days of the ghost peppers and gratuitous fire. It’s about flavor with chili crisp and crunch, berbere, hot honey, and harissa,” said Deutsch.
- Vinnegars: Taking a shot of vinegar every morning might sound like a lot, but hey, we don’t make the rules. “Countering the sweet tooth of the past few years, a spectrum of vinegars outside the stable of white, balsamic, apple cider, red, and rice are cropping up as reductions, fruity condiments, and shrubs,” said De la Vega. She continued: “Drinking vinegars are increasingly part of the morning or recovery routines. With the boom of chili crisps and umami, it’s time to balance with tart and acidity. Look out for vinegar-based condiments like Puerto Rican pique or Filipino sawsawan.”
- Give me sugar, but the real kind: Consumers have their health as a top priority now and since giving up on sweetness is not an option, better kinds of sugar take place. “We are seeing more interest in real sugar, honey and syrup used for light sweetening rather than artificial or naturally derived sweeteners,” said Deutsch. “Think Burlap & Barrel single origin sugars and honeys, and Runamok honeys and syrups.”
We got you covered!
-Stay on top of the trends- Talk to our team to include the most wanted ingredients to your business!
