Innova Market Insights sees a bright future ahead of us on their crystal ball! According to their last report on the Top Food Trends for 2025, it’s all about bold, techy, and totally delicious innovations for this upcoming year. From plant-based protein breakthroughs to smarter ingredient sourcing, these trends promise to redefine the way we think about food. As consumers’ demand for healthier and better-for-you options grows, the ingredients market is changing to meet their needs. Want to get in on the action and future-proof your products? Take a peek at our bulk catalog for high-quality ingredients that will leave your clients asking for more!
It’s all about quality
The market research company explains how nowadays, consumers not only care about satisfying hunger when it comes to buying food at the grocery store, but they also care about what’s inside those products. You are what you eat is a life motto in this society. Does it have added sugars? Is it organic? Is it ultra-processed? These are all questions consumers ask themselves before purchasing F&B and, according to IMI (Innova Market Insights), brands that elevate quality beyond “just ingredients” will be the ones to thrive in years ahead.
“Consumers told us that quality is their most important F&B purchase driver, so specific ingredient attributes like freshness, health benefits, and nutritional content will be essential to develop a coherent and unique product narrative.”, says Lu Ann Williams, global insights director at Innova, to Food Ingredients First.
Here’s what’s cooking in 2025!
- Trend 1: “Ingredients and Beyond”
The tea is in quality. The researcher states that the key is in enhancing the quality attributes of their ingredients and describes it as a necessity for companies. Think of natural sugars, like monk fruit. Yeah, we love monk fruit and it has so many benefits you won’t believe it. Another clear example is protein, says IMI. It has penetrated almost every category of food and beverages and it’s an “easy-to-replicate innovation space”. Let’s look at all the new protein bars brands that have come out recently: RXBAR, ALOHA, think!. Or how now there’s protein pasta, protein milk, protein cookies, and even Chobani came out with a new yogurt that contains 20g of protein, this past month. It’s a protein fever and we are here for it!
- Trend 2: “Health – Precision Wellness”
We are all in a personalized health kick wave! According to Innova, consumers look for nutrition through easy-to-consume products targeted to their lifestyles, health needs, and life stages. “We’ve seen growth in the number of new products with claims surrounding targeted health needs, such as products for women or weight management,” says Williams. If you’ve been anywhere these past few years you must have seen Kourtney Kardashian’s new supplements line. But, in case you haven’t Lemme tell you to take a look at their website, they even have supplemented watermelon lollipops!
- Trend 3: “Flavors – Wildly Inventive”
Creativity and innovation will take the spotlight this next year. IMI predicts that brands that want to stay relevant must push the flavor boundaries, far. The researcher explains how consumers are craving new things, things that blow their minds with extraordinary flavors and unexpected inventions. Think of Coca-Cola’s recent collab with Oreo. People went nuts about it and everyone, and we mean EVERYONE went running to try it and had the time of their lives.
- Trend 4: “Gut Health – Flourish from Within”
“Digestive/gut health is the number one health aspect driving the purchase of functional F&B globally,” explains Williams, “consumers are looking for ingredients that can remedy or improve their gut health such as fiber, vitamin D and probiotics.”
New gut-healthy sodas for example are taking the market by storm and replacing the classic ones. A brand you’ve probably heard of is Poppi: Born and raised in Austin, TX, their founders Stephen and Alison went to SharkTank with a brilliant idea and took the brand from a farmers market favorite to a grocery store must. If you haven’t tried it yet, the strawberry-lemon one is a solid 10.
- Trend 5: “Plant-based – Rethinking Plants”
Consumers want plant-based but they don’t want ultra-processed plant-based. The trend for the ingredients label to be as short and natural as possible is here to stay.
“We have noticed a lack of perceived naturalness as a growing barrier for plant-based products, with plant-based products that are perceived to be too processed or artificial to be a major barrier for consumers,” says Williams.
This opens a big door for businesses to break the limits and come up with new products that meet all expectations.
The final five trends in Innova’s Top Ten for 2025 are:
- “Sustainability – Climate Adaption”
- “Beauty Food – Taste the Glow”
- “Food Culture – Tradition Reinvented”
- “Mood Food – Mindful Choices”
- “AI – Bytes to Bites”
Don’t stay behind!
Want to stay ahead of the curve? Contact our team for high-quality ingredients that are perfect for crafting the future of food today!
