Introduction
The Summer Fancy Foods Show finally made its comeback this year after a two-year long hiatus, with the previous in-person show happening in 2019. From June 12-14, over 1800 exhibitors took over the Javits Center in New York City to display a variety of goods representing every single subcategory you can think of in the food industry – all hoping to impress key buyers.
We walked through the endless aisles of the show floor, hopped from booth to booth, tasting everything in sight – just so we could bring you the top 5 trends we spotted at the show:
1. Seafood But Make It Plant-Based
All things plant-based is still going strong at the show but what caught our eye was how plant-based seafood seemed to be having its moment of glory. From Good Catch’s Sofi Award-winning Plant-based Salmon Burger to Current’s Plant-based Tuna Poke Cubes, it was interesting to see the variety of plant-based seafood available. Good Catch has products ranging from shrimp to canned tuna to plant-based cooked salmon. Meanwhile, Current plays in the “raw” texture space, imitating smoked salmon and poke cubes.
2. Truffles, Truffles Everywhere
Are truffles in season? Because they seem to be everywhere. Chips, seasoning, condiments, and even granola—there was no escaping the distinct and iconic taste. It’s quite a surprise to see truffle in the breakfast category, especially in granola. However, the flavor worked so well in Jamie’s Farm New York’s granola, which was baked with truffle butter – aptly named Black Truffle with Honey. In the same vein, combining Ethiopian spice with truffle isn’t something most would think of, but Saba’s Sauces did just that with their Gourmet Berbere With Truffle Dust.
3. Functional Beverages With a Spin
Everyone knows functional beverages are all the rage now. Prebiotic and probiotic sodas are flying off the shelves and there are drinks galore with ingredients like ashwagandha and collagen. What we found interesting out on the show floor were the very same functional beverages but with a little interesting upcycled spin. Take Spare Tonic’s probiotic tonic, which also has upcycled whey from a local yogurt producer. This means that the beverage not only has probiotics but has anywhere from 4-7g of protein! Talk about a two-for-one deal. Then there’s also Waju which takes upcycled water from pressed fruits to make a sparkling fruit water. Gallons and gallons of water are typically discarded to make fruit or juice concentrate. Waju takes that otherwise discarded water and upcycles it into their sparkling fruit water. Since the water comes from the fruits, you get an antioxidant rich water!
4. Mushrooms Galore
Mushrooms have been enjoying the spotlight in the functional beverages sector for a while. By now, you must’ve seen Lion’s Mane on a can or bottle about half a dozen times. However, mushrooms have also been finding its way into the snacks category. You’ve heard of veggie chips, but what about mushroom chips? From Popadelics to MushGarden, these brands show how versatile mushrooms chips can be with flavors like the classic sea salt to the spicy Thai chili.
5. Sleepy Categories Get a Wake-Up Call
When was the last time you saw innovation in categories like whipped cream or wine? Well for us, it was right here at this show. Whipped cream has always been just that, whipped cream… but Whipnotic said “not on my watch.” The brand’s patented nozzle infuses whipped cream with a swirl of all-natural fruit juices and flavor essences – all with a simple push of a button. Moreover, their product is low in calories so, we’re talking late night dessert without the guilt! Perhaps, the upgrade the whipped cream industry never knew it needed.
Meanwhile in the wine category, we see maivino shake up the centuries-old practice of storing wine in a bottle. There’s boxed wine, canned wine and then there’s maivino’s bagged wine. With a neat spout and an airtight bagnum (a magnum-sized bag), wine drinkers do not have to worry about their wine turning sour in just a few days. The wine stays fresh for up to 30 days in the fridge and you can easily pour yourself a glass with the handy spout. Did we mention that one pouch is the equivalent of 2 bottles of wine? This means it’s also easy to bring out to picnics and outdoor gatherings without having to worry about storage or spillage.
6. The Importance of an Omni-Channel View
Most retailers we spoke to at the show knew how vital it is to monitor brand and category performance both online and in-stores. They use data to do a number of things such as: using it to get into new retailers by showing product velocity online and in other stores, using it to power their decision-making process in terms of R&D, and so much more.
Interested in finding out how you can stay on top of these trends to give customers what they want and outperform the competition? SPINS Product Intelligence library and omnichannel data are essential to evolving alongside today’s shoppers and trends. With a macro view of the market and the tools to delve down to a micro level, brands have an exciting opportunity to understand. Learn more about SPINS Omni-Intelligence today.
