Our Favorite Things, 10 Things You Should Know: December
December 26, 2017Click here for the full report!
Happy Holidays! It's the year's last 10 Things You Should Know, and we're taking a look back at some of the most impactful and exciting trends and insights from 2017. From purple veggies packing power to Kombucha's new competition to choosy consumers choosing charcoal -- it's all inside. Let's go!
1. Put Purple on Your Plate
Purple food is hot, with health nuts gobbling everything from purple cauliflower hummus to maqui-berry smoothies. And the brilliant hue is good for more than just a killer Instagram post. “Purple whole foods are extremely high in antioxidants.” Stephanie Middleberg, RD. | Health
2. Tea Time Meets Happy Hour
There’s a new brew in town—and it’s not beer. Across the country, mixologists are shaking up cocktails with a spot of tea. Pinkies up, and down the hatch! Rachel Ray magazine is spotting everything from Pisco & Green Tea cocktails, Chai ‘Til You Die and Tea-Na Colada cocktails across the US.
3. Snacking
50% of all eating occasions are snacking! Modern eating styles are characterized by frequent snacking—so much so that 37% of the time, a snack provides one of the three most substantial eatings of the day for American consumers. As more individualized and customized occasions, snacks are more commonly consumed alone than meals are. | The Hartman Group
4. Kombucha has Competition
In just a few years kombucha went from slightly strange health food store potion to the corner- store-available, ubiquitous beverage it is today. There’s plenty of competition though, including tepache, which is a beloved as a hot weather thirst quencher in Mexico. Tepache is made from pineapple peels that have been steeped in water along with brown sugar and spiced and is fermented for days. It has a funky sour flavor and probiotic health benefits. | Bon Appetit
5. New Uses
Companies are trying to lower or eliminate food waste by finding ways to repurpose their leftover products. As an example, Eco Olea is reusing the water from its olive oil production as the base for a household cleaning product. In addition, Sir Kensington’s is repurposing leftover liquid from cooking chickpeas into a vegan mayo. | Business Insider
6. Perfectly Imperfect
More than 50% of consumers are open to buying less-than-perfect vegetables. Companies like Whole Foods and Walmart are launching pilot programs to reduce food waste and upcycle blemished vegetables. | Mintel
7. More Vegetables
As consumers are trying to move toward healthier options, we are seeing vegetables top of mind, and Google is seeing the same. There was a 200% increase in searches for “cauliflower rice” and a 70% increase in searches for “spiralized vegetables” over the past 12 months.
8. Limited Time Offer
Your age that may play a role in your decision to try a limited-time offer at a restaurant, in fact, half of Millennial & Gen Z consumers go to a specific restaurant with a specific LTO in mind, while Baby Boomers tend to make a decision when they are at a restaurant. | Datassential
9. “Moringa is a thinga”
According to Food Business News, moringa is poised to supplant matcha and turmeric as the next hot superfood. It is rich in protein, fiber, potassium, calcium and vitamin A. Keep an eye out for the next big superfood!
10. Choosing Charcoal
Charcoal as an ingredient is making its way from the beauty aisle into beverages and even ice cream. Several restaurant cocktail menus in NY have featured charcoal such as Mission Chinese Food, the Wayland, and GoodnightSonny. | Bloomberg
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