Kantar Names Food Trends for 2023

U.K.-based data analytics firm Kantar outlined 10 emerging food trends in the latest edition of its Finding the Future report series. 

Kantar used over 36 billion Google searches linked to more than 180 topics between 2018 and 2023 to predict data for the rest of the year. The report details each trend, offering insights to retailers who could be looking to expand private brand assortments in new ways.

“By layering human insight and Kantar's trends framework, we identify growth opportunities for brands across markets, languages, and categories in real time,” said the firm. “In this issue, we showcase emergent trends linked to foods enabling brands to map and identify future innovation, growth and activation opportunities.”

The following Kantar list names each trend and provides a definition:

• Cognitive reloaded
  • Cognitive function emerges as a key area of focus as consumers dedicate themselves wholly into their health, wellbeing, and longevity. While stress management is at the heart, a movement to brain function support is observed.
• Plant-based bolsters the protein narrative
  • Protein is a mainstream macro ingredient consistently lauded thanks to its health credentials. Given how embedded it is, consumers are beginning to diversify and experiment with multiple plant-based protein sources.
• Gut health is life
  • Gut health is here to stay and grows from strength to strength. Consumer understanding of the gut in the context of health and wellbeing sharpens. An appetite for digestive health products continues in its upward trajectory.
• The great sugar debate
  • Sugar continues to be on the radar as many try to reduce their intake without sacrificing sweetness or taste. The quest to find something that is ‘better for me’ while satisfying the sweet tooth continues.
• Precise nutrition
  • Consumers are becoming exceedingly purposeful. As the shift to prevention is better than cure moves mainstream, food is at the heart, and precision is top of the mind.
• Sea plants are the new superfoods
  • The rising trend of eating seaweed and algae continues. As awareness of the nutrient-dense credentials establishes itself, consumers are willing to expand their repertoire and experiment with new varieties.
• Ancestral ingredients pivot from Asia
  • As consumers longingly seek balance amid a turbulent world, the search for ancient ingredients with proven value over the years grows significantly.
• Swicy, the new flavor profile
  • Affinity for spicy food continues as consumers increasingly appreciate the depth and balance of heat and flavors. The refinement of the palette for these flavor profiles is evident and is set to grow.
• Rethinking home cooking steams ahead
  • The trend around sophisticated meals within the home continues. The appetite for healthy indulgences anchored to cooking techniques and methods shows no signs of declining.
• Sustainability gets granular
  • The sustainability agenda moves from generic to specific. Focus shifts to granular topics that will have a long-term impact. Consumers are beginning to look at the big picture.

The full report from Kantar can be found here.