Tom Vierhile

1 month ago | preparedfoods.com | Tom Vierhile

2025 Food and Beverage TrendsSauces & Marinades When consumers want to experiment with flavor, sauces, dressings and seasonings easily win out. In fact, when asked where they would go to try new flavors, 42% of American consumers told Innova Market Insights’ 2024 Flavor Survey that sauces, seasonings and toppings was their first category choice. Desserts, ice cream and sweet bakery products (cakes, cookies, etc.), were second and third respectively.

1 month ago | preparedfoods.com | Tom Vierhile

2025 Food and Beverage TrendsBakery Without a doubt, “swicy” is one of the food industry’s favorite new terms—related to products delivering a combination of sweet and spicy flavors. Looking more broadly at the bakery foods category, you could say the term “swicy” applies as well—when you consider new product launches across all categories. According to Innova Market Insights data, overall US bakery launches grew by about 1% in 2024.

1 month ago | preparedfoods.com | Tom Vierhile

Need a powerful protein boost to start the day? Or how about quick, portable snack before the next meal? Whatever the meal motivation, it’s clear that bar and cereal makers have been active to address trending forms, flavors and functions. Despite inflationary concerns, Innova Market Insights tracking data show cereal and snack bar innovation grew in 2024 with new product launches up by just more than 1% versus the prior year.

1 month ago | preparedfoods.com | Tom Vierhile

Want to talk snack tastes, textures and trends? It promises to be fun discussion—yet there’s news that’s both good and bad. What’s good is that consumer at-home snacking has become an entrenched behavior since COVID. And the bad news? Unfortunately, not all snacks are created equal. Chocolate confection processors faced skyrocketing 2024 cocoa prices following intense rain and severe drought conditions in West Africa’s cacao growing regions.