February 5, 2014: Fancy Food Trends
Opening a restaurant is still one of the most coveted dreams of many startup entrepreneurs.
So if that’s you, or if you already own a restaurant or other food business, you’ll be very interested in the top five trends from the Specialty Food Association’s 39th Winter Fancy Food Show reported in FSR (Full-Service Restaurants) magazine.
Living in Southern California where spicy Mexican and Asian foods dominate, the first trend comes as no surprise to me. It reports: “The heat is (still) on, as Sriracha, the fiery Thai chili sauce, shows up in snacks, chocolates, hummus, and jams.”
The Specialty Food Association also reports the most popular new product introduction is snack foods, but with a twist. FSR says companies are looking to “flavor old favorites with unexpected ingredients to delight the palate and open the wallet. [Foods like] pasta chips, quinoa chips, super food chips, and toasted sesame and seaweed popcorn.”
Rounding out the top five trends are:
- “Mint,” which is showing up in chocolate (fancier chocolate than we’re used to), frozen dessert pops and flavored water.
- “Low-sugar beverages. [Stock up on] unsweetened almond milk, semi-sweet cola, and chocolate Earl Grey tea.”
- Condiments. Also not new, but fancier flavors are in demand, such as “fine herbs mayonnaise, truffle ketchup, and salted caramel mustard sauce.”