Speciality-Food-Magazine-JanuaryFebruary2025

giant Lindt has tapped into the trend –withmore surely to follow. 5 AUTHENTICWORLD FLAVOURS Bidfood cites ‘flavours less travelled’ as a major food and drink trend for 2025, saying 55% of consumers are looking for new food experiences. There are leanings towards the soul food of America’s Southern states – especially Creole and Cajun. Turkish, Greek, Argentinian, Portuguese and Swiss food are all resonating with food lovers too. @specialityfood 6 IMPULSE TREATS Indulging in ‘treat me’ moments was a theme throughout 2024, and it’s not going anywhere. According to FMCG Gurus there’s been a shift towards ‘permissible indulgence’, with consumers seeking gratifying flavours and textures free of guilt. “This has led to a rise in premium and artisanal products promoting balance andmoderation. Brands are focusing on providing sensory- rich experiences that deliver pure enjoyment, reshaping the narrative around guilt-free indulgence.” 16 Smiths of Smithfield. Pavel Baranovs, head chef at UBA, agrees. “Pan-Asian flavours have become popular with home cooks over the years, but I expect 2025 will see adventurous flavours really being championed. I’m excited for people to experiment with zesty yuzu, spicy Sichuan pepper, and sweet char siu sauce. These flavours are unique, versatile and exciting to use.” 4 PISTACHIO This is going to be one of the ‘it’ ingredients of 2025. Bakeries and confectioners are already upping their game here, having expanded out their existing ranges to include pistachio in 2024. Think pistachio croissants and Danishes, pistachio-filled bon bons, pistachio cakes, pistachio creams, and pistachio ice creams. This has largely been driven by the enormous online interest in the ‘Dubai chocolate bar’ filled with pistachio paste and crisp knafeh pastry. Even chocolate A s retailers, buyers and producers dip their toes into a new year, one of the big questions on the tips of their tongues will be ‘what do shoppers want?’. Consumer buying patterns, desires, wants and needs are changing at a faster pace than ever before when it comes to food and drink, driven largely by social media. From the comfort of their own kitchens, shoppers have access to a phenomenal stream of delicious content every day. Content that’s taking them across the world, introducing them to recipes, flavours, ingredients and concepts they’ve never seen before. And they want to see these experiences reflected on the aisles of their local supermarkets and specialist food stores. Read on to find out what experts predict will be the biggest food and trends of 2025. 1 NATURAL HONEY Shoppers were shocked recently when it was revealed last year that around 90% of British honey contains added sugar. The Honey Authenticity Network sent 30 samples for testing in November 2024, with 24 out of 25 jars considered to be ‘suspicious’. This, in turn, is making consumers thinkmore carefully about the honey that lands on their breakfast tables. They’ll be looking for jars from smaller, more ethically-minded producers, and for claims of 100% authenticity, with no added sugar. 2 SPANISH FOOD It will be music to speciality retailers’ ears that Spanish food and ingredients have piqued consumer interest. Bidfood’s 2025 trends report expresses they want to dive in deeper than the typical paella, exploring cookingmore regional, specialist cuisine, and taking the time to try a bit of Spanish baking. Skyscanner picks out San Sebastian in Northern Spain as driving this trend, withmore people than ever wanting to try the classic burnish-topped Basque cheesecake and pintxos – small tapas-like bar snacks. Many pintxos are easy to recreate using what you have in the deli counter. 3 ASIAN FLAVOURS Asian condiment makers such as Yep, NOJO andWhite Mausu are all reporting strong sales and growth, backed by retailers who say products such as chilli crisp are becoming regular bestsellers. This is a trend that shouldn’t be ignored. “Prepare for a surge of Southeast Asian flavours with Filipino and Vietnamese dishes leading the way,” says TimDela Cruz, head chef at 21 FOOD AND DRINK TRENDS TOWATCH IN 2025 Experts and analysts from across the food and drink industry share the trends they think will resonate most with consumers over the next 12 months