FOOD TRENDS FOR 2018...

1. Mindful Choices: Body-mind connections are influencing new food and beverage product introductions
2. Lighter Enjoyment: Diets are out, healthy is not
3. Positively Processed: Utilizing old-fashioned processing techniques
4. Going Full Circle: Environmentally-responsible packaging, low-waste methods and claims
5. Beyond the Coffeehouse: Modification of café favorites and flavors
6. Say It With Color: Using color as a consumer draw with bright hues and clean labels
7. Dining Out, In: The line between food service and retail blurs
8. From Snacks to Mini Meals: Snacking is changing, with snacks becoming a light meal and meals taking on a snack-like appearance
9. Ocean Garden: Meat, vegetables and seasonings from the sea
10. Bountiful Choices: Diversifying existing food categories..
11. Plant-Based Proteins and Botanicals
    A plant-based focus will continue to gain traction into 2018, aligning with more consumers choosing a vegetarian and flexitarian lifestyle. This goes hand-in-hand with the trend for the addition of botanicals that are adding value (and flavor) to food.
    Bold Natural Colors
    2018 will be a year of bold and bright natural colors. Tapping into this trend will attract consumers while keeping a clean label product that is eye-catching. An example of this is a natural purple color from ube, or purple yam.

SOURCE: INNOVA, AS PUBLISHED IN FOOD INGREDIENTS FIRST [Posted November 22, 2017]