Last month, the Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council released their top 10 food and beverage trend predictions for 2025. Each year the Council develops trend predictions through industry experience, observing consumer behavior, and collaborating with new and established brands. As this report marks the tenth of its kind, Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Whole Foods Market, says, “This year, we’re especially excited to celebrate how far we’ve come by spotlighting trends for 2025 that not only reflect growing consumer preferences but also push the boundaries of what’s possible for the world of food.”

This report is beneficial for identifying emerging consumer preferences and opportunities in the food and beverage industry. Food entrepreneurs and businesses can use this report to create new products that align with anticipated consumer interests, plan their marketing strategy to resonate with the trend’s themes, and source products that reflect these trends to stay competitive in grocery or specialty food markets. Consumers may use this report to explore new products or ingredients that align with their shopping values. Chefs and culinary personnel can gain insight from this report to aid in menu development and sourcing products or ingredients that align with consumer values. 

Without further anticipation, the Whole Foods Market’s top 10 food and beverage trend predictions for 2025 include:

1. International Snacking: Brands are incorporating global flavors into packaged snack items, leading to fusion foods that introduce consumers to different parts of the world and invite consumers to try something new.
2. Ever-Adaptable Dumpling: Dumplings occupy more space on store shelves as they are appearing in both the freezer aisle and shelf-stable, single-serve format. As consumer interest in international flavors rises, this long-standing staple is gaining more space in the grocery store and on restaurant menus.
3. Crunch: Texture of the Moment: Consumers are increasingly looking for more ways to add a crunch and texture to their meals. The idea of incorporating granola to yogurt for added texture has expanded to the development of crunch-enhancing products such as mushroom chips, sesame garlic crunch, and crunchier versions of chili crisp – just to name a few.  
4. Hydration Hype: While H2O enhancers (think Liquid I.V.) have been trendy for some time, consumers are asking for more from their water. New players with innovative ideas around added electrolytes, antioxidants, and even protein have entered the market. It appears sugary and artificially colored sports drinks might be a thing of the past.
5. Tea’s Time: New steeping formats and tea-infused products have taken tea to a new level. With the ability to use strips or cold-brew bags for water bottles, steeping and consuming tea has never been easier.
6. Next-Level Compostable: Composting and sustainability have been at the forefront of consumer values for a while. Many products have partial or totally compostable elements. Now, there are brands developing packaging that can break down in a home compost bin, aligning with consumer interest in effortless ways they can contribute to sustainability efforts in their home.
7. More-Sustainable Sips: Like Trend 6, the beverage industry is taking steps to reduce their environmental footprint. Examples include embracing regenerative practices and lower-impact and waste packaging, as consumers are looking for lower-waste packaging options.
8. Sourdough Stepped Up: Sourdough resurged during the pandemic; however, it keeps kneading in the game with pizza crusts, bakery items, crackers, etc. that align with a consumer base looking for the flavor of sourdough without the hours spent in the kitchen.   
9. Plant-Based Aquatic Ingredients: Seaweed, along with other aquatic plants and freshwater greens, are making a statement as consumers are looking for more sustainable sources of protein and nutrients. Consumers are likely to see items like sea moss and duckweed emerging in the marketplace next year.
10. Protein Power-Up: Consumers are looking to add more protein to their diets outside the traditional powders and packaged bars that have been on the market. Recipes including cottage cheese and new meat blends are helping consumers incorporate more protein in meals and snack items.

Hopefully, this recap has highlighted a few ideas for what is to come in the food and beverage world for 2025. To read the full report, with Try the Trend product examples, click here: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/trends/the-next-big-things-our-top-10-food-trends-in-2025

Recommended Citation Format:

Columbia, S. "Recap of Whole Foods Market’s Top 10 Food and Beverage Trend Predictions for 2025." Economic and Policy Update (24):11, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky, November 25, 2024.  

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Author(s) Contact Information: 

Savannah Columbia | savannah.columbia@uky.edu