Each month the Sharp team saves you time by rounding up some of the latest trends from the world of food and drink. It’s designed to help brand founders use trends to navigate, fine-tune their positioning and increase brand awareness.
This month, we look ahead to 2025 to dive into consumer behaviour shifts that will drive food and drink trends in the coming months.
For Starters
There are some tasty morsels in the Waitrose Food & Drink Report 2024-25
- Scratch cooking – we’re using kitchen shortcuts, think canned toms, frozen fish fingers, beans and 30 minutes is the sweet spot for daily dinner preparation.
- Strong Roots – we’re going to be counting plants not calories and adding nutrition to our plates. And we’ll be avoiding UPFs (ultra processed foods) by sticking to good old fashioned whole ingredients.
- Zebra Striping – taking a healthier approach to alcohol consumption which involves alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
- Kooky cocktails – think meaty cocktails – more on that later!
- Indulgence is back – with butter as a whole food back on trend, gourmet flavourings are also set to soar.
- Spicy isn’t going away – we just can’t get enough of spice it seems, with an appetite for spiced hot honey, spicy margaritas, UK consumers have the 2nd highest desire for spice in Europe.
- Pantry glow-up – we’re eating what we want when we like, raiding our pantries stocked with premium olive oil, peanut butter and salt on our ice cream for that sweet savoury combo.
Mains:
Let’s dig into some of the broader trends…
Comfort and Indulgence: We’ll see enhanced versions of nostalgic comfort foods, such as pastina (small pasta – the ultimate Italian comfort food) and bakery treats (we’ve already indulged with cruffins and cronuts), reflecting a desire for indulgence in uncertain times.
Global and Regional Flavours: Increased popularity of underexplored cuisines like Turkish, Argentinian, Southern U.S., and Greek, with dishes such as kofta kebabs, chimichurri, and Cajun specialties. We’ll also continue to rediscover local traditions, particularly in cuisines like Scottish, Welsh, and Irish.
Functional and Sustainable Foods: There will be continued and greater emphasis on gut health exploring fibre-rich foods like beans, seeds, and whole grains. These whole foods will also be winning when it comes to sustainability points – the less processed the better!
Innovation will favour ingredients that minimize waste, such as byproducts or sustainably sourced produce. Nice Rice, the winners of last month’s Future Food awards are a great example of this. Fergus the founder of Nice Rice was shocked to discover that he couldn’t buy sustainably farmed rice in UK supermarkets after discovering that the rice was second only to beef when it comes to emissions. He has made it his mission to change this.
Next-Generation Coffee: We’ll see the continued expansion of coffee culture with globally inspired brewing techniques and flavours. Watch out for new launches in this dynamic sector.
Creative Chocolates: Innovation in hot and cold drinks, especially flavoured hot chocolates, frozen mochas, and unique milkshake offerings as we see a return to embracing whole milk and natural ingredients.
How UK multiples must change tack to convert transient shoppers
GlobalData’s latest report, United Kingdom (UK) Food and Grocery Retailing Market Size, Trends, Consumer Attitudes and Key Players to 2028, revealed that UK grocers must move beyond competing solely on price and prioritize innovation in their product offerings to attract a growing base of transient shoppers.
Developing unique and diverse food ranges is essential to drive long-term growth and customer loyalty. Eleanor Simpson-Gould, Senior Retail Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “A saturation of loyalty schemes and price matching promotions by UK grocers is fuelling consumer switching behaviour. The competition regarding pricing, product variety, and quality has intensified to a point where UK consumers are willing to visit several grocers for weekly food shops to get the best deals.
“Though discounts and promotions are a strong driver of food & grocery purchases for UK consumers, quality and range perceptions must underpin product development strategies as price concerns ease.”
Extras:
- We promised you more on meaty cocktails: The Sunday Times has confirmed that nose to tail drinking is a thing – think cocktails mixed with beef jerky and whisky or a roasted chicken bone and dry gin riff on a negroni “…to bring depth and savoury complexity to drinks lists.”
- Did you know that the Japanese have a word – mayora – for someone addicted to mayonnaise? In the ultimate dedication to all things mayonnaise, a perhaps unlikely Japanese obsession, one convenience store has launched drinkable mayo for fans that just can’t get enough. We won’t be trying this one!
Marketing Trend Nuggets:
The Kantar Marketing Trends 2025 report is now available on their website has uncovered the key forces shaping the future of marketing.
- Generative AI is evolving rapidly, with marketers feeling increasingly positive yet grappling with concerns over transparency and skill shortages. Trustworthy data and ethical practices are essential.
- Consumers are demanding greener choices across everything, which is a golden opportunity for brands to get it right. While many sustainability campaigns miss the mark, they’ve already added billions to global brand value – it’s time for bold, authentic action.
- The creator economy is booming, with its worth set to double by 2027. Creators wield huge influence, and authentic connections with communities are priceless for building trust and distinction.
- Over in China, livestreaming is leading the way in social commerce, delivering staggering results for brands both big and small.
- Diversity and inclusion aren’t optional extras – they’re dealbreakers for Gen Z, Millennials, and underserved markets.
- As streaming takes centre stage and retail media networks expand, brands must stay nimble, balancing short-term wins with long-term loyalty.
Success in 2025 demands creativity, personalisation, and a bold approach to meeting people where they are.
Diary dates in 2025:
Future Food Trends webinar, 22 January 2025, 12.30pm – AJ is running a “Future Food Trends” session on the 22nd of January 2025 for Produced in Kent.
She’ll be:
- Identifying key consumer trends—what’s in 👍, what’s out 👎, and what’s next 👉—so you can fine-tune your product positioning for a competitive edge.
- Decoding the latest economic implications for small food businesses, helping you navigate potential impacts and find the silver linings, including new ways to generate revenue. 🌱
- Highlighting a few strategies to use the trends to increase brand visibility and drive sales in a rapidly evolving market.
To register your interest: https://www.producedinkent.co.uk/log-in?redirect=/account/pink-calendar/learn-at-lunch-basic-financial-principles-2
veg-net is back, 4th June 2025 – following the phenomenal success of its inaugural event last year, veg-net, the ultimate networking and growth platform for the plant-based industry, is back for a second year.
SHARP is proud to be an event partner and can’t wait to join on 4th June 2025 at the prestigious Radisson Blu London Stansted Airport. Ambitious plant-based brands, buyers, and industry experts will gather under one roof to foster meaningful connections and unlock opportunities.
Delegate packages, priced at £1,950, include a minimum of 10 buyer meetings, two expert sessions and meals. Early birds can take advantage of a discounted rate of £1,750 if booked by 31st December 2024.
To register your interest: https://active-net.org/veg-net/contact/
Finally, festive greetings from the SHARP Bites team and here’s to a happy and successful 2025!
We hope you enjoyed our SHARP Bites digest. Please do share with colleagues and industry contacts.
At SHARP, we build brands. If you’d like to chat with one of our team to find out how we can help you to grow your brand, book a call here.
