2008 FOOD & BEVERAGE TRENDS REVIEW
A Review of 2008 Trends Predictions by Media, Trends Gurus & Industry 'Insiders'
01/04/08 - Swanson Broth Forecasts Top Soup Trends for 2008
01/03/08 - Palm Beach Post: 8 food trends we're hungry for this year
01/02/08 - Hartman Group's Laurie Demeritt: In a New Era of Quality, 8 Trends for 2008
12/31/07 - Epicurious.com: Our Predictions For 2008
12/29/07 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Watch for these food trends in '08
12/27/07 - Pittsburgh Post-Tribune: 10 (plus) trends for 2008: Advances bring world to our taste buds
12/27/07 - Philadelphia Inquirer: Trends on 2008's front burners
12/27/07 - Calorie Control Council: Moderate changes are 'in' for 2008
12/26/07 - Chicago Tribune: Junk-free, nutrient-rich and green
12/26/07 - Phil Lempert’s 2008 food predictions
12/26/07 - Ft. Worth Star-Telegram: Top 5 food trends for 2008
12/26/07 - IBM dishes five predictions for future
12/21/07 - Andrew Freeman's 2008 Top Restaurant Trends To Watch
12/18/07 - IDDBA’s What’s In Store 2008 Report On Shopping Venue Trends
12/17/07 - Food in 2008: Safety And Sex Appeal
12/17/07 - 10 Trends To Watch In The Meat Business In 2008
12/13/07 - Innova Database -- Natural Trend to Lead Pace in 2008
12/13/07 - Consumer Demand for Ways to Fit Quality Meals Into Hectic Schedules Shape Restaurant Trends in 2008
12/12/07 - "9" Trends Predictions For 2008 From Morning Cup Editor Bob Messenger
12/06/07 - Foodservice Predictions From Restaurant Guru Michael Whiteman
11/28/07 - Datamonitor Releases Top 10 Food Trends For 2008
Canada
12/30/07 - Colorful jellies and cold fish top 2007 trends
Europe
11/30/07 - Junk-free tops Mintels 2008 food trends for Europe, elsewhere
ETCETERA . . .China Millman, Dining Critic, Pittsburgh Post Gazette: "Though we may be more interested in food and dining than ever before, recent trends suggest we're all getting a little tired of over-the-top fine dining. I predict fewer really upscale restaurants and more neighborhood bistro-style businesses. The steak-house craze of the past few years may become the burger-joint craze of 2008 ... Finally, I predict that Alice Waters' influence will continue to grow in 2008. Concerns about our own and the planet's health will make us all more interested in knowing where our food came from and how it is grown or raised. More restaurants than ever before will join in the trend and start focusing on organic, local, seasonal products. Menus will list more farm names, and, as demand increases, more restaurants will go the additional step of starting their own gardens."
Swanson Broth Forecasts Top Soup Trends for 2008
Posted 1/3/08 in PR Newswire by Campbell Soup -
Beets, Farro, Fig Relish and Other Unexpected Ingredients Will Make Their Way into Soups ... Swanson Broth experts in the Campbell's Kitchen have released a taste of what is to come in the world of soup in 2008. While enjoying a bowl of homemade soup is a wintertime staple, homemade soups are generating renewed interest in kitchens across America, due to a general increase in at-home cooking and fueled by a growing desire among consumers to cook with fresh ingredients ..... "The trends we are observing today in homemade soup are a microcosm of what is happening across the food industry," says Lucinda Ayers, vice president of Campbell's Kitchen. "The overall trends in flavors, ingredients and techniques play a role in soups too, and have an enormous impact on new soups that are being created both at home and in restaurant kitchens."
By keeping a close watch on recent soup trends -- especially since more than 83 percent of homemade soups start with broth as a base -- "Swanson" broth has developed a short list of "emerging" and "embraced" trends in food. The "emerging" spectrum represents what is happening with haute cuisine, for the most part at restaurants with experimental chefs; while "embraced" flavors, ingredients and techniques have permeated the home
kitchens of creative cooks and more mainstream restaurants. As in the fashion industry, trends in the food industry change quickly at the top, before they make their way more slowly, and often more enduringly, to the more universal levels.
The chart to the left shows 14 of the top "emerging" and "embraced" flavor, ingredient and technique trends for 2008, as identified by the Campbell's Kitchen:
"Soup is now more than a lunchtime food and no longer relegated to appetizer status," Ayers says. "More and more people are creating a simple but so satisfying meal of a bowl of homemade soup by pairing it with a salad and a fresh loaf of bread."
8 food trends we're hungry for this year
Posted 1/3/08 by Jan Norris in the Palm Beach Post -
1. Germs! Bacteria will be added to foods — on purpose. 'Probiotics,' a trend we're seeing explode in yogurt, will carry over to all kinds of foods.
2. Showing Mother Earth love. From environmentally friendly processing to restaurant design that is eco-smart to food packaging that doesn't fill up landfills, the food biz will get greener in 2008.
3. Small plates – and portions. No more supersizing — instead, half-portions, small plates and what one writer calls the 'tapa-fication' of menus will mean the entree with two side dishes is on its way out, and appetizer-sized dishes will be subbed in. For diners who want more to taste at once, and for smaller pocketbooks.
4. Home cooking, by chefs. Diner foods, once eschewed by tonier restaurants, are showing up on all levels of menus. Mac 'n' cheese, meatloaf and simple pastas are taking the place of highly constructed foods and gourmet dishes. This is both a big-check and palate rebellion.
5. The sleek, chic grocery store. This is not your grandma's grocer. Boutique-market design — smaller stores that do away with boxy aisles and industrial-looking shelves and displays — is taking over the blueprints for new groceries. Comfy cafes, Wi-Fi stations and beverage bars, along with increased space given to prepared foods, are turning grocery stores into community meeting spots. You can pick up the dog food along with a latte while you meet a friend for lunch or stop to surf the Web.
6. Beyond organics. The new buzzwords among the environmentally conscious aren't centered on organics. Think sustainable, seasonal and local, instead.
7. Top shelf tequila. This year's cocktail will be high-end 'sippin' ' tequilas.
8. Domestic wines shine. The price of imported wines is expected to increase noticeably, and spending on high-ticket wines is expected to drop, so U.S.-produced vinos will look good to bargain hunters. Regional wines may find this is their day to shine.
Hartman Group's Laurie Demeritt:
In a New Era of Quality, 8 Trends for 2008
Posted 01/02/08 in The Morning Cup by Hartman Group's Laurie Demeritt:
In 2008, consumer lifestyles will continue to evolve with one overarching trend continuing to dominate the marketplace: the consumer pursuit for brands, products, services and experiences of higher (i.e., premium) quality. With this playing in the background, here are eight trends rooted in consumer culture that we believe will have significant impact in the marketplace of the near future.
● Pursuit of Premium Experiences: Regardless of demographic, consumers will continue, in growing numbers, to pursue premium products and experiences far beyond the foreseeable future. Consumers no longer feel a need to justify premium, they expect it and feel they deserve it.
● Balancing Extremes: Wellness as Quality Life Experiences: Today, in the context of wellness, consumers speak of balance as “negotiating extremes.” Consumers are negotiating these extremes in all arenas of life that have impacts on physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social and environmental wellness.
● Ingredients to Treat Digestion, Sustained Energy and Immunity: Leading edge wellness consumers are focused on products they believe are made of ingredients that address key health and wellness issues focused on digestion, sustained energy and immunity.
● New Approaches to Eating: Community, Consciousness, Increased Quality of Life: The rise of ethical considerations, a growing sustainability consciousness and increased focus on “unprocessed” foods is inspiring new approaches to eating. Expect to see elements of new approaches to eating increasingly capture the interest of mainstream consumers soon.
● “Hiking Moms” and New Approaches to Movement and Exercise: We find strong resonance on activities like yoga, triathlons, pilates and “hiking moms,” all of which are linked by emotional themes of community, connection, core inner strength and balance.
● Consumers Finding Progressive New Ways to Prevent and Control Daily Health Issues: Consumers remain concerned about pragmatic daily health conditions related to weight management, blood sugar regulation and digestive health. Of interest are the progressive ways, new techniques and ideas that consumers are experimenting with to prevent and manage these health issues.
● Supplementing Life: A Focus on Healthy Aging, Balanced Energy, Inflammation: The most active wellness consumers are interested in nutrition sources—both from unadulterated foods and dietary supplements—that they believe address key health and wellness issues focusing on healthy aging, balanced energy, or inflammation.
● Democratization of the Family: Changes at the household level, in terms of everyday decision making, meal preparation and shopping decisions are influencing broad changes in how consumers live, shop, purchase and use products in the home.
To obtain the Trends 2008 report, Artifacts from the (Near) Future: http://www.tinderboxthg.com/the_fuel/trends-2008/.
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ETCETERA . . .Americans commonly say this or that distinction is "as clear as night and day." Americans, ricocheting around the country around the clock, are erasing the distinction between night and day. Breakfast, the meal most apt to be eaten at home, now accounts for more than 25 percent of U.S. business for McDonald's. More than 90 percent of its restaurants have extended hours -- beyond the regular 6 a.m. through 10 p.m. -- and almost 35 percent are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, up from less than 10 percent just five years ago.
Epicurious.com - Our Predictions For 2008
Posted 12/31/07 by Tanya Steel on epicurious.com - These are the trends we think will really take hold this year. Let us know what trends we've missed out on and what your food predictions are:
1. Farmers are the New Celebrity Chefs: With more celebrity chefs than we can shake a spatula at, it's now time to salute the farmer and make him or her famous, rich, and, no doubt, host of a reality show.
2. Fancy Frozen Yogurt is the new Designer Cupcake: Some designer cupcakes taste great, like those from New York's Magnolia Bakery--but many are small, dry, and flavorless. The FroYo trend, however, shows no signs of slowing, with lines around the block at spots like Pinkberry, The Big Chill and Naked Berry. Exotic ice cream flavors push the envelope and set the bar, with spicy flavors like wasabi, nuanced juxtapositions like blueberry cheesecake, ultra-seasonal influences like pumpkin in October, and new dairy twists like creme fraiche, goat's milk, or sour cream.
3. Meatballs are the New Hamburger Sliders: Sliders are on lots of menus but while some mini hamburgers can be tasty, most end up dry and tough. Tiny hamburgers will soon be replaced by high-end meatballs like those made from duck at New York's A Voce and veal at Washington D.C.'s Brasserie Beck.
4. Cambodian is the New Thai: A triangulation between Vietnamese, Chinese, and Thai cooking, Cambodian's emphasis on noodle dishes, curries, stir fries and prahok, the strong-flavored fish paste, will grow in popularity. Cambodian food has stronger flavors than Vietnamese, slightly more subtle that Thai and is not as heavy as Chinese.
5. Local Wine is the New Local Food Movement: Now that all 50 states have wineries--some of which are world class--and with more attention being paid to American brews, Made in America will be a stamp of pride for beverages.
6. Fair Trade is the New Organic: Big in Europe already, the push in coffee, chocolate, and table textiles, fair trade foods will become as big of a buzz word as organic.
7. Bacon is the New Pork Belly: In 2007, pork belly was on almost every restaurant menu. Now artisan bacon that's nitrate-free, made from Berkshire pigs, etc., is showing up at restaurants and in unexpected products. We've even seen everyone's favorite pork product in boutique brittle, cookies, ice cream, and chocolate bars.
8. Fancy Greens are the New Salads Everywhere: Dandelion, mustard, and kale are a few of the more exotic greens that will replace the typical romaine served in every chain restaurant in the country.
9. Quick, but High Quality Sushi is the New Lunchtime Salad: Led by those strip mall sushi spots in L.A., high-quality fast food sushi places will begin to open as both obesity and lack of time continue to be issues for Americans. McTuna Roll anyone?
10. Charging it Tableside is the New Ordering Online: Last year it became even more popular to order takeout online and keep your credit card information safe. Next up: protecting your account from restaurant workers with new tableside, wireless credit card swipers.
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ETCETERA . . .Top trends in food for 2008 reported in Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel ... What will you be eating in the New Year? Food authorities name some of their picks for the trends of '08. From the editors of Food & Wine magazine: Old-fashioned candy, wild American shrimp, muesli will become more popular than granola, chef-run noodle bars, barrel-aged beers, chardonnay from Oregon and haute frozen foods.
Canada: Colorful jellies and cold fish top 2007 trends
Posted 12/30/07 by Lesley Chesterman in The Canadian Press. Chesterman reveals the trends he saw in 2007 and which ones will carry over into 2008:
● The hottest cold fish starter now is ceviche, whereas the once-trendy fish carpaccio plate has all but disappeared from menus.
● What's the up-and-coming Italian starch? Look for pastas prepared risotto-style (such as fregola pasta beads) over classic risotto as a side dish, especially now that Alain Ducasse has developed a pot to cook your pasta with its reduced cooking liquid becoming the sauce.
● As for drinks, consider ordering a fruity tiki cocktail like a Zombie instead of the passe fruit-based martini.
● Looks like the tapas craze has left its mark, as small-plate portions - and lots of them - are taking over from the he-man-size main course.
● Hankering for a steak? Chances are the menu will feature filet mignon over the tough skirt steak (bavette) diners have grown tired of chewing to oblivion.
● Oysters have always been big - now more so than ever, to the detriment of the once-popular mussels.
● In the realm of the mighty chocolate cake, designer cupcakes continue their ascent while molten chocolate cakes, though delicious, have become so ubiquitous that you'll even find them at Loblaws.
● Braised dishes have been all the rage since the wave of comfort food hit hard after 9/11, yet you'll now see more chefs slow-cooking everything from fish to lamb confit-style (in fat, be it duck fat or olive oil) or in vacuum-packed bags.
● Cheap cuts have become popular menu items over the past few years, chief among them lamb shanks. Yet if New York food trends have any influence on Canadians, chances are pork belly will dominate the cheap-cut craze.
● British star chefs have ruled the food networks. First there was Jamie Oliver, then there was tough-talking Gordon Ramsay. The biggest buzz now is around Heston Blumenthal, a molecular gastronomy expert whose three-Michelin-starred restaurant, the Fat Duck, and cooking show, In Search of Perfection, have foodies all a-twitter.
● As for culinary it-girls, Nigella Lawson may be on the wane now that Brits are seeing through her hard-to-swallow working-mom facade, whereas post-slammer Martha Stewart is working it hard with a daily program, books, magazine and homeware lines.
● Though popular, there's no denying sushi has seen its day. Those up for raw aren't opting so much for fish either, especially endangered species like tuna and environmentally unfriendly farmed salmon. Thus the plethora of meat tartares, including beef, deer, bison, ostrich, lamb and even duck.
● When talking meat, the luxury flesh of choice is Kobe beef, whereas our delicious caribou (the only wild meat available in restaurants) is all too scarce.
● As for dessert, nothing is hotter right now than the mighty French macaron, sour fruit flavors such as buckthorn berry and passion fruit, and panna cotta, which has eclipsed creme brulee.