Cocktails with a healthful twist, fermented fruit, and Levantine, West African, and regional Indian and Mexican ingredients are some North American flavor trends for 2020, according to Symrise, a global manufacturer of flavors and fragrances.

Symrise tracks trends throughout the year through consumer insights, menu tracking, industry events like the Fancy Food Shows and StarChefs Congress, and interviews with culinary chefs, pastry chefs, and mixologists. During a webinar, Thursday, the company released five trending areas among the North American Top Flavor Trends it is compiling, and notes how their growth may be impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. 

While the 2020 research began before the spread of COVID-19, which has cast uncertainty around business environments, the team of Symrise’s Teterboro, N.J.-based flavor division notes some of these trends seem poised to continue during the current, unpredictable situation. 

“Over the past few months, we’ve seen many trends holding from a macro sense,” said Dylan Thompson, marketing & consumer insights manager. 

While the long-term impact on restaurants remains unknown, consumers are cooking more at home with pantry staples and purchases are centered on the opposite of the store perimeter with categories like breakfast cereals growing, added Emmanuel Laroche, vice president marketing & consumer insights.

Symrise’s trends include:

Drink to Your Health. Craft cocktails aren’t fading anytime soon but mixologists are getting creative with ingredients mimicking the look and feel of perceived healthy drinks using plant and botanical-based ingredients. Vermouth, a fortified wine that’s aromatized through herbs, barks, flowers, seeds, and spices, will enjoy a revival, said Evan Unger, marketing & consumer insights specialist. A hot area in cocktails, botanicals will continue to be in the forefront. Look for Escubac, a botanical liqueur similar to a gin with notes of cumin and coriander, to grow. Functional juice bar items, like sea buckthorn berry, a “nutrient powerhouse,” will be used as the basis for cocktails similar to other superfood ingredients, said Unger. 

In light of COVID-19, Thompson sees the healthful imbibing trend continuing with an emphasis on functional ingredients, especially related to immune health. “Maybe not specifically for alcoholic beverages but juice bar type drinks should grow,” he said.

Fruit Gets Funky. While fermentation is dominating condiments with products like kimchi and gochujang, a sweet shift is coming with fruit as the latest category, said Julia Gorman, digital marketing specialist. Pickled berries, popular in Scandinavian cuisine, have made their way to the U.S. Mixologists are also experimenting with fermenting tropical fruits in cocktails. Ume Boshi, a sour Japanese plum traditionally served over rice, is expected in more culinary applications, as is fermented cacao pulp, a byproduct of cacao beans that chefs have begun salvaging through fermentation.

Fermentation has been around for centuries and this trend could potentially continue with people doing more recipe experimenting at home during COVID-19, said Thompson.

Spice & Salt Meets Sweet. Sweet and salty are a classic combination and now spice is adding complexity, said Beau Collins, marketing and consumer insights specialist, who points to harissa resurfacing in sweets as an example. Wasabi has seen 33 percent growth used in sweet applications, including a Wasabi Oreo released in China, and Collins pointed to more wasabi and white chocolate pairings in the future. Curry is another trend in sweets as Indian food gains wider mainstream acceptance. The growing popularity of North African and Mediterranean cuisine and their use of preserved lemons is helping grow salted citrus flavors, including lemons, limes, and grapefruits, in desserts. And smoked salts, a 2.0 version of flavored salts, are poised for growth, continued Collins.

Sweets and spices are another trend Thompson said could withstand COVID-19 uncertainty because consumers are cooking at home more during self-isolation. 

Incredible Spreadables. Global flavors in spreads are prevalent, said Thompson. Amba, from Iraq, is a tangy mango pickled spread made with turmeric. He also reported that chintestle, a smoked Oaxacan chile paste, is trending and that tahini will be branching into sweets like cookies and crème brulee. Beans, especially fava beans, are being converted into dips and spreads as well.

Global Horizons. Flavors from around the world continue to trend, said Laroche, with new regions growing in mainstream awareness and popularity. Rising chefs with Filipino roots will grow that country’s cuisine. India’s regional Keralan cuisine is trending with its Greek, Roman, Portuguese, and Dutch influences. Levantine cuisine from the Eastern Mediterranean, including Israeli, Turkish, and Lebanese foods, is growing with spices like sumac and za’atar as entry way items. And West African food from countries like Nigeria and Senegal continue to become more familiar to North American consumers. 

Trends tied to global cuisines help offer comfort in the form of escapism, said Thompson. People aren’t going out, but they are still open to trying new things. 

Related: Health, Wellness Trends Reverse as Americans Seek Comfort; ‘Sober Curious’ Movement Impacts Menus, New Products.

Specialty ingredients are a big driver of menu innovation at restaurants of all stripes in 2020, according to research by Gordon Food Service.

“The growth of specialty products and global ingredients that are making their way on mainstream menus really continues to be the number one trend,” Gerry Ludwig, corporate consulting chef at Gordon Food Service, told customers at the company’s show in Rosemont, Ill., which took place February 26.

That’s especially prominent in sandwiches, he said during his Menu Trends 2020 presentation.

“Our minds were blown by the sandwiches we saw this year,” said Ludwig, who was part of a research and development team that sampled new dishes at just-opened restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. “We saw some really authentic versions of traditional sandwiches which were enhanced or heightened through the use of higher quality and more authentic ingredients.”

They included global mashups, he said, such as Vietnamese banh mis or Cuban fritas with new ingredients for different takes on the regional favorites.

For example, the frita, a burger unfamiliar to many Americans and traditionally made with a meat patty topped with a tomato element such as tomato paste or spicy ketchup; onion and crispy shoestring potatoes, is now appearing on one Chicago menu with a burnt garlic aioli replacing the tomato flavoring, and on another Chicago restaurant menu with a panko-breaded and deep-fried disc of macaroni and cheese topped with a spicy barbecue sauce and melted monterey jack cheese.

“Layers and layers of unique flavors are really what establishes a great dish or sandwich,” Ludwig said, describing the Hangover sandwich at Smor in New York, made with house-roasted beef and housemade braised red cabbage, egg remoulade, and bread and butter pickles.

“One of the things diners value most is things they’re not going to make for themselves at home,” he said.

Chefs also are using root vegetables instead of meat. Beets and thinly-sliced oven-roasted rutabaga replace corned beef for veggie-centric versions of reubens.

Ludwig said diners can expect to see more open-face sandwiches, a trend in the U.S. following the popularity of avocado toast.

A variation of a sloppy joe, made with beef strawberry bolognese, and a trio of chicken liver mousse, caramelized onion, and Manischewitz jam atop Texas toast are served at Birdie G’s in Los Angeles.

On the entrees front, Ludwig sees unique applications for pork, steak, and duck; and anchovies and oxtails are among the items that have exploded on menus.

“Chefs are now discovering how wonderful oxtails are because they've got this totally unique combination of bone, bone marrow, and meat that can be used in a variety of ways.” he said.

Related: Restaurant Industry to Reach Over $1 Trillion in Sales; Technomic Names 2020 Foodservice Trends.

For those who like to stand and eat, head to Spoken English in the Line Hotel in Washington, D.C., where 18 diners at a time are invited to hang out in the kitchen as the chefs create elevated, Asian-inspired food. Chef/restaurateur Erik Bruner-Yang, of acclaimed Maketto, and ramen-shop Toki Underground, modeled the concept after Japanese tachinomiya eateries, where there are no chairs. How it differs is in the quality of food, from small portions like chicken skin dumplings, and duck tongue with yuzu koshoand to larger format items like Xinjiang lamb with scallion pancakes, saffron yogurt, and cherry sauce.

For a spin on sitting and eating, visit London’s Pick & Cheese, where the centerpiece is a 131-foot conveyor belt. Diners choose from among 25 varieties of cheese, which can be paired with a specially curated wine list from natural wine retailers Les Caves de Pyrene.

Specialty food buyers, makers, and foodservice operators are optimistic in their outlook for the new year, despite some potential headwinds from the new tariffs on certain foods from Europe.

Companies are largely enthusiastic about their investments in ecommerce and technology, and they expect these investments to pay off in the form of increased convenience and an improved shopping experience for consumers. Consumer demand for convenience is also being seen in the evolution of retail store formats, as operators continue to expand offerings such as prepared foods and experiment with smaller, neighborhood-focused designs.

2020 Outlook: Legislative & Regulatory Concerns

• Tariffs
• CBD
• Plastic packaging

The recent tariffs the U.S. Trade Representative has placed on approximately $1.75 billion of European goods, including cheese, yogurt, butter, olives, pork products, and other tariff lines from members of the EU is high on the industry’s list of concerns as 2020 begins. In addition to suppliers and importers, retailers are worrying about the impact of the tariffs because of the importance of cheese in their sales mix.

“There is absolutely no question we are going to have to raise prices eventually,” says Richard Sutton, a partner with his wife, Danielle, in specialty food retailer and importer St. James Cheese Company, New Orleans. In a recent interview with Specialty Food, Sutton shared concerns that increased retail prices could alienate some consumers who already have a negative impression about the cost of cheese.

In addition, he pointed out, restaurants will be challenged to set pricing on cheese plates as prices increase. Chefs often look to specialty retailers for their cheeses, and those retailers depend on that business to move their inventory. “We have lots of chefs who buy cheese from us,” says Sutton. “When their costs go up by $1, $2, or $2.50, that adds up to a lot when you are trying to price these things on a menu, because of their margin structure.”

“The bottom line is that no one has the kind of margin that they can just absorb it,” says Matt Caputo, CEO of Caputo’s Market & Deli in Salt Lake City. “The consumer is the one who pays.” He estimates that about half of the 200 or so varieties of cheese he offers will be hit by the tariffs.

Caputo doesn’t anticipate that many of his customers will switch away from their favorite imported products in favor of American alternatives. In addition, he says, price increases on imported cheeses could open a window for American producers to raise their prices as well.

The tariffs will also impact several other products at Caputo’s, including olives and tinned seafood items—the latter of which have been among the company’s fastest-growing categories, he says.

Another issue that operators throughout the specialty food industry will be paying close attention to in 2020 is legislative and regulatory activity around the use of cannabis and cannabidiol in food products, following the increasing legalization of marijuana and the reduced restrictions on the use of hemp.

“With the emergence of both hemp and cannabis and related opportunities, there is a lot of regulatory activity we’re following at the moment,” says Ryan Meczyk, president at Norman Distribution, which supplies better-for-you grocery products to a range of venues in the Chicagoland and Las Vegas markets.

He notes that while cannabis is strictly regulated, the laws around CBD have been much looser. “We strongly believe there should be strict regulatory laws implemented for CBD-based products, as there are many products currently on the market that are not third-party tested or verified,” he says.

Retailers that are already selling CBD-based products should confirm that the products they carry are safe and verified, Meczyk says.

Additional regulatory activity that the industry is keeping an eye on includes restrictions on the use of plastic, Styrofoam, and other materials that retailers often use in their prepared foods operations, says Scott Zoeller, an industry consultant and former food retailing executive.

“There’s a lot of work that has to be done on this, but for foods that are taken out, the packaging will have to be something that is biodegradable or compostable, and has a low impact on the environment,” he says.

2020 Outlook: Retail Format And Footprint Trends

• Smaller formats with a fresh-market feel
• Community focus
• Natural/specialty-centered convenience stores
• Cashierless checkouts and click-and-collect capabilities
• In-store sustainability programs and education
• More space for fresh departments
• More shelves dedicated to single-serve and grab-and-go

The industry can expect to see more stores that strive for the “customization, premiumization, and experiential trifecta,” says Daena Rexho, director of growth solutions, KeHE Foods. Expect smaller store formats with premium assortments, a high-quality, fresh-market feel, and community focus, and stores that leverage technology to enhance the experience, such as cashierless checkouts and click-and-collect capabilities.

Rexho cites as examples Amazon Go, Meijer’s Bridge Street Market, and Woodward Corner Market small-format stores, Giant’s Heirloom Market, and the food-focused 7-Eleven lab test stores. Additionally, the convenience-store channel is poised to introduce more stores that cater to the natural/specialty consumer, along the lines of Green Zebra in the Pacific Northwest, she says.

In store, retailers will continue to expand perimeter departments with more space devoted to specialty cheeses, deli, seafood, bulk foods, and prepared foods, says Rexho. Throughout the store, look for more refrigerated grab-and-go sections in key destinations, and more shelves dedicated to single-serve packs and more portable formats, such as soup cups, nut butter pouches, and microwaveable rice/grain meal cups.

Retailers will also continue to call attention to their sustainability efforts throughout the store, says Rexho. “We’re seeing more retailers taking steps to educate consumers at the shelf on the sustainable products they carry. This takes the education beyond the side panel and allows for some cool endcaps/displays.”

Other sustainability-related efforts include carrying upcycled produce and other products that use recycled materials, and offering discounts to consumers who bring their own container or mug, or who walk or bike to the store.

Retailers have differing opinions on ecommerce’s role in their operations.

Caputo says his company’s online sales have picked up after years of investment. “That took a huge amount of effort for many, many years that didn’t pay any dividends, and then all of a sudden it is, which is great,” he says. “That’s an important channel for us, and I think that it will increase.”

Danielle Vogel, owner of Glen’s Garden Market in Washington, D.C., however, says she believes the in-store experience will win out over ecommerce when it comes to specialty food retailing.

“Specialty food retailers are the antidote to Amazon,” she says. “It’s been my belief and experience that our differentiator is the feeling folks get when they walk through our doors. We offer a sense of community and connectedness that can’t be translated to online retailing.”

Glen’s Garden Market experimented with online sales, but Vogel says the company discovered that its customers “were uninterested in buying our products on the internet—they chose experience over convenience.

“Grocery delivery services just don’t accord with our intention: to physically, emotionally, and intellectually connect our neighbors to each other in celebration and appreciation of food made here, by people who live here,” she says.

2020 Outlook: Maker Focus

• Online sales
• Speedier last-mile delivery
• Packaging innovations

An increasing number of specialty food makers are embracing direct-to-consumer sales through various online channels.

Jafflz, a brand of clean-label, toasted sandwich pockets filled with a variety of sweet and savory ingredients, is among the specialty food makers seeking to gain an ecommerce sales presence. The Park City, Utah-based company currently offers its products in several hundred stores, mainly in the Western U.S., and the company is expanding into 280 new retail locations in January.

“While we launched in traditional retail, we are well aware that emerging brands like [ours] will not make it without a strong ecommerce strategy and social media presence,” says Jafflz creator Meryl van der Merwe, a former high-end private chef.

To that end the company recently promoted its products on home-shopping TV network QVC, which she says was “very successful” and gained national exposure for the brand. It also benefited from a plug from celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, who made an impromptu appearance during her QVC pitch and invited her to appear on his show.

The success of the QVC sales effort prompted van der Merwe to launch a QVC-style sales effort on Facebook Live.

While the company’s direct-to-consumer sales are still relatively low compared to traditional retail, van der Merwe said Jafflz has been seeing consistent improvements. “We are focusing our efforts on direct to consumer, and making progress daily,” she says.

She has considered selling through Amazon but says she will continue to focus on selling direct through the Jafflz website and social media channels for the near term.

Distributors though can be helpful partners in building online sales. KeHE, for example, assists makers with the tools to assess and improve their presence online through its BrandDriver platform, says Jay Rogers, executive director of e-commerce.

Brandon Barnholt, KeHE president and chief executive officer, says 2020 “is shaping up to be the year of digital for KeHE,” as they enable the supply chain to operate more efficiently and offer digital solutions to make supplier and retailer interactions easier and faster.

Rogers notes that he also sees more companies implementing last-mile, small parcel solutions to meet customer expectations for speedy delivery, as well as seeking packaging innovations. “Specifically, finding cost-effective and sustainable solutions to get products to market in an eco-friendly way,” he says.

2020 Outlook: Tech Trends

• Data science
• Machine learning and artificial intelligence
• Targeted promotions
• Blockchain in food safety and traceability
• Robotics

“Leveraging data and data science to derive insights is one of the biggest areas of opportunity,” says Brian Wilkinson, chief information officer, KeHE Foods. “New technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence will help us mine thousands of terabytes of data to detect trends, risks, and opportunities that we couldn’t have dreamed of just a few years ago.”

In addition, mobile technologies and the Internet of Things are maturing rapidly, he says, and stand to enhance the retail experience.

“The opportunity for personalization of the store experience through a digital medium will drive new ways to grow sales through targeted promotions, analytics around people behaviors, and seamless integration between online and in-store formats,” says Wilkinson.

Data may also play an increasing role in helping manage food safety challenges and traceability, he says, citing the potential of blockchain technology in that area in the future.

Foodservice operators are also embracing technology, both to enhance personalization and to streamline operations through robotics and other innovations.

One such operator is Ono Food Co., which recently opened a mobile smoothie truck that relies heavily on robotics and automation to process orders. The truck features a modular, robotic kitchen that functions like an assembly line to create a range of signature smoothie blends.

“At Ono Food Co., we believe the future of food is modular,” says Stephen Klein, co-founder and chief executive officer. “At its core, this means flexibility and adaptability. For example, our robotics kitchen could be used in a busy airport stall, sports stadium, or concert venue where real estate is at a premium.”

He says he expects to see operators scaling automation technology faster and more efficiently. “We believe that robotics and automation have the power to revolutionize the restaurant space,” Klein says. “We can expect to see more operators approaching their concepts with an eye toward automation that we haven’t seen in years past. That said, it doesn’t matter how well your technology is functioning if you don’t have a quality and consistent product.”

Another foodservice company that is embracing technology in its operations is Centerplate, a noncommercial foodservice operator owned by French foodservice giant Sodexo.

Centerplate has been testing a variety of advanced technologies throughout its operations, including a robotic pizza maker that the company deployed for the last 12 home games of the Seattle Mariners baseball team at T-Mobile Park.

The technology “could potentially be a game-changer for us and the industry, when it comes to addressing the labor shortage and ensuring product quality consistency,” says Steve Pangburn, chief operating officer, Centerplate.

“Technology is an incredibly important facet for the future of our food-and-beverage approach at our sports venues,” he says. “We are taking a careful, design-minded approach with our in-house data analytics and emerging payments teams to make sure our solutions are as forward-facing and user-friendly as possible.”

The goal is to move toward a more seamless and frictionless customer journey for game attendees, and to make food-and-beverage concessions user friendly.

Along those lines, Centerplate has also deployed technology called CLEAR, which allows customers to use fingerprints for payment and age verification at T-Mobile Park, and a new mobile ordering tool at BC Place in Vancouver.

“This type of innovation will only increase in the next few years,” says Pangburn.

Among the “next frontiers” of food and beverage concessions will be leveraging ticket sales data and order histories for specific seats in order to generate targeted offers, he says.

Capital Provides Opportunities

Overall, business conditions are looking good for the specialty food industry heading into 2020, says Barnholt of KeHE Foods. “It’s exciting that natural and specialty products are driving overall CPG growth heading into the new year—a trend that we’ve been seeing for some time now,” he said in a presentation at the distributor’s Holiday Show in June.

Access to capital is helping small, specialty brands get to market, he adds. “Capital is easier to find for food brands—specifically offers with lower interest rates from a more diverse pool of investors—which is helping innovative brands get to market quicker, while keeping more of their equity and innovative control,” says Barnholt.

Mark Hamstra is regular contributor to Specialty Food.

Here’s a good reason to drink: Profits from musician Dave Matthews’ Dreaming Tree Wines go toward environmental organizations like the Wilderness Society, to which he’s donated more than $1.5 million to date. Profits from his new rosé will go to the International Rhino Foundation, and sales of Proud Pour’s Mendocino sauvignon blanc help by restoring 100 wild oysters to local waters, per bottle sold. The new Dreaming Tree Wines Cork Speaker, which doubles as a Bluetooth speaker that uses the empty space in the bottle to amplify sound, is available in its Crush Red Blend, and proceeds support the winery’s environmental conservation partners.

The Specialty Food Association’s Trendspotter panel covered the recent Winter Fancy Food Show, held in San Francisco, Jan. 13 – 15, to report on new and emerging trends among the 90,000 foods and beverages on display. Among their findings, long-term movements in sustainability, plant-based ingredients, and protein continue to proliferate with new ingredients or expanding categories.

Here are some of the trends from the Winter Show with examples of each. For a full list of the Winter Show trends go to specialtyfood.com/news/wffstrends.

The TRENDSPOTTER Panel

The Winter Fancy Food Show Trendspotters included:

• Polly Adema, PhD, director & associate professor, Master of Arts in Food Studies, University of the Pacific San Francisco Campus 
• Reem Assil, chef/owner, Reem’s California, partner, Dyafa
• Andrew Freeman, founder, af&co.
• Lawrence Jacobs, specialty and grocery buyer, Oliver’s Markets
• Kara Nielsen, vice president, Trends & Marketing, CCD Helmsman 
• Tu David Phu, chef/owner, AN - a Vietnamese Dining Experience
• Wendy Robinson, buyer, Market Hall Foods
•  Melina Romero, manager, Trend Practice, CCD Helmsman

#1 Upcycling and Biodiversity Trends Drive Sustainability Movement

Many companies and products powered by environmental and social concerns were visible throughout the show. More producers are getting serious about product development that addresses food waste, creating upcycled products. Additionally, there is growing awareness about foods made from diverse crops to ensure a variety of crops and animals that makes the food system more resilient and exposes consumers to an assortment of foods and flavors.

Here are some examples identified by the panel:

• Believe in Bambara Beans and Flours, made from bambara, a biodiverse crop
• Render Foods LLC Bryner, vegetable drink upcycled from leftover pickle juice; Weyla, sparkling fruity beverage upcycled from whey
• Renewal Mill Extra Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie, made with okara, a superfood harvested from the pulp of organic soybeans that is created during soymilk production
• Terviva Pongamia, a long-living tree that produces seeds similar to soybeans
• Ugly Juice LLC Good Use Ugly Juice, cold-pressed juice from imperfect fruits and vegetables
• Yolélé Foods Fonio, a biodiverse, gluten-free, ancient African supergrain

#2 Kelp Is the New Ocean-Harvested Star Ingredient

Another driver of sustainability, and intertwined with the plant-based movement, kelp has emerged as the latest sea-based superfood. Examples include:

• Barnacle Foods Kelp Salsa and Kelp Pickles
• Blue Evolution kelp-based pasta and salad
• New Frontier Foods Ocean’s Halo kelp-based superfoods drink

 #3 Nut-Based Dairy Expands

Almond and coconut milk are still prevalent among plant-based dairy alternatives, but more varieties are coming to market. Examples include:

• Earth’s Own Food Happy Planet Oat Milk
• Elmhurst Milked Oats Barista
• Kotatsu Cashewmilk Cheese
• Milkadamia Macadamia Buttery Spread and Coffee Creamers

#4 Everything’s Coming Up Roses in Edible Beauty Products

The Trendspotter Panel named Edible Beauty a top trend for 2019, driven by the inclusion of collagen and argan oil in more foods and beverages. At the Winter Show, the latest edible beauty ingredient emerged—rose water or rose petals, noted for their antioxidant and hydrating properties. Examples include:

• Deep Rose Deep Petal Lemonade
• Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Inc. Rose Water
• Petal Sparkling Botanical Blend beverage

#5 Jerky Revolution Spurs Protein Trend

With the growing popularity of protein-rich diets, plus the plant-based alternative protein phenomenon, this trend isn’t fading anytime soon. Innovation and new applications continue. Examples include:

• Bovino Crispy Beef Jerky
• Maruden Co. Ltd. Cod and Salmon Jerky
• Shima’s Jerky Chips
• True Jerky Jerky Trail Mix

#6 Single Serve and On-the-Go

More producers are emphasizing portions and packaging designed for single servings and convenience. Examples include:

• Lotus Foods Rice Ramen Noodle Soups, individual cups
• Rustic Bakery Pecan Shortbread 3-Pack, snack pack
• Split Nutrition LLC Almond Butter and Strawberry Spread, individual split fast pack

#7 CBD, Fermentation, and Adaptogens Propel the Latest Beverages with Benefits

Often referred to as functional foods, many products at the Winter Show correlated to a variety of health interests: energy and recovery, detoxing, stress relief, gut health, antioxidants. Examples include:

• Buddha Teas CBD Ginger and Turmeric Tea
• Lumen Hemp Elixer, with adaptogenic and Ayurvedic herbs
• New Age Beverages Marley, Marley+CBD Mellow Mood
• Numi Tea, Daily Super Shot, with adaptogenic plants and herbs
• The Republic of Tea SuperAdapt Burnout Blocker Herbal Tea Supplement
• Purely LLC Q-Soo Sparkling Fruit Tonic, fruit-infused drinking vinegar (shrub) and sparkling water

*More states have legalized sales of hemp-derived CBD products. The segment has its challenges as cannabis is still illegal at the federal level.

#8 Plant-Based Extends to Flour Alternatives

The latest expansion in plant-based foods is an array of produce-based flours for baking or blending into smoothies. Examples include:

• AvoLov Avocado Powder
• Kaibae Organic Baobab Fruit Powder
• Hearthy Foods Flours, including apple, banana, spinach, and broccoli

Denise Purcell is editor of Specialty Food Magazine. 

In this edition of the Future Fridays series, Andrew Bretano, co-founder and CEO of Tiny Farms Inc., explains how cricket protein may help save the world. In his What's the Big Idea? talk at the Winter Fancy Food Show, Brentano says, “Eating bugs is not a new idea. People have been eating insects around the world forever." By identifying a sustainable way to farm crickets, Brentano’s company is able to feed countless people for a fraction of the resources needed to raise livestock or agriculture. In addition, farming crickets emits less greenhouse gases as well, helping to reduce our carbon footprint. “There is no guidebook for how to grow crickets. You can’t call up your local agriculture office and ask. But we wanted to create a sustainable solution for everyone, so every farmer can get it up and running.” Though it may be a little gross to some, Brentano notes that the “ick” factor is decreased by turning the crickets into powder, which can then be added to everyday products like chips, sauces, pasta, energy bars, or even pet food.

View Bretano's full What's the Big Idea? talk above as part of SFA's Future Fridays series. 

Dave Donnan, of AT Kearney, talks with SFA News Live about how foodservice, food delivery, and traditional retail are evolving to reach consumers' "What's for dinner?" mindshare. Donnan explains how different models work for different types of consumers. "There's a consumer that likes regularity, that likes some level of planning ahead, and the subscription model works perfectly for them. For [consumers] that are on a grab-and-go approach, having the ability to order "just in time" is important, that's where the grocery store [comes in] and you can pick it up as you need," he says.

Charles Bililies of Souvia discusses food trends and the state of the foodservice segment with SFA News Live host Paul Barron.

A panel of renown chefs and cookbook authors outlined what we’ll cook, eat, drink, and crave in 2019 at the fourth annual The Next Big Bite trends event, held on October 1 by Les Dames d’Escoffier New York. The event, which took place at The New York Law School in Manhattan, paired veteran culinary experts with rising stars of the food world in four one-on-one themed conversations.

Pairs included:

• Jacques Pepin, world-renowned chef, author, and cooking show host, and Gesine Bullock-Prado, owner of Sugar Glider Kitchen, cookbook author, and host of Food Network’s “Baked in Vermont.” (pictured above)
• Carla Hall, from ABC’s new show GMA Day and author of "Carla Hall’s Soul Food," and Molly Yeh, cookbook author, host of Food Network’s "Girl Meets Farm" and the blog My Name is Yeh.
• Lettie Teague, writer and wine columnist for The Wall Street Journal, and Natalka Burian, author of "A Woman’s Drink" and owner of the Brooklyn, N.Y. bars, Elsa and Ramona.
• Dorie Greenspan, cookbook author, speaker, and “On Dessert” columnist for The New York Times, and Christina Tosi, author, pastry chef, and CEO of NYC's Milk Bar.

Joe Yonan, food editor of The Washington Post, served as master of ceremonies.

According to the speakers, here are some predictions on trends we’ll see in 2019:

Cook: Jacques Pepin and Gesine Bullock-Prado
Pepin pointed to rapidly unfolding trends in global cuisines, especially less-explored regional foods from Asian countries like Cambodia. “It’s exploding at such a rate that sometimes I think I don’t know anything about cooking,” he joked. Other trends he and Bullock-Prado noted:

• People will be less afraid to dig in and cook.
• Eating at home and cooking with family and friends.

Eat: Carla Hall and Molly Yeh
“We’re recovering from an age of too much-ery,” said Yeh, who believes we are coming out of a time of food for Instagram’s sake, as in the case of rainbow bagels and charcoal ice cream. Hall cited better availability of ingredients online as a gamechanger in what people cook. “Now sorghum, millet, and other grains we couldn’t get five years ago are making it easier to cook soul food,” she said. Other trends cited by the pair:

• Innovation will yield more new foods like Impossible Burgers and aquafaba. 
• Lard and cooking with real fat will get more respect.

Drink: Lettie Teague and Natalka Burian
Teauge reported that exciting wines from unanticipated states is one of the most interesting things she’s seen, and noted Michigan and New Jersey as turning out unknown, high-quality varietals. Other trends from Teague and Burian:

• Craft beer will lose its fizz.
• Interest in orange wine will fade.

Crave: Dorie Greenspan and Christina Tosi
Greenspan and Tosi encouraged cooks to learn the rules so they can break them and have fun with new ideas—evident in Greenspan’s description of a recent recipe: spaghetti and meatballs with walnuts. Twists on the familiar was their trend theme:

• Baking gets simpler. People will crave making a cookie versus a complicated croquembouche.
• More comfort-food classics with unexpected ingredients to make them pop.

Les Dames d’Escoffier is the preeminent organization of women who are leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage, and hospitality, with 2,300 members. The New York chapter is the founding and largest of the 42 chapters in the United States and abroad. It was established in 1976 by Carol Brock (food reporter for the Sunday New York Daily News at the time) and has 163 members.