I remember a few years ago talking about what a poké bowl was, and now when I head to local restaurants, I regularly see this native Hawaiian dish. While not all food trends stick, that one has certainly flourished.
My prediction is that 2019 is going to be the year of disruption in the food industry. This is also going to be a year of food innovation like we’ve never seen before.
Here are the 8 hot topics that I think will trend in 2019:
Un-Sugar
Sugar has been in the spotlight and it’s not going away. Big brands need to find new ways to sweeten products – like cans of pop that contain up to 3 tablespoons of sugar. As the obesity and diabetes epidemic continues to rise and affect people of all ages and incomes all over the world, there has to be an alternative. In any reformulation, the quality must be maintained without sacrificing taste and that’s a tall order. Clearer labeling and healthy sugar alternatives would be a start. More sugar taxes (as has happened in Europe) will make its way here and won’t just be a trend, they will stay put.
Canna Curious and CBD roll out
CBD is the non-psychoactive component of marijuana and even though marijuana is now legalized in Canada, edibles and other infused foods aren’t – yet. Towards the end of 2019, we will undoubtedly see not only adult-centric foods and drinks, but more interest of the masses into the use of CBD. Already available south of the border are teas, extra virgin olive oils, nuts, energy bars, coffee, crackers, honey and alcohol-free wines made with cannabis. There are many health-related uses for CBD too – it’s considered to have a calming effect, decrease anxiety and ease inflammation.
More plants, and even more plants
Eating a plant-based diet – either a vegan diet or just eating more plants – will finally take hold. Health Canada is releasing a new food guide to bring awareness about the benefits – including benefits for the planet.
Beets, glorious beets
Beets and the green tops are a superfood in their own right. They offer calcium, vitamin K, iron, and detoxifying phytonutrients called betalains. Their anti-inflammatory properties are 5 times stronger than carrots and even EFA-rich almonds.
Labels and the blockchain food story
There’s a need to know what’s in your food without having to get your calculator out just to navigate the label (as well as knowing where it came from). If the hot chocolate has 10 teaspoons of sugar per serving, then say it clearly. Be up front about it. Customers are demanding to know what’s in their food, and brands who want to keep their customers will provide more transparency on their labels. Further to this will be digitization (similar to the financial blockchain) to food products, so consumers know what the story of the product is and if it’s been thoroughly processed.
Tailor-made nutrition and supplements
With genetic testing becoming more popular, diets and supplements tied specifically to your genetic profile, job, health history, activity and gender will trend.
Fat is here to stay
With the Keto diet sticking around and increasing in popularity, finally we will shift from fat-is-bad to fat-is-good. Butter can be your friend, ghee your BFF. Those who have tried and felt the benefit of fat-burning diets like Keto will make sure they’re here to stay.
Engineered proteins
There’s developing technology to create animal protein without the animals. Think: a burger grown from cells rather than slaughter. While financially impossible at the moment, there are other innovations that continue to roll out. A few food innovators from San Francisco are already making eggs, cookies and mayo, and there will be more.
And who knows. The GOOP addition to smoothies called Moon Dust might just make it to mainstream use too!
Catch my clip from CP24 for more!