Summer Fancy Food Highlights

Specialty foods are having a moment.

Nearly two-thirds of consumers buy specialty foods and beverages which is pushing the category to $140.3 billion in sales last year, according to a new report from the Specialty Food Association and Mintel International.

Food as a total category is up about 1%, but specialty is up almost 13%. This year’s Summer Fancy Food Show was held this past weekend in New York with more than 200,000 products showcased.

Some of the biggest trend highlights we saw were:

Ayurveda Vibes. It’s the Indian practice of holistic medicine and an important part of it is diet. In Ayurvedic medicine, certain foods and herbs are eaten together to balance out a person’s health and to benefit digestion and immunity. While many Indian foods are Ayurvedic, many specialty brands are now branding their products with the term. Expect to see it more and more.

Not So Boring Cauliflower. Cauliflower is popping up in interesting snacks and grab-n-go items, making it a great gluten-free alternative.

Guess who’s back…. back again. Once a flavor staple in the 90’s, cucumber is showing its face again in beverage and snack flavors.

Let’s Get Global. Unlike previous years, there wasn’t a huge emphasis on a particular flavor. West African flavors were seen on a few items though continuing the trend of foreign spices.

Ice Cream Gets Even More Fun. Ice cream continues to be so much more than vanilla. More exotic blends were on the floor this year with flavors like black sesame and turmeric honeycomb.

Not Just Tea. Tea flavors are showcased in new snack items, utilizing the caffeine and bold taste.

Figs Are Having a Moment. Similar to the emergence of dates in snacks in previous years, figs were seen in some interesting applications.