Redirection

Trend - Restaurants are blending Chinese sichuan peppercorn spices and oils, often referred to as numbing spice because of its effects, with the popular American burger to offer unique flavors and experiences. These burgers could be beef, chicken, or vegetarian, to appeal to all fans of the fast-food item.

Insight - Fast food and street food restaurants are highly experimentative. Popular fast food brands release limited-time products nearly weekly in order to see what unique flavor combinations will become the next big trend. As a result, fast food consumers have become drawn to new menu items, even if they only try each new item a single time. To appeal to these consumers and offer a unique cultural flavor profile, burger restaurants are incorporating Sichuan peppercorn numbing spices.

Trend - Chinese food and Japanese sushi restaurants alike are beginning to roll out fried cream cheese wonton as an appetizer dish. The combination of cream cheese with a traditional Chinese wonton leads to a crispy, oily shell that houses savory cream cheese, often served with sweet & sour dipping sauce.

Insight - Consumers who frequently choose to dine-out often find themselves either searching for a new place to enjoy, or defaulting back to one of their favorites. When searching for a new restaurant, one important factor is variety and uniqueness. In order to differentiate themselves from other restaurants while offering a new appetizer for consumers who may not eat meat, or may not want a protein-heavy appetizer, restaurants are launching crispy fried cheese wontons paired with dipping sauces.

Trend - Foodservice companies, often in partnership with dairy brands, and CPG brands, are launching frozen yogurt bark treats. These are designed to offer the benefits of yogurt without the hassle of requiring a spoon and a dish, as the frozen bark is more comparable to a cookie than traditional yogurt.

Insight - All consumers, including health-conscious ones with strict diets, are susceptible to cravings. Whether it be craving something sweet or craving a specific texture, humans are drawn to variety. For the health-conscious consumer, snacks like hard candies, cookies, and other solid sugary desserts may be avoided entirely. In order to offer these consumers a way to indulge their cravings without compromising on their health regimens, brands are releasing frozen yogurt bark treats.

Trend - Barbecue and grilling brands are releasing indoor smoker grills with air filters for safe use. These grills are designed to offer the benefits of smoker grills, but with year-round accessibility, as they do not require outdoor ventilation. These grills are often compact countertop varieties.

Insight - Consumers with outdoor grills or barbecues often use these devices not only for the flavor of meat they produce, but also for the community-drive, social aspects of barbecues. Amongst these consumers, preferences vary greatly between charcoal grills, electric grills, and more. However, one common complaint amongst all users is the seasonality of grills, with them only being usable during warmer months. Brands are adhering to these desires with safe indoor smoker grills.

Trend - The design industry is experiencing a resurgence of psychedelic aesthetics, particularly evident in the rising popularity of mushroom-inspired decor and products. This visual movement is characterized by vibrant colors, organic shapes, and kaleidoscopic patterns that draw from both natural and hallucinogenic influences.

Insight - Contemporary consumers are seeking ways to incorporate elements of counterculture and altered states of consciousness into their everyday environments without directly engaging in psychedelic experiences. This desire reflects a broader cultural shift toward accepting and exploring previously taboo subjects, while also indicating a growing interest in creating immersive, emotionally evocative spaces at home. The popularity of these designs suggests that consumers are looking for ways to inject wonder and escapism into their surroundings, particularly as they spend more time in domestic spaces.

Trend - CPG brands are releasing flavored breakfast bars designed for children. These breakfast bars are made soft and easy-to-chew, while also being rich in nutrients. These are designed to replace occasional breakfasts for children during busy days.

Insight - Parents with busy schedules may not always have time to prepare full balanced breakfasts for their children. However, most parents do not want to give their kids non-nutritious breakfasts, such as fast-food meals or microwave meals, when busy. As a result, these parents seek out solutions that are quick and easy to serve, but do not compromise on health or nutritional value. Brands are responding to these pressures with convenient breakfast bars designed specifically for younger children.

Trend - Brands in the more designer end of the tech spectrum are releasing products with stretchable and malleable displays. These use AMOLED technology and are built in such a way that they can be twisted and bent without breaking or stopping the image from being displayed.

Insight - Businesses and startups with more niche product ideas often run into barriers when trying to bring a concept product to reality. These barriers can include cost, scale, or simply the feasibility of the product in general. Many such products in the technology space are limited due to physical limitations regarding battery sizes or screen sizes, amongst other potential issues. In order to address these concerns, designer tech brands are creating malleable displays for unique product ideas.

Trend - Retailers across various industries, such as home and garden, crafts, and even electronics are launching with an emphases on DIY projects. By focusing on DIY, these retailers mainly provide base components rather than prebuilt items, often leading to significantly lower prices than competitors.

Insight - Many consumers prioritize saving money over saving time. When shopping for furniture, for example, consumers opt to buy more affordable DIY furniture rather than more expensive pre-built options. These priorities are now extending to other industries, with consumers in adjacent spaces opting for more engaging DIY solutions in search of both a hobby and a method of saving money. In order to appeal to these consumers in a broader sense, specialized retailers with a focus on DIY are opening.

Trend - Luxury fashion labels across Europe and Asia are opening dedicated restaurants and cafes. These are designed to transform the boutiques from simple shopping ventures, to full-blown experiences. The experiential retail helps build consumer connections to one another and the brand.

Insight - In major cities across East Asia, in-person retail is once again thriving. Consumers in these regions have a wealth of options when going shopping, leading to them becoming more preferential in their destinations, seeking out unique retailers rather than simply shopping for necessities. This is a way of prioritizing feelings and experiences rather than simple errands. In order to appeal to this type of consumer, fashion labels are making their boutiques more appealing with dedicated cafes.

Trend - Retailers in various industries, such as department stores, luxury brands, and more, are launching in-store lounges and experiential events. These events are designed to enhance the comfort of shoppers while deepening the connection between the shoppers and the brand.

Insight - While many consumers made a strong shift toward online shopping over the past decade, in large part accelerated by the pandemic, there are still cases to be made for in-store shopping. Some consumers prefer to be able to touch a product before purchasing it, while others value the inherit socialization of in-store shopping, and prefer to interact with others and immerse themselves in the retail environment. Capitalizing off of this feeling, retailers are opening experiential lounges in-stores.