Food Consumer Insights

Trend - The rise of vegan breakfast sandwiches and meals in QSRs and restaurants speaks to businesses' increased need to be more adaptive and flexible when it comes to consumers' more niche preferences.

Insight - Now that North American consumers are increasingly prioritizing things like nutrients and ethical consumption in their food and beverage items, veganism has grown in popularity. Consumers are turning to brands that are able to adapt to these dietary restrictions in a way that still prioritizes flavor.

Trend - People with necessary or chosen dietary restrictions now have more variety in the packaged salad dressings they can consume, with brands in this space prioritizing plant-based, vegan alternatives to traditional dressings.

Insight - Many consumers associate veganism with health, and so seeing plant-based or vegan labels on packaged goods brings about positive associations for health-conscious consumers. Thus, vegan products aren't simply appealing to those who subscribe to the diet, but to those who prioritize healthy eating in general.

Trend - In an experimental landscape of bold, unexpected flavors, banana remains a staple that brands continue to reinterpret across food and beverage categories. From drinks to snacks and desserts, its familiar sweetness is elevated through global or regional influences and premium pairings.

Insight - Today’s consumers are drawn to flavors that balance nostalgia with novelty, and common fruits deliver on both fronts. Moreover, natural sweetness, versatility, and strong emotional associations make everyday ingredients widely appealing, while adaptability allows for creative pairings across indulgent and better-for-you formats. As shoppers increasingly seek approachable yet elevated taste experiences, banana can offer brands a low-risk way to innovate while still tapping into familiarity and cross-generational interest.

Trend - Brands are using ssamjang, a thick, savory Korean paste traditionally served with grilled meats and lettuce wraps in Korean barbecue, as a sauce or spread on Western dishes. This umami depth mimics the role of condiments like Worcestershire or steak sauce but adds complexity thanks to fermentation.

Insight - The growing popularity of Korean culture, fueled by K-pop and other forms of Korean media, has brought new ingredients and flavors to global consumers' attention. Interest in umami-rich, fermented foods is prompting brands to experiment with sauces that blend these notes while complementing Western cuisine. Companies in this space understand that their target consumers are drawn to culturally inspired flavors but are more willing to experiment when they are presented in approachable formats.

Trend - As competition intensifies, food and beverage brands are differentiating themselves by introducing beer-infused menu items and packaged goods. From beer-laced desserts to bold soups, these offerings blend craft brewing with everyday foods to deliver distinctive, experience-driven taste profiles.

Insight - Today’s experience-driven consumers are increasingly drawn to bold, layered flavors that elevate everyday eating. As culinary curiosity grows, shoppers are seeking products that feel artisanal, novel, and shareable. For brands in saturated categories, these infusions offer a way to stand out and align with the cultural cachet of the craft beverage movement. Beer-infused foods can tap into this demand by blending familiar comfort items with craft brewing notes like hops, malt, and stout richness.

Trend - As protein continues to shape nutrition and diet conversations, QSR brands are increasingly making it central to their menus; responding to a demand for options that still deliver speed and convenience. As a result, protein transforms into a normalized, accessible menu feature.

Insight - Many consumers are left balancing wellness aspirations against the realities of time, cost, and convenience. Protein—once associated with niche diets has emerged as a rare point of clarity within this complexity. And as QSR brands look for ways to make fast food feel intentional, the need to incorporate healthier options like protein, arises; resolving the tension between “eating well” and eating "quickly" or "cheaply," allowing everyday meals to signal nutritional awareness without requiring deeper dietary trade-offs.

Trend - Artisanal pizzerias and CPG brands are launching pizzas with matcha‑infused dough, matcha‑butter glazes, and toppings like sweetened ricotta, sesame, yuzu and roasted mushrooms; products emphasize visual contrast, layered umami, and premium provenance, and to drive social buzz.

Insight - Many diners want novel, shareable flavors that remain approachable; they seek ingredients with clear provenance and health?adjacent cues but avoid extremes, as food is still primarily used for comfort. Brands responded to this desire by adding matcha to pizza subtly, such as infusing it into crusts, or light glazes so customers get visual novelty and gentle bitterness without abandoning familiar pizza comfort, enabling premium pricing and social buzz and creating long-term customers.

Trend - Brands are introducing new cream cheese products that incorporate flavors and ingredients tied to specific geographic regions. From savory or sweet to fusion-inspired, they often highlight local spices, herbs, fruits, or cultural recipes that are unique from traditional Western recipes.

Insight - Today's consumers value experiences and cultural exploration, often experiencing them through food. However, many often lack time or access to traditional recipes or ingredients. As a result, brands are offering solutions to these barriers, introducing products geared toward cultural exploration that are part of the broader “experience economy” in food. Businesses producing these products can increase their visibility among both members of these cultural communities and trend-savvy consumers.

Trend - QSR brands are launching kid-style meals designed specifically for adult audiences. These offerings adapt classic children’s formats using familiar characters, collectible items, and simplified meal builds. The result is an “adult kid meal” that brings playful, nostalgic packaging and presentation into an adult-targeted QSR release.

Insight - As adulthood gets more ambiguous, consumers still want to feel grown up, but they also want relief from constant self-optimization. That creates demand for permissioned play: experiences that feel childlike without risking social embarrassment. Consumers respond most to formats that keep whimsy contained and low-commitment, because they make indulgence feel easy to justify.

Trend - Food brands reformulate chocolate‑style bars, beverage mixes, bakery inclusions and shelf‑stable snacks using roasted carob powders and syrups; offerings tout lower caffeine, natural sweetness, fiber content and allergen‑friendly positioning while mimicking familiar chocolate flavor profiles.

Insight - Some shoppers want chocolate, like indulgence without caffeine, theobromine or common allergen associations; others seek perceived healthier swaps, such as more fiber, less bitter compounds, and plant-forward novelty. Retailers and formulators face pressure to diversify free-from shelves and capture audiences constrained by allergy, pregnancy, or stimulant avoidance. Yet taste expectations and emotional ties to cocoa are high, so consumer uptake depends on believable sensory parity.