Food Consumer Insights

Trend - CPG brands are introducing bite-sized versions of indulgent snacks and desserts, including miniature chocolates, cookies, and other rich treats; condensing premium flavors and decadent experiences into smaller, portioned formats designed for accessible moments of indulgence.

Insight - As Gen Z and Millennial consumers balance wellness-minded habits, smaller portions offer a way to enjoy decadent foods without committing to full-sized servings. Bite-sized formats make rich flavors and premium ingredients feel more approachable while creating opportunities for variety and experimentation. As such, brands can position smaller treats as accessible moments of pleasure that satisfy cravings while aligning with more intentional consumption habits.

Trend - Brands are incorporating herbaceous flavors across food categories, from savory snacks to desserts, bringing ingredients like basil or rosemary into unexpected formats; creating fresh flavor experiences that encourage culinary exploration while remaining approachable for everyday consumption.

Insight - Millennial and Gen-Z consumers increasingly seek foods that deliver fresh, complex flavor experiences, as exposure to restaurant culture, social media, and global cuisines expands their palates. Herbaceous foods cater to this shift by incorporating traditionally savory botanical ingredients into both familiar and unexpected products. Consequently, brands can create more sophisticated flavor profiles, differentiate their offerings, and meet growing demand for distinctive food experiences.

Trend - Dessert brands and food manufacturers are reimagining tiramisu in unexpected formats, translating its signature coffee, cocoa and mascarpone flavor profile into cookies, cakes, frozen treats, chocolates and snack products that extend the classic Italian dessert into new indulgent occasions.

Insight - As Gen Z and Millennial consumers seek familiar flavors that feel both nostalgic and elevated, reflecting a desire for comfort paired with novelty. Tiramisu-inspired products can respond to this by translating the classic dessert into new categories and formats while preserving its premium appeal. As a result, consumers gravitate toward recognizable yet reinvented indulgences, giving brands new opportunities to differentiate through flavor innovation.

Trend - Restaurants are designing destination-led dining experiences that integrate scenic landscapes, open-air architecture, and resort-style amenities, encouraging guests to spend more time on-site while making the surrounding environment an integral part of the overall experience.

Insight - Dining out is increasingly measured by the quality of the overall experience rather than the meal alone, prompting restaurants to expand beyond traditional food service. By incorporating leisure programming, outdoor social spaces, entertainment, and distinctive settings, venues can strengthen emotional engagement and create memorable experiences that encourage repeat visits while differentiating through a stronger sense of place.

Trend - Brands are expanding savory snack portfolios with kimchi-inspired chip varieties that bring fermented Korean flavors into conventional packaged snacks; creating a format that encourages culinary exploration while remaining convenient and accessible for everyday consumption.

Insight - Millennial and Gen-Z consumers increasingly view snacking as an opportunity to discover new flavors rather than simply satisfy hunger, as they discover global cuisines through social media and travel. Kimchi-inspired chips cater to this shift by making a traditionally fermented Korean ingredient more approachable through a familiar format. Consequently, brands can encourage trial, differentiate their offerings, and meet growing demand for globally inspired food experiences.

Trend - CPG brands are introducing snack formats specifically designed for sharing, including larger pack sizes, assortment mixes, resealable packaging, and products intended for communal consumption; repositioning packaged snacks from single-serve items into socially oriented offerings.

Insight - As Gen Z and Millennial consumers place greater value on casual social gatherings and shared experiences, demand is growing for products that seamlessly fit group occasions. Shareable snack formats respond to this by making packaged foods easier to serve, pass around, and enjoy collectively. As such, brands that support these evolving consumption habits can strengthen relevance by positioning everyday snacks as an integral part of connection and social rituals.

Trend - Brands are launching immersive ice cream pop-ups where limited-edition treats, custom flavors, playful branding and interactive environments transform a familiar summer indulgence into a memorable experiential activation that strengthens consumer engagement and encourages in-person participation.

Insight - As consumers continue seeking experiences that feel both shareable and emotionally engaging, brands are using ice cream pop-ups to extend their identities beyond traditional retail and into lifestyle moments. From custom packaging and branded toppings to themed installations, these activations can turn a simple frozen treat into a tangible expression of the brand—offering a low-barrier, high-impact way to create memorable interactions that resonate long after the experience ends.

Trend - QSR brands are increasingly introducing limited-edition collectible cups featuring nostalgic designs, brand anniversaries, and entertainment partnerships—transforming beverage packaging into keepsakes that encourage repeat purchases and consumer engagement.

Insight - As consumers seek deeper connections with brands, packaging is becoming a larger part of the brand experience. By creating packaging that consumers want to collect and share, QSR brands can generate social buzz while strengthening brand affinity, serving as both a functional item and a powerful brand touchpoint. As such, collectible cups may appeal to consumers' desire for nostalgia, exclusivity, and self-expression, transforming routine purchases into memorable experiences.

Trend - Food, beverage, and QSR brands are incorporating customizable illustrations, colorable graphics, and participatory design elements into product exteriors to encourage hands-on engagement and personal expression; resulting in packaging that functions as an experiential touchpoint.

Insight - As consumers increasingly seek hands-on, screen-free activities and more meaningful interactions, brands are reimagining packaging as a creative engagement tool rather than a purely functional container. By incorporating colorable and participatory design elements, brands can extend engagement beyond the point of purchase—transforming food and beverage packaging into a memorable experience that strengthens emotional connections while supporting creativity in a simple, yet effective way.

Trend - As entertainment increasingly shapes consumer culture, food and beverage brands are adopting cinema-inspired menus, collaborations, and immersive branding across quick-service and retail formats; transforming entertainment into an everyday consumption cue beyond theaters.

Insight - Many consumers are no longer choosing food and beverage products based only on convenience or taste, but on their ability to create emotionally engaging experiences tied to identity and culture. As entertainment franchises become more embedded in everyday life, cinema-inspired branding and themed menus allow brands to turn ordinary consumption into moments of participation, nostalgia, and social relevance; making fast, accessible purchases feel more immersive and culturally expressive.