• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, February 26, 2025

When the sharp minds and discerning palates of the Specialty Food Association get together each year, they’re not just sampling new salsas. The group’s Trendspotter Panel evaluated thousands of new products and flavors based on the analysis of last month’s event, which included 1,100 exhibitors and 12,000 attendees.

The group is releasing a menu of what’s to come and says the most original flavors and intriguing launches fall into seven general themes. While several of them are already well established, these taste experts say they are moving in new directions and predict larger food companies and restaurants will quickly add their own variations.

*Girl Dinner 2.0 

Snacks for dinner have been a thing for a few years, but this year’s entries are more diverse, featuring vegan, high-protein, functional, luxurious, and crunchy items. "Wellness and quick, healthy snack focus will continue to inspire us all," notes trendspotter Cathy Strange, ambassador of food culture at Whole Foods Markets, in the report. "Energy, digestion, sweetness, craving, nutritional impact are key 'ingredients' that support us elevating the true you." Among these snacks gone wild are Oegg Inc. Quail Eggs, Amza Superfoods, Tibetan Tsamba Balls with Oregon hazelnuts, and Rise and Sun/Eddy's Homemade Kitchen’s Premium Matcha Popcorn.

*Instant Global Gratification 

While global flavors are the trend in every category, what’s different here is how quickly they can be eaten. "Life moves fast, and so do today's consumers—but their tastes are more sophisticated than ever," notes Jeannie Houchins, a communications exec and another of the group’s trendspotters. "Specialty food makers are stepping up, offering grab-and-go and quick-prep options that bring bold, authentic flavors from around the world right to their hands." Examples: Nooish Instant Matzoh Ball Soup, Ottogi Otoki Stir-Fry Cheesy Ramen and handcrafted Asian-inspired, and traditional Neapolitan pizzas.

*Yes, Chef

One of the most common requests from fancy-food aficionados, “is, 'I want my food to taste like a restaurant,'" says Summer Thompson, a senior buyer at Market Hall Foods. Companies are letting home cooks show off new kitchen techniques by packing umami into items. “They also take away some of the edge when you are trying out new methods for cooking – faith in the ingredients is the basis of all good recipes." Among the standouts are Chelsea Market Baskets/Fine Food Marketing's Belazu Shakshuka paste, Beituti Zesty Shawarma Marinade and Namisato’s Organic Roasted Soybean Flour.

*Beverages - Bubbly and Beyond 

Asian flavors that provide health benefits and non-alcoholic products keep growing. Bee's Water, native blueberry honey water with vitamin C + Elderberry Extract; Jøyus Non-Alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignon' and Uncle Waithley's Smoked Pineapple Ginger Beer all got people talking.

*Dairy (and Non-Dairy) Delights

Sure, these products offer calcium, protein, vitamin D, and creaminess. But people are looking for mix-ins and mashups that are over the top, and dairy alternatives keep pushing the limits of quality and innovation. Forca Foods MILKish watermelon seedmilk uses watermelon seeds, often thrown out, to make a tasty sustainable beverage, while RIND has discovered a way to use the traditional cheese aging process to create a vegan aged Alpine-style Swiss.

*Hawaii as Terroir 

The islands are about more than pineapple, and the association’s foodies are raving about the state’s agricultural impact on a broad range of products, especially meats. Those include Mauka Meats, Wild Harvest Hawaiian Venison Bone Broth, and Island Sausage cured meats. Another hit is Hawaiian Krunch Company's Granola with purple sweet potato.

*Small Farm, Big Impact 

Small food companies are increasingly aware that if they’re selling a handmade product, it’s essential to make sure it goes along with an ethical brand. "Consumers are interested in transparency and morality in the brands they buy from,” says food historian Sarah Lohman. “A memorable story makes the mission travel further, and the food tastes better!" Some of the stories gaining traction: Bellwether Farms Sheep Milk Yogurt, Wapato Island Farm Smoked Salt, and Burlap & Barrel Single Origin Sugars.