Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
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Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 420 trends & happenings Five Trends Driven by Wellness, Aesthetics Social media and wellness are two themes combining to drive five trends, said Megan Collins, a lead ana- lyst at Trendera, a brand strategy and marketing firm specializing in trend forecasting, cultural analysis, and generational research. Collins was speaking at the annual conference Bitten: A Food Conversation, held last fall in New York City. "Trends tell us more about the moment we are living in and what people care about," said Collins. Consumers care about what they put into their bod- ies, and they also care if it's Instagram worthy, she explained, citing matcha and turmeric as two recent examples that blend health benefits with aesthetics. Here are five trends that combine social media appeal and wellness, according to Collins: 1. Beets. Their saturated color makes for an intense visual appeal that is helping beets trend. But they are especially popular for their high content of vitamin C and fiber and essential minerals like potassium and manganese. The colorful root is showing up in everything from juices to chips to hummus to snack bars. 2. Black food. Foods made with activated charcoal— produced by heating coconut shells to extremely high temperatures until they are carbonized—are becoming more prevalent, thanks to their dramatic presentation and reported detoxifying benefits. While items like activated charcoal pizza crusts and lemonade are hitting menus, the trend mostly has been a match for ice cream. Little Damage, a creamery in Los Angeles, has released a limited- 22 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com