One of the most significant food trends in the coming year will be the influence of the “metaverse” on new exciting food options. Metaverse-inspired candy, biscuits and even restaurants are among the top trends identified in the 9th Annual Top Food Trends report from the Sterling-Rice Group (SRG), an innovation leader on trends in the food industry.
The 2022 Future is Now report examines the revolutionary development of new foods inspired by Artificial Intelligence (AI), virtual experiences, functional and healthful ingredients and the imperative to create more sustainable commodities. SRG’s Culinary Team drew insights from over 175 food experts, sociologists, chefs, nutritionists, and other trend-spotters to generate Future is Now.
“The thread that ties together all of the new ingredients and market forces is how our desire to improve all aspects of the human experience profoundly influences the foods we will be eating well into 2022,” explains Daniel Carpenter, Managing Director – Culinary at SRG. “The industry is meeting the challenges of the prolonged pandemic in inspiring ways, with new restaurant models emerging and a greater awareness of societal priorities - from sustainability to economic wellbeing - coming to the fore.” SRG says to look for these and other key culinary trends to expand and grow next year as they move from cutting edge to mainstream:
- Metatrends are the New Megatrends – virtual worlds popularized by media and entertainment are driving new foods from Salgona Candy from Squid Game to Ted Lasso signature shortbread biscuits.
- Embracing Artificiality – AI algorithms are creating new types of milk products beyond nuts, reinventing craft cocktails and fueling restaurant optimization with robotic helpers.
- Future of Functionality – empowering moods and mental health is leading to new explorations of the healing power of plants.
“SRG has built its business on helping our clients leverage changing food and dining trends to bring fresh new offerings to their consumers,” explained Cindy Judge, CEO of SRG. “With insights like these to help guide our innovation process, we have been able to deliver over $10 billion in new revenue to our clients over the past five years.”
Headquartered in Boulder, Colo., SRG is a nationally recognized brand consultancy and creative agency. The agency has expertise in consumer insights, brand strategy and positioning, new product innovation, advertising, and design. With deep experience in all things consumer and culinary, it is responsible for $10 billion in incremental value for clients over the past five years alone.