Nourish Food Marketing has released its 9th annual Trend Report for 2025. This year's report reveals nine key trends that will shape the industry and consumer behaviour in the coming year, driven by an increased demand for functionality, experiences and sustainability in food choices.

The 2025 Trend Report outlines the following influential trends:

• A Return to Intuitive Cooking: As consumers shift away from strict recipes, they're embracing a more spontaneous, ingredient-led approach fuelled by social media's celebration of improvisational cooking. This trend empowers consumers to use creativity in the kitchen while exploring new ingredients and methods.

• Supporting the GLP-1 Journey & Life After Ozempic: With a growing focus on weight management journeys, consumers are seeking nutrient-dense foods that support their health and wellness goals. Brands are innovating to provide solutions that meet specific nutritional needs, especially those transitioning off GLP-1 medications.

• H2O 2.0: Enhanced Hydration: As hydration gains popularity as part of the wellness movement, consumers want water that offers more—energy, digestion, skin benefits, and other functions. From added minerals to botanical infusions, this category is seeing a new wave of enriched water products that target various health benefits.

• I Wanna Live Forever: Eating for Longevity: Longevity-focused diets are capturing consumer interest, drawing on Blue Zone-inspired eating patterns and functional ingredients aimed at extending healthspan. Foods and beverages are now being marketed to support long-term wellness beyond just immediate nutritional needs.

• Moving Beyond Taste to Multi-Sensory Eating Experiences: Consumers increasingly seek food that engages all five senses, creating a rich, immersive experience. Brands are innovating to bring multi-sensory elements—sight, smell, texture, and sound—into their products to enhance enjoyment and deepen emotional connections.

• Making Eating at Home a Dine-Out-Level Experience: As consumers look to recreate restaurant-quality experiences at home, they seek products that elevate home dining, whether through premium ingredients, semi-prepared meal kits, or elevated frozen options that bring special occasions to their table.

• Plant-Based Finally Finds Its Groove: Plant-based eating is mainstreaming at last, with improved taste, accessibility, and variety. As consumers shift toward reducing meat intake, plant-based products focus on flavour and versatility to appeal to flexitarians and dedicated plant-based eaters alike.

• The Rise & Reinvention of the C-Store Channel: Convenience stores are evolving from simple grab-and-go stops to mini-grocery destinations offering fresh, quality meal options. This trend reflects consumers' desire for convenience without sacrificing quality, and C-stores are responding with upgraded, healthier offerings.

• Breakthrough Seed Genetics Science to Cope With Climate Change: Advances in seed genetics are setting the stage for resilient agriculture, with crops designed to withstand extreme weather and support food security. These innovations promise to transform agriculture, ensuring crops thrive in a changing climate while meeting consumer demands for sustainable food.

"In 2025, consumers are asking for more from every bite—more functionality, richer experiences, and sustainable choices that align with their values," Nourish president Jo-Ann McArthur commented. "These trends showcase how food and beverage play a growing role in our lives, challenging brands to innovate thoughtfully and meet these elevated expectations."

The 2025 Nourish Trend Report is now available. To read the full report, click here.

Source:  Nourish Food Marketing November 20, 2024 news release