As the calendar has now moved into the summer months, many professionals in the beer industry have their efforts focused on one thing: the 4^th of July, one of the biggest days of the year for the U.S. beer market. More than 103 million Americans drank beer on Independence Day in 2013, with 68.3 million cases of beer sold over the course of the weekend, which is a significant increase over previous years. In 2008, beer sales only recorded 24 million cases sold during the holiday weekend. But, as of 2012, Independence Day has claimed the top spot over Memorial Day and Labor Day as the most popular holiday for beer purchases.

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Research from food industry reports continue to show the increase in two eating habits of Americans: we are starting to make healthier food choices, and we are having more snacks throughout the day. The idea of having three meals a day is beginning to fade, and the age of snacks is moving in. The trend of healthy snacks is predicted to have increasing sales within the next decade, and this growth is driving healthy snack bars to include healthier and high-protein ingredients. Industry leaders are taking advantage of cereal/granola bars #2 sales ranking for snacks by creating their own snack bars. Popularity of companies promoting their own snack bars, as well as including high-protein bars in their selection has become a new trend for industry leaders.

Consumers are increasingly looking to protein to boost nutrition in their diets. The results of numerous studies support protein’s role in fighting obesity through supporting weight management. Protein also ensures proper growth, immune, heart and respiratory function. According to “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” from the USDA and Health and Human Services Administration, the average male 31 to 50 years of age needs about 56 grams of protein.

There’s a growing interest in South American foods. While Peruvian cuisine has been a hot trend and tops the ethnic category as voted by chefs of the American Culinary Federation (National Restaurant Association “What’s Hot Survey, 2014”), Brazilian cuisine is also trending. The World Cup in Brazil, as well as the 2016 Summer Olympics, will unleash an appetite for Brazilian cuisine beyond the churrascaria concept. And, new manifestations of culinary dishes from Ecuador, Colombia and Argentina aren’t far behind. Food retailers can draw from these trends to spark innovation and sales within the four walls of the supermarket and producers can leverage them for innovation in food formulation.

No matter what industry you are in, people are always itching to find out which latest and greatest trends are impacting the market. But, when your market is continually evolving, like the food & beverage industry, it can be difficult to stay on top of the most current trends. Because tracking industry trends plays such an important role in making business decisions and creating opportunities, we have put together a list of the hottest current and emerging trends in the food & beverage industry.

When you look at the top food trends that are being portrayed and even hyped in the media, it’s easy to get lost in the maze of what is and is not viable.  But, those in food research roles must be able to use their expertise and data-driven insights to vet food trends and find success (here, we are speaking not only of actual trends about food products but also culinary trends and techniques). This is because emerging food trends with great potential can be transformed into big business opportunities.

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Superfoods, aji peppers, pichuberries, goji berries, purple corn, green tea, ancient seeds, Mediterranean foods, Peruvian cuisine, Korean tacos, the list of trendy food flavors and themes go on and on. Add that to the list of consumer trend behaviors around food, like cravings for sweet & savory, wellness foods, “adventure, courage & optimism,” quest for authenticity, internationalism on the agenda, etc. Mining food trends and identifying which are the most opportunistic can be a daunting task for food producers, retailers and foodservice establishments, including restaurant companies.

Understanding what is “hot” is easy; diving into a cross-analysis against market data and significant consumer opinions is more complex. The task of identifying today's most opportunistic food trends can be made easier by cross-analyzing against these factors. Food industry players are wise to make data-driven decisions and not just produce to today’s flavor of the day. Here’s a way to start:

Seek first to understand the food context and conversation

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