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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The image of cider as a low cost, high ABV alcoholic beverage is well and truly outdated in the UK. Instead, the beverage is now perceived as fun and vibrant with a trendier image than that of beer. 

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The subject of non-GMO (genetically-modified organism) food products has been in the spotlight constantly over the last few months. The recent phasing out of Chobani products at Whole Foods, due to the yogurt company's milk-producing cows' consumption of GMO, is a testament to the growing debate over GMO food products and increasing demand for non-GMO product development.

More broadly, the call for products that have less processing and modification has been significant in the last decade, and, thus, products like all-natural or organic have been sought after and are part of dynamic, high-growth industries.

Looking ahead at the new year, the food and beverage industry is slated to experience both new and continued trends. While overall retail sales will continue to climb, some dynamic shifts will also occur. To find out some of the projected upcoming trends for 2014, we reviewed The Future of Food Retailing in the U.S.: Shopper Insights and Market Opportunities, 4th Edition, a report published by leading food and beverage industry experts Packaged Facts.