2022 Food and Beverage Trends

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Every year poses its share of market challenges to companies operating in the snack and bakery market—a vital economic sector, which at retail alone accounts for over $100 billion in annual US sales.

“I’d never had a cauliflower cracker growing up,” recalls King, the senior marketing manager at Mary’s Gone Crackers, Reno, NV. “And the idea of ‘gluten-free’ was unheard of. The ingredient lists on most of the crackers I ate were a lot longer, too.”

After more than two years apart, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel gathered in person to search the aisles for the Show's hottest trends at the 46th Winter Fancy Food Show. Running February 6-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Show featured thousands of products from around the world, with companies ranging from established to startup.

One-fifth of US consumers described themselves over the past year as “highly stressed on a daily basis,” per Innova’s 2021 Health & Nutrition Survey. The good news is that stress management is easier thanks to an array of new bakery products in 2021.

Want to listen to industry news and views on the way to work? Catch a quick video on a lunchbreak? Prepared Foods now goes anywhere—and everywhere—to cover critical topics.

In 2021, 78% of people said they were more likely to purchase a product clearly labeled as “environmentally friendly."

About a quarter of US adults report to NPD they are on a diet, and 16% of those are on "their own diet" versus a  formal diet plan, like intermittent fasting or keto. 

Sales of natural and organic products, including food and beverage, supplements, household, and personal care categories, are on track to surpass $300 billion by 2023 and $400 billion by 2030.

The number of US households that bought groceries online during the month remained relatively steady at 69.0 million, dipping just 1% versus last year. Even so, the way in which households receive online grocery orders continues to evolve. 

The US food and beverage industry has been impacted heavily by COVID-19. In 2020 and 2021, retail sales of children's food and beverage products expanded faster than average due to increased spending at food stores and growing desires for healthy products for the whole family.