Comprising 20 experts from diverse segments of the culinary world, the SFA Trendspotters track emerging specialty food and beverage products in their own work and at the bi-annual SFA Fancy Food Shows, thereby getting an early look at the flavors, formats, and ideas that will hit mainstream retailers and restaurants sooner than later.

Describing the current moment as "an era of specialty food prominence," the report notes that sales of specialty products have grown from $88 billion in 2013 to an estimated $207 billion in 2023, an increase of 149%. 

"Maximizing pleasure and minimizing stress, as one Trendspotter put it, encapsulates the panel's picks for 2024," said Denise Purcell, vice president, resource development, for SFA.

Vita Specialty Foods offers a portfolio of food products through licensing agreements, private labeling, and its own brands, including the nationally acclaimed Virginia Brand Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette.

The Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel has predicted what will be hot in specialty food for 2024. Ranging from soup to cell-based meat and seafood to peach to value–and more–the Trendspotters have set their sights on a diverse list of trends for the $194 billion specialty food industry.

"We are jumping in joy to receive this," said Mochidoki co-founder Ken Gordon. "It's a culmination of a lot of hard work. It confirms that mochi ice cream is here to stay!"

The specialty market is composed of 63 food and beverage categories which combined account for nearly 22% of retail food and beverage sales. 

"Products that make home cooking more convenient and restaurant-quality are in demand, whether meal starter kits, distinctive salts or butters, condiments from around the world, or foods from different global regions available as frozen entrees," said Denise Purcell, SFA's vice president, resource development. 

Spending on groceries and away-from-home food is up. Inflation plays a role here but spending choices indicate consumers are returning to restaurants and buying freshly prepared foods.

Available only to product-qualified members of the SFA, the sofi Awards were judged at the Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University (FIC), the SFA's partner for the awards. FIC experts evaluated products using anonymous tastings across 47 categories using criteria that included flavor, appearance, texture, aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation. 102 specialty food products were awarded Gold, and New Product, trophies.