Trends to know
Four food and beverage trends shaping 2027
The big shifts behind what shoppers, buyers and operators are paying attention to right now, plus what we'd do about them.
01Fiber is the new protein
Remember when every launch shouted grams of protein? Fiber is next in line. "Fibermaxxing" went from a wellness hashtag to a full shelf strategy, with prebiotic sodas leading the charge. Olipop packs 6 to 9g of fiber per can, Poppi has 3g, and newer brands like Fibe are putting fiber front and center.
$3.43B fiber-fortified drink market in 20257.8% projected yearly growth
Sunny's take: Already have fiber in your product? Move it to the front of the pack and the first line of your captions. Pair it with protein for the double benefit shoppers are hunting for.
02Meet the GLP-1 shopper
About 16 million Americans are actively using GLP-1 medications, roughly triple the number in 2022, and BCG projects 30 to 35 million by 2030. Their carts look different: more fruits, veggies and high-protein foods, and less candy, salty snacks and soda. Seventy percent say the change spills over to the people they live with.
+11% high-protein foods-14% candyAbout -10% salty snacks
Sunny's take: Think smaller portions with bigger benefits. Lead with protein and fiber per serving, and talk about satisfaction, not restriction.
03Snacking gets a job description
Americans spent $231 billion on snacks, up 3.2% from a year ago, and 55% now eat three or more snacks a day, up 9 points since 2021. Protein snacks have gone fully mainstream, and gut health and fiber are catching up fast.
$231B U.S. snack sales55% snack 3+ times a day
Sunny's take: Give every snack a reason to exist, like energy, digestion or focus. Circana suggests pairing protein with benefits like fiber and hydration, so stack your claims smartly.
04The 2027 flavor map is in
Whole Foods Market is calling bitter flavors, the "Bean Boom," ingredient minimalism and "Beautrition" (collagen and antioxidants for glowing skin). Datassential names whipped feta, chili crisp and dirty soda as new classics, with Mexico City cuisine on the rise. Pulque is up 147% on alcoholic beverage menus over four years.
Bitter done betterThe Bean BoomCDMX flavors
Sunny's take: Short ingredient decks and a "taste of place" story are your friends. If your product has an origin story, show it off.
The creative lens
What's trending on socials right now
The formats and moments food and beverage brands are winning with in the feed, and how to borrow the idea for your own brand.
#Fibermaxxing goes mainstream
Fiber hauls, gut-health check-ins and "what I eat for fiber" days are the new protein shake videos. Brands with a real fiber story have an easy content lane.
Steal this: Turn your nutrition panel into a series. One benefit per post, explained the way a friend would.
Limited drops built for the camera
Hidden Valley's almost-black Spooky Ranch came in a glow-in-the-dark bottle, and Cup Noodles' Hot Garlic Chicken turns red when you add hot water. Both were designed to be filmed first.
Steal this: Design one detail of your next limited edition purely for the unboxing moment.
Characters over spokespeople
Cup Noodles created Vladison, a 300-year-old vampire influencer, and posted 40+ pieces of original content across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Threads over six weeks.
Steal this: Give your brand a recurring character or voice that can show up every week without a big shoot.
Engagement beats reach
Krispy Kreme pulled 56.3M TikTok views in 30 days at a 0.12% engagement rate. KFC got 7.4M views and a 5.7% rate. Big views are nice, but conversations build brands.
Steal this: Track saves, shares and comments as your north star, and reply to comments like it's your job (because it is).