Predicting future food and beverage trends

Key takeaways:

In the competitive food and beverage industry, the quest for the next breakthrough idea never ends. Forecasting trends used to be a hit-or-miss affair that relied heavily on extensive, labor-intensive data gathering and ultimately, guesswork. Today, leveraging data allows us to predict emerging trends with precision, giving us a strategic advantage in staying ahead of the curve.

We sat down with Datassential Trendologist Claire Conaghan, who shares best practices in taking a data-backed approach to predicting the next big thing in food and beverage. We covered a wide range of topics, including:

• Data sample size tricks to getting the best results, and how looking outside of your category can identify compelling trends
• The distinction between fads and trends, and the pivotal role social media plays in shaping them
• Understanding the Menu Adoption Cycle, and how it can help you shift from reacting to current trends to anticipating and capitalizing on future ones
• How analyzing declining trends can often unveil new and exciting food trend opportunities waiting to be discovered