2. Over 47,000
attendees!
21% of
purchases
direct from
local suppliers!
2,670
Exhibitors!
$34: Average
transaction size
for retailers!
55 Countries
Represented!
Most important
natural claim to
consumers: !
Today - Organic!
In 3 yrs: Non-
GMO!
67% of
manufacturers
seeking to create/
market new
products with
existing brands! 100,000 pounds of
specialty food
donated!
80% of
importers
had sales
gains in 2015!
9 Miles
Walked!
Source: Specialty Food
By The Numbers:
Fancy Food Show and
Specialty Foods
3. Packing a Punch
European brands (especially) use a
variety of fonts, shapes, contrasts and
colors to convey the best image of their
product and draw the consumer in.
!
In general, packaging is moving towards
a more simplistic approach while still
sending a clear, bold message. Earth
tones such as dark blues, greens,
browns, and reds are the popular colors
of the moment.
!
These earthy colors are joined by unique
packaging shapes like triangles and
circles to provide consumers with a
lasting experience.
4. Chia Mania
Chia is becoming more and more
popular due to its incredible
versatility. Easy to digest and
packed with protein, chia is the
trending superfood.
!
Chia-infused healthy snack
choices like seeds, puddings,
juices and more provide a wide
variety of options to health-
conscious consumers.
!
Many chia options are also all-
natural, non-gmo, or organic,
giving consumers everything good
and nothing bad.
!
!
5. It’s Go Time
As lifestyle trends change, so does the food
that keeps us going. Today’s on-the-go
lifestyle is no exception and, as a result, the
portable nature of snack sized foods has
made them increasingly popular. However,
unhealthy snack foods are becoming a thing
of the past as consumers look for healthier
snack options to keep themselves on track.
!
Whether jumping from meeting to meeting
or constantly being on the move, these
smaller snacks are perfect for the short
breaks today’s consumer has throughout
the day!
!
Today’s snack foods combine their small
size with big taste and bigger nutrition to
make snacking small one of the biggest
trends.
6. Cut and Dried
Dehydrated fruits are allowing for
healthier and tastier food options for
consumers. This new way of thinking
about fruit adds variety to meals and
means the products last longer after
the package has been opened.
!
Chocolate-covered dried fruits are
also becoming more popular, as
chocolate pairs perfectly with a wide
variety of fruits.
!
Both professional chefs and everyday
consumers are using dried fruit to
complement their meals and change-
up old favorites.
7. Fried No More
Finding substitutes for fried foods
has been key to achieving health
goals and consciously healthier
eating.
!
Snacks like kale chips and quinoa
have become more well known as
restaurants have begun utilizing
these foods for salads and dishes.
!
A desire for the familiarity of fried
food without the guilt has opened
the door to healthier alternatives
such as Veggie “Fries.”
!
8. Infused Teas
Flavor-infusing takes traditional tea
and allows for a better tasting and
more appealing flavor to non-tea
drinkers.
!
Tea drinkers can find a variety of
organic hot and cold flavor-infused
teas to choose from as companies
look to expand their offerings while
meeting consumers’ expectations.
!
Different styled tea bags allow for
individualized packaging and an
opportunity for each brand to
showcase their own unique
offerings to consumers.
9. Soda Alternatives
Consumers crave the taste and feel
of soda without the sugar and
calories, making soda alternatives
increasingly popular. With the
convenience of on-the-go sizes and
overwhelming health benefits, these
alternatives gives consumers exactly
what they are looking for.
!
There are many options to choose,
from sparkling concoctions to fresh
kombucha drinks, each offering
intense flavor and supreme health.
!
Drinks like Sparkling Bitters, Efferve,
and Kombucha Wonder Drink are a
few of the many to look out for.
10. Milk Without the Cow
Moo-ve over Bessie! Dairy cows no
longer have a monopoly of the milk
market as companies and consumers
alike have sought out dairy alternatives.
!
These alternative sources include soy
milk, nut milks (almond, walnut, cashew),
goat milk, coconut milk and rice milk.
Each boasts their own array of health
benefits and versatile range of uses.
!
This versatility means consumers can
now find a variety of ice creams, yogurts,
cheeses, and more made from non-
traditional dairy sources.
11. Naturally Sweet
A look at most packaging shows that
consumers are looking for lower sugar
contents in their food -- a trend that is
only gaining popularity as time goes on.
!
America is behind on this trend -- it has
already taken off in places like the U.K.
-- but is making great strides in
reducing added sugars in foods.
Lawmakers are creating greater
restrictions on the amount of sugar
allowed in products and lowering intake
recommendations.
!
Desserts, condiments, dips and dairy
are some of the foods that fall into this
ever-evolving category.
!
12. In a Pickle
Adding a twist to the traditional,
pickle companies are pickling
everything they can get their
hands on.
!
Consumers can buy a wide
range of pickled products from
red onions to beets to
watermelon.
!
With the benefit of preserving the
food for longer, pickling changes
the food’s texture and flavor to
make a familiar food completely
different. Pickling reinvents old
favorites in a fun new way!
13. Pumpkin Spices Things Up
Pumpkin brings the spice to
your life outside of the holiday
season.
!
Moving away from traditional
recipes, pumpkin has made
its way into nontraditional
foods that have never had
this fun twist before.
!
Pumpkin seeds offer many
nutrients such as protein and
zinc, and are a great on-the-
go snack while boosting heart
and liver health.
14. Going Coconuts
Many companies are making
coconut the main ingredient in
products across the board:
whether reinventing old favorites
or creating new products
altogether.
!
Coconut provides the best of
both worlds to consumers: the
sweetness they crave and the
health benefits they need.
!
Coconut substitutions are now
available for everything from
coconut oil, milk, water, to flour!
15. A Trend Sure to Stick
Maple flavoring is adding serious
flavor in ways it never has before.
Maple has made its way into
everything from almond butters to
liquors to water.
!
Maple syrup is reinvented as a
drizzle for yogurt or a sweet glaze
for grilling vegetables.
!
Maple syrup is a reliable
alternative to honey, which
depends on dwindling bee
populations, offering the same
powerful taste with increased
versatility.
16. Coffee Crazed
Coffee continues to move out of the
cup and into every product on the
shelves. Companies have created
an infinite amount of coffee products
and consumers are addicted.
!
Coffee products fit into the fast
paced lifestyle of today’s society.
Coffee-based products create great-
tasting and energy-boosting food
and drinks that consumers crave.
!
With a great taste and health
benefits like promoting a healthy
heart, no wonder coffee products
are everywhere!
17. The Journey Counts
Consumers want to know the
story behind their food more than
ever before. This means that how
their food gets from farm to table
has a larger impact on consumers’
buying habits.
!
Restaurants, grocery stores and
big companies alike have had to
make the story behind their foods
as transparent as possible. This
transparency gives consumers
peace of mind while increasing
their perceived value of their food
providers.
!
18. Interested in using these trends to open opportunities
for your brand?!
!
!
!
Contact us!!
brandbuilders@lapineinc.com!
(203) 327-9099
