Functional, novel, and plant-based: The 8 food and beverage trends ushering in 2023
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Recently, Suzy teamed up with Exploding Topics to uncover eight new food and beverage trends and to learn how consumers feel about these products.
From the increased interest in plant-based foods to the change in snack preferences from healthy to salty, consumer interest in food and beverage trends changes rapidly. F&B brands need to keep up with shifts in consumer attitudes, feelings, and behaviors to understand what products to create, what flavors to use, and where to invest their research and development.
Recently, Suzy teamed up with Exploding Topics to uncover eight new food and beverage trends in 2022 and to learn how consumers feel about these products. We’ll dig into each trend, uncover consumer attitudes and behaviors, and leave you with some tasty takeaways for beverages, plant-based foods, and health foods.
Top Beverage Trends
THC Seltzers
Over the next five years, the market for cannabis beverages is forecasted to grow 21x. Cannabis beverages offer double the appeal for some consumers. Not only can they replace an alcoholic beverage, but they can also consume the compound in a more socially acceptable form compared to smoking. THC seltzers, non-alcoholic beverages infused with THC, are trending in the cannabis beverage space.
In our survey, over half (52%) of consumers said they don’t currently consume cannabis. Of those that do, 17% currently drink cannabis beverages. The top THC beverages consumers are most interested in were tea (34%), lemonade (32%), and seltzer/sparkling water (24%).
Regarding THC seltzers, nearly a third of respondents (27%) are familiar with them, but the bulk (43%) said they were not at all familiar with the product. Only 8% of respondents currently consume THC seltzer a few times a month. 7% said they consume it a few times a week. The majority of respondents (73%) said they never consume THC seltzers.
That could be due to availability and access. Major THC seltzer brands, like Wynk, are only available in a few states. While interest is high for brands like Wynk (Exploding Topics reports that searches for “Wynk seltzer” have increased by 7x over the last 24 months), the product isn’t available for most consumers right now.
Many consumers (42%) do find the idea of THC seltzers appealing. Those respondents who found THC seltzers appealing were willing to buy the product if it was available near them. About 2% of those that found THC seltzers appealing saw it as a replacement for alcohol.
Lychee Tea
According to Exploding Topics, the topic “lychee” has seen a 125% increase in searches over the past five years. And the Mintel database reports that the number of lychee-based product launches increased by over 55% last year. The product category is gaining traction as studies suggest that consuming lychees can help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
38% of consumers are already familiar with lychee tea, while 31% are not. And several respondents said they already drink lychee tea, with 14% consuming it weekly and 7% drinking it daily.
Nearly half (49%) of consumers find lychee tea appealing, and over half (51%) indicated they would be willing to buy it if it was available where they shop. 43% of those that find lychee tea appealing say it’s because of the “taste/flavor,” and 14% said it sounded “good”. Several respondents mentioned that they’ve already eaten the fruit of lychee, so they think the tea would taste good too. Others highlighted the draw of the “different” taste of lychee tea. Some of the other top words consumers used to describe the appeal include “delicious,” “refreshing,” and “unique.”
Other lychee beverage trends consumers are interested in trying is juice (53%), soda (39%), water (39%), and bubble/boba tea (31%).
Crystal Boba Tea
Hailing from Taiwan, boba or bubble tea is an increasingly popular beverage trend in the US. In 2019, the bubble tea market's value was 2.4 billion dollars. It’s predicted to be worth 4.3 billion dollars by 2027.
Boba comes in flavors and forms, from traditional black tapioca pearls to flavor bursting bubbles to the latest boba trend, crystal boba. Unlike traditional boba pearls that are flavorless, crystal boba have a citrus flavor and can easily take on rainbow hues with food coloring. According to Exploding Topics, crystal boba has gone viral on TikTok, with videos mentioning the product gathering over 960 million views on the platform.
According to our survey, 11% of Americans say boba tea is one of the teas they drink most often.
The most important thing when Americans order boba tea is taste (69%). Next, they like unique flavors (55%), customizable options (38%), and unique textures (28%). The types of boba they usually choose are flavored boba (32%), brown sugar boba (25%), and traditional black tapioca boba (22%).
62% of consumers who drink boba tea are familiar with crystal boba, with 34% saying they’re very familiar with it. Of those that drink crystal boba, 21% said they drink it a few times a week, and 20% said they drink it a few times a month. 13% said they drink it daily.
72% of boba tea drinkers find crystal boba appealing, with 33% saying it is very appealing. The factors that appeal to them most are “texture” (21%), “taste” (14%), and “flavor” (10%). These consumers also indicated a strong likelihood that they would purchase crystal boba if available near them (77%).
Probiotic Soda
76% of consumers say gut health is important to them, with over a third (35%) saying it’s very important, according to one recent Suzy survey. Products with probiotics are seemingly everywhere too. Currently, consumers eat yogurt (55%), take probiotic supplements (29%), and drink probiotic beverages, like kombucha (21%), to support their gut health. Over a third (31%) don’t use any products to support their gut health.
Kombucha spurred the interest in a new bacteria beverage trend, probiotic soda. Exploding Topics explains that the demand for these beverages is growing as part of increasing interest in products that support gut health. The market for functional beverages is forecasted to grow to $265B by 2030.
Consumers aren’t all that familiar with probiotic soda. Just over a third (32%) were somewhat familiar with it, but a larger group (39%) said they weren’t at all familiar with probiotic soda. Only 13% of respondents said they drink probiotic soda a few times a week, and 10% said they drink it a few times a month.
Despite their unfamiliarity with the product, almost half (44%) of respondents find probiotic soda appealing. Of those that found probiotic soda appealing, 19% cited “health,” and 15% cited “benefits.” Another 9% believe probiotic soda is “healthy,” and 9% said it was because of “taste.” Those who find probiotic soda largely indicated they would be willing to purchase it if it was at where they shop.
Beverage Takeaways:
Access is important. For all the beverage trends we explored, most consumers were willing to purchase the product if available near them.
Unsurprisingly, the taste is often the most important factor in a beverage (unless it’s a functional drink). For functional beverages, the perception of “healthiness” is influential.
Familiarity helps consumers try the novel. If a consumer is already familiar with a certain flavor, they’re more interested in trying a beverage with that flavor (more on that later).
Plant-Based Food Trends
Sesame Milk
Whether consumers are trying to avoid lactose or shrink their carbon footprint, plant-based milk is now regularly part of 50% of American diets, according to a recent survey from Suzy. Of the consumers that currently drink plant-based milk, almond is the one 73% drink most often. Oat (44%), coconut (35%), and soy milk (28%) are among the most-consumed plant-based milks.
People with nut allergies need options outside of the traditional nut-based milks. Enter sesame milk, currently trending as a dairy-free and nut-free milk alternative. An upcycled milk, sesame milk is part of a market expected to grow twice as fast as the market for traditional milk.
The most important factor for plant-based milk drinkers is taste (33%). Nutrition (17%) and price (15%) are next on the list.
Most respondents (52%) are unfamiliar with sesame milk, with 36% saying they are not at all familiar with the product. Of those familiar, 14% drink sesame milk a few times a week, and 9% drink it a few times a month.
Nearly half (44%) of respondents think sesame milk is appealing, and 47% would be willing to buy sesame if it was available near them. 18% said the “taste,” and 12% said “flavor” was appealing. Another 12% see sesame milk as “healthy.”
Plant-Based Lamb
Interest in and adoption of plant-based meats is slowly rising. Over a third (35%) of Americans indicated that they currently eat plant-based meats. That’s pretty significant, considering only 4% of Americans claim to be vegetarian, and only 1% claim to be vegan, according to a recent Suzy survey.
Most of the growth in the category comes from plant-based chicken, pork, and cow meat. Of the plant-based meats respondents eat the most often, chicken (61%), beef (60%), and ground meat (49%) were at the top of the list. But niche plant-based meats are also on the rise. Take turkey, for example. In our survey, 32% of plant-based meat eaters said they eat it most often. An estimated 10% of the 45 million turkeys sold for Thanksgiving in 2021 were plant-based. So, what about other meats, like plant-based lamb?
Nearly half (46%) of plant-based meat eaters weren’t at all familiar with faux lamb. 22% were very familiar with the protein. 16% of respondents said they eat plant-based lamb a few times a week, and another 16% said they eat it a few times a month. 9% of plant-based meat eaters said they eat faux lamb daily.
Respondents have some strong opinions about plant-based lamb. While 23% said they found the product not at all appealing, 26% found it very appealing. The remainder of respondents fell somewhere between, with most coming out on the side of finding it somewhat appealing. Nearly a third (28%) indicated they would be very willing to shop for plant-based lamb if it was available near them.
16% of respondents that found plant-based lamb appealing cited “taste,” and 12% said “flavor.” Another 13% believe that plant-based lamb is “healthy.”
Plant-Based Foods Takeaways:
Plant-based foods are now part of the American diet. It’s not just vegans and vegetarians who eat and drink meat- and dairy-free products.
As we found in another article, the perception of “healthiness” is a big selling point for plant-based foods.
Niche plant-based products, like sesame milk and faux lamb, have some awareness marketing and educating to do, seeing as most consumers aren’t aware of these products.
Health Food Trends
Keto Granola
Keto granola is a grain-free breakfast or snack food made up of mixed nuts and natural sweeteners. Exploding Topics considers keto granola part of the “craveable keto” meta trend. Certified keto products have reached $455M in sales over the past 13 months — a 31.5% year-over-year increase. And search interest in keto snacks remains strong.
In our survey, 65% of consumers said they weren’t currently following a diet. 7% said they were on the keto diet.
The snacks keto dieters currently eat include yogurt (59%), mixed nuts (51%), and chips (45%). 39% said they currently eat grain-free granola.
65% of keto dieters are already familiar with keto granola. 33% of keto dieters said they eat keto granola a few times a week, while 20% said they eat it daily. 19% eat it a few times a month.
The most important factors to keto dieters when it comes to snacks are low-carb (21%) or zero-carb (12%), taste (13%), and protein content (11%). Keto granola is very appealing to keto dieters; 74% indicated that it’s an appealing product, with 31% saying that it’s very appealing. When asked why keto granola is appealing, 14% indicated “low-carb” or “zero-carbs.” 33% are very likely to buy keto granola if it’s at a store where they usually shop.
Date Syrup
With the decline in the popularity of traditional sugar alternatives, like agave syrup and many artificial sweeteners, there’s a new demand for more natural, organic, and healthier sugar alternatives, like date syrup.
A popular syrup in the Middle East, date syrup is made by extracting the sugars from boiling dates. It’s not just sweet but packed with nutrients like zinc, magnesium, calcium, and vitamins. Sometimes, date syrup can be used to treat inflammation and angiogenesis.
Currently, most Americans (57%) sweeten with sugar. 45% use honey, and 35% use maple syrup. 11% use agave. Only 5% currently use date syrup. Taste is the most important factor for 45% of respondents. 22% said they like a natural sweetener, and 8% say sugar-free.
Most consumers (41%) were not at all familiar with date syrup. Those that do use it a few times a week (11%), and 10% said they use it a few times a month.
43% find date syrup somewhat appealing, and 45% indicated they would be willing to buy it at their regular grocery store. 18% of respondents that find date syrup appealing say it’s because it’s “natural.” 17% cited “taste,” and 10% said “flavor.” Like with lychee, familiarity with the prime ingredient seems to be key. If consumers were familiar with and liked or loved the taste of dates already, date syrup was more interesting to them (16%).
Health Food Takeaways:
Health foods need to taste good, but they also need to serve their function. Keto must be low- or no-carb, and a sweetener like date syrup appeals because it’s “natural.”
Familiarity with the ingredients helps with product trial and adoption.
Health foods remain extremely niche.
Last Words
Knowing what consumers expect and want from food and beverage brands and the trends they’re interested in can help your brand stay ahead of the curve. While these high-level consumer insights can be helpful, it’s even better to directly survey your target consumers to learn what they want and need and how your brand can deliver it.
As an end-to-end consumer insights platform that integrates quant, qual, and high quality audiences into a single connected research cloud, Suzy helps teams conduct iterative research, with agency-quality rigor, in less time and at a fraction of the cost. Learn what food and beverage trends your consumers are most interested in with Suzy.
Exploding Topics helps investors and entrepreneurs find exploding trends before they take off by analyzing millions of searches, conversations, and mentions across the internet.
