These could be the next hot food and drink trends
Pasta is coming back in different shapes and flavors, drinking vinegar is cool, and comfort food favorites like pancakes are being made with new ingredients.
That’s according to the hundreds of items on display at the Summer Fancy Food Show, a trade show that has gained a reputation for being a place to spot the next big flavors and foods that will dominate restaurant menus and grocery store shelves. The show returned for the first time since the pandemic this week, running Sunday through Tuesday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.
More than 1,800 exhibitors displayed specialty food and drinks for restaurant owners, foodservice operators and other industry players. The trade show, which is hosted by the Specialty Food Association, in the past has featured up-and-coming trends including fermented foods, floral flavors and packaged snacks made with cauliflower.
Here are some highlights from this year’s show spotted by the trade group and CNBC:
Pasta revamped
Carbone’s booth at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show highlighted its new line of pasta sauces
Amelia Lucas | CNBC
Pasta is back − but in flavors and shapes people likely haven’t tried before.
The SFA’s trend spotters said new noodle shapes are hitting the U.S. market, such as cascatelli, a j-shaped pasta with ridges. Pasta makers are also experimenting with different flavors and ingredients. Greenomic Deli, for example, showed off cacao-infused pasta as part of its Good Hair Day line.
After years of lagging sales growth, noodles in general are staging a comeback, according to the SFA’s preliminary trend report for the trade show. People who had cut back on carbs started eating pasta again during the pandemic as they cooked more at home and sought comfort food.
Plant-based comfort foods
Rind’s vegan cheese tasting display at the Summer Fancy Food Show
Amelia Lucas | CNBC
The latest plant-based foods aren’t milk or meat substitutes. Instead, they’re about giving people another way to indulge in comfort foods, according to the SFA.
The up-and-coming category is meant to appeal to people who want plant-based versions of their favorite snacks and treats. Whoa Dough showed off vegan cookie dough bars with four grams of protein at its table, while Rind displayed plant-based cheeses that mimic the richness of blue and camembert cheese. Bean Bops presented its crispy fava beans, with packaging that touts its protein content.
Pancakes
Happy Grub’s squeezable instant pancake mix on display at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show
Amelia Lucas | CNBC
One comfort food seemed to get extra attention from exhibitors: pancakes.
Companies presented their takes on the breakfast favorite, playing with both packaging and ingredients. Happy Grub presented its squeezable instant pancake mix, designed for parents and children to use together. Jus Chill International’s pancake mix swaps out traditional all-purpose flour for a flour made from breadfruit, a starchy tropical fruit it sources from Jamaica.