Each year FlavorSum’s experts gather to map where food and beverage trends are heading. In 2026, we examined the challenges and opportunities linked to the budgetary constraints of brands and shoppers, the evolution of AI, and the power of insurgent brands.

Our two-part predictions series starts with the cultural shifts affecting how people interact with food and drink. Then, we’ll share the taste experiences and flavors that are gaining traction in North America.

Many of the forces shaping 2027 began taking hold in 2026, but new cultural dynamics are changing how people define value, approach nutrition, evaluate brands, and find enjoyment in food and drink.

Getting Choosy

The shopper squeeze of 2026 isn’t going away, but price alone doesn’t explain what earns a place in the cart. Shoppers are becoming more discriminating, evaluating the entire brand proposition and deciding where quality, experience, nutrition, function and price matter most. People are becoming more selective about which products earn their money, attention and appetite.

ASSESSING “WORTH IT” QUALITY

Brands are discovering that lowering prices alone isn’t always enough to win back shoppers. Recent industry research shows people consider much more than price or taste when selecting a food or beverage. Taste, functionality, convenience, and ingredients can all influence the decision. Some brands are succeeding with strategies that tell people how the product delivers quality without compromise.

When we look at food and beverage trends, Circana sales data shows product innovation remains a differentiator. Mid-sized brands, ($100-$499 million annually) moved almost 20 percent of sales through new items. In contrast, companies with $500 million to $1 billion in revenue garnered less than 10 percent through new launches.

THE POWER OF THE EATING EXPERIENCE

Value is fluid and often depends on the context of the experience. A shopper who scrutinizes the price of an everyday grocery item may willingly spend more on a cocktail, specialty coffee, or artisanal pastry. Ambiance, social setting, quality and occasion can elevate food and drink beyond the product itself. Whether the payoff comes from quality, experience, nutrition, or function, products need to deliver on the expectations that made them worth choosing in the first place.

Practical Nutrition

Wellness has become easier to personalize, but more isn’t always better. As people navigate specific health goals and life stages, nutrition is becoming increasingly purposeful. In 2027, products that address a clear need can make healthy choices more practical.

​

YEAR-ROUND RESILIENCE

In response to stressed lifestyles, macroeconomic volatility, and widespread burnout, people are actively seeking foods and beverages that offer a daily preventative framework. Research from ingredient supplier Kemin suggests people are thinking beyond reactive wellness and individual health concerns. Instead, many express interest in solutions that support multiple systems and the energy and vitality associated with long-term well-being.

PROBLEM-SOLVING FOODS AND DRINKS

As we close out 2026 and lean into 2027, more people are choosing foods and beverages with a specific job in mind. Beyond satisfying hunger or delivering great taste, problem-solving products offer a clear benefit tied to a need, occasion or goal. When tracking food and beverage trends, we recognize the continued growth of gummy supplements as an example of a platform that is enjoyable and easily integrated into daily routines. The expansion of functional beverages similarly illustrates how brands are helping people incorporate targeted benefits into familiar consumption occasions.

Show Me Some Respect

People have more information than ever about ingredients, nutrition, processing and sourcing, and they’re becoming more skeptical of simple definitions of what they should or shouldn’t eat. Their scrutiny extends from front-of-pack claims to rigid categorization of shopper choices.

​

AVOID STEALTH HEALTH

Quietly reformulating foods and beverages can annoy or alienate shoppers for several reasons. An unexpected change in a familiar taste profile can lead to dissatisfaction. People may resent changes made to improve a product’s nutrition profile, believing they can balance their personal daily intake. Adding functional ingredients may also introduce physical effects they didn’t choose to experience.

Some brands are responding with on-pack QR codes that give shoppers greater access to ingredient information. Initiatives are also underway to improve the quality of nutritional and ingredient data on shopping apps. Both approaches give people information without prescribing the “right” choice.

TRUST MY JUDGMENT

As people become more knowledgeable about food and beverage ingredients, they want brands to recognize their decision-making autonomy. Lifestyle labels such as “keto” or “vegan” can unintentionally narrow a product’s appeal by signaling that it is intended for a particular type of shopper.

Label literacy is also on the rise, with almost six in 10 shoppers reading ingredient statements most of the time. Industry research suggests that plainly stating ingredients and nutritional facts will build more trust than front-of-pack marketing claims. Brands need to provide clear, credible information and trust people to decide whether a food or beverage fits their individual needs and priorities.

Permission to Play

With budgets, nutrition and other everyday choices demanding more attention, people are making room for experiences that don’t need to accomplish anything beyond enjoyment. Play offers a welcome counterbalance, inviting experimentation, participation and self-expression. Food and beverage brands are responding with products people can remix, reveal, collect, customize, share and simply enjoy.

A BLISSFUL BREAK

Our 2026 food and beverage forecast explored how playful interactive formats and flavors could help people connect with each other and with brands. In 2027, we’re watching play move beyond the product to become a broader cultural need.

Against a backdrop of economic pressures, wellness tracking and other everyday stressors, playful experiences offer a low-stakes break. Surprise, personalization, and experimentation give people opportunities to step outside routines and enjoy food and drink without needing to optimize the experience.

PLAY ALONG

The appeal of play shows in recent food and beverage trends about innovation that invites participation. From pouches that transform into slushies and shopper-designed labels to confectionary-inspired clothing, brands are giving people more ways to interact with products beyond consuming them. Customizing, creating, revealing, and sharing can turn a product into an experience people help shape.

Shared experiences such as guessing mystery flavors, submitting package designs, remixing familiar drinks or participating in limited drops can turn individual consumption into collective play. For brands, the opportunity is to go beyond playful products to give people a role in the play.

Turning Cultural Shifts into Product Experiences

The 2027 cultural shifts point to a more nuanced outlook for food and beverage innovation. People are getting choosier about what earns their attention and spend. They want nutrition to solve practical needs, brands to respect their judgment, and experiences that leave room for participation and play.

For formulators, the strongest food and beverage concepts may address several of these shifts, delivering clear value or function with a product people genuinely want to eat, drink and share.

Coming next: How can flavor help translate changing expectations into desirable food and beverage experiences?

If you have questions about our 2027 Cultural Shifts forecast or need support with your upcoming innovation plans, contact our team.