Trends do not come from a vacuum. They are the result of larger forces at play influencing mass consumer decision-making.
Two of these macro forces are powerful and deeply resonant: next-generation globally-inspired eating, and personal health and wellbeing concerns.
CPGs and restaurants are innovating to meet these consumer need states and are relying on cultural touchpoints to do so—one of the most salient being nostalgia.
“People want food that reminds them of something, but they don’t want it the same way they had it ten years ago. They want it updated, personalized and a little more interesting,” Michael DiBeneditto, CEO of Golden Waffles told FI.
He added that global influence and flavor mashups will keep growing because they deliver that sense of discovery. Newstalgia is becoming a modality to support experimentation, balancing the familiar and the new.
Additionally, this nuance characterizes the modern home chef. Eric Skae, CEO of Carbone Fine Foods, explained that kitchen experimentation relies on a blend of adventure and familiarity.
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