The near-term future for food and drink presents a mix of opportunities, challenges and consumer sentiments. Novel, tasty and flavour-flexing edibles are primed to offer moments of indulgence and escapism for comfort seekers. But wellness never seems to be far from mind, whether it’s safeguarding the wellbeing of tomorrow’s ageing population or futureproofing future generations’ diets.
The Gourmet Grocery Boom
More than ever, food and drink can be markers of prestige, aspiration and social standing. Upmarket retailers are responding to the heightened interest in novel, experiential and artisanal food and drink with artfully packaged showstopper ranges that look as wonderful as they taste.
These deluxe products come with hefty price tags – a strategy proving commercially advantageous for innovative players. Los Angeles-based gourmet grocer Erewhon – known for its luxury health focus and celebrity-designed smoothies costing up to $23 – is now four times more successful per sq ft than the industry standard (Bloomberg, 2024). Testament to this success, the chain will open its 11th store in 2025 that will likely retail superfoods such as activated charcoal and sea moss gel.
Wellbeing is a key driver, as consumers demonstrate willingness to spend on health-supportive ingredients, including premium plant-based edibles and produce. Plant-based gourmet delicacies, like vegan caviar, made from seaweed or algae, are a sustainable yet deluxe twist on traditional luxury eats. French plant-based caviar brand Ancrée leverages chia seeds and seaweed for an all-natural condiment that mimics the taste and texture of caviar while staying planet-positive.
Premiumisation is also influencing mainstream purveyors. British supermarket Waitrose now offers five “highest standard” Wagyu beef products, including burgers, sirloin and rib-eye steak. In early 2024, select branches of American discount retailer Costco stocked bottles of Screaming Eagle Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for $3,699.99 each. By demonstrating its ability to source this difficult-to-find tipple, Costco traded on its in-the-know status and industry influence, making itself more attractive to well-heeled shoppers seeking exclusive ‘drops’.
Meanwhile, as luxury grocers boost covetability (and prices) of upscale commodities, the alcohol sector is releasing rare and exclusive expressions in fine-art-evoking packaging. Marking 200 years since its inception, Scottish whisky distillery Glenlivet presents its oldest expression – a 55-year-old single malt – nestled in a dramatic spherical decanter that evokes a rugged Scottish landscape. It costs a staggering £43,500 ($55,580).
Mainstreaming Food Intellectualism
Tomorrow’s Food Intellectuals will become increasingly fastidious when it comes to the food and drink they consume. People will be more aware of the potential toxins and contaminants in their diets, especially as product recalls – from listeria-infected plant-based milks to contaminated cinnamon – continue to erode trust in FMCG brands. In the US, nearly 90% of animal protein products were found to contain microplastics (Ocean Conservancy, 2024), while ‘forever chemicals’ are present in freshwater fish.
This heightened awareness will galvanise greater consumer pushback against processed foods – especially when it comes to children’s diets. Currently, ultra-processed foods comprise 66% of adolescents’ daily calorie intake (FoodManufacture, 2024). New legislation must seek to remedy this for the wellbeing of future generations.
Another concern is the proliferation of fake/doctored products – from olive oil to ‘unicorn’ wines and ashwagandha. In fact, 46% of European honey is suspected to be adulterated with syrups.
Helpful tech must be employed by brands, industry bodies and governments to clean up food supplies. Artificial intelligence is already identifying contamination and could reduce plastic waste from the food system. Meanwhile, a novel electrochemical sensor from the University of São Paulo’s researchers detects pesticides in fresh produce. Access to such tools will provide a degree of reassurance for tomorrow’s anxious food consumers.
We’ll also need to consider how resistance to processed/artificial foods will impact the cell-cultivated industry. Italy, alongside Florida and Alabama, has already banned sales of lab-grown meat. However, if this unique agricultural process is promoted as ‘clean’ and ethical, it could still reap widespread commercial success among hesitant consumers.
Serving the Seniors
Between 1974 and 2024, the global population of 65-year-olds nearly doubled, from 5.5% to 10.3%; between 2024 and 2074, this proportion will increase to 20.7%, while the number of those aged 80 and over will more than triple (UN, 2024).
An ageing population necessitates nutrition that supports advanced life stages. Unfolding scientific research will inform future product development: cue new links between poor gut bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease, obesity’s negative impact on the ageing brain and sugar’s detrimental effect on biological age.
Wellbeing-minded food, beverage and supplement brands must prioritise seniors’ diets. Nestlé has already pledged to do so via a special emphasis on muscle-mass retention during ageing. Meanwhile, American supplements company Thorne is exploring ways to determine later-life risks, like dementia, and tailor supplementation accordingly.
Brands must also nurture seniors’ holistic wellness. Take inspiration from US-based non-profit The Good Life’s cooking classes for older POC. Inclusion must extend to food and drink product marketing. It needn’t be ‘serious’: acknowledging boomers’ penchant for sherry, Spanish association Consejo Regulador Jerez-Xérès-Sherry’s new campaign nods to “grandma’s favourite drink”.
Brands must also nurture seniors’ holistic wellness. Take inspiration from US-based non-profit The Good Life’s cooking classes for older POC. Inclusion must extend to food and drink product marketing. It needn’t be ‘serious’: acknowledging boomers’ penchant for sherry, Spanish association Consejo Regulador Jerez-Xérès-Sherry’s new campaign nods to “grandma’s favourite drink”.
