As many consumers hope for a fresh start in 2022, the ongoing pandemic will play a major role in shaping food and beverage trends regardless of whether COVID-19 itself finally becomes a thing of the past.

The virus’ effect will be especially noticeable in health and wellness, with functional ingredients such as adaptogens, nootropics, and CBD making their way into new product categories.

Plant-based meat, which has seen tremendous growth during the past two years, will continue to evolve, with more progress made on the form and texture of products. And Generation Z is maturing into adulthood and will shape trends with its interest in ethical sourcing, sustainability, and local food.

The new year also is expected to provide a boost to private label as inflation, a draw-down in savings and better-quality products attract new consumers to the category or bring back those who chose to stock up on more familiar brand names throughout the pandemic. Meanwhile, CPGs that are not only facing higher expenses but also supply-chain disruptions will continue to see ongoing labor shortages disrupt their operations.

After conversations with industry experts and analysts, here is a breakdown of the six biggest trends that Food Dive predicts will impact the food and beverage industry in 2022.

  1. Gen Z gets ready to take over
  2. Functional ingredients find new applications
  3. Plant-based meat takes on new forms
  4. Value returns
  5. Greens embrace the branded approach 
  6. Labor continues to weigh on supply

Read the full article about food supply trends by Christopher Doering, Megan Poinski, and Chris Casey at Food Dive.