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Comfort food is the top trend among product entries in this year’s Specialty Food Association sofi Awards competition.
As consumers continue to navigate the disruption and unrest of the past year, familiar, simple flavors, and nostalgic and retro products are in demand, and stand out among 1500 entries in 49 award categories. More plant-based options of classic comfort fare are also entering the market. Despite an emphasis on comfort, however, with people sticking closer to home than ever before a need for global favors and interesting options is also still prevalent.
Here are some of the trends from the 2021 sofi Awards competition:
Comfort food. Classic and retro recipes and ingredients are common across sofi categories this year, which showcase comfort items like chocolate chip cookie and vanilla ice cream sandwiches, deviled egg seasoning, French onion soup, classic milk chocolate bars, pigs in a blanket, and brownie stuffed cookie dough. Classic dessert flavors also appear in nontraditional categories, including a blueberry cinnamon crumble tisane and a banana bread snack bar. Products such as plant-based Bolognese sauce and oat butter popcorn extended the comfort food trend to consumers seeking meat or dairy alternatives.
Global and restaurant-quality food at home. First identified by the SFA Trendspotter panel as a top trend for 2021, as people turned to daily cooking and eating at home they sought to recreate experiences they previously enjoyed during travel and dining out. Global and restaurant-level flavors and recipes are going strong among sofi entrants, including Vietnamese coffee, Sicilian capers in wine vinegar, Maine Shore lobster dinners for two, Indian hot sauce featuring the Guntur Sannam chili pepper, Pibil simmer sauce based on a Yucatan dish, and plant-based street tacos.
Functional and better-for-you ingredients. The pandemic made health concerns a focus and consumers are looking for functional benefits and healthier options in their foods and beverages. Beverage categories showcase the most functional options like blue sage honey shrubs, blueberry collagen, avocado seed brew, and konjac jelly soda, which is associated with cholesterol management. Snacks and treat categories reveal several better-for-you options including butternut squash cinnamon stalks, sea buckthorn popcorn, and ice cream snacks in flavors like butternut squash and butterscotch.
As for flavor trends, two in particular stand out and exemplify the current consumer interest in both familiar flavors and more upscale profiles in everyday products.
Cherry. This classic flavor shows up in condiments, beverages, bars, hot cereals, and sweet treats. Products include: chocolate almond goji cherry energy bars; cherry juice; cherry, almond and linseed toasts; Amarena cherry balsamic vinegar; sour cherry soda; jalapeño cherry barbecue sauce; cherry cacao oat porridge; cherry and Aleppo pepper mostarda; and bourbon cherry chocolate ice cream.
Truffle. The second sofi flavor trend leans toward luxury and in some cases elevates common products like mayonnaise and pasta sauce. Truffles are an ingredient in several entries including black truffle butter (including a plant-based variety), truffle pasta sauce, Brie and Gouda cheeses flavored with truffles, black truffle mayo, truffle crisps, and truffle hot sauce.
Find a full list of 2021 sofi winners in the Gold, Silver, and New Product categories here.
Related: SFA Announces 2021 sofi Award Winners; SFA Announces 2020 sofi Award Winners.
from Food Trends https://ift.tt/3nRpKzh
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