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Specialty Food Trends are in the Bag

Attending the SF Fancy Food Show isn't all nibbling bon bons and gorging on exotic cheeses. There's some serious business going on between those bites. An important show for anyone in the specialty food trade, distributors, retailers and importers get to decide what will be the next big thing in their markets. Based on my loot, here are a few trends that are brewing.

Mochi is the new gelato. These little rice noodle wrapped dumplings are here to stay. Look for flavors ranging from green tea to coconut to mango. My guess is that in the upcoming years you won't have to look to far.

Salted sweets rule. A sprinkling of sea salt on chocolate or caramel is not new, but becoming more mainstream for sure.

Rethink yogurt.Extra rich Greek-style yogurt, sheeps milk, and goats milk yogurt are stepping up. Basic flavors like plain, vanilla or honey are so rich, they blow the old school artificially flavored varieties out of the water.

Chefs tricks can be purchased by the bottle.Wine reductions, fruit purees, stock concentrates used to differentiate the pros from home cooks. Now, with no additional skills, but a little extra cash, anyone can go from home chef to Top Chef in minutes.

Grain is going strong. We tasted grain based sausages that would make tofu dogs whimper. At another booth, we found polenta sticks and shelf stable pre-cooked oatmeal that will give kid-friendly menus some much needed variety.

What food trends do you expect to see in 09? I have a few more in my bag, but I'm making them last...

Specialty Food Trends are in the Bag posted by Meryl on January 21, 2009 @ 8:02 AM
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