Sriracha, truffle ketchup, quinoa chips—oh my! There are some interesting, tasty trends in the world of specialty food right now. Here are the top specialty food trends picked out at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, according to the Specialty Food Association.
1) Sriracha
The spicy Thai chilli sauce is appearing in snacks, chocolates, and even jams.
- The Jam Stand, Not Just Peachy, Sriracha Jam
- Hope Foods, Hope Hummus Organic Sriracha Hummus
- Simply Sprouted Way Better Snacks, Simply Spicy Sriracha Tortilla Chips
- The Popcorn Factory, Lite Works Popcorn! Sriracha
2) Snacks and Chips, Beyond the Potato
There is a rise in the supply and demand for unique and healthy snacks.
- Vintage Italia, Pasta Chips
- Simply 7, Quinoa Chips
- Simply Sprouted Way Better Snack, Pitaaah Chips
- 479° Popcorn, Toasted Sesame + Seaweed Popcorn
- Rhythm Superfoods, Super Food Chip
3) Low-Sugar Drinks
Low-sugar can have a tasteless connotation, but these drinks actually sound delicious.
- Califia Farms, Pure Unsweetened Almond Milk
- Xumma, Xumma Semi Sweet Cola
- Bruce Cost Ginger Ale, Bruce Cost Ginger Ale “66”
- Numi Organic Tea, Indulgent Tea, Chocolate Earl Grey
- Big Tree Farms, Coco Hydro
4) Minty Flavors
Mint is appearing in more and more foods this year.
- Torn Ranch, Dark Chocolate Mint Mélange
- Silk Road Soda, Cucumber with Mint, New Brands on the Shelf
- GoodPop All-Natural Frozen Pops, Hibiscus Mint
- Seely Mint, Mint Patties
- Victoria’s Kitchen, Mint & Licorice Almond Water
5) Unexpected Condiments
Classic condiments such as ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise are mixing with some surprising new ingredients.
- Victoria Amory, Fine Herbs Mayonnaise
- Stonewall Kitchen, Truffle Ketchup
- Fischer & Wieser, Salted Caramel Mustard Sauce
- Amoretti, Premium Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil infused with Kalamata Olives
- Lillie’s Q Barbeque Sauces & Rubs, Ivory
The trendspotter panel included: Ashley Koff, RD, founder of The AKA List; Nancy Hopkins, Better Homes and Gardens; Kara Nielsen, food and beverage consumer strategist; Denise Purcell, senior director, content, for the Specialty Food Association; Jerry James Stone, blogger at Cooking Stoned; and Joanne Weir, host of PBS’s “Joanne Weir’s Cooking Confidence.”
