DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Fresh Thyme Market is on a mission to foster healthier communities by providing real, fresh foods, vitamins and body care products. A healthier Midwest-based grocery store. Fresh Thyme releases its second annual food trend forecast for 2025. Driven by a dedicated team that actively sources a wide range of local and national products from trusted vendors, Fresh Thyme has established itself as the go-to grocer for innovation and cutting-edge trends. The report, created in partnership with SPINS, a leading retail data and intelligence provider, is the only of its kind in the region and uses shopping behavior to understand what people in the Midwest shop for. and focuses on the top 10 food trends shaping the way we eat. next year.
“At Fresh Thyme Market, we believe that creating incredible experiences for our shoppers and team members begins long before they walk through the door,” said Liz Zorcak, Fresh Thyme Market President. “Our annual trends report not only helps us understand shopper needs, but by curating the freshest, most innovative local products on our shelves, we’re sure to excite them. Our shoppers are savvy, so it’s important that they know that innovation is at our core and that we can help them discover new products. , before being available elsewhere in the Midwest.”
Below are Fresh Thyme Market’s top 10 predictions for Midwest grocery trends for 2025.
Functional ingredients: Consumers are looking for more than just basic nutrition from their diets, and they are looking for more targeted ingredients with functional ingredients, such as colostrum to boost immunity and probiotic cultures to improve gut health. They will seek out products that incorporate ingredients that provide targeted and specific health benefits.
2. Mushroom evolution: Adaptogenic mushrooms that may help the body deal with stress, anxiety, and fatigue, including varieties such as chaga, lion’s mane, and turkey tail, begin to gain momentum. Probably. We expect to see more mushroom-based products in everyday foods such as pasta, soups and coffee, making it easier for consumers to add their anti-inflammatory and sleep-aiding properties to their diets. .
3. The Rise of Mood-Elevating Non-Alcoholic Beverages (Part II): Non-alcoholic beverages will become more sophisticated as a way to address a variety of holistic needs. For example, drinks made with plant-based mineral ingredients such as kava and magnesium will proliferate due to their mood-enhancing effects. Beverages containing multiple cannabinoids like CBD will also become a trend thanks to their popularity in social environments.
4. Spicy foods take over: Consumers are demanding more complex flavor profiles and increasing the use of more fresh and dried chili peppers, such as ghost chiles, chiles de arbol, and jalapeños, to increase spiciness. will bring. Look out for even more hot sauce varieties. Anything with Pepper-X is not for the faint of heart.
5. Mango in everything (and everywhere!): With mango-flavored products appearing in everything from drinks to snacks, mangoes are finally stepping into the spotlight, and for good reason. . Mangoes are a “nutrient powerhouse” rich in vitamin C, which supports the immune system, and are perfect for adding sweetness and creamy texture to foods, says Megan Sedivy, registered dietitian at Fresh Thyme Market. .
6. Natural sweeteners: Natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and dates will become even more popular in 2025 as consumers continue to look for ways to limit their intake of refined and processed sugars.
7. Improved brain power: With supplements such as ginkgo biloba, magnesium, and GABA on the rise, improving cognitive function will be of interest to everyone. These ingredients are known to increase mental clarity and focus.
8. Head to Seoul: Korean barbecue has grown in popularity in recent years, paving the way for other Korean ingredients like gochujang and kimchi to make their way into more kitchens. This growing trend reflects consumers’ desire to incorporate bolder, more global flavors into their everyday dishes.
9. Next Generation Sustainability: Similar to greenhouse farming and other next generation practices, grains and produce grown using controlled environmental agriculture (CEA) have a significantly lower environmental impact, making it easier to shop for. Naturally, it will be crowded with customers. These products will see explosive growth in the new year because they are not only as delicious as traditionally produced products, but also more sustainable.
10. Prioritize protein: Fresh Thyme is known for fresh protein sources like high-quality meat and seafood, but protein will enter a new category in 2025. Shoppers will flock to more protein-enriched options for everything from cereal. Oatmeal, pasta, pasta sauce, and even flavorful queso or jalapeño turkey burgers add fuel and nutrition.
Fresh Thyme is the Midwest’s leading healthy grocer, serving our communities by providing a selection of innovative products from both established and emerging brands, as well as fresh meat, seafood, produce and more. We aim to inspire you. Fresh Thyme makes it easy to live a delicious and healthy life by providing shoppers with an experience that encourages discovery, both in-store and online.
For more information about the products featured in this year’s trend report, recipe ideas, or the Fresh Thyme market, visit www.freshthyme.com.
About Fresh Thyme Market
Fresh Thyme Market is a community-based grocery store with 70 stores in 10 states in the Midwest, born out of a pure desire to help people live better, healthier lives. At Fresh Thyme Market, we work every day to be a trusted resource in our community to help people access real food at truly affordable prices. Focused on what the community needs, each store offers fresh, natural, organic food at affordable prices. Fresh Thyme Market provides an immersive and intuitive shopping experience to meet people everywhere who are living a healthier lifestyle. For more information, please visit freshthyme.com.
About Spinz
For 20 years, we’ve been on a mission to increase the visibility and accessibility of natural, better-for-you products that help people live their healthiest, best lives and promote sustainable production practices in North America. I have carried it. From our founding in 1997 to today, our data and industry definitions have become the common language of the natural products industry, helping brands communicate their growth to retailers to expand distribution, and helping retailers Helps you understand and maintain points of difference. As the natural products industry emerges as a powerhouse in U.S. retail, we are excited to be part of the movement…as the natural products industry doubles in size once again…and once again reaches a $137 billion market. I have witnessed this with my own eyes. For more information, visit spins.com.
