Dallas-based DMA Solutions covers topics from drones and demand forecasting to snacking and store design in its latest annual food trends report.
The report examines factors behind the growth happening in the frozen foods section, layout and assortment changes happening in stores, and various food and beverage trends beyond produce. Functional food, alternative butters and flours, and canned wine are a few of the growing segments DMA described in the report.
The firm also explored how consumer trends in areas like sustainability and entertaining are influencing how people eat.
Marketing perspective in the report included commentary from social media influencers about how they expect food photography and eating occasions to factor into what kinds of images will get the most traction on various social media platforms in the coming year.
Influencer Ashley Walterhouse mentioned that “white and bright” and “light and airy” photos seem to be trending now more than darker ones.
“The sale of Lightroom Presets by digital creators will even further affect the social landscape this year as everyday food or photo enthusiasts have access to pre-done editing templates,” Walterhouse said. “This will not only lend more people’s content a professional and cohesive look, it will also extend the reach of influencer photography trends as more social media users copy their editing styles.”
Another influencer, Ginger Marie, noted that she has noticed more people including captions on their images rather than only in the body of a post.
“Whether by including the name of each item on the plate or simply the subject of the post, food influencers are catching on to the fact that when it comes to social media, you only have a millisecond to catch viewers’ attention,” she said.
Other topics included in the report were regenerative farming, regional cuisines and consumer outreach efforts by ranchers.
“We understand the complexity of the food industry and the challenge of keeping up with all the developments, which is why we are dedicated to providing this annual resource for marketers to stay ahead of the curve when strategizing on behalf of their brands,” Dan’l Mackey Almy, president and CEO of DMA Solutions, said in a news release. “Based on insight from our vantage point in the food space, being able to capitalize on trends will positively inform many aspects of marketing and business decisions this year.”