The 2022 Winter Fancy Food Show took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center on February 6-8, 2022, where our team attended to bring you the inside scoop on new product trends. It was exciting to see many of our specialty food and beverage brands on RangeMe eager to showcase their products to attending buyers.
As our team walked the rows of exhibitors and learned about the products on display, there were a handful of trends we believe will gain even more momentum in 2022 than they have over the last couple of years.
What was trending at the Winter Fancy Food Show?
Here are some of the top food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) trends we saw at the Winter Fancy Food Show:
Let’s shiitake ‘bout it!
Make room for mushrooms. Mushrooms are blooming into the snack scene and we can’t help but notice. Brands like Mush Garden, Pan’s Mushroom Jerky, and Roam’s Mushroom Crisps are re-imagining the way we snack, whether you’re a vegan or carnivore. This isn’t that surprising, given consumers have high demands for today’s snacks when it comes to choosing healthy options without sacrificing flavor. For example, Mush Garden’s Chips puts a spin on the traditional potato chip, except this snack is made entirely from shiitake mushrooms, making them all-natural, vegan, and non-GMO. Even better, they have no trans fats or cholesterol.
Discover mushroom products on RangeMe here.
Mmm, matcha say?
Matcha, the ancient tea blend dating back to the 8th century, is still being used today and it’s not going anywhere! The demand for healthy, clean caffeine (meaning caffeine without the jitters or crash) has encouraged many brands to incorporate matcha into their products. Matcha is no longer just for teas and lattes, they have made their way into energy drinks, canned ready-to-drink lattes, granola bars, baked goods, and more. Matcha Love’s plant-based energy drinks are providing boosts that include immunity and focus.
Discover matcha products on RangeMe here.
No time to wait.
The pandemic has increased the demand and need for convenience. Ready-to-heat food that makes cooking simple and fast were seen throughout the show. Healthy microwaveable sides and instant meals are becoming more popular among Gen Z, who want to save time on cooking preparations and make more time for other activities. Kitchen & Love’s pre-cooked grains and vegetables can be ready in 90 seconds. They have an assortment of pouches such as riced cauliflower, quinoa, basmati rice, and more.
Retail buyers are listening to the demand for ready-to-heat meals! Frozen foods was one of the most searched keywords among U.S. buyers on RangeMe in 2021.
Discover ready-to-heat products on RangeMe here.
Discover frozen foods on RangeMe here.
OutstandingBRANDING.
With a saturated market full of products, brands are searching for ways to stand out on store shelves, whether that’s in-person or online. At the show we saw multiple packaging exhibitors helping brands find new ways to stand out on the shelf and pick winning packaging designs. We also saw several suppliers debuting their new packaging designs. Sustainable and clear packaging seemed to be the most popular packaging design trends at the show.
With more events like 2022 Global Market: Spring Buying Days and Natural Products Expo West taking place this March, we hope you can leverage these insights when connecting with retail buyers. And in the meantime, if you’re looking to revamp your packaging designs, discover packaging providers in RangeMe Services who are excited to help you stand out.
Connect with some of our packing specialists on RangeMe Services here.
Did you attend the Winter Fancy Food Show or plan on attending discovery events like Global Market in the future? Remember to leverage your RangeMe profile when following-up with retail buyers. Learn more here!