Featuring thousands of products from around the world, on display within 4 halls and 3 full days, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) Summer Fancy Food Show ran from June 23-25 in New York City. Our Supplier & Category Management Team spent 3 days looking for exciting new products and just as importantly- new supplier relationships. So what did they find? Let’s take a look at their picks for trends to watch:
1. Yummy Yuzu: Yuzu citrus is an Asian hybrid citrus fruit that has bright flavors of orange and lemon zest. This delicate flavor lends itself well to sauces, jams, and beverages. Our team saw lots of yuzu beverages at the show, along with a marmalade and a hot sauce. This flavor is also super trendy in cocktails right now, so beverages is a natural shift for retail. At Chex, we have several yuzu products in our portfolio from drink mixers to condiments to salty snacks. We are excited to see this trend continue, and our current yuzu portfolio really shine.
2. Sour Cherry: If you’ve been on Tiktok at all in the past year, you’ve heard about tart cherry’s natural magnesium levels that launched the “sleepy girl mocktail.” We are seeing this trend now pop up in other products, like snacks, granolas, and spreads. Chex is launching a Tart Cherry juice with Black River this summer. This juice is not only highly trendy, but incredibly delicious and has natural functional properties.
3. Better with Buckwheat: Despite it’s name, buckwheat is not a wheat at all, it’s a seed. Naturally gluten free and produced with a lower environmental impact than traditional wheat and grain products, Buckwheat is the next superfood trend. We spotted Buckwheat in both pasta and granola at Fancy Food. We also saw our friends at Diggables with their delicious Buckwheat puffs. And ICYMI, we just launched a brand new buckwheat cracker line last month with Better With Buckwheat!
4. Fun Formats: As for broader trends, the team is seeing imaginative food innovation on the rise. Amongst those brands getting creative with ingredients and formats was S’Noods “Everyone’s Favorite Noodle Chip” which is just that- a chip made out of a pasta noodle! This exciting new product is launching at Chex this summer!
5. Mocktails & More: Everyone knows that Mocktails are having a moment, but this trend continues to expand beyond NA beer and wine to include a wide range of mocktails and infused NA beverages offering a drink that feels special and specialty, without the alcohol. Our team loved the mushroom infused aperitifs and will be following this trend closely as it evolves to ensure our assortment evolves alongside it.
The specialty food industry continues to be on at the forefront of emerging trends across a wide range of categories. We are proud to represent Chex at the fancy food show each summer; helping to discover and bring new and innovative products to our retailers; helping them stay ahead of the curve- and the competition!
Curious what other exciting products Chex carries? Save the date for CHEXPO 2025 January 29th 2025 at the Rhode Island Convention Center. See you there!
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