Food and drink trends 2025

January 2, 2025

What’s new on the horizon for 2025 when it comes to food and drink trends?  

Here are 12 new themes to look out for (as featured in our quarterly Infuse magazine) to get your taste buds tingling. For more professional insights, recipes and ideas - read the full magazine online here.  


1. PLANT-BASED PROTEINS

Plant-based food technology is developing all the time, so don’t expect the demand for meatless menus to go anywhere in 2025. However, vegan and vegetarian diners will be on the lookout for great-tasting, high-protein and microbiome-boosting dishes based on more natural proteins, such as mushrooms like Lion’s Mane, seaweed or algae


2. GET SWICY 

Hot honey, habanero jam, tamarind chilli chutney – the sweet and spicy (or ‘swicy’) tribe is continuing to grow. 


Get on this trend by introducing new condiments and seasonings to jazz up burgers and plant-based offerings, or better yet, incorporate the flavours into your cocktail menu! 


3. SEAFOOD SYMPHONY 

Protein-rich, full of omega-3s and delicious – seafood from across the globe offers excitement and health benefits. Japanese sushi, Hawaiian poke and Mexican ceviche are firm favourites, but why not up the ante with dishes from East Asia, including Thai Pla Muek Yang (grilled squid with lime, garlic and crushed peanuts) or crispy, spicy Typhoon Shelter Shrimp from Hong Kong?


4. GLOBAL FUSION 

With a growing appetite for adventurous new flavours – and a major emphasis on authenticity – now’s the time to embrace spices such as North African harissa and Korean gochujang and weave them into more well-known dishes, such as Korean BBQ tacos, kung pao chicken wings or paneer masala quesadilla.


5. SEASONAL AND LOCAL 

While world flavours are inspiring creative combinations in the kitchen, at the same time, diners have a desire for sustainability and locally-sourced ingredients now more than ever. Proudly highlighting the British wild garlic in your pesto, your UK-coastal foraged samphire, or the locally-reared beef in your burgers will tempt in and retain customers who are passionate about local, fresh produce.  


6. NEW FRUITS ON THE BLOCK

Vibrant and exotic fruits are set to take over in 2025, whether it’s a Miyazaki mango, also known as the ‘egg of the sun’, a fleshy, polka-dotted dragon fruit, or the soft pink flesh of the guava


Serve in an immune-boosting smoothie or as part of a tropical dessert – these fruits are as stunning to present as they are to sample.  

7. SPECIAL DIETS 

Diners with allergies, intolerances and special diets increasingly expect a variety of thoughtful menu options that are tailored to their needs. Rather than playing it safe, try different grains to liven things up – such as buckwheat flour in cakes and biscuits, gram flour as a base for sauces and stews, or coconut flour for pancakes.  



8. SAY CHEESE 

While the burrata craze has not completely subsided, other cheeses are waiting in the wings for their moment. Bocconcini are small, soft, round and creamy mozzarella spheres, ideally paired with fresh heritage tomatoes, olive oil and salt. In the plant-based cheese world, rubbery coconut-based counterfeits are out, and great tasting cultured dairy-free cheeses are in. 



9. SAVOURY COCKTAILS

Much like the cool freshness of cucumber in a Tanqueray G&T, savoury cocktails are on the rise. 


Experiment with twisted dirty Martinis and elaborate tomato-infused concoctions, or ride the umami wave and add miso to a Mai Tai or whiskey sour.  

10. THE WHITE STUFF 

In the world of coffee, plant-based milk alternatives are only growing. Almond and oat milk are still leading the way, but there is a rising desire for cashew, hazelnut and rice milk. Animal-free milk, made through precision fermentation, is another gamechanger on the horizon. 



11. VIRGIN MARGARITAS 

Gen-Z is the generation driving the ever-expanding alcohol-free market (61% planned to cut back on alcohol in 2024*), but despite this, their taste for tequila remains. Stock up on non-alcoholic tequila and put spicy margs back on the menu! 



12. NATURAL SWEETNESS 

Health-conscious consumers, and those with diabetes, will be keeping an eye out for more natural forms of sweetness in their desserts over the next year. 


Instead of sugar, chefs are experimenting with dates and prunes, honey and agave, and ingredients such as the incredibly sweet monk fruit - which is up to 250 times sweeter than sugar! 

Brought to you by Caterfood Buying Group (CFBG)

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