Read full article by Taylor Locke@cnbc.com Photo Credit: CNBC
As the new year approaches, Amazon’s Whole Foods revealed its predictions for the top food trends to come in 2020.
Last year, Whole Foods predicted 2019 trends, including a rise in CBD products, vegan meat snacks and eco-conscious packaging. For 2020, the mega-grocer makes predictions including an increase in regenerative agriculture (a type of farming that restores degraded soil), West African foods and plant-based meat products.
More than 50 Whole Foods Market team members — including buyers, culinary experts and “local foragers” (who search for food or provisions) — created the forecast report based on products, consumer preferences and food and wellness industry exhibitions, according to the Whole Foods release.
The top 10 food predictions for 2020, according to Whole Foods, are:
Regenerative agriculture
Whole Foods defines regenerative agriculture as the “farming and grazing practices that restore degraded soil, improve biodiversity and increase carbon capture to create long-lasting environmental benefits.” This approach to farming, includes things like composting and crop rotation, according to organic farming non-profit Rodale Institute.
Companies like Stonyfield and Danone North America have already invested money and resources in developing and researching the impact of regenerative agriculture, according to Fast Company. And in March of 2019, General Mills announced it was dedicating resources to training, education and advancing regenerative agriculture.
“We recognize that our biggest opportunity to drive positive impact for the planet we all share lies within our own supply chain,” said Jeff Harmening, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Mills, in a release.
New flours
Alternative flours have become more mainstream as more people try trendy diets that reject wheat flour like going gluten free or paleo, and as consumers try to “boost their bake” with more protein and fiber, according to Whole Foods. As a result, Whole Foods predicts a mix of new flours will hit the market in 2020.
There will be “more interesting fruit and vegetable flours (like banana!) … with products like cauliflower flour in bulk and baking aisles, rather than already baked into crusts and snack products,” the grocer said in the release.
Whole foods also predicts more packaged goods, like chips and snack foods, will be made with alternative flours like Tigernut (a gluten-free root vegetable) and seed flour.
Foods from West Africa
″Traditional West African flavors are popping up everywhere in food and in beverage,” according to Whole Foods, with many brands looking to the region for its “superfoods,” which are said to boost health and longevity.
Tomatoes, onions and chili peppers are a common base for many West African dishes, according to Whole Foods and “peanuts, ginger and lemongrass are all common additions.”
The trend also means that foods like moringa, a plant known for its health benefits, and tamarind may be used more in 2020. The grocer also predicts the increased use of West African cereal grains, including sorghum, fonio, teff and millet.
