Summary of Nestlé’s 2025 Food and Drink Trend Report
Findings: Nestlé has outlined six pivotal trends that will drive food and beverage development in 2025, each emphasizing a shift toward consumer desires for comfort, wellness, convenience, and culinary exploration. These trends include the return of “New-stalgia,” where classic flavors are reinvented with modern twists; Feel-Good Functional Foods, which prioritize wellness; Fast Flavours, which focus on delivering high-quality, bold tastes with minimal prep time; Fusion Flavours, which celebrate cultural and flavor diversity; Accessible Coffee Innovation, promoting high-quality coffee experiences at home; and Fan-Favorite Brand Extensions, reimagining trusted products in new formats.
Key Takeaway: As we move into 2025, nostalgia, wellness, and convenient culinary experiences will become central pillars of consumer preferences. To stay competitive, brands must evolve their offerings to align with these trends, focusing on health-conscious options, ease of preparation, and engaging flavors that cater to both tradition and innovation.
Trend: Nestlé’s outlined trends capture a spectrum of consumer interests, from the comforting appeal of nostalgic flavors and wellness-focused food and drinks to the convenience of pre-prepared, bold flavors and the exciting world of fusion cuisine. Collectively, these trends point to a major shift toward “Personalized Convenience,” where products are expected to fit seamlessly into consumers’ lives while also allowing them to express individual tastes and lifestyles.
Consumer Motivation: Consumers are motivated by a combination of factors: a desire for comfort and familiarity during uncertain times, increased attention to wellness and health, a growing need for quick and easy meal solutions, and an appetite for culinary diversity inspired by digital platforms. Notably, the appeal of nostalgic foods is fueled by a collective longing for simpler times, while functional foods align with an increased focus on holistic health. The search for convenience speaks to busier lifestyles, and the appeal of fusion flavors reflects the influence of social media in broadening consumer tastes.
What is Driving Trend: These trends are being driven by factors such as social media influence (e.g., TikTok, Instagram), which plays a powerful role in popularizing fusion flavors and coffee innovations. Economic pressures are leading more consumers to seek cost-effective ways to enjoy quality food at home, and the wellness trend is being amplified by younger generations who value accessible, customizable health solutions. The combined forces of nostalgia and digital connectivity also drive interest in reinvented classic flavors.
People Referred to in Article: The report primarily focuses on Gen Z and Millennials as key influencers of these trends, with Boomers also contributing to the popularity of fusion flavors. Gen Z, in particular, leads the way in prioritizing wellness and unique, socially inspired flavors, while Millennials show strong engagement with convenient, health-oriented options. Boomers add to the trend by embracing diverse and experimental flavors, driven by curiosity and a more adventurous culinary outlook.
Description of Consumers’ Product or Service: Consumers are gravitating toward products that combine convenience, wellness, customization, and nostalgic or fusion-inspired flavors. Popular products within these trends include ready-to-use sauces, pre-mixed coffee flavor enhancers, health-focused snacks, and cross-category brand extensions that bring trusted products into new formats. These products cater to busy lifestyles and consumer preferences for high-quality, easy-to-prepare foods that also offer emotional comfort and global flavor experiences.
Consumer Age: The primary age range for these trends spans Gen Z (18-25 years) and Millennials (25-40 years), with notable influence from Boomers (55+) on fusion flavors and nostalgic elements.
Conclusions: Food and beverage brands must adapt to evolving consumer desires by creating products that merge nostalgia with modern wellness and convenience. Nostalgia, health, and convenience-based experiences are essential as consumers increasingly prioritize emotional connection, wellness, and efficiency in their choices.
Implications for Brands: Brands will need to invest in creative, adaptable product offerings that satisfy these diverse needs. Emphasizing brand familiarity with a fresh take can be a winning strategy, as consumers look for comfort alongside innovation. This could include revamping legacy flavors to feel relevant and playful, launching functional food options with wellness benefits, and expanding trusted product lines into new categories that offer familiar tastes in different formats.
Implications for Society: The resurgence of nostalgic products reflects society’s collective desire to reconnect with the past during challenging times, while the emphasis on fusion flavors shows a growing openness to cultural diversity and exploration. Additionally, the trend toward accessible wellness underscores a shift in societal attitudes toward holistic health as a shared value.
Implications for Consumers: Consumers will have an increasingly diverse selection of products that meet their needs for health, convenience, and emotional comfort. This accessibility to nostalgic and fusion-inspired foods allows them to express their identities, explore global flavors, and prioritize their well-being.
Implication for Future: The trends suggest a future where food innovation is highly adaptive, blending tradition with innovation and aligning with evolving social values like inclusivity, diversity, and holistic health.
Consumer Trend: Health-focused convenience with nostalgic and adventurous options
Consumer Sub-Trend: DIY café and restaurant experiences at home
Big Social Trend: Digital culture’s influence on culinary choices and wellness
Local Trend: Regionally inspired fusion flavors meet local favorites
Worldwide Social Trend: Global interconnectedness in flavor and food trends, with nostalgic comforts crossing borders
Name of Big Trend Implied by Article: Customizable, feel-good indulgence
Name of Big Social Trend Implied by Article: Digital-inspired culinary adventure
Social Drive: Social media, particularly TikTok and Instagram, which expose consumers to a wide range of culinary trends, including nostalgic recipes, wellness ideas, and fusion flavors.
Learnings for Companies to Use in 2025: Companies should harness the power of social media to connect with consumers and emphasize product stories that resonate with nostalgia, health benefits, and innovative convenience. By positioning their products as both comforting and trendy, companies can capture attention and foster loyalty in a crowded market.
Strategy Recommendations for Companies to Follow in 2025:
Leverage Nostalgia with a Modern Twist: Innovate classic flavors to appeal to younger consumers by blending familiar tastes with new, fun elements that resonate on social platforms.
Develop Health-Oriented Products: Design foods that cater to holistic wellness, focusing on ingredients that promote both physical and mental health, especially functional snacks and beverages.
Emphasize Quick and Bold Flavors: Offer bold flavors in convenient formats like sauces, marinades, and seasonings that make mealtime fast and flavorful, appealing to busy, taste-conscious consumers.
Create DIY-Friendly Options for At-Home Indulgence: Develop products that allow consumers to recreate restaurant-quality experiences at home, capitalizing on the trend of DIY café drinks and meals.
Invest in Cross-Category Extensions: Experiment with popular products across different food categories, expanding into new formats and aisles to give consumers familiar brands in fresh ways.
Final Sentence: The main trend for 2025 is a blend of nostalgia-driven comfort, wellness-focused innovation, and convenient, customizable options that align with the evolving lifestyles and tastes of younger consumers.
What Brands & Companies Should Do in 2025: To capitalize on these trends, brands should launch nostalgic products with modern updates, offer easy-to-use health-conscious foods, and utilize social media to engage consumers with relatable, creative culinary experiences. Embracing flexibility, collaboration, and an authentic connection to consumers’ desires will help brands thrive in a dynamic 2025 market.
Comments