Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council is unveiling their top anticipated food trends for 2025 in the retailer’s 10th annual trends predictions report.
The Whole Foods Market Trends Council, a collective of more than 50 Whole Foods Market team members ranging from foragers and buyers to culinary experts, develops these trend predictions each year through a combination of industry experience, observation of consumer preferences and collaborative sessions with emerging and established brands.
“Our tenth anniversary of trend forecasting marks an important milestone for us, reflecting a decade of sharing innovation and culinary exploration that crosses every aisle,” said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief merchandising and marketing officer at Whole Foods Market. “This year, we’re especially excited to celebrate how far we’ve come by spotlighting trends for 2025 that not only reflect growing consumer preferences but also push the boundaries of what’s possible for the world of food. We’re eager to see these trends take shape and inspire our customers in the year ahead.”
“Whole Foods Market has been keeping an eye on trends and spotlighting innovation in food and beverage from the beginning,” said Cathy Strange, ambassador of food culture for Whole Foods Market and member of the trends council. “From important food movements around animal welfare, climate, and transparency, to the evolving tastes and preferences of consumers, trends in food end up driving our dinner table conversations for years to come and help spark some of the best ideas and solutions for the future.”
Whole Foods Market’s top food trend predictions for 2025
International snacking: The snack aisle is a place for disruption, with brands taking on salty snacks and adding in global flavors to create fusion foods that have mass appeal and entice consumers to try something new. On packaging, brands can tell their snack story by sharing their cultural roots and nostalgic childhood food memories. Products in this trend introduce consumers to different parts of the world through a mix of traditional international snacks and new combinations.
Adaptable dumplings: Dumplings are dough pockets with a typically savory filling, usually cooked by boiling, steaming or pan frying. Also known as pocket foods, they’re showing up in multiple aisles including frozen and shelf-stable single-serve formats. These products hit on a few trends — many are authentic to a founder's cultural roots and ripe for fusion and unexpected mash-ups, which have continued popularity both on TikTok and restaurant menus. Dumplings are long-standing staples in cuisines across the globe, making them a trend everyone can feel involved in.
Crunch: Consumers are increasingly reaching for crunchy food items to enhance meals and add texture to breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Protein power up: Consumers are looking to incorporate more protein in to their diet beyond traditional powders and bars, with an emphasis on ramping up protein consumption at meal times and with “whole food” snacking. Recipes incorporating cottage cheese may have kick-started customers’ desires to seek out protein in whole food sources, with consumers now prioritizing animal protein. Organ meats are being touted as a superfood providing significant protein, vitamins and minerals, leading shoppers to seek meat blends that combine traditional muscle meat like ground beef with organ meats, making it easier to get the nutritional benefits without having to learn how to prepare liver, kidney or heart.
Source: Whole Foods Market
