Bot shoppers and beauty foods: Grocery’s next big shifts
While there’s a “return to real” in the food and beverage sector, one of the biggest shifts is decidedly artificial—the rise of AI.
On a recent webinar, Nourish Food Marketing president Jo-Ann McArthur shared insights and updates from the agency’s 2026 Trend Report, “The Return to Real,” discussing how grocers are putting AI into action, along with other industry developments.
READ: Food trends for 2026 get real
One of the fastest-moving trends is the “rise of the bot shoppers.” The report notes that the future of food marketing isn’t B2B or B2C, it’s A2B and A2C—meaning AI agents that sit between brands and consumers. “It’s the AI agent who is going to get between you and the actual purchase, and this could be the biggest retail disruption that we’ve ever seen,” McArthur said on the webinar, which was produced in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity.
READ: Retail’s next big shift: AI-powered shopping journeys
She noted that 73% of consumers say they’re now finding new foods on AI and social media platforms, and users can now make purchases directly on TikTok. “This is changing the way that people are discovering—and it’s going to change the loyalty game,” said McArthur.
For retailers and brands, that means mastering generative engine optimization (GEO) to remain visible in AI-powered search results. Tactics include providing clear facts, FAQ-style content and storytelling.
In one industry development, McArthur highlighted Walmart’s new “super agent” strategy, which includes a customer-facing GenAI assistant named Sparky, which can do everything from plan meals to reorder essentials. “It serves as a constant shopping concierge for customers,” said McArthur.
In stores, AI brings a new level of personalization to shoppers. McArthur shared the example of Calgary Co-op, which introduced an AI-powered charcuterie kiosk at its Oakridge, Alta. location. “Shoppers can share their budget, their guest count and their preferences, and then a bot comes up with a personalized board with individually priced items… as well as a shopping list based on real-time inventory in that store,” she said.
While AI is reshaping how people discover and buy products, “real food” innovations continue to show up on shelves. McArthur gave the example of Horizon, a new dairy creamer that launched in the U.S. It contains four organic ingredients: milk, cream, sugar and natural flavour. “They really push the fact that it’s just four ingredients,” she said. “I looked up Coffee Mate, which is probably No. 1 in the category, and they have 13—and a number of them I don’t know how to pronounce.”
READ: AI adoption is growing—now’s the time to leverage its potential
The “return to real” also extends to beauty, as consumers discover that “radiant skin and hair starts in the gut, not the skin care aisle,” said McArthur. “So, there’s a real focus on food and drink as beauty brands as well.”
The trend is driven by gen Z, she added. “There’s an increased sophistication around the idea of nutrient absorption and bioavailability. Just as we saw supplements migrating to the beverage aisle, we’re going to see the same thing happening in food.”
McArthur gave the example of U.S. energy drink brand Monster, which recently launched a female-focused beverage called FLRT. According to Monster, the sugar-free energy drink contains functional ingredients to support skin and hair health, collagen production and the immune system.
Closer to home, Saskatoon-based The Meat Bar sells the Beauty Bar, billed as “a delicious daily dose of glow from within.” The bar is made with bison, beef, grass-fed bovine collagen, vitamin C-rich blueberries and a touch of honey to “nourish your hair, nails and skin,” according to the company.
McArthur noted that food and drink with beauty benefits also add value for consumers at a time when costs are rising. “[Food] is a big part of consumers’ budgets, so if you can get a product that does double duty, I think you’ll do well.”
