Water gets a glow up and plant-based finds its groove: Nourish Food Marketing’s 2025 trends
How can you inspire the “free-form cooking” trend taking social media by storm? Once Ozempic users reach their goal weight, how can you help them maintain it? And should the plant-based category be positioned as a value protein since food affordability is top of mind?
These are a few of the questions posed to the food and beverage sector by Nourish Food Marketing, which has released its ninth annual Nourish Trend Report. The report identifies nine trends that will shape the industry and consumer behaviour in the coming year.
During a recent webinar discussing the trends, Nourish president Jo-Ann McArthur noted that platforms like TikTok are driving trends at a fast rate. “We’re seeing incredible innovation in home kitchens… [For example], cottage cheese has gotten a second life as a protein-packed dip, an ice cream, a flatbread,” said McArthur.
While much of this innovation is coming from social media content creators, “within the food and beverage industry, we’ve actually seen a big decline in innovation in the past two decades, with the rate of new product introduction down 50% globally,” said McArthur. Despite this downward trend, she emphasized there are still plenty of “blue ocean opportunities out there” for grocery retailers and food and beverage companies to explore.
Read on for highlights from the report.
A return to intuitive cooking
TikTok has sparked a shift toward more intuitive, “recipe-less” cooking, especially among younger generations. While some videos are more about creating buzz than good meals, the platform is helping users build cooking skills and kitchen confidence. A great example is TikTokker Logan (@logagm), whose viral cucumber salads are made without the aid of measuring cups or spoons. Even established chefs are embracing this trend. Sam Sifton, founding editor of New York Times Cooking, has a new book called No-Recipe Recipes, which features ingredient lists without measurements.
For food and beverage companies, Nourish suggests using QR codes on-pack to link content showing how to use their product creatively without formal recipes; partnering with influencers who focus on flexible, everyday cooking; and creating short, informal videos that emphasize improvisation in the kitchen.
Supporting to GLP-1 journey: Life after Ozempic
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have gained mass-market popularity in the Western world for weight management. Out of necessity, users of these prescription drugs focus on nutritional density. “When you’re on these drugs, you need to get more nutritional bang for your buck,” said McArthur. “You’re eating less, so each calorie has to have additional function… and there’s a real focus on preserving muscle mass.”
As many people near the end or move beyond GLP-1 drug use, now is the time for the food industry to ask how they can support this growing demographic. One suggestion for grocery retailers is to create “GLP-1–friendly” sections with high-fibre, high-protein, nutrient-dense products, similar to gluten-free sections in-store. Grocers can look to GNC, which became the first retailer in the world to have a GLP-1 support section. Similarly, manufacturers can create online showcases and forums for these products and provide a support community.
H2O 2.0: Enhanced hydration
Water is having a watershed moment. “People are paying more attention to how much water they’re consuming because of the health benefits—better skin, improved digestion and heightened energy levels,” said McArthur. However, plain boring water isn’t cutting it. “[Consumers] are looking for creative ways of flavouring it.”
READ: Demand for beverages that refuel and rehydrate are on the rise
While flavour additives for water are nothing new, there is a big opportunity to add functional enhancements. Recess Mood powders, for example, are a “3-in-1 powder blend with magnesium, adaptogens & electrolytes to calm the mind and brighten the day” and are easy to add to water bottles.
The Nourish Trend Report notes that bottled water accounts for the largest share of beverages, at nearly 28%, while value-added water only accounts for 1.5%, leaving lots of room for innovation.
I wanna live forever: Eating for longevity
People don’t want to just live longer; they want to live better. While global life expectancy has increased by 20 years over the past century, healthspan—the years people live in good health—hasn’t kept up. As a result, more consumers are turning to their diets to close the gap. For example, there’s growing interest in Blue Zone diets – regions where people live longer, healthier lives through an emphasis on smaller meals with whole grains, beans, nuts, fruit, vegetables and healthy fats.
In a McKinsey & Company survey, 60% of respondents said it’s important to purchase products and services that help with healthy aging and longevity. “This is across all generations – this isn’t just boomers and seniors,” said McArthur.
For grocery retailers, one suggestion is to create dedicated sections or promotions for Blue Zone-inspired products. Grouping items like beans, leafy greens and olive oil will make it easier for health-conscious shoppers to follow the diet.
Plant-based finally finds its groove
The meatless alternative protein category is a crossroads, facing a pivotal need for a rebrand to better resonate with consumers. While minimally processed plant-based products like tempeh and tofu continue to see steady growth, faux meat sales have stalled, despite massive investments and reformulations aimed at improving taste and health.
One possible approach is to position plant-based proteins as value proteins. The report notes that food affordability is the top factor in food purchase decisions for consumers, at 47.3%, while environmental impact is the least important, at 2.3%. Another opportunity lies in aligning plant-based foods with the “eating for longevity” trend, highlighting their potential for promoting longer, healthier lives.
Additionally, hybrid or blended products may offer a solution—if they’re positioned correctly. Some mixed protein products have struggled because they’re presented as giving consumers “less” of something. To succeed, they should be repositioned as providing more than traditional proteins or an additional benefit.
A good example of this approach is Perdue’s Chicken Plus – Chicken Breast & Vegetable Dino Nuggets. “They’ve added vegetables [for] stealth health,” said McArthur. “You feel like you’re getting more of something, and I think that is the way forward for this category.”
