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John Koch

published on December 16, 2021 - 12:44 PM
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A local company that knows a thing or two about flavor has released its annual food and beverage trends outlook for 2022.

As it turns out, the pandemic has prompted people to eat toward a stronger immune system. 

Clovis-based Lyons Magnus, an international foodservice and ingredient source, has predicted five trends that will influence food and beverage menus for the coming year.

“We use our proprietary research and analysis to support our partners with targeted trend insights to help them identify opportunities that will resonate with their customer base,” said John Koch, vice president of National Accounts for Lyons Magnus. “These trends are the cornerstone for innovative products and recipe creation.”

Plant based

Lyons Magnus found that plant-based alternatives are growing in popularity and will make more appearances in grocery stores and restaurants, including fast food chains. Consumers can expect fast food chains to roll out plant-based chicken nuggets and tenders. Potato milk will emerge as a plant-based milk substitute.

Immune boosting

Immune-boosting foods and beverages also remain at the top of the trends for 2022. Consumers will look to citrus and fruits rich in vitamin C, berries high in antioxidants, live yogurts, dark chocolate, ginger, turmeric and green tea or matcha. Consumers value these ingredients as immunity-boosting properties.

Comfort me

Also trending are comfort foods. According to Lyons Magnus, consumers want what’s familiar. They are gravitating toward nostalgic flavors and experiences from their childhood. 

Cold caffeine fix

Consumers are giving hot coffee the boot, but welcoming cold coffee no matter the temperature. Iced coffee, cold brew and nitro coffee sales are rising, with some operators reporting that cold coffee drink sales are accounting for 75% of their total coffee sales. Younger consumers are driving this trend. 

Spice it up

The fifth rising trend for the coming year is keeping things spicy, from ghost pepper French fries to Carolina Reaper chicken wings. This trend boils down to consumer education about different peppers available in the marketplace. Restaurateurs might be adding more authentic flavors and more tailored heat levels to their menus in 2022. 


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