Experts at the Institute of Food Technologists have identified the main food industry trends that will shape consumer behaviour and product development in 2026.
Economic uncertainty and continued concern about food prices are making consumers more selective. They still want products that deliver pleasure, convenience, quality and health benefits, but they are less willing to take risks or pay for innovations whose value is unclear. As a result, familiar products with improved nutritional, sensory or functional attributes are gaining relevance.
In this context, nuts, dried fruits and their derivatives offer multiple formulation possibilities. They can help manufacturers develop recognisable recipes, substantial snacks, plant-forward products, convenient meal components and premium sensory experiences.
Major food industry trends in 2026
1. A new generation of comfort foods
Consumers are looking for familiar products that offer reassurance without giving up novelty. According to the IFT report, 55% of consumers surveyed by FMI (The Food Industry Association). included comfort food among their priorities for meals prepared at home. However, innovation is moving towards updated versions of classics through global flavours, new textures, convenient formats or added nutritional value.
Nuts, nut creams and dried fruits can be incorporated into sauces, fillings, toppings, cereals and bakery products to update familiar recipes without making them unrecognisable to the consumer.
2. Quality becomes a decisive purchasing argument
Quality will be one of the clearest ways to justify price and differentiate products in 2026. Six out of ten consumers surveyed by FMI said they were looking for more minimally processed products without artificial ingredients. Product origin, ingredient selection and preparation methods will therefore become increasingly visible on packaging and in marketing communications.
Manufacturers can respond with shorter ingredient lists, identifiable raw materials and formulations that communicate texture, authenticity and processing quality. Nuts and dried fruits are particularly suitable for products where ingredients remain visible and form part of the sensory experience.
3. Products designed for healthy ageing
Healthy ageing is evolving from a niche positioning into a major product-development opportunity. Older consumers are interested in foods that support an active lifestyle and fit into diets focused on sugar reduction, fibre, whole grains and protein. IFT reports that 57% of consumers aged over 65 considered reducing sugar more important than it had been the previous year.
This trend will encourage the development of easy-to-consume snacks, breakfast products and meal components with appropriate textures, clear nutritional information and formulations adapted to different life stages.
Keep learning: Consumer trends in the food industry by generation
4. New entry points for global flavours
Consumers want international flavours, but economic uncertainty is reducing their appetite for excessive experimentation. Products that combine a recognisable format with an authentic global flavour offer a lower-risk route to discovery.
IFT highlights the continued expansion of Asian cuisines, especially Thai, Filipino, Vietnamese and regional Korean or Japanese propositions. Ingredients such as miso, yuzu, gochujang, black garlic, Thai basil and peanut-based sauces are becoming more familiar to mainstream consumers.
For manufacturers, the opportunity lies in adapting these flavours to sauces, coatings, snack mixes, ready meals and spreads that are easy to understand and prepare.
Keep learning: Trends in nuts:Innovation in flavours and experiencesÂ
5. Snacks become complete meal solutions
Snacking is no longer limited to consumption between meals. Some 64% of consumers say they are increasingly likely to replace traditional meals with snack products during the day. This percentage rises to 72% among millennials and 70% among Generation Z.
Demand is moving towards more substantial snacks that combine convenience, satiety, protein, texture and portability. Nut mixes, dried fruit combinations, bars, snack cups and savoury coated products can therefore evolve from occasional treats into structured mini-meals.
Successful products will need to provide a clear consumption occasion: breakfast on the move, a mid-morning break, a quick lunch or post-exercise consumption.
It may interest you: 2026 snacking trends that are shaping the marketÂ
6. Nutrition becomes more specific
General health claims are giving way to products designed around more precise needs, such as healthy ageing, digestive health, mood, cognition, immunity or support for consumers following GLP-1-related lifestyles.
The number of consumers choosing foods and beverages for specific health-related purposes has reached 46%, an increase of ten percentage points over recent years, according to HealthFocus data cited by IFT.
This does not mean that every product should adopt a medical positioning. Manufacturers need to avoid unsupported claims and focus on transparent formulations, recognised nutrients and benefits that can be substantiated under the applicable regulations.
You may also be interested in: The indispensable role of nuts in sustainable food production
7. Functional beverages become snackable
The boundary between beverages and snacks continues to disappear. Younger consumers are showing interest in drinks that combine hydration with protein, fibre, digestive benefits, energy or mood-related positioning.
Ready-to-drink coffee sales increased by 5% in the year ending 2 November 2025, with Generation Z and millennials accounting for 47% of sales, according to SPINS data included in the IFT analysis.
This trend creates opportunities for plant-based drinks, nut beverages, smoothies and hybrid formats that deliver more substance than a conventional soft drink. However, sugar content and the use of artificial sweeteners will remain under scrutiny.
8. Bakery combines freshness and convenience
Health and functional nutrition are growing priorities, but consumers have not abandoned bakery products and treats. The opportunity lies in combining indulgence with convenience, freshness and a clearer nutritional proposition.
IFT points to heat-and-eat, bake-at-home and microwaveable products that require little preparation but reproduce the experience of freshly baked goods. Global flavours, protein-enriched mixes and new formats are also expanding the category.
Nuts, nut flours, creams and dried fruit pieces can support differentiation through fillings, toppings, texture contrasts and premium flavour combinations.
Taken together, these food industry trends for 2026 show that innovation does not necessarily require radically new products. The most relevant opportunities come from improving familiar formats through quality, convenience, sensory appeal, functional value and clearly communicated benefits.
What consumer drivers will propel innovation in the food industry in 2026?
FoodDrinkEurope groups the drivers of food innovation into five main areas: pleasure, health, physical needs, convenience and ethics.
The latest figures included in its 2026 report correspond to food innovations launched in Europe during 2024. They show the following distribution:
- Pleasure: 56.8%. This remains the leading driver, supported mainly by variety of senses, at 33.3%, and sophistication, at 15.8%.
- Health: 21.6%. The main trends within this category are plant-based products, at 9.5%; products with a medical or specific-health positioning, at 6.7%; and naturalness, at 5.4%.
- Physical needs: 9.4%. Energy and wellbeing represent 6.3%, while weight-management or slimness propositions account for 2.5%.
- Convenience: 7.3%. Easy-to-handle products account for 5.2%, time-saving solutions for 1.6% and nomadic consumption for 0.5%.
- Ethics: 5%. Environmental or ecological positioning represents 4%, while solidarity-related propositions account for 1%.
All percentages correspond to the World Food Innovation Barometer data reproduced in FoodDrinkEurope’s Data & Trends 2026 report.
The results show that pleasure and sensory experience remain fundamental. Health, sustainability or convenience cannot compensate for a product that fails to deliver flavour, texture and an attractive consumption experience.
Which industry segments are the most innovative?
According to the latest global ranking included in FoodDrinkEurope’s 2026 edition, the ten sectors with the highest share of food and beverage innovation in 2024 were:
- Soft drinks: 9.9%
- Frozen savoury products: 6.3%
- Appetiser grocery products: 6.1%
- Dairy products: 5%
- Ready meals: 4.4%
- Chocolate products: 4.1%
- Biscuits: 3.9%
- Condiments and sauces: 3.7%
- Fresh substitutes: 3.6%
- Meat, delicatessen and poultry products: 3.3%
Soft drinks remain the most dynamic category, while appetiser products and ready meals increased their share compared with the previous year. Fresh substitutes and meat products recorded a lower share of innovation.
For manufacturers working with nuts and dried fruits, the ranking points to opportunities beyond traditional snacking. Beverages, sauces, ready meals, chocolate, biscuits and appetiser products all provide potential applications for ingredients that add texture, flavour, plant-based positioning or premium value.
Sources:
- Institute of Food Technologists, Top 10 Food Trends, March 2026.
- FoodDrinkEurope, Data & Trends: EU Food and Drink Industry, 2026 Edition.