Sour-flavored foods and less unhealthy seafood: 10 supermarket trends to watch for in 2025
A typical large grocery store might carry more than 50,000 unique items, and the mix will change in many ways in 2025, along with various marketing strategies.
More protein-rich foods, more vinegar, more exotic international flavors and more ready-to-eat meals designed not for singles but multiple diners. These are 10 trends that grocery experts see in the coming year, as gleaned from reports in Progressive Grocer, a trade publication:
1. More sweet feelings toward sour flavors
Citrus and vinegar flavors will become more popular in dressings, sauces and condiments, predicts Arlin Wasserman, managing director at Changing Tastes, a food-strategy consultancy. Partly due to more newcomers from Latin America, Asia and Africa — “Shoppers who are used to more acid in their food, whether from citrus or vinegar," he said. In a related trend, experts at Kroger Co., the supermarket giant that owns and operates Fry’s Food Stores in Arizona, expect to see rising popularity for “briny” foods such as olives, pickles and kimchi.
2. More international fare
Whole Foods expects more snacks and packaging to come with a foreign zest, such as mango sticky rice chips, plantain tostones and chile-crunch edamame oil and nut mixes. Dumplings also might appeal to more taste buds, Whole Foods said, with intriguing flavors such as pizza bao or chicken parmesan added to spice up the doughy staple.
3. More interest in healthy seafood
More stores sell sustainable seafood, but not all industry certifications ensure it’s free of antibiotics (though wild seafood is), Wasserman said. This has resulted in greater consumer scrutiny of aquaculture products that use antibiotics to raise fish and other seafood, with the result that many consumers are reconsidering “whether eating fish is really such a healthy choice.” He expects to see producers do a better job in assuring the public that farmed seafood is safe, assuming it is.
4. More focus on meals to grab and go
Expect to see more ready-to-eat offerings at supermarkets, partly driven by the gradual return of workers to the office. “Pizza, sandwiches, fried chicken and sushi for lunch are here to stay, along with the deli and salad bar,” Wasserman said. “However, it’s time to spice up the mix and rotate the choices a lot more often.” He also expects to see more ready-made selections geared to two or more diners, not just individuals, with a greater focus on dinner, not just lunch.
5. More focus on saving money
The desire by consumers to stretch grocery budgets should come as no surprise, given that food-price inflation emerged as a major issue in the presidential election. Among other ramifications, this will show up in a greater preference for private-label foods, those sold under a grocer's brand but made by other companies, according to Kroger’s team of experts that includes buyers, chefs, data scientists and others. But supermarkets will need to deliver on more than competitive costs: It also will be about high-quality taste too, Kroger said.
6. A coming protein proliferation
Protein-rich foods never went out of style, of course, but several prognosticators see more selections coming. For example, Whole Foods expects to see consumers favor products that go beyond protein power bars. One possibility suggested by the chain is foods that spotlight combinations of organ meats with traditional muscle meats.
7. More time for tea, and water
Both global mainstay beverages might come out in new versions and enjoy a burst of popularity. In Whole Foods' view, consumers should look for innovation in tea-infused desserts, milk teas and new ways to steep the beverage like cold-brew bags for use in water bottles. Are adult tea parties poised to replace alcohol-centered happy hours? It’s a possibility, according to Whole Foods. And don’t be surprised to find more bottled water choices, the grocer adds, such as cactus waters with antioxidants.
8. A little bit of everything
In addition to the trends cited above, Kroger expects more foods will feature pepper flavors such as Calabrian chiles and guajillo peppers, along with “new takes” on Ceasar salads and dressings. Whole Foods, meanwhile, sees more of an emphasis on crunchy items for all types of meals and snacks, from mushroom chips to dehydrated fruits and possibly even in some beverages like creme brule espresso martinis.
9. More Earth-friendly packaging
Whole Foods and others anticipate more food offerings will come in compostable containers and packaging, in everything from cling wrap to single-serve coffee wrappers to lower-impact packaging for wines, beers and other beverages. Food waste including packaging makes up about one-fourth of the material sent to landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, so there's plenty of room for improvement.
10. More use of technology, everywhere
Another theme cited by Progressive Grocer will be a heavier reliance on technology by supermarket chains. One example cited by the publication, with input from 1WorldSync, will be the greater use of QR codes, also known as 2D barcodes, on product packages and they will feature information such as expiration dates. Another is the increased use by consumers of artificial intelligence services such as ChatGPT, allowing shoppers to perform tasks like researching products before they buy.
Reach the writer at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.