San Francisco — The top five food trends for 2010 have been picked by a
panel of food experts at the 35th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. The
show, Jan. 17 19, at Moscone Center, is the largest marketplace for specialty
food and beverages on the West Coast and has 80,000 products on display from the
U.S. and more than 32 countries.
The trends are:
- Good-for-you foods
- Coconut
- Gluten-free
- Exotic citrus
- Nostalgic foods
Others identified are fermented foods, including pickled everything; smoked
foods, including numerous new twists on bacon; and snacks for grown-ups such as
spicy popcorn and baked potato chips with jalapeno.
The experts scouted the exhibit halls on opening day of the trade event. Their
picks are part of the Food Trend Challenge, a contest created by the National
Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc., the shows owner. Hundreds of
retailers, restaurateurs, journalists, producers, farmers and others in the
industry played the online game for a chance to win monthly prizes and bragging
rights as the trendiest person at the show. The grand prize is a free trip to
the 56th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City this June 27 29.
The trendspotters are: Lessley Anderson, senior features editor, CHOW; Kara
Nielsen, trendologist, Center for Culinary Development; Tanya Henry, restaurant
reviewer, Marin Independent Journal; Nancy Wall Hopkins, deputy editor, food and
entertaining, Better Homes & Gardens; Kay Logsdon, editor, The Food Channel;
Denise Purcell, editor, Specialty Food Magazine; Joanne Weir, PBS television
host, Joanne Weir’s Cooking Class.
The player who identified the most on-trend products as determined by the panel
of food experts is the grand prize winner. She is Eddi Marie Julian, Beckles
Candies and Gifts, Modesto, Calif. Learn more about the contest and winners on
NASFTs blog, Under the Lid (www.nasft.wordpress.com).
The NASFT is a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 to foster
trade, commerce and interest in the specialty food industry. Today there are
more than 2,900 members in the U.S. and abroad. For further information on the
NASFT and its Fancy Food Shows, go to
www.specialtyfood.com.
Source: The
National Association for the Specialty Food Trade