Kroger's Food Predictions Provide Unique Look at What's in Store for 2025

Like a recipe that calls for a range of ingredients, a team of experts at The Kroger Co. recently assembled to identify food trends for the coming year. This week, the retailer shared predictions agreed on by a group of its product developers, chefs, buyers, culinary specialists and data scientists from the company’s 84.51º research arm.

According to Kroger, the trends range from emerging flavors to twists on classics to price-influenced preferences. Below are the five main productions for the halfway point of the 2020s:

1. Food Dupes: Kroger’s trends team agreed that private label products will be in demand, as shoppers look to save money yet seek high quality tastes and experiences from versions of “restaurant and CPG favorites.”
2. Bold & Briny: In keeping with the fermented fad of the past few years, Kroger’s experts cite the popularity of briny foods such as olives, pickles, and kimchi. Pickles were already having a moment, and are likely to be a culinary darling in 2025, too.
3. Protein Renaissance: Consumers are still craving proteins and will look for it in a broader variety of formats, per Kroger’s pros. They cite shopper interest in proteins that enhance energy levels and support overall wellness. 
4. Pepper Palette: According to Kroger, flavor seekers will look for new ways to “bring the heat,” inspired by global foods like Calabrian chiles and guajillo peppers.
5. Hail, Caesar: The viral mentions of Caesar salads will influence consumer choices in the coming year as they seek “new takes and twists on the classic favorite.”