Whole Foods Market Identifies 10 Trends Worth Watching
Every year around this time, Whole Foods Market generates buzz with its food trend predictions for the coming calendar year. As the decade hits the halfway point, the grocer is spotlighting some trends that reflect ongoing movements and lifting the curtain on newer preferences and behaviors.
According to the Whole Foods’ Trends Council comprised of 50 team members, the top 10 trends span foods, beverages and ingredients likely to influence shoppers in the coming year. The team also took the time this year for a little broader view of the market.
“Our 10th anniversary of trend forecasting marks an important milestone for us, reflecting a decade of sharing innovation and culinary exploration that crosses every aisle,” said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief merchandising and marketing officer. “This year, we’re especially excited to celebrate how far we’ve come by spotlighting trends for 2025 that not only reflect growing consumer preferences but also push the boundaries of what’s possible for the world of food. We’re eager to see these trends take shape and inspire our customers in the year ahead.”
Added Cathy Strange, ambassador of food culture for Whole Foods and a member of the Trends Council: “Whole Foods Market has been keeping an eye on trends and spotlighting innovation in food and beverage from the beginning. From important food movements around animal welfare, climate and transparency, to the evolving tastes and preferences of consumers, trends in food end up driving our dinner table conversations for years to come and help spark some of the best ideas and solutions for the future.”
So what’s on deck for the short-term future? Below are the top 10 movements and products that the Trends Council identified as worth watching in 2025:
- International Snacking: Globally-inspired flavors aren’t new, but many applications in snacks are novel. Whole Foods trend watchers cited the introduction of more fusion snacks with broad appeal, available in packaging that shares culturally-rich stores behind the brands. Examples include chamoy candy, mango sticky rice chips and chili crunch oil edamame and nut mix, among others. The retailer highlighted one of its own brand products, Whole Foods Market Plantain Tostones.
- Ever-Adaptable Dumpling: Whole Foods’ pros see more forms of this traditional dough pocket in frozen and shelf stable forms. Dumplings are authentic to founder’s cultural roots yet ripe for unexpected flavor mashups, like pepperoni pizza bao buns from the Baozza! Brand and chicken parm dumplings from Mimi Cheng’s.
- Crunch - Texture of the Moment: This trend recently started to emerge, and the Whole Foods prognosticators see a host of products that deliver on crunch for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Applications run the gamut, from crispy grains to mushroom chips to dehydrated fruits. Beverages are in on this trend, too, with offerings like crème brûlée espresso martinis.
- Hydration Hype: The trends council notes that reusable water bottles are de rigeur, but consumers want more from water with added electrolytes and hydration in more innovative forms. New products in this segment include cactus waters with antioxidants and electrolytes and kid-friendly pouches.
- Tea’s Time: Tea may be one of the oldest and most frequently consumed drinks, but here’s the tea: there is a lot of innovation to be had. Examples include tea-infused desserts, plant-based milk teas and new steeping formats like tea strips and cold-brew bags for water bottles. The council members even noted that vintage-inspired adult tea parties “are poised to replace happy hour as customers looking for function can seek out brews with added adaptogens and benefits."
- Next-Level Compostable: Continuing sustainability trends, look for more compostable offerings in the coming year, including home-compostable products. Whole Foods shared examples such as its store brand Steeped Coffee Single Serve Compostable Coffee Bags, Compostic 100% Home Compostable Cling Wrap and Coyotas Organic Cassava Tortillas, PACHA Sourdough Sprouted Buckwheat Bread, among other items.
- More-Sustainable Sips: The push for sustainability includes planet-forward adult beverages like wines produced using regenerative practices and available in lower-impact packaging. Beer and whiskey brands are getting into this more, too, using ingredients like drought-resistant fonio or regeneratively farmed kernza.
- Sourdough Stepped Up: Sourdough’s pandemic-era popularity takes a new shift with innovations such as sourdough pizza crusts, flatbreads, brownies, crackers, chocolate and more. Heeding the demand, Whole Foods is adding more sourdough breads to store bakeries, the grocer reports.
- Plant-Based Aquatic Ingredients: Shoppers on dry land will encounter more foods made with sea and freshwater greens in the coming year, according to the trendspotters at Whole Foods. Sea moss, in particular, has emerged as a buzzworthy wellness ingredient, while duckweed is an ingredient to watch for its high protein content.
- Protein Power-Up: Protein is staying on the scene in the near future, with products that go beyond traditional powers and bars. Whole Foods sees more “whole food” snacking and spotlighted different forms like organ meats and meat blends made from organ meats combined with traditional muscle meats.
The Austin, Texas-based grocer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seattle-based Amazon, which is No. 2 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Both Whole Foods and Amazon were named among PG’s Retailers of the Century. PG also named Whole Foods one of its 2024 Top 10 Sustainable Grocers.
