Top 5 Food and Beverage Trends in 2026
For decades, taste was the undisputed king of the food and beverage industry. However, as we move into 2026, the crown has shifted. Today’s consumers are more aware of how their dietary choices affect their personal health and the global environment.
While a great sensory experience is still the gateway for acceptance, the real purchase drivers are now functionality, and transparency.
Here are the top 5 food and beverage trends in 2026 shaping the F&B landscape.
Trend 1: The "Anti-Fake" Reset and Clean Label Products
One trend from the previous year that we’re taking into 2026 is the clean label movement. The movement has increased its popularity and acceptance due to a number of factors, mainly demands for transparency and health concerns.
This means, consumers are avoiding ultra-processed imitations and instead look for products with simple and whole-food origins. More people are rejecting a long list of chemical lists in favor of recognizable ingredients.
What’s next for innovators?
To take it to the next level, clean label ingredients should go hand-in-hand with ethical claims and a high level of traceability. For example, knowing exactly which farmers grow your vanilla and how it’s impacting the environment.
By using sustainable, single-origin suppliers like Tripper, manufacturers can easily demonstrate their commitment to transparency and environmental consciousness.
Trend 2: Sweetness with Purpose
Weight management has taken center stage due to the global rise of GLP-1, a medication that helps control blood sugar and promote weight loss. This shift has changed how consumers view "indulgence." Sales of traditional high-sugar and high-fat snacks are declining, replaced by a demand for healthier alternatives.
This calls for innovators to pivot into creating something that’s more health conscious and supports the collective goal toward wellness.
What’s next for innovators?
Consumers aren't just looking for "sugar-free"; they are looking for natural alternatives. Ingredients like allulose, monkfruit, or date syrup are taking the stage.
An additional move would be using natural vanilla extract to bridge or round out the off-notes of natural sweeteners, creating a seamless taste profile. All created without the caloric load or artificial aftertaste.
Trend 3: The Functional Food and Drinks
As mentioned, flavor is no longer the only determining element in terms of F&B purchase. Although it’s still a gateway to capture the consumers’ attention, supporting their health goals is the move that keeps them coming.
That’s what functional food and drinks cater to, as they’re foods that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition and caloric intake. For example, improving digestion, mental clarity, or having a good amount of vitamins, probiotics, and fiber.
What’s next for innovators?
One specific functional food trend that’s still going strong is ones concerning gut health. People are giving up processed food and food and drinks high in fat, calories, or sugars in order to support their gut health.
Another way for innovators to embrace this trend is by using gut-friendly ingredients, such as ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon known for their anti-inflammatory benefits. Furthermore, fiber is deemed as the new protein in 2026, as it enhances gut microbiome and promotes regular movements.
Creating products that are high in fiber and anti-inflammatory ingredients will be the key to dominate the gut health food and beverage trend in 2026.
Trend 4: Sensation-Driven Wellness with Natural Colorants
We eat with our eyes, so how a food looks still matters in 2026. The difference is it should still have elements of wellness and health behind it. This trend is supported by moving away from synthetic dyes toward natural pigments that offer functional benefits.
What’s next for innovators?
Manufacturers can embrace it by using natural colorants that offer antioxidant rich hues for their food and drinks. For example, butterfly pea and their pH-color changes that can offer a “wow” factor for ready-to-drink products.
Another rising ingredient is pandan, the "Asian Vanilla" that provides both a vivid green hue and a distinct, nutty aromatic profile.
Lastly, ube, a good source of fiber and antioxidants with a vibrant purple color. Their flavor profiles are suitable for all types of food and drinks, especially desserts.
Ube can have a textural impact, with fresh puree adding moisture and creaminess, while jam adds a gummy texture and ube powder gives a slightly grainy texture. For minimum impacts, innovators might want to opt for ube extract which adds flavor and color without altering textures.
Trend 5: Global Flavor Fusion
Consumers are moving away from generic flavors and embracing more adventurous taste profiles. Unique flavor combinations and exotic ingredients are now taking stage, with previously less popular cuisines getting more attention.
What’s next for innovators?
If last year was the year of swicy (sweet and spicy), this year we’re moving towards fricy. Instead of sweet, fricy is a combination of fruit and spicy, where spices are used to prepare fruit dishes. This is commonly found in exotic dishes from South America and Southeast Asia. One example is creating a sweet and spicy fruit salad using tropical fruits with cinnamon and chili.
One star ingredient that’s taking the fusion trend by storm is ube or Filipino purple yam. This ingredient hits many different points in our prediction for the 2026 food and beverage trends: from their unique nutty flavor, vivid color, healthy antioxidants, to their deep cultural history.
Final Take: 2026 Innovation Success
To achieve innovation success in 2026 requires balancing all the market needs: clean label, sweetness with purpose, functional foods, natural colorants, and global flavors. The winning brands will be those that provide a premium sensory experience without the hidden costs of sugar and chemicals.
Ready to formulate for the future? Contact Tripper today to find your partner in sustainable, high-impact ingredient innovation.
FAQs
What are the trends in food in 2026?
Functional food, clean label, fiber and gut health, natural colorants, and global-inspired fusion food and drinks.
What are the drink trends in 2026?
The drink trends in 2026 will be functional drinks, fiber-enriched drinks, fricy (fruit and spicy) drinks, and products that are sustainable.
What are the trendy flavors in 2026?
Unexpected flavor combinations such as fricy, which is a combo of fruit and spiciness inspired by Latin American and Southeast Asian cuisines. There’s also flavors and ingredients from global origins such as ube, yuzu, and pandan.
With health in the spotlight, will sensory appeal take a backseat?
Although consumers are thinking more about health, sensory appeal still matters. In fact, sensory appeal is an “entry fee” for consumers to purchase something, while nutritional health will keep them coming for more.