AI opportunities for brands, innovation in Gen Z nightlife and utilising TikTok trends. That and more on today’s episode.

Frequently deemed the ‘forgotten generation’, Gen X represents a largely untapped market for the drinks industry, but how do brands draw on this whitespace market?

Is regenerative farming the future of food? What benefits does this approach entail? Why should we even rethink our food systems?

After a prolonged period of uncertainty, five newly adapted and intentioned food and drink personas will emerge in 2024. They will have adjusted priorities that brands need to know now in anticipation of their evolved food and drink demands.

“The ultimate goal around sustainability for packaging is zero waste, so any innovation that removes layers is a step in the right direction,” says Jennifer Creevy, WGSN’s Director of Food & Drink.

Kelp has been popular for hundreds of years in Asia, and is growing in importance in the West, including the US and the UK. While it has been used in soups and broths for some time, WGSN is tracking its appearance as the main ingredient across several product categories.

With alternatives to meat and dairy products creeping into the mainstream, a growing number of companies are leading the charge to meet demand from conscious consumers.

In the last of our six-part series covering some of our top trends forecasts for 2022 and beyond, we’re highlighting two trends – kelp and baijiu – as curated by our experts from WGSN Food & Drink.

Biotech advances which are enabling meats to be grown from cells are poised to disrupt future farm and forestry practices and potentially lighten our environmental impact on the planet.
