The most unusual food and drink trends I'm looking forward to in 2025

As it’s almost 2025, what food and drink trends can we expect in the new year? Mintel, market intelligence company, has announced four key trends that will shape the global food and drink industry in the years ahead. In 2025 and beyond, expect to see more focus on blood sugar and hormone health, while food and drink will play an increasing role in mental health management. There will be an increase in diversified ingredient sourcing, while the humanisation of technology will be essential for consumers who are apprehensive about technology being used to create, modify and produce the food they put into their bodies. One of the emerging trends is to embrace consumers as ‘perfectly imperfect’ beings who are hungry for brands that help them ‘break the rules’ in food and drink. Alex Beckett, Mintel food and drink director, explained that brands will target ‘perfectly imperfect’ consumers with innovation that breaks the invisible rules around food and drink consumption. In the near future, brands will seek to break down continued social stigmas surrounding lesser-talked-about health issues. For example, currently less-seen on-pack and marketing messaging that directly mentions the role of food and drink in mental health management will become more commonplace. Meanwhile, there is further potential for ‘rule-breaking’ innovation from food and drink brands that are feeling the pressure to be sustainable, despite knowing that consumers won't necessarily pay more for eco-credentials. Innovative brands can create new norms by developing products with unfamiliar sustainable ingredients that can be marketed on their unique taste.”

Margo, Glasgow | Connor Stewar

We’re also going to see more acceptance of ‘food as medicine’ from being an added functional ingredient, to necessary to meeting daily essential nutrient needs. Mintel said this comes from Ozempic and weight loss drug popularity but it’s also coming from an appetite from women learning about their hormones and how nutrition can play a role. Gut health, eating more protein and a focus on provenance in 2024 will also continue in 2025, meaning we’re set to be healthier versions of ourselves.

With this in mind, drinks are likely to become mini. Bars like Coupette popularised the mini drink trend when it opened its recent London Soho outpost. Now mini cocktails are continuing to make a splash throughout the bar scene. High end hotel groups like Fairmont are introducing a welcome mini drink to guests next year, while small but mighty mini-martinis are bucking the Highball cocktail trend. Anna Sebastian, founder of Anna Sebastian Hospitality and bar consultant for The Savoy, The Four Seasons Tower Bridge and Raffles, said: "I'm a big fan of mini drinks. It's a great way to try something new, or to treat a drink like an amuse-bouche. Bars have started introducing tasting menus, where guests can try a few smaller versions of cocktails instead having to commit to full drinks"

A mashup between dining, drinking and the arts is coming to the fore in 2025. Rowan King of Scoop who owns Ka Pao, Ox and Finch, Margo and Sebbs in Glasgow explained this: “Glasgow especially is seeing so much crossover between restaurants, bars and cafes with music, radio and design and that will continue to grow through 2025.”

No matter what food and drink trends 2025 brings, I hope you have a happy new year.