The food industry is entering an exciting new chapter in 2025 driven by Gen Z’s ability to dictate food trends through social media platforms. What once was considered viral has become vital to new product development, and this year’s top trends reflect that.
And it’s not just Gen Z that has an appetite for immersive eating experiences, renewed product innovation and mindful eating. It’s Gen X and Baby Boomers too. It’s even millennials. That’s why these three trends distinguish themselves amid countless lists and predictions. Yes, they will influence product development in 2025, but they also are posed to impact the direction of the food industry for the foreseeable future.
Trend 1: Consumers are hungry for foods that boost the mind
Consumers of all ages are increasingly drawn to foods that support cognitive health due to a growing awareness of the brain-body connection and a desire to optimize mental health.
- Key Stat: 67% of consumers are very curious about foods that improve cognitive health, according to the Consumer Curiosity Report.
With rising stress levels, information overload and an aging population focused on longevity, people are prioritizing nutrition as a powerful tool to enhance focus, memory and overall brain function. Because diet is an important factor for cognitive health, food companies have an excellent opportunity to formulate foods and beverages with brain health in mind.
A good place to start is omega-3 fatty acids, as there is scientific evidence connecting omega-3 fatty acids to brain health. The total fat in walnuts (18g) is mostly comprised of polyunsaturated fats (13g/oz), including omega-3 ALA (2.5g/oz). Walnuts are the only tree nut to provide an excellent source of omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA),[1] an essential fatty acid with potential to support heart health and cognition.[2]-4
A systematic review of 22 studies involving 43,793 participants found that those at a higher risk for cognitive decline saw the most benefit from consuming nuts. The reviewed studies were all interventional or observational studies in humans over age 18. In a review of all nuts, walnuts were the nut that showed the strongest positive association between consumption and cognitive performance.5 Due to variations in studies included within a systematic review, further research is needed to develop a conclusion of consistent evidence on the association of nut consumption and cognition among adults of different ages.
There are several snack mixes, granolas, plant-based milks and nut butters with walnuts on the market today making the connection between brain health and food by promoting the amount of omega-3 fatty acids on front-of-packaging call-outs.
- Product Example: Divina Krunch Granola Cereal boasts 550 mg of omega-3 ALA on its front packaging, thanks in part to a blend of walnuts and flaxseeds in the product.
Trend 2: Texture as the final frontier in experiential eating
Texture’s impact on food is palpable. We crave it when we eat cookies and it is often cited by consumers as an issue when it comes to plant-based meat alternatives on the market today. If 2024 was the year of “swicy,” 2025 is lining up to be all about texture.
Crunch is a contributing factor to experiential eating. It goes beyond taste and nutrition and gives younger demographics something to talk about (volume up) on TikTok. Walnuts are the Goldilocks nut when it comes to texture: not too hard and not too soft. They have a crunch, but are pliable enough to perfectly complement a range of foods from prepared entrees to cookies. Walnuts also are easy to incorporate in products as a +1 ingredient in line extensions demanding an enhanced bite. Turn an ordinary Shrimp and Honey Frozen entree extraordinary by adding the crunch of walnuts.
- Product Example: Send Bars’ Banana Bread variety deftly uses walnuts as an inclusion to provide a clean label crunch in a protein bar.
Trend 3: A return to innovation
Much ink has been spilled about the lack of true innovation in the food industry and the shifting priorities of R&D departments from working on new product developments to focusing on cutting costs.
Chart of the day
Innova Market Insights
Most innovation has been found on the flavor front, marrying flavor platforms to create 2024’s swicy craze and 2025’s swalty trend. Moving beyond flavor, innovation can be found using walnuts in two plant-based formats:
- Walnut Cream: This plant-based cream is a mixture of walnuts and water that can be used in everything from coffee creamers to vegan baked goods. Contact us for more information on this innovation.
- Walnut Meat: Adding a seasoned walnut blend to vegan bolognese, frozen burritos or plant-based hamburger patties provides the clean label texture lacking from many products in this category.
As consumers become more intentional about what they eat, and more social with why they eat, food brands that embrace these three trends will be well positioned to succeed. The California Walnut Board is at the forefront of new product development that exceeds consumer expectations, whether it’s a line extension with more texture or a true product innovation using a walnut cream as a coffee creamer. Contact us to learn more.
References:
[1] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. Fdc.nal.usda.gov.
[2] Analysis of What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2016, ages 1 and older, 2 days dietary intake data, weighted. Recommended Intake Ranges: Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Patterns.
3. 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. 2024. Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: Advisory Report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Secretary of Agriculture. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
4. Sala-Vila A, Fleming J, Kris-Etherton P, Ros E. Impact of alpha-linolenic acid, the vegetable omega-3 fatty acid, on cardiovascular disease and cognition [published ahead of print February 16, 2022]. Advances in Nutrition. doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac016.
5. Lauren E Theodore, Nicole J Kellow, Emily A McNeil, Evangeline O Close, Eliza G Coad, Barbara R Cardoso, Nut Consumption for Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review, Advances in Nutrition, 2020; https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmaa153
