The Return of Real
This part isn’t news: our daily life is “optimized” by hybrid work, streaming services, and instant commerce. And yet, people feel more isolated and hungry for meaning than ever. All the tech available to us makes our daily processes faster and more efficient, but can’t deliver serendipity, warmth, or the imperfect experiences that make life feel human. Even the free time it allows us is somehow swallowed by the ouroboros of always-on media. It seems, however, we’re starting to wake up and see the Matrix we’ve put ourselves in. The core tension of 2026 is a human-centric rebellion, a pushback against algorithmic efficiency, authenticity gaps, and artificial perfection in favour of connection, context, and craft. Brands that refocus on real human needs, not just frictionless convenience, will win.
Here’s a preview of the seven trends we’ve identified as vital to how 2026 will unfold for food and beverage businesses. And to set the stage, please download and enjoy our previous reports, available here.
Rise of the Bot Shoppers: When Algorithms Become Your #1 Customers
AI agents are becoming the primary intermediaries—the personal shoppers for the masses—for discovery and purchase, planning, comparing, and transacting on our behalf. As B2C and B2B shift to A2B and A2C, visibility depends on being “agent-friendly”, with Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO, being as crucial as SEO.
From Endorsers to Investors: The Rise of Celebrity Platform Brands
Why hire a celebrity spokesperson when you have a celebrity owner? Distribution-first incumbents are giving way to audience-first “platform” brands built by established celebs and creators with pre-existing reach and authentic storytelling. These new brands launch faster, iterate in the open, and convert attention into sales. The flip side of the coin? The decline of legacy brands, which struggle with slow innovation and fading cultural relevance.
Hungry Humans Wanted: Food as the Cure for the Loneliness Epidemic
You’d think the end of the COVID epidemic would have renewed interest in socialization. But, as life became more AI-mediated and transactional, the opposite occurred. Now, however, food is reclaiming its role as social medicine. Shared meals, community events, even “slow checkout” lanes, are countering isolation and building loyalty. Will brands, retailers, and restaurants that design for genuine human interaction outperform?
Maxed Out On Maxxing: Single-Nutrient Focus Gives Way to Functional Balance
Single-nutrient snacks and hacks are giving way to eating that balances nutrients, with the gut as the hub. Consumers want real food and multi-functional benefits over ultra-processed, one-trick-pony products. Expect growth in naturally balanced formats framed for comfort, microbiome support, and everyday performance.
Sowing Seeds of Doubt: The Polarization and Politicization of the Food System
Sharply divided debates over UPFs, shifting definitions, and scrutiny of GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) have eroded confidence in regulators and manufacturers. When science is complex and messaging feels evasive, consumers default to suspicion. The path forward is radical transparency, giving shoppers clear, comparable choices without stigmatizing whole categories.
Restoring Reality: Embracing Authenticity Over Artificial Perfection
Consumers are pushing back against AI-polished sameness and over-engineered “improvements,” paying a premium for any visible human touch. In food, that means rediscovering whole foods and minimally processed options. Is imperfection poised to become a proof point of authenticity, not a defect to hide?
Eat Good, Look Good: Redefining the Beauty Regimen with Nutrition
Beauty is migrating from the vanity to the pantry as consumers connect skin and hair health to lifestyle, including diet and gut health. Functional foods and beverages are displacing supplements, and brands that translate complex biochemistry into tasty, routine-friendly formats could lead this holistic shift.
STAY TUNED! THE 2026 NOURISH TREND REPORT IS COMING SOON!
