Culinary Compass – June 2025

Welcome to the Culinary Tides’ monthly Culinary Compass, where we chart the course of the food industry’s latest trends, data, and developments. Each month, we’ll be sharing our top research picks, breaking news, and favorite industry insights, alongside all the latest from Culinary Tides, Inc.—including trend insight research, upcoming speaking events, and expert navigation advice. We are excited to bring you these curated highlights and exclusive content, designed to keep you ahead of the curve in our ever-evolving industry.

Let us help you jumpstart your strategy plan for 2025! Consider partnering with Culinary Tides, Inc. as your personal Think Tank, or for White space identification & navigation, Trend origin, longevity & trajectory reports, Concept development & refinement, or Ideation, Concept review & Strategy workshops.

Anchored Insight: Research

Value Penguin: Millennials lead in alcohol consumption at 55%, Gen Z are least likely to drink at 41%, top reasons for drinking – relaxation (60%), taste (45%), socializing (44%), celebrating (38%), and stress relief (38%), reasons for not drinking – lack of interest (47%), physical health (32%), mental health (19%), religion (16%), addiction concerns (15%)

RMS: 10% current or past users of GLP-1 medications have not slowed thier dining habits, 25% of current GLP-1 users reported increasing their visits to QSRs in the past month, 43% of past users reported dining at QSRs more frequently, only 23% of non-users said same

Regulatory Ripples: Government Updates

USA: HHS and the FDA plan to eliminate petroleum-based synthetic dyes from food supply, the agency will begin revoking approval for Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B within the next few months, aims to remove six other dyes—FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow Nos. 5 and 6, FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, by the end of next year

USA: FDA reassess widely used chemicals such as antioxidants BHT and BHA, and the dough conditioner ADA, will also accelerate evaluations of chemicals like phthalates, propylparaben, and titanium dioxide

The Best of Future Bites: Conference Insights

What were the most interesting and exciting trend topics from recent conferences? Take a quick educational break from your day and enjoy this 5-minute look at a trend that impacts the food industry.

Click Below to Watch ~ The Plant Protein Paradox: Closing the Consumer Expectation Gap 

Best of News Comments

Every weekday we post news items and cutting-edge research which impact the food and beverage industry. If you missed them, check out a few of our favorites from the past month:

1) 🚦Alt Protein Roadblock: Where Does It Go From Here?

GFI reports highlight the need for more capital in alt proteins, but let’s be honest: funding is drying up because consumers are walking away. State and country bans on cell ag, taste and texture complaints, high costs, and a return to traditional meat and dairy are slowing momentum. Consumers aren’t looking for plants that pretend to be meat; they’re looking for plants as plants.

If we want the future of alt proteins to thrive, it’s time to rethink strategies, focus on taste, cost, and authenticity, and move past chasing a “meat mimic” narrative consumers no longer buy into.

2)🚨 Bird Flu Cases Slow—but the Threat Isn’t Over

New data shows H5N1 cases are easing in both animals and humans, giving the industry a moment to breathe—but not to relax. CDC officials confirm that reduced infections in poultry and dairy herds are leading to fewer human exposures. That’s welcome news, but this lull is not a finish line—it’s a strategic pause.

Infectious diseases, especially zoonotic ones like avian influenza, don’t follow a straight path. They surge, adapt, and reemerge—often stronger. With warmer seasons approaching, animal-human contact typically rises, and so does the risk of new spillover events.

This slowdown offers the food industry a rare opportunity:

🔹 Tighten surveillance across the supply chain

🔹 Revisit biosecurity protocols for livestock and workers

🔹 Reassess communication strategies with suppliers and partners

🔹 Prepare for possible policy shifts and export restrictions

Now is the time to invest in foresight, not wait for the next crisis to hit.

Anchored Insight: Tech Launches

Culinary Tides in the News

• Culinary Tides, Buona Companies, Roll Mobility leaders to give executive perspectives at Fast Casual Executive Summit – fastcasual.com
• Economic stressors altering 2025 food trends – foodbusinessnews.net
• Caution advised when making GLP-1 labeling claims – foodbusinessnews.net
• Asian Cuisine and Flavors Dominate Global Foods – todaysdietitian.com
• What’s Currently Trending in Tea? – worldteanews.com
• Forecasting flavors: The taste of 2025 – fastcasual.com
• Flavor Trends: What to Expect in ’25 – supermarketperimeter.com

Culinary Tides’ Next Conference Appearance

• August 28 & 29, 2025: SCIP Workshop Webinar

• August 7, 2025: IDDBA Webinar

• September 13 &14 2025: IBIE x2, Las Vegas

• September 25: IFT Philadelphia, NJ

• October 7, 2025: Fast Casual Executive Summit, Austin, TX

• December 4, 2025: IDDBA Webinar

Culinary Snapshot

Tide’s Table

Each month, Culinary Tides is taking you on a flavorful journey with our recipe feature! Inspired by the tides of trends, these recipes are crafted to bring a touch of charm to your table. From bright beverages and delicious desserts to hearty dishes and sides, there’s something fresh and exciting waiting for you in every edition. Dive in and make waves in your kitchen!

This month we celebrate Sauce! Have you tried this?

Free Downloads!

6 MUST Ask Questions to Make Your Next Workshop A Success

Big News for Food & Beverage Innovators! 🚨

The 2025/26 Shifting Sands Yearly Trends Report from Culinary Tides, Inc. & Menu Matters is here — and it’s more than just a trend list. 

🚨 Ready to Make Smarter Moves in 2025? 🚨

The 2025/26 Shifting Sands Yearly Trends Report from Culinary Tides, Inc. & Menu Matters is your unfair advantage for food & beverage innovation.

✅ Save Time & Money: We’ve analyzed 241 trusted sources so you don’t have to. Focus your resources on what matters most.
✅ Find the Trends That Fit You: Our searchable database helps you pinpoint the food, beverage, health, tech, and consumer trends aligned with your goals.
✅ Move at Your Pace: Whether you’re a bold Trendsetter or a cautious Follower, discover trends that match your risk comfort and help you navigate change confidently.
✅ Action, Not Just Insights: You get 5 hours of expert support to translate insights into strategies, so you can launch products with confidence and reduce guesswork.

Get ready to future-proof your next move.
The Shifting Sands report doesn’t just track trends—it helps you win with them.

Watch the video for a preview of the report:

We recognize that you’re inundated with data and information, without the time or resources to sort through it all. Your main objective is to craft impactful solutions that resonate and succeed. Culinary Tides, Inc. streamlines this process by combining deep expertise, focused research, a fresh way of thinking, and a strong commitment to every client relationship, enabling your organization to move from overloaded to equipped.

Culinary Tides, Inc. is booking meetings now for those curious about our services: