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 2026! 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
Constellation Brands: Predicts alcohol sales will drop by $438M in 2026 as cannabis use rises. With 77% cutting alcohol for THC drinks and 21% quitting altogether, cannabis is reshaping beverage consumption.
Reputation: A Reputation survey shows 37% fear AI privacy risks, 30% worry about service errors, and 55% trust AI summaries. With AI use highest among ages 25–34 (61%), hospitality brands must balance automation with human touch.
Regulatory Ripples: Government Updates
USA: The FDA is evaluating a White House proposal to mandate gluten labeling on foods, potentially reshaping packaging, compliance costs, and allergen transparency across the U.S. food industry.
USA: California’s new law bans ultra-processed foods from school meals by 2035, requiring phased elimination of high-risk additives and aligning with broader state and federal food safety reforms.
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 on the Picture Below to Watch ~ Winning Customers with The Power of Beverages in C-Stores
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) Straight Up With a Twist: Why Cocktails Are Entering Their Reinvention Era
This article explores a sleek rooftop bar at closing time—city lights fading, a martini wrestling with its waning relevance, and Avery Cross, a warm but analytical business coach, stepping in to guide its identity crisis. Through this fictional scene, the piece examines how even iconic categories must re-evaluate their place in a shifting culture.
From a foresight perspective, this moment mirrors a larger industry truth: legacy beverages can no longer rely on nostalgia alone. Consumers want meaning, mood support, craftsmanship, and authenticity—forcing every category, even cocktails, to clarify who they are and why they matter. Reinvention isn’t optional; it’s strategic survival.
What classic beverage do you think is overdue for a reinvention?
2) 🎒 Skillcations: Why Travelers Are Swapping Souvenirs for New Skills
Travelers aren’t just looking to get away anymore—they’re looking to grow. The article highlights a rising shift toward “skillcations,” with 39% of U.S. travelers now seeking hands-on, experience-driven trips that teach them something new.
From a foresight perspective, this isn’t just a quirky travel fad—it reflects a deeper consumer pivot toward purposeful leisure, where enrichment, mastery, and personal agency outweigh passive relaxation. Economic stress, social fatigue, and an appetite for confidence-building experiences are converging, pushing travelers toward vacations that do something for them, not just to them.
Expect this trend to evolve into cross-industry collaborations: culinary tourism packages built around regional techniques, wellness retreats that merge skills with self-improvement, and destination brands partnering with chefs, farmers, artisans, and makers to create learnable, repeatable take-home experiences.
Anchored Insight: Tech Launches
Qu: Online Ordering is a mobile-first restaurant platform using AI and real-time data to personalize orders, drive upselling, and improve profitability for quick-service and fast-casual operators.
Actus Nutrition: Launched FlavorFORM, BakeFORM, BeneSpore BV, and VitalEX—innovative ingredient systems advancing clean-label flavor, egg replacement, probiotics, and sustained caffeine delivery for functional food and beverage applications.
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 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 whole grains! Have you tried this?
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3 Ways to Successfully Navigate Trends: How Foresights Shape the Future of Your Business
6 MUST Ask Questions to Make Your Next Workshop A Success
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