Mintel, the global leader in market intelligence, has cited 2026 global food and drink predictions –how today’s signals in dietary preferences, nostalgia for the past, and desires for unique experiences.
Jolene Ng, Associate Principal Food and Drink Analyst at Mintel, said ‘Maxxing’ Out, Diversity In is very much rooted in health as interest in specific nutrients is at different stages globally.
“The focus on fiber and protein will expand beyond muscle and digestion to include broader health benefits. Consumers of different age groups are paying more attention to protein and fiber intake,” she said during the National Exporters’ Week.
Ng said combining efficacy, affordability and enjoyment will appeal to a diverse group of consumers.
Looking ahead to 2030, Ng said variety will be a key goal for healthy eating.
“By 2030, consumers will be hungry to expand their diets beyond just the benefits of protein and fiber. Instead, diets will celebrate a wide range of ingredients that provide a variety of nutrients and help to reduce the reliance on singular foods, ingredients or crops,” she said.
Fiber will become “nutritional armor” against microplastics amid dietary diversity, she added.
Ng said Retro Rejuvenation is another trend, adding that food and drink that is rooted in trusted and practical traditions of the past will reduce consumers’ feelings of vulnerability and lack of control.
“For consumers in 2026, nostalgia for ‘the past’ does not mean rewinding to a specific year or era. Rather, it is seeking refuge from a volatile and artificially intelligent world is an idealized and romanticized view that life in the past was simpler, as shown by interest in ancient medicines or ‘grandma hobbies’,” she said.
Ng cited that 38 percent of adults in the Philippines, 41 percent in India and 39 percent in Mexico strongly agree they enjoy products that remind them of the past.
She said millennials will be a key audience for convenient heritage products.
“Given millennials’ appreciation for their older counterparts, their hobbies and ‘simpler’ way of living, there are opportunities for nostalgic themes, traditional ingredients and historic recipes to communicate their relevance to today’s millennials and younger generations,” she added.
Ng said brands will bring the past into today with modern reinventions
“The upmarket revival of ambient food will inspire more brands to seize the momentum,” she said. “Re-discovered ancient recipes will be modernized to suit all tastes and budgets.”
Further, Ng said Intentionally Sensory is the third trend, with brands getting more intentional with the use of color, texture or aroma to stimulate the senses and reinvigorate experiential eating and brand positioning.
“Multisensory food and drink formulations will mature from whimsical novelties to more practical and purposeful formulations that provide memorable experiences while also answering the specific sensory needs of underserved consumers,”she said.
