FreshDirect Releases Roundup of 2022 Trends

The in-house team of food pros at e-commerce grocer FreshDirect have curated something else as 2022 gets underway: a list of trends impacting the marketplace.

Not surprisingly, fresh foods are high on that list. Fresh produce ranked at the top of trends for this year, as consumers continue to be driven by health and wellness concerns to buy more fruits and vegetables and are increasingly comfortable buying perishable items online.

Right behind fresh produce is the broad area of plant-based sustainability, encompassing plant-based meals and foods sourced from hyperlocal urban farms. “We also see the plant-based product and culinary options showing up across the store in areas that just a few years ago were not even considered an option, such as ice cream, sausage and yogurts,” the researchers noted.

Sustainability drive more behaviors across the board this year, FreshDirect predicts. The push to reduce food waste will accelerate, reflected in the growth of upcycled foods like those from brands that FreshDirect carries.

The mindfulness behind health and sustainability is extending into other consumer behaviors and preferences, as the e-grocer projects growing interest in low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages. “The quality of alcohol alternatives increases year after year, making it easy for consumers to enjoy these options without compromising on taste or flavor,” the report notes.

The perennial attribute of taste will always be on trend lists, of course. To that end, FreshDirect’s food experts believe that bold flavors will be big on menus in 2022, citing examples like tahini that is being used in several applications for both protein and taste reasons.