Top Trends

If 2022 was the food industry's comeback year, 2023 will be the year of growth and evolution. Consumers are eager to expand their culinary horizons and dive deep into the stories behind the food they love. Farmers and producers are continuing to innovate, putting flavor first. Chefs and grocers are getting creative to navigate our "new normal." Our expert team of merchants has their ear to the ground, sourcing products that connect you with the items your customers will love and the growers and artisans who make them. To help you stay ahead of the curve this year, we put together a list of the top 12 trends in our 2023 Food Forecast.

At Baldor, we have some resolutions of our own. “We are continuing to raise the bar in what we expect from our business partners,” says Kenneth Bower, our Director of Produce Merchandising. “That means sourcing healthy, safe, reliable produce from growers who share our same values: quality driven, socially responsible, and sustainable, while bettering the communities around them.

See our list of trends and stay ahead of them by shopping our curated selection here. To read the full Food Forecast, click the link below.

With labor being a top-of-mind concern for chefs and retailers alike, we've heard the call for high-quality, fresh, and flavor-forward items that are true time-saver. 2022 proved big for cut fruit, vegetables, prepared salsa, pre-portioned fish, and salad kits – we expect these numbers to continue to rise in 2023.

In 2022, we really dug into indoor growing, creating relationships with an extended number of vertical, rooftop, hydroponic, and AI-powered farms. But now, after living through a year, in which, many crops were seriously impacted or destroyed as a result of climate change, we believe controlled environment agriculture we’ll become not only popular but a necessity.

2023’s avocados aren’t just for guac and toast. At the 2022 International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Fresh Produce and Floral Show, we saw – and tasted – a jump in avocado-based desserts and snacks. Simultaneously, we experienced major growth in our avocado pulp category, cementing the fruit’s popularity and versatility, now and going forward.

Organic remains important, but over the past few years, it’s become just one piece of the farming puzzle. “Soil health emerges as an important part of sustainable food production, as improved soil fertility improves crop nutrition, air quality, and human health,” says Emily Murphy, Diretor of Specialty Merchandising.

We’re seeing customers fight back and demand better packaging, and companies are responding. We’re proud to support brands that are taking major steps toward better solutions by choosing to use recyclable packaging, renewable and plant-based containers, and compostable solutions.

Flavor will be king in 2023. While it seems obvious that our food should taste amazing, it has not been uncommon for food to be grown and produced with durability as a priority But, now vegetable breeders, tomato growers, and ranchers are increasingly focusing on flavor first, as customers are demanding better from their food.

According to a recent poll by the International Food Information Council, 57% of survey respondents said they were concerned about food waste. Our partners are leading the charge by utilizing ingredients that would otherwise become waste, like whey, vegetable scraps, and grocery store discards, and giving them as delicious drinks and high-quality animal feed.

Instagram and TikTok’s viral food videos are translating to major food trends, including a continued interest in exploring global cuisines, bold flavors, more adventurous eating, and lots of heat. When shopping and dining, customers are seeking out authentic dishes, big flavors, and harder to find items. Diners will be especially interested Southeast Asian, South American, Indian, and African cuisine.

From Dry January to Sober Curious, from health-based decisions to pregnancy, to designated drivers and more, the reasons that people choose to skip the alcohol are endless. And, as we move into 2023, we’re seeing restaurants picking up on this with more creative mocktails menus that feature non-alcoholic spirits, artisan mixers, and unique sparkling waters.

While local sourcing has been increasing in demand for a few years, we anticipate a greater interest in sourcing practices, product origins, and farmers’ backstories. We bring our farmer profiles front and center (below are just a handful of the ones we love to tell) and envision more restaurants and retailers identifying looking to share more dimensional stories on menus and shelves.

Meat imitations are still having a moment, but lately, we’ve seen chefs and consumers seeking less processed, more recognizable, plant-forward options. “The newer category we’re looking at is plant-forward, which is heavy in veggies and have significantly less ingredients, and typically few additives, but are protein and nutrient rich center of plate options, are made with whole ingredients,” says Kevin Lindgren, Director of Protein Merchandising.

Our last two quarters amplified what we’ve known about non-dairy milks: They’re not only here to stay — they’re continuing to gain popularity. Additionally, customers are seeking out unique and unexpected alternatives to almond, coconut, and soy, like the pistachios and sesame milks we began carrying in late 2022.