Best in show: Top 5 products from the Summer Fancy Food Show

The 65th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City gave attendees an expansive look into innovative new products across food and beverage categories. Mintel Analysts Marcia Mogelonsky, Jill Failla, and Melanie Zanoza Bartelme take a closer look at some of their favorite products from the show and explain why these are the ones to watch.

RifRaf Ricotta Cups

Single-serve ricotta snack cups in five varieties: Strawberry Balsamic, Serrano Pepper Honey, Wildflower Honey, Sundried Tomato, and Meyer Lemon.

Jill: This was my favorite product at the Summer Fancy Food Show! I’ve seen brands repackaging cottage cheese in recent years in similar snack-friendly formats, but I think a lot of young consumers will be more attracted to ricotta than cottage cheese. I think consumers will enjoy the 10 grams of protein per cup as well as the innovative flavor selection, which spans both sweet and savory depending on your tastes. My favorite was the Meyer Lemon–classic.

Marcia: For those still eating dairy, this product provides a portable, snackable option with a range of flavors from savory to sweet. I think the concept will resonate with cottage cheese eaters who are looking for something new. The next step will be to bring out the non-dairy version, with almond milk-sourced ricotta.

Melanie: I absolutely love the use of savory flavors with this product–as the owner said, the Sundried Tomato is essentially a ravioli without the pasta, really giving consumers new options for snacktime, or even a mini meal.

The Chaat Company Indian Street Snacks

Snack-pack pairings in four varieties: Popped Chickpea Chips with Tamarind Chutney, Tomato Chutney, Coconut Chutney, or Mango Chutney.

Jill: Mintel trendspotters first saw this product at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago, and we all loved it there. More and more Americans are starting to embrace Indian foods and beverages, and the time is ripe to launch more Indian snacks into the US market. This particular snack will do well because of its convenient grab-and-go packaging, fun dippability, and the fact that it’s a refrigerated product, which underscores its freshness – fresh snacking is big right now.

Marcia: Totally agree! Indian food has finally started to cross over from foodservice into retail, and this product hits all the “high” notes for snacks: portability, portion control, freshness, and excitement.

Melanie: We recently spotlighted Indian food as a cuisine to watch in Mintel’s 2019 Flavor and Ingredient Trends, and this convenient format is going to make Indian snacking–that’s what “chaat” means–even more accessible. Plus, it’s hard to resist the ability to dip!

ILIADA Single Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil from The Chinaris Estate

100% extra virgin olive oil produced in a family-owned grove in Messenia, Greece, featuring monovarietal from Koroneiki variety olives of naturally low acidity.

Jill: Most of the olive oils I’ve purchased have been from Italy, but I do think we may see a heightened focus on Greek olive oils in the US as a result of increased travel to Greece. This one is uber premium, with limited production of only 10,000 bottles.

Marcia: “Clean” and clearly sourced olive oil is a great response to the ongoing issue of consumers wanting to know where products really come from. For example, “Made in Italy with olives from Spain, Turkey, and Tunisia.” This product removes all doubt and champions not only the single country of origin but also pinpoints the province and estate from which the olives are sourced.

Melanie: The olive oil category has so much potential to shake things up. As we’ve started to see in more vibrant packaging and oils for different use occasions, spotlighting provenance and authenticity is going to be a key factor in making more premium oils attractive to discerning consumers. Plus, with a renewed focus on the Mediterranean Diet, the time is now!

Avocado Leaf Tea

Tea derived from avocado plant leaves in five varieties: Natural Flavor, Chamomile Blend, Lemon Blend, Peach Blend, and Black Tea Blend.

Jill: Who doesn’t love avocados? I think consumers will be intrigued by this product and very interested in taste-testing an avocado leaf, which has a compelling wellness positioning as well.

Marcia: Upcycling avocados by using the leaves as a tea is a great idea. I only tried the natural flavor, and it was very light and refreshing; it is likely that the popularity of this product will rest not only in its drinkability, but also in its sustainability credentials.

Melanie: I am obsessed with upcycled ingredients, and I think this is brilliant. Speaking with the owner, I learned that avocado leaf tea is an ancient remedy, so there’s also a “tradition” aspect to this “new” product. I also respect the resources that this company has invested in testing the leaves to confirm their health benefits and their dedication to developing processing methods that preserve their nutrients as well as the tea’s natural flavor.

Fabalish Vegan Tzatziki

A vegan tzatziki sauce that replaces yogurt with aquafaba and also contains organic cucumber, mint, and dill.

Jill: This one got a lot of love from all the vegan analysts at Mintel as it’s the first vegan tzatziki product we’ve seen in the US market. I think one of the coolest things Fabalish is doing here is using the aquafaba that’s leftover from making its Chickpea Baked Falafels product, which is a sustainable (and economical) use of ingredients.

Marcia: Another product that is upcycling an ingredient that would normally be wasted. As a vegan, I am glad to see another dairy-free option for a popular dairy-based product.

Melanie: More upcycling! Keep these coming! As Jill said, the closed loop this company has created is a fantastic use of resources and creates a compelling story as well as a product that is quite delicious. This is also a great form of innovation within Middle Eastern food, another trending cuisine we identified in our recent Flavor and Ingredient Trends.

Jill Failla is a Foodservice Analyst at Mintel. She creates US Foodservice Reports and contributes to Mintel’s Menu Insights database.

Marcia Mogelonsky is the Director of Insight, Mintel Food & Drink, at Mintel. Her expertise focuses on a number of areas in confectionery and snacks.

Melanie Zanoza Bartelme is a Global Food Analyst at Mintel, providing insights on global innovation and consumer trends across a number of food categories.