2026 Global Food & Drink Predictions | US/Canada

Connect today’s behaviors to tomorrow’s opportunities live.

Mintel’s 2026 Global Food & Drink Predictions were developed with a view to how empathetic brands can help consumers who feel like they are only surviving, rather than thriving.

The polycrisis, a term for a series of consecutive, interlinked shocks or disasters, of the last five years has left consumers and companies alike in need of support to feel prepared, flexible and, even creative in the face of obstacles.​

Being resilient is a lasting lesson from COVID-19, but Mintel’s global food and drink analysts predict three perseverance will emerge as a motto for 2026:

“Maxxing” Out, Diversity In​

Protein and fiber are cutting through the clutter in 2026 and going mainstream as easy to understand, accessible and essential nutrients. In the coming years, consumers will have felt the health benefits of consuming sufficient protein and fiber, and they will aim to improve their dietary diversity.​

Retro Rejuvenation​

Food and drink that is rooted in trusted and practical traditions of the past will reduce consumers’ feelings of vulnerability and lack of control. More food and drink brands will support consumers’ need for control by harnessing society’s reawakened fascination with historic ingredients, traditional formats or age-old wisdom.​

Intentionally Sensory​

Multisensory food and drink formulations will mature from whimsical novelties like dirty sodas or Dubai chocolate. Instead, brands will use color, texture, aroma and other sensory elements to launch more practical and purposeful formulations that provide memorable experiences. New formulation inspiration will come from innovations developed to answer the specific sensory needs of underserved consumers, such as elderly consumers, GLP-1 medication users and people with neurodivergences like ADHD or autism.

Watch the 2026 Food & Drink Predictions Webinar and gain the clarity you need to guide your strategies into the next decade.