Food Trends: Insights Report, Charts, & Data Package
Food Market Research and Consumer Insights
CONSUMER DATA TO FUTURECAST FOOD TRENDS
37% of consumers want more protein in packaged foods and 22% want more fiber. But when you isolate protein-seekers, demand for fiber jumps +16 points: this crossover segment over-indexes on frozen vegetables, fresh dairy, and cereal by double digits.
Nextin™ Food Trends maps the satisfaction gaps, ingredient demand signals, and flavor preferences shaping the next generation of packaged food innovation.
Stay ahead of trends and the competition with futurecasting insights, from functional snacking and fortified foods to purchase-drivers that influence what lands in the cart. Nextin translates consumer data into the innovation intelligence that keeps food innovators at the forefront of their categories.
Designed for Professionals Who Bring Food Innovation to Market
Whether you’re developing a new product, pitching a retail buyer, or evaluating an ingredient investment, this Nextin Research package delivers the validated consumer data that sharpens high-stakes decisions:
- Food innovation and brand teams: Pinpoint satisfaction gaps, pressure-test product and flavor concepts, and refine positioning with food industry market research that uncovers what consumers want more—and less—of in packaged foods
- Ingredient suppliers: Understand which protein sources, fiber types, and functional ingredients resonate with consumers, and where emerging demand outpaces current supply
- Retailers and category managers: Leverage cross-category purchase data and channel insights to build assortments that reflect how consumers actually shop across sweet, savory, frozen, and fortified segments
- Investors and analysts: Size opportunities using primary data on unmet needs, functional food adoption curves, and the consumer willingness that underpins category growth
- Executives and strategists: Ground long-range planning in current consumer psychographics, lifestyle data, and the benefit-driven trends reshaping packaged food from snacks to ready meals
The packaged food category moves fast. If your decisions are based on data that’s more than a year old, this research closes that gap.
Interested in a preview of Nextin Food Trends? See sample content and explore how it applies to your business:
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What’s Inside: Forward-looking Food Industry Market Research
Data Vintage: February 2025 survey of 1,235 U.S. adults aged 18 and older who report having made a food purchase in the prior month—among the most current primary consumer research available in the packaged food category.
The Insights Report (36 pages): Forward-looking analysis of packaged food trends spanning snacking (sweet, savory, and kids’), functional foods, ready meals, and flavor preferences. Includes consumer satisfaction analysis, ingredient and protein/fiber demand, and purchase-driver prioritization. Built to support product development, marketing strategy, and executive presentations.
The Charts (82 charts plus stylized tables in PowerPoint): Editable visuals cover every major topic in the report, and are ready to use as-is or easily customized to your brand. Formatted for retail buyer decks, board-level presentations, and internal strategy sessions; just drag and drop into your next presentation.
Detailed Tables of Contents
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Food Insights Report: Full Table of Contents (36 pages)
Food Trends and Category Insights
a Nextin Research Trend Report
Introduction and Methodology
Meet the Audience: the U.S. Food Consumer
- Top Categories Purchased
- Important Factors
- Psychographic Insights
Food Trends and the U.S. Consumer
- Food Purchase Trends and Opportunities
- Food Purchase Trends and Satisfaction Levels (Table 1.01)
- Packaged Food Priorities: Factors That Influence Purchase
- Consumer Priorities When Comparing Packaged Foods (Table 1.02)
- The Protein Push: Sources and Satisfaction
- Protein Sources That Consumers Seek in Packaged Foods (Table 1.03)
- The Fiber Factor
- Fiber Sources That Consumers Seek in Packaged Foods (Table 1.04)
- Innovation and Merchandising Insight
- Better-for-You Food Trends: Evolving Consumer Criteria
- Ingredients Consumers Avoid (Table 1.05)
Flavor-Full: Familiar, Fun, and Fanciful
- Top Savory Flavor Preferences (Table 1.06)
- Top Sweet Flavor Preferences (Table 1.07)
The Marketing Mix: Grow Awareness, Gain Interest, Drive Sales
- Top Sources of Food Information and Inspiration (Table 1.08)
- Marketing Insight
Purchase Influence: Driving Trial and Long-term Loyalty
- Corporate Responsibility Initiatives and Influence (Table 1.09)
Food Purchase Trends and Channels: Where Consumers Shop
- Retail and Foodservice
- Partnership Potential
- Retail Channels for Food Purchases (Table 1.10)
Snack Category Spotlight: Snacking, Sweet and Savory
- Satisfaction by Category
- In-Demand Snack Attributes
- Did You Know: Snack Consumer Psychographic Insights
- Snack Flavors That Promote Trial (Table 2.01)
- Sweet Snack Trends
- Purchased in the Prior Month
- Sweet Snack Flavor Preferences
- Recently Consumed
- Savory Snack Trends
- Purchased in the Prior Month
- Important Factors in Packaged Foods Purchases
- Recently Consumed
- Favorite Flavors in Packaged Foods
- Most Likely to Use in Food Preparation
- Kids’ Snack Trends
- Purchased in Households with Kids 18 and Younger
- What Shoppers Seek in Kids’ Snacks (Table 2.02)
- Those Who Purchase Foods for Kids 12 and Younger
- Did You Know: Psychographic Insights
- Fortified Snacking: Protein, Fiber, and Functionality
- Preferred Protein Sources in Snacks (Table 2.03)
- Preferred Fiber Sources in Snacks (Table 2.04)
- Fiber-Focused Snackers
- Functional Fiber
- Functional Snacking: Satisfying More Than Cravings
- Preferred Functional Benefits in Snacks (Table 2.05)
- Preferred Ingredients and Attributes in Snacks (Table 2.06)
Functional Food Spotlight: The Functional Food Phenomenon
- The Effect of Functional Benefits on Food Purchase Consideration (Table 3.01)
- Functional Benefits Sought in Food (Table 3.02)
Ready Meal Spotlight: Get Ready, Get Set, Eat
- Ready Meal Consumer Attitudes Regarding Food Preparation (Table 4.01)
- Top Appliances Used by Ready Meal Consumers (Table 4.02)
- Savory Flavor Preferences
- Food Decision-Drivers Among Ready Meal Consumers (Table 4.03)
- Functional Food Benefits
About Nextin Research
About MarketPlace
Index of Available Charts
Index of PowerPoint Charts and Tables (82 slides)
Nextin Consumer Trends and Food Industry Market Research
82 PowerPoint Charts Plus Data Tables
The U.S. Food Consumer
- Food Products Purchased, Prior Month
- Packaged Foods Consumption, Prior Month
- Beverage Consumption, Prior Month
- Supplement and CBD Consumption, Prior Month
- Decision-Drivers for Packaged Food Purchases
- Top Factors in Packaged Food Purchase Decisions
- Preferred Protein Sources in Packaged Foods
- Preferred Fiber Sources in Packaged Foods
Packaged Food Trends: the Savory Side
- Packaged Food Purchases, Prior Month
- Preferred Flavor Profiles in Savory Packaged Foods
Packaged Food Trends: the Sweet Side
- Packaged Food Purchases, Prior 3 Months
- Preferred Flavor Profiles in Sweet Packaged Foods
Functional Foods: Attitudes, Preferences, & Behaviors
- Benefits That Motivated Food, Beverage, or Supplement Purchase, Prior Month
- Functional Foods and Purchase Consideration
- In-Demand Benefits in Functional Foods
Met & Unmet Needs: Consumer Satisfaction with Packaged Foods
- Satisfaction with Packaged Foods by Category
- What Consumers Want More of in Packaged Foods
- What Consumers Want Less of in Packaged Foods
- Ingredients Consumers Avoid in Packaged Foods
Trends in Snacking: Sweet, Savory, & Fortified
- In-Demand Attributes in Snacks
- Preferred Protein Sources in Snacks
- Preferred Fiber Sources in Snacks
- Flavor Profiles That Promote Trial in Snacks
Kids’ Packaged Snack Trends: Attribute Priorities & Importance
- Satisfaction with Kids’ Snack Options
- In-Demand Attributes in Kids’ Packaged Snacks
- Attribute Importance in Kids’ Snacks
Food Consumer Psychographics: Attitudes, Values, & Lifestyle Factors
- Food Purchase Decision-Drivers
- Consumer Psychographics Related to Food Choices
- Attitudes About Food Preparation
- Food Preparation Methods and Appliances
- Food-Related Consumer Behaviors
Brand Attributes That Influence Packaged Food Purchases
- Influence of Certifications on Packaged Food Purchases
- Influence of Eco-Conscious Attributes on Packaged Food Purchases
- Influence of Corporate Values & Practices on Packaged Food Purchases
Food Purchase Behaviors, Influences, & Channels
- Packaged Food Purchase Behaviors: Who Shoppers Buy For
- Behaviors Related to Trial of a Packaged Food
- Sources of Food Information and Inspiration
- Food Retail and Foodservice Channels, Prior Month
- Online and Service-Based Food Retail Channels, Prior Month
U.S. Food Consumer Demographics
- Consumer Demographics: Relationship Status
- Consumer Demographics: Gender
- Consumer Demographics: Sexual Identity
- Consumer Demographics: Age Ranges
- Consumer Demographics: Annual Household Income
- Consumer Demographics: Community Type
Explore Integrated Services
Do More with Nextin Food Trend Data
These additional services help you uncover specific details about your audience or product segment, inform innovation strategy, and enhance your presentations.
Custom Data Slice — $2,500
Additional data analysis based on a single set of criteria; includes a customized Executive Summary. Get in touch to learn more.
Strategy Consulting — $5,000
Consulting from an experienced Strategist in your category. Discuss the possibilities specific to your ingredient, product, or brand. Includes a documented Executive Summary. Learn more.
Protocept Renderings — $7,500 for a set of 3
Illuminate the possibilities with three digital Protocept Mockups that demonstrate how innovation might come to life in a packaged good. Ideal for presentations. Includes discovery call, delivered in PNG and JPG formats. See protocept examples.
A Preview: The Insights Inside
The Protein-Fiber Crossover Opportunity
Only 14% of consumers (n=173) are actively seeking both higher protein and higher fiber in packaged foods—but those who do are dramatically more engaged across categories:
- Purchase frozen vegetables at higher-than-average rates (+20 points)
- Purchase fresh dairy at higher-than-average rates (+15 points)
- Purchase cereal or oatmeal at higher-than-average rates (+14 points)
- Are highly likely to seek both higher fiber and higher protein in snacks
Strategic implication: Protein-and-fiber-seeking consumers concentrate their purchases in specific, high-volume categories—and the data reveals exactly which sources, formats, and functional benefits resonate with this crossover segment.
The full report includes detailed profiles of fiber-focused snackers, ready meal consumers, sweet and savory snack subgroups, kids’ snack purchasers, and functional food prospects—plus satisfaction gap analysis across 22 packaged food categories.
Food Market Coverage
From snacking occasions to ready meals, this research covers the categories and consumer dynamics that matter most in packaged food innovation:
- Snacking (Sweet & Savory): Flavor preferences, format trends, fortified snacking, satisfaction gaps, kids’ snack priorities
- Functional Foods: Purchase consideration, in-demand benefits, functional ingredient preferences
- Ready Meals: Consumer attitudes toward food preparation, appliance use, decision-drivers, flavor preferences
- Protein & Fiber: Preferred sources in packaged foods and snacks, fiber-focused consumer profiles, innovation opportunities
- Cross-Cutting Analysis: Consumer psychographics, purchase-drivers, brand and certification influence, sustainability attitudes, retail and foodservice channels, information sources, GLP-1 use
Trusted Across the Food Industry
Nextin Research insights have been cited by SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal, Food Industry Executive, The National Confectioners Association, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, Yahoo Finance, and leading ingredient, brand, and retail organizations.
A MarketPlace brand, Nextin brings more than two decades of category expertise to every data set—connecting proprietary consumer research with supply chain perspective to deliver insights built for action, not just analysis.
Start With Food Consumer Trends
Instant access upon checkout. The complete research package—a robust insights report plus PowerPoint charts from the consumer survey—is available for immediate download.
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Preview sample charts and explore how the data applies to your category, or send us a message to start a conversation.
