It’s that time of year where we start looking at the trends for 2023. With the backdrop of a strange few years, and faced with the uncertainty of the cost-of-living crisis and climate concerns, 2023 looks set to be a year of resilience. Creativity will be found within uncomfortable and agitated conditions driving change.
And we’re already seeing fun permeate through trends culturally. Whether it’s explosive and colourful brand campaigns or Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Viva Magenta, as a symbol of desire for optimism, creativity and resilience. The year ahead is going to be about courage to find our joy, despite the doom and gloom economic and environmental backdrop.
Here are a few of my predictions for what’s set to be big in food and drink for 2023:
Loving local: cited as a "locavore" diet, and building on our love of farm shops and shopping local during the pandemic. This interest in purchasing locally is now becoming important when it comes to our carbon “calories” and is expected to grow as we start to bring our diets closer to helping solve the climate crisis
Simple tipples: letting premium, quality ingredients sing in cocktails. Stepping away from convoluted garnishes and long lists of ingredients, we’re seeing a return to simple serves, mixed well - also fitting with the mission to reduce our food waste
Glass to go: the 2023 Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report noted that over half of recipients across multiple countries listed sustainable packaging as their no.1 alcohol purchasing consideration when it comes to climate considerations. With glass increasingly unsustainable, taking far more energy to produce and recycle than alternatives like recycled aluminium, expect more innovative solutions in this space
Self-care sweets: faced with daily negativity from energy bills to inflation, we’re turning to sweet treats and flavours to indulge in and provide a bit of much needed escapism. Retro puds continue to reign supreme, with recipes like rice puddings and arctic rolls making a comeback as we invest in a spot of nostalgia and sugar
Tequila, tequila: tequila sales have been fast growing in the UK, increasing by double digits in 2021 in the UK and 2023 looks set to be no different. Waitrose’s Food & Drink report has tipped Cristilano tequila to be a driving force in the trend next year. It’s an aged tequila, that’s then filtered to be colourless removing some of the woodier notes, but retaining the richness of añejo tequila flavour profiles
Date night: as we return to “ancestral eating” and look for our favourite treats made better (whether that’s less carbon, sugar or all the rest) dates are making a quiet return to recipes. Known as “nature’s candy”, whilst it’s not my personal favourite, it’s popping up now in everything from sweets to ketchup and getting TikTok famous in the meantime with viral chocolate dates videos
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