19 Jan 2023 The Future 100: 2023
Wunderman Thompson Intelligence has again published its famed trends report – “The Future 100: Trends and Change to Watch in 2023,” – a fabulous almanac offering a snapshot of the year ahead and the most compelling trends to keep on the radar.
“The Future 100: 2023” charts 100 emerging trends across 10 sectors, spanning culture, tech, beauty and more.
Food and drink feature, too, and while more in a culinary sense, they are nonetheless important lodestones of consumer preferences….
INTREPID DINING: Pioneering diners are indulging in otherworldly meals. Diners are embracing extraordinary culinary experiences that offer inventive menus, theatrical preparation, and extreme locations.
VIRTUAL FLAVOURS: What does the metaverse taste like? The metaverse is influencing the food and drink industry, inspiring new flavour profiles and reimagining the dining experience.
ZERO-PROOF LIFESTYLES: A rising sober generation wants to experience the buzz without the alcohol. Zero-proofing is the new cool.
The past few years have seen a steady rise in people wanting low- or no-alcohol options, as beverage brands started producing more refined non-alcoholic alternatives. Now these products are being integrated into social settings, thanks to modern bottle stores with tasting counters, and chic bars going completely teetotal
SURVIVALIST DINING: Gathered, wild-grown ingredients are informing a new class of survivalist diets. The series reflects a growing cultural interest in nature-inspired, foraged diets and lifestyles. In an evolution from foraged cocktails (trend 41 in “The Future 100: 2022”) consumers are combining their desire to be sustainable with a growing interest in rewilding in daily life.
CLUBSTAURANTS: Exclusive eating clubs are the new ultra-elite dining experience. Fine dining is offering a new tier of elite eating experiences for the upper echelons: one that prioritizes membership and exclusivity, and caters to the crypto elite.
WEB3 WINERIES: The traditional winery is getting a Web3 upgrade. The wine industry is ripe for disruption — and new players are starting to explore Web3-enabled reinvention.
TOP THREE INGREDIENTS: Indigenous palates and authentic cuisine will determine the top ingredients for the year ahead.
- Achiote, popular in Mexican cooking, comes in many forms.
- Sansho peppercorn is a popular ingredient in Japanese cuisine. Zesty and versatile, it can be used in a range of dishes for all levels of cooking.
- Yaupon. Made from a holly bush native to the US, yaupon is the continent’s only naturally caffeinated plant. Known for its sweet and earthy flavour profile, it was used by Indigenous Americans in herbal teas and purification rituals.
CELL-CULTURED DISHES: As cell-cultured food moves from lab to grocery store, luxury dining may be the first beneficiary. Cell-cultured meat or dairy is a promising way to produce animal protein without the twin evils of animal suffering and environmental degradation.
But until very recently, it’s been very expensive to do so. Cell-cultured proteins are still on the cusp of commercialization, with Singapore the only country that currently allows cell-cultured chicken for sale. For some consumers, the first mouthfuls could come from white-tablecloth restaurants rather than from the grocery aisle.
SURREALIST DINING: The food and drink industry is innovating in the face of the energy crisis. As energy prices soar, chefs and restauranteurs are experimenting
with stoveless, gasless cuisine served using little to no electricity.
Chefs are taking extreme measures to innovate the dining experience while conserving money and reducing energy costs
SUPER-CIRCULAR DESIGN: Restaurants are getting a circular redesign. Future dining settings will do more than reduce food waste or use biodegradable materials: the entire environment will be designed in an eco-friendly fashion.