Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council unveiled their top 10 anticipated food trends for 2025 in the retailer’s 10th annual Trends Predictions report. Whole Foods predicts a boom in hydrating ready-to-drink beverages, a new wave of aquatic ingredients, added crunch to every meal, and fusion snack foods with international appeal — these and more are set to influence the food landscape in the coming year.
The Whole Foods Market Trends Council—a collective of more than 50 Whole Foods Market team members ranging from foragers and buyers to culinary experts—develops these trend predictions each year through a combination of deep industry experience, keen observation of consumer preferences, and collaborative sessions with emerging and established brands.
“Our tenth anniversary of trend forecasting marks an important milestone for us, reflecting a decade of sharing innovation and culinary exploration that crosses every aisle,” said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Whole Foods Market.
“This year, we’re especially excited to celebrate how far we’ve come by spotlighting trends for 2025 that not only reflect growing consumer preferences and push the boundaries of what’s possible for the world of food. We’re eager to see these trends take shape and inspire our customers in the year ahead,” Oblisk added.
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“Whole Foods Market has been keeping an eye on trends and spotlighting innovation in food and beverage from the beginning,” said Cathy Strange, Ambassador of Food Culture for Whole Foods Market and member of the Trends Council. “From important food movements around animal welfare, climate, and transparency to the evolving tastes and preferences of consumers, trends in food end up driving our dinner table conversations for years to come and help spark some of the best ideas and solutions for the future.”
Whole Foods Market’s top 10 food trend predictions for 2025 include:
International Snacking
The snack aisle is a perfect place for disruption, with brands taking on salty snacks like popcorn and adding global flavors to create fusion foods that have mass appeal and entice consumers to try something new.
On packaging, brands can tell their snack story by sharing their cultural roots and nostalgic childhood food memories. Products in this trend introduce consumers to different parts of the world through a mix of traditional international snacks like chamoy candy and new combinations like mango sticky rice chips or a chili crunch oil edamame and nut mix.
Ever-Adaptable Dumpling
Dumplings are dough pockets with a typically savory filling, usually cooked by boiling, steaming, or pan-frying. Also known as pocket foods, they appear in multiple aisles, including frozen and shelf-stable single-serve formats at Whole Foods.
These products hit on a few trends—many are authentic to a founder’s cultural roots and ripe for fusion and unexpected mash-ups, which have continued popularity on TikTok and restaurant menus. Dumplings are long-standing staples in cuisines across the globe, making them a trend everyone can feel involved in and get excited about.
Crunch: Texture of the Moment
From crispy grains and granola to sprouted and fermented nuts to roasted chickpeas and mushroom chips — consumers are increasingly reaching for these items to enhance meals and add texture to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Whole Foods brands are creating crunchier versions of the ever-popular chili crisp, while new seasonings marketed for their texture are stars of salads and roasted veggies.
Dehydrated fruits and candy are taking over social media, with consumers seeking that light, airy crunch. This trending texture can also be seen in beverages and desserts, like crème brûlée espresso martinis or pistachio-topped pastries.
Hydration Hype
Reusable water bottle culture is upon us, but consumers want more from their H2O, seeking added electrolytes and hydration in more innovative forms. At Whole Foods, it’s impossible to ignore the trend at food and beverage trade shows, where you’ll find popsicles with electrolytes, sparkling coconut water, chlorophyll water, and protein water.
New players are emerging in the space, like cactus waters, which contain antioxidants and electrolytes and are better-for-you alternatives to sugary and artificially colored sports drinks. Kids can get in on this trend with new and tasty beverages in fun formats like pouches and mini coconuts.
Tea’s Time
There’s tea talk everywhere you turn — both in flavor popularity for food like desserts and granola (chai, Earl Grey, London fog), new steeping formats (tea strips, cold-brew bags for water bottles, and powders), and a wave of new hot products like plant-based milk teas and sparkling teas.
Whole Foods is also seeing vintage-inspired adult tea parties poised to replace happy hour, as customers looking for function can seek out brews with added adaptogens and benefits.
Next-Level Compostable
Products that aren’t ditching packaging completely are going the compostable route, making some or all elements of their packaging compostable. Whole Foods supports brands like Compostic, which are entering new territory with home-compostable products. In the produce world, stocks products like Rainer Fruit, which works on commercially compostable produce stickers.
More-Sustainable Sips
Forward-thinking boozy brands are working to reduce their environmental footprints. Natural and organic wines may not be new, but brands are taking things further by embracing regenerative practices and lower-impact packaging.
Whole Foods is a founding member of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, which aims to drop bottle weights by 25% by 2026. Meanwhile, beer and whiskey brands embrace ingredients like drought-resistant fonio or regeneratively farmed kernza.
Sourdough Stepped Up
During the pandemic, we saw a sourdough resurgence with at-home bakers trying their hand at the classic fermented bread. Now Whole Foods is seeing this trend move into grocery aisles in traditional and innovative ways — pizza crusts, flatbreads, brownies, crackers, chocolate, and more. In the Whole Foods Bakery, various innovative sourdough breads, including Pumpkin Turmeric, are available.
Plant-Based Aquatic Ingredients
With seaweed’s continued popularity and the increasing interest in harvesting readily available aquatic plants for more sustainable sources of protein and nutrients, Whole Foods is turning the tide toward foods made with more sea and freshwater greens.
Sea moss, in particular, is making a splash as a buzzy wellness ingredient, especially for its iron, magnesium, and iodine content. Duckweed, or water lentils, is emerging on the scene with a higher protein content than other leafy greens, and agar-agar is promoted for digestive support.
Protein Power-Up
Consumers want to incorporate more protein into their diets beyond traditional powders and bars, emphasizing whole food sources. Recipes incorporating cottage cheese and organ meats lead the way as shoppers prioritize animal protein. Whole Foods also offers meat blends that combine traditional muscle meat with organ meats, making it easier to enjoy the nutritional benefits.