If there’s one foodie takeaway from our social media feeds last year, it’s colour.
From vibrant poke bowls to jam jars of kombucha, 2018 was a year marked by fresh flavours, new culinary technologies and a changing attitude towards the environment and the local community.
But that was then and this is now, and we’re ready for the next wave of tastes and experiences to change up the way we eat and drink.
This year, our London kitchen has welcomed a new Head Chocolatier and Head of Experience, as well as a new Head of Product. We’re busy honing new recipes and exploring exciting ways of eating for our customers – from pairings to personalisation. (More on that later!) So we were particularly intrigued by the predictions that global and local experts at Whole Foods Market have made for the year ahead, and look forward to feeding this in to our kitchen.
Here is what we should expect from 2019:
Luxe Snacking
This one’s got us particularly excited. No longer is it just about the breakfast, lunch and dinner routine. We’re making more room for snacks, turning to treats with a premium feel that take us back to our childhood. 2019 will be the year of portable indulgence, and our nibbles could be a good place to start.
Pacific Rim Flavours
These are the tastes of Asia, Oceania and the Western coasts of North and South America. Think fresh passionfruit and guava. Going slightly more experimental, we can expect to see menus using jackfruit in the place of meat and sugaring deserts with luo han guo, a sweet-tasting fruit.
Want to do your homework? We’ve a fresh Orange, Mango and Passionfruit ganache on sale in all our shops. Fresh fruity layers of jelly and ganache enrobed in creamy milk chocolate evoke tropical holidays far away from city life.
Probiotics
Not strictly new, but there’s no slow-down to the growth of this wellness-focused trend.
CBD oil
Increasing numbers are turning to this hemp-based oil to alleviate anxiety, and the food industry is starting to experiment with the ingredient in its products.
Ice Cream Alternatives
With frozen treats something we’ve come to enjoy all year round, we also expect innovation. Last year, our vegan Dark Chocolate Sorbetto and Mixed Berry and Violet Sorbetto in collaboration with Snowflake Gelato went down a treat. For 2019, look out for other non-dairy alternatives across the board, including avocado, houmous and tahini.
Plant-based Foods
It doesn’t end at Veganuary. More and more of us are becoming flexitarian, eating mainly plant-based foods with meat and fish on occasion. We can expect chefs to get competitive and experimental with green ingredients as the demand for them soars.
Healthy Fats
2018 has championed the high fat, low carb Keto and Paleo diets and 2019 will see the industry continue to experiment with healthier fats. Think avocado oil and coconut butter – even in chocolate. Watch this space!
Ocean-inspired flavours
It’s hard to know how this will fit into our world, but seaweeds and algae are set to be all the rage…
