Whole Foods Forecasts 2025 Trends

It’s not even Halloween, and Whole Foods has already moved past the holiday season and on to the New Year.

This week, the natural grocer’s Trend Council dropped its 10th annual Food and Beverage Trend forecast for 2025. While some of the upcoming expectations show an evolution of past popular product types, the forecast also put a spotlight on novel and unique attributes subtly influencing new food innovations, including the “texture of the moment” and “sourdough stepping up”.

“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 but also push the boundaries of what’s possible for the world of food,” said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief merchandising and marketing officer at Whole Foods Market.

The trend list was developed by a cohort of over 50 Whole Foods Market team members. Here’s a look at what Whole Foods believes is coming:

International Snacking: While a demand for global flavors has been on the menu since pandemic times, this trend is working to meet the moment… the economic moment, that is. With consumers feeling the pinch at checkout, snacks offering unique and exciting flavors can garner “mass appeal” while enticing “consumers to try something new” without too high of a price tag. Items including Daily Crunch’s Sprouted Cashews collab with Fly By Jing or Confusion Snacks’ line of Indian-inspired popcorn hit the trend head on.

Ever-Adaptable Dumpling: There’s something about a dumpling that can do it all. Clean convenience is increasingly being touted among this set and while dumplings are the main format highlighted by Whole Foods – including Laoban’s new Bao Buns – the natural retailer has also recently added other cultural takes on the filled-dough food group including Maspanadas’ line of frozen empanadas and Jaju’s polish pierogi.

Crunch: Texture of the Moment. We won’t lie, calling out ‘crunch’ as its own trend gave us a shiver, but these trend experts may be on to something. It’s clear consumers are seeking exciting food experiences and crunch is showing up across all aisle and eating occasions. From dehydrated and freeze dried fruits and candies to the chokehold of chili crisp – the perfect crunch seems to be key to capturing consumers.

Sourdough Stepped Up: Once again, popular pandemic food trends have stuck around and seeped into new products and formats. That sourdough starter you traded during the early days of lockdown has found its way into new foods, such as Bionaturae’s sourdough spaghetti or Pinsa Love’s Artisan frozen Roman-style pizzas.

What Else? Whole Foods’ trend council also pointed to the continued prominence of plant-based aquatic ingredients (think everything from seaweed-based snacks to algae cooking oils), protein powering up (see Chobani’s latest innovation or the positioning David for proof) as well as beverage trends such as heightened hydration and tea as both an innovation platform and flavor.