The James Collective’s 10 Favorite 2023 Trends in Food, Beverage, and Travel
2023, somehow a new year was here before we knew it! While this is a time for many to set goals for themselves, we’ve looked at what’s next for the industries in which we work. We’ve culled through many of the trend predictions from some of our favorite brands, media outlets, and personalities, to pull together the top 10 that we’re most excited about for our clients and ourselves. So without further ado, our favorite trends to watch in 2023:
Food & Wine Magazine sees both Zero-Kilometer Food and Zero Waste Dining as the next trend in travel + restaurants. While we saw this in 2022 with our work with 1 Hotels, we’re thrilled to see this taking hold in a larger context.
While you know we’re passionate about the wine industry, we also would be remiss in not mentioning how Low- and No-Alcohol drinks will continue to command attention. Wine Enthusiast found that ‘across the board, bartenders say they plan to serve drinks that will appeal to those who are limiting or omitting alcohol.” Pinterest also gives a shout out to this trend.
Travelers are embracing the off-season. We’ve long been fans of shoulder season travel, and apparently we’re now not in the minority, according to Veranda. Hotels are opening earlier and hosting guests later than before, while experiences like African safaris are more frequently being booked year round, rather than in certain dry seasons.
Better tea is having a moment--and a long one at that (or shall we say, a long time coming?!). We didn’t think we could be more excited about launching Luxmi Tea in the new year, but reports from Whole Foods and Yelp (as shared in PureWow), show that there’s a rise in interest in all types of higher end teas.
Nostalgic flavors are back--from the home kitchen to slow food to fast food. Food & Wine shows that retro tastes, comfort foods and classic dishes will be everywhere.
The West is discovering the power (and deliciousness!) of dates. We sunk our teeth into this magical fruit--no pun intended--in our work with date-sweetened Spring & Mulberry this year. And now Whole Foods predicts that “the dehydrated fruit often referred to as “nature’s candy” is having a major renaissance as a sweetener — not only for at-home bakers, but also in the form of pastes and syrups, and hidden in everything from ketchup to overnight oats.”
Regenerative viticulture has arrived. The practice ‘of the moment’ is all about soil health, a truly holistic approach, and capturing CO2, according to Sommeliers Choice. They also say--and this is music to our ears--that an increasing number of certified regenerative wines will be on the market.
While we’re on the topic of wine, Beverage Trade Network says that casual winemaker dinners will take hold. And we have to toot our own horn with this one, as we’ve been practicing this for years now with our wine clients. We can tell from first hand experience that this trend will also give the next generation of wine drinkers a memorable and casual way to connect with some of their favorite brands and winemakers, while likewise giving brands a way to authentically build their wine clubs and loyal customers.
Responsible travel is no longer niche. If you’re seeing a pattern here, you’re right. According to Forbes, “Environmentally sustainable travel—which has progressively captured more attention for a few years in a row now—is equally important to some travelers. In the same Virtuoso survey, 70% of respondents selected that traveling sustainably enhances their experience. Meanwhile, the YouGov Travel and Tourism Practice believes we’re at an important tipping point. Already, they found that 44% of consumers try to make purchases (including travel) from socially and environmentally conscious companies.” Pinterest is also seeing this trend take hold--especially when it comes to our favorite mode of transportation, trains.
Digital and Virtual Experimentation. The days of online shopping, discovery, and connection are still with us--and probably not going anywhere. A Bacardi report (outlined in Forbes) “predicts a continuous lean into the digital realm. ‘2023 will see the continued acceleration of on-demand drinks and experiences thanks to the convenience of digital commerce.’ Online shopping is included in that prediction — 31% of respondents plan on increasing the use of online delivery services for ordering cocktails. Bacardi also predicts the digital world offers a new path to drinks education and experimentation.
Any favorite trends we missed? Or interested in riding the wave of these trends through your communications and marketing strategy this year? We’re always game to chat about it. Let us know here.